Outsiders #1 (November, 1985)
"Nuclear Fear, Part 1: Beginning With a Bang!"
Writer/Editor - Mike W. Barr
Artist - Jim Aparo
Colors - Adrienne Roy
Cover Price: $1.25
Hey, I hear tell that we're going to be getting another Batman and the Outsiders volume in the coming months. Figured, why not go through some more Outsiders #1's's's's.
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After a pretty neat fold-out page featuring the Outsiders in their new West Coast locale, we hop over to a discussion between a Professor Wye and a shadowy Doctor Shanner. They're talking about the dangers of nuclear power. The doc tells her to imagine what would happen if a nuclear explosion went off in Los Angeles.
He goes on to explain how the mushroom cloud is really just the beginning... there's also that fallout to worry about. Wye doesn't need much "selling" on the idea... she's well aware of the concept of Nuclear Fear. Together they're wanting to shut down the Esperanza Canyon Nuclear Power Plant set to open that weekend. After Wye takes her leave, the Doc introduces us to his "Nuclear Family".
We shift scenes to the Outsiders new digs, off the Santa Monica Coast. Inside they're reminiscing over the "good old days" where they were just the back-end of "Batman and..." Jefferson regrets having bad-blood with the Bat, but really... whattayagonnado? Then, Looker saunters in and suggests they toast their new home... and even allows Halo to engage in some underage drinking (much to Tatsu's dismay). After getting a bit tipsy, they get down to business. Wouldn'tcha know it... they're talking about the Esperanza Canyon Nuclear Power Plant too! Only, they're just hoping everything goes off without a terroristic hitch.
The next day, we visit with the team as "civvies". Gaby and Tatsu are sharing a house on Stone Canyon Drive, Rex and Sapphire have a place in Marina Del Ray, and Brion is staying at the Markovian Consulate. Meanwhile, Looker is keeping herself busy "trancing" a big modelling agent into giving her a gig.
We jump to Sunday... the day the Nuclear Plant opens. Halo is pretending to be an anti-nuke protester to better fit in. Black Lightning senses a whole lot of electricity in the vicinity... coming from the direction of that odd "Nuclear Family". He dismisses it though, suggesting he just got a "vibe" from the daughter's boom box. Katana, Metamorpho and Looker are around back checking the place out. Brion, as a Dignitary, is getting a guided tour of the facility.
We hop into the security box, where Professor Wye appears to be manning the gates. She dictates her book on fear into a tape recorder, however, is interrupted by... some folks dressed like they're up to no good, who just happen to have the right codes to gain entry.
These goofballs run right into the Outsiders... and it doesn't work out so well for them. After Metamorpho makes them look like fools, Looker trances them into both falling in love with her... and fighting with each other for her affections. Professor Wye tries to contact them... but, doesn't get any reply.
Nearby, that Nuclear Family makes their way to a pretty poorly-hidden secret hatch, and they let themselves in to the Plant.
Their presence is immediately noticed... and the Plant goes into defense mode.
This really riles up the folks lingering in the area. The protesters are sure that this is a sign of the end-times... the place is about to go boom! It doesn't, of course... but we're really playing with the concept of fear here. How fear makes us think, and act. Inside, the Nuclear Family break into the Nuclear Core... and, uh, soak up the juice!
The Outsiders show up just in time for a face-off with the Family. After a brief (and careful) struggle, Halo locks'em in a stasis aura. It's here where they learn that the members of the Nuclear Family... well, they ain't breathin'!
They take the Fam back to base, and introduce them to Doctor Jace (rhyme!). She deduces that these characters aren't human... they are, in fact, automatons.
The Outsiders would really like to meet the maker of these bots... and Looker has an idea on how they might accomplish that. They... uh, let the Nuclear Family go! It looks like Mama Nuke has been left behind... but, I could'a sworn I saw her leave too! Hmm...
We head back to Dr. Shanner's place, where he and Professor Wye are talking about everything that went down at the plant. Wye is upset because they were never supposed to damage the joint... just threaten to! At this point, she is introduced to the Nuclear Family.
She immediately recognizes them as the same folks in a photo on Shanner's desk. He explains that these were members of his own family... taken from him by nuclear poisoning. The very same nuclear poisoning he himself is currently suffering from!
He continues, and elaborates on his plan. They're not just going to threaten the public... they're going to blow up Los Angeles! There is an audible gasp in the room... coming from Mama Nuke. Uh-oh.
Turns out "Mom" is actually Looker in disguise. She attempts to trance the Doc... but gets clobbered from behind before she can. We wrap up with the threat of a nuclear Los Angeles on the horizon.
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Probably not my favorite issue of Outsiders... and also, probably not the one I'd have used to launch a new volume. It really doesn't feel all that much like a "showcase"... which, I dunno... I think "New #1's" kinda need to be. Hell, these days... it isn't unusual for a "New #1" to be Part 2 of a story... so, maybe I should just leave well enough alone!
This is a story playing upon very real fears of the day. It might be hard to imagine for younger folks, but we were (or at least I was) scared of nuclear war back in the 80's. Not sure if stories like this were part of the cause... or just a reaction, but... the fears were real. It was a different kind of fear... I was just a youngling at the time, but... this was something I couldn't count on my parents to "fix". We were all powerless against it.
Let's talk that Nuclear Family. There's something... I dunno, unsettling about idyllic 1950's Americana, ain't there? Not so much scary... but, I'm always left thinking that there's something dark just below the surface... and in this case, I'm right... because these characters are robots with the express purpose of making Los Angeles go boom!
I appreciated the way Doctor Shanner sorta-kinda used Professor Wye. He let her use those masked goofballs... knowing that they were only going to be a distraction, only there to facilitate the Nuclear Family's passage into the Plant. Now, Wye is in too-deep... she's kinda stuck sleepin' in the bed she made.
Overall... not a bad issue, just probably not the one I'd have launched a new volume with. The art suffers a little bit from the Baxter paper... but, we've been over that before.
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Outsiders #14 (December, 1986)
"The Looker Murder Case!"
"Starting Over"
Writer/Editor - Mike W. Barr
Artists - Jim Aparo & Mary Wilshire
Colors - Adrienne Roy
Cover Price: $1.50
Halo... has braces?! Now tell me, what soulless heathen could pass up a story like that?
Not me!
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We open cold with a scene of a man with a knife plunged in his back. The Outsiders are investigating the scene... while Looker is behind bars. We're not there yet, but we will be! But first... something far, far, farrrrr more important. Halo... gets braces!
Tatsu and Gaby walk throughout the mall, with the latter doin' the whole "woe is me" deal that many teen-agers would in the same situation. She refers to herself as "Gaby Doe: Robotgirl", and runs off threatening never to go back to school again. Is she really the only High Schooler with braces?
We shift scenes to the offices of Carl Cramer. He's stolen a photo from Looker's apartment which confirms that she's really the mousy Emily Briggs. He's been hired by a Mr. Dumont... but, he says he doesn't have to tell him anything... so long as Looker "plays ball". This proposition earns him a smack in the face... followed up by some hypnosis. After she leaves, we hear a scream coming from his office.
The next day at Canyon High School... a pair of young ladies try and chat Gaby up... but she ghosts them. We know she's just self-conscious about her brace-facedness, but they're taking it as she's being a stuck-up snob.
That night, Gaby is so distracted that she's forgotten that tonight is her Birthday Party! The Outsiders all show up, gifts in hand, to celebrate. Gaby is still a bit uncomfortable about entertaining... until she sees the stack of presents, which she giddily opens. Just in case you forgot when this book came out... check out her loot!
Before it's time for cake, Rex makes a boneheaded remark about Gaby forgetting all about her metal-mouth. This, naturally, gets her blushy... and she scampers away. Just then, there's a knock at the door. It's an officer, with a warrant to arrest Looker for the murder of Carl Cramer!
Down at the station, the officer deduces that Looker did the deed because... get this, Cramer was building a model ship... a Brigantine... and Looker's real last name is "Briggs", so... they take this as a clue. I'd like to know what Police Academy this guy graduated from... was Steve Guttenberg there? Jeff (Black Lightning) doesn't quite know what to say... but he and Brion agree that the safest place for Looker is behind bars... because, clearly... someone is trying to frame her.
And so, it's time to investigate. Gaby and Tatsu head to Warren Kennels to chat up one Belle Warren. Belle ain't the most hospitable host... and fires a rifle in their direction. When they finally get to question her... she agrees that she has a cause to kill Cramer... and actually she wishes she had... only, somebody got to him first.
Next, Rex heads to the apartment of John Rupert, an Accountant. While Rupert sleeps, Rex goes through his belongings... including a metal box. Upon opening it, an alarm goes off... which wakes its owner. Rex confronts the fella... who, comes clean... about embezzling. Ya see, he once ran with Cramer... but has since gone clean. Even going as far as changing his name to distance himself from his past. Satisfied, Rex leaves.
Finally, Jeff and Brion head to an (all-night?) Discount Watch shop owned by one Phil Melton. Melton confuses the heroes for members of Infinity, Inc. and tells his story. Yeah, he had reason to wanna "off" Cramer... but he didn't do it, see? Not completely convinced, Geo-Force and Black Lightning leave.
Congregating at Cramer's office, the Outsiders tap into Looker's telepathy to fill her in on everything they found out. Allowing her to "see" through their eyes, they ask her to tap into her photographic memory and tell them if she notices anything different. She notes that there had been a ship's bell... only, it's missing now. Everyone (sans Gaby... and me) have figured it out!
We rejoin the team back at the Police Department where they present their case to the officer. If the killer took a "bell"... might it be Belle Warren whodunnit?! Well, no... that'd be too easy, and almost make sense. In fact, it as Phil Melton the Discount Watch King... because, get this, bells are used to tell time on ships. Ay yai yai. Oh, and also... they found some blood evidence linking him to the murder, which will probably hold a bit more water in court than "a tchotchke was missing from his desk".
We wrap up with Looker breathing her first bit of fresh air in 24-hours... and latching onto Brion so they can confront that Dumont guy. Gaby still doesn't wanna go to school... but, whattaya gonna do?
We're not done yet, folks... it's backup time... starring Windfall. Who? Well she was a member of the Baron Bedlam's Masters of Disaster alongside her sister New Wave. She's since had a change of heart... and finds herself in a small village in Markovia, the site of one of their earlier raids. She swipes some clothes in order to fit in with the locals...
... and walks right into a young fella named Nikolas who is on his way back from a day of hunting. He claims that there is a bear terrorizing the village, and he was out trying to take care of it. They hit it off immediately, and he invites her to his place so his mother can fill her belly with a hot meal.
We learn here that Nik's father and older brother were killed in the battle with Bedlam... which makes Windfall feel kinda bad. They invite her to spend the night, however, she finds it too difficult to sleep. She suits up and heads out.
She comes upon a group of hunters (including Nikolas)... and gets clobbered in the back of the head with the butt-end of an ax. Before we know it, she's tied up to a stake, and just about to be roasted. Windfall is able to extinguish the flames with her powers... but she knows she won't be able to keep it up.
Just then... that bear shows up! The hunters scamper, knowing that the beast will take care of their little witch problem. Windfall is able to break free, and after a distraction from Nikolas, the bear finds itself impaled on the stake.
We wrap up with Nikolas telling Wendy that it'd be best if she left... next time, he's not sure he'll stick around to help her.
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Okay... this was a "cute" story, I guess. I had fun with it, but can't help but notice how strange and convenient the whole thing was. I mean, the whole mishagoss is predicated on the murdered dude (who apparently loves puzzles!) having a model ship on his desk.
Something I'm confused about... primarily because, coming in (relatively) cold, I lack the context. If people (like the arresting officer) know that Looker's real name is Briggs... than what was Cramer's secret? Just the fact that she looks different as a civilian? I suppose that's enough... but, I'd figure it wouldn't be too difficult to connect the dots if you know her real name. I dunno.
Our three suspects... all had reason to wanna "off" Cramer, which is fair enough. Not sure why the... ya know... Police didn't follow these leads, but whattaya gonna do? I guess they really thought the "brigantine on the desk" was enough to prosecute. So dumb.
As was the conclusion. A bell tchotchke missing from Cramer's desk indicates that the Discount Watch King dun did the deed? The hell? This assumes that Melton even knows that a ship's bell indicates time. Of course, it's all moot since they also have the blood evidence... which, really... is all they needed. Not sure why we needed to confuse things with the knick-knacks.
Also... Halo gets braces. It's these sorta-soapy elements that always keeps me coming back to the Outsiders. It's not quite as soapy as New Teen Titans or the X-Men... but, we do get really neat "civvie" moments like this for the team members. I mean, we also get Gaby's birthday party... which was a lot of fun, and also really brought me back to the late 80's!
One problem I have... and this really goes for all of the early-ish Baxter books. The paper doesn't really do the art any favors. Here, Aparo's work looks more like it would fit in a newspaper strip than a comic book. Not horrible or anything, just not up to the standard set by his non-Baxter work.
The back-up... was what it was. It's the story of reflection... and the concept of redemption, and it made its point. Art here was pretty good... though, I'm sure (like Aparo's) it would have looked better on newsprint.
I appreciated that Nikolas had a sort of crisis of conscience. He remained to help Windfall with the bear... but, wasn't sure he'd "have her back" next time around. Makes perfect sense for a guy who had been affected by her former villainy.
Overall... like I said, a cute issue, but kind of a throwaway. Still worth checking out, in my opinion... especially if you're into some soapy-superheroics. This issue is available digitally.
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Outsiders #5 (March, 1986)
"A Christmas Carol -- 1985"
Writer/Editor/Co-Creator - Mike W. Barr
Artist/Co-Creator - Jim Aparo
Backup Artist - Trevor Von Eeden
Colorist - Adrienne Roy
Letterer - John E. Workman
Cover Price: $1.50
With the Fourth of July out of the way, we get to dive into one of my favorite, er "features" here at the humble blog, Christmas on Infinite Earths... in July! Even though the Phoenix five-day forecast reads...
... we're still gonna retrieve that jug of eggnog we've been keeping in the freezer and don our gaudy sweaters to celebrate the... uh, season over about a week this month... just, probably not all in a row... I don't wanna burn you/me/us out on the concept, plus we do have that Spidey-Special this Friday.
I think I can say this is a tradition since we also did this last year. Twice makes tradition, right? Well, we're also going to keep another tradition going, and that's starting Christmas conversation with coverage of... the Outsiders! Boy did they get a bunch of Christmas issues!
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We open on a flashback. We learn a bit about a pair of accountants named Mudge and Morley. These two shared a firm, and from the looks of it, a very strong friendship... however, one kept a very important secret. Ya see, Mr. Morley was quite ill. Rather than risk bankrupting their office to keep him alive, he just kept it to himself. While they two were together they were visited by the corrupt Mr. Sinclair who time and again, wanted to procure their services... they declined each time. However, following the untimely passing of his partner, Mr. Mudge would finally come around to the idea. In the present, we join the Outsiders at their base... the topic of the day is, well, Mr. Tommy Sinclair... the corrupt ganglord! In doing their research, the team figures one angle they might be able to use is Sinclair's personal accountant, Mr. Eben Mudge.
Speak of the devil, we shift scenes to a young couple heading up the drive of a giant mansion. This is Dan and Janice, the former is the nephew of Eben Mudge. Their visit goes less than swimmingly... they try and give him a Christmas present, but he's all "bah humbug". If the title didn't already tip us off, I think we've got a pretty good idea where this is headed.
We rejoin Halo and Katana at home where they are in the midst of decking the halls. The perspective in this panel looks a bit weird... either Katana is super-tiny, or their living room is the size of a school lunch room. Gaby ain't quite feeling the spirit, and at Tatsu's suggestion, leaves to practice her flute.
Our next stop is Looker's. There's a knock at her door... it's the postman with a package for her... well, for her alter ego, anyway. She opens it, revealing a note from mousy-Emily's boyfriend, Greg... and a pretty modest looking dress. She sobs.
From here, we shift to the evening where the Outsiders are gathered outside Eben Mudge's mansion so they can enact their plan. Black Lightning grips the electrified fence, overloading it and causing a blackout so the team can gain access to the grounds. When they reach the window to Mudge's study... okay, this is where it gets weird... first, Looker sends a note (written in Morley's handwriting) into a book on his desk.
Then... then... as Mudge heads to his bookshelf, Katana spits a sleeping pill into his drink!
Eben returns to his desk with the copy of A Christmas Carol given to him by his old partner... takes a swig of his drugged drink... and starts to doze.
The Outsiders enter the study, and get to work concocting "act one" of their grand plan. Looker works her mojo on the man, and when his eyes open he sees... his old partner, Harold Morley! It's actually Geo-Force in a mask and chains (a la Jacob Marley... oh, now I get it! And, Mudge's first name is Eben...eezer, d'oh!), surrounded by swirls of Metamorpho gas.
He does the whole "you'll be visited by three ghosts" thing. The first of which is portrayed by Halo. She takes Mudge "back to the past", where he witnesses his younger self being dumped by the love of his life due to his greed and selfishness following the death of Mr. Morley. This is all a Looker-illusion, by the way, which kinda begs the question... if she's got such great power, why are the rest of the Outsiders even needed? Halo sees what pain this is causing the older Eben, and questions their methods... it does seem a bit cruel to put the poor guy through this, don't it? I mean, he may be a crotchety old jerk, but... I dunno.
Next up is the Ghost of Christmas Present, portrayed by Metamorpho in a robe. After greeting poor ol' Eben, he transforms into a sleigh and delivers him to the home of his nephew Dan and his pregnant wife Janice. They discuss how there are things more important than money, yadda yadda yadda.
From here, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrives... it's Black Lightning in a cloak. He silently brings him forward in time to his own retirement party. A party where his employer Mr. Sinclair gives him the gift of... well, perforation. Being of no further use, he's shot full'a holes.
Well, since Eben isn't, ya know... evil, this is all it takes for him to change his ways. After he's returned to his home, he runs to his study to call the police and spill the beans on Mr. Sinclair. As luck would have it, Sinclair chooses right this moment to pay his accountant a visit.
Upon learning that his confidant is calling the cops, he barges in with his goon squad. Luckily the Outsiders are still lingering about, and make short work of the baddies. Mr. Sinclair is indicted.
We close out with Mr. Mudge deciding maybe Christmas ain't all that bad as he celebrates with his nephew and niece-in-law (is that even a thing?). In case you were wondering, the gift they gave him earlier was a gown. Back with the Outsiders, Halo has rediscovered her Christmas spirit as well, and has flown off with her bell and "ski cap" which looks more like a Santa hat.
Our back-up strip features Black Lightning and Katana attempting to do a bit of Christmas shopping for Jefferson's ex-wife, Lynn. At that moment, we see a shaky man entering the employee's entrance of the department store holding a Santa Claus outfit. It appears as though he's being forced into the situation by a creep holding his son hostage.
Jeff's having some trouble deciding whether to buy a cheap piece of lingerie or a cheap piece of jewelry. The salesman acts like a bit of a jerk when he asks to see something from the "budget collection". Elsewhere the shaky man suits up and heads into the security office... where he kayos a guard with a bottle before turning off the power.
With the power to the security system out, a goon squad runs in to rob the place. Tatsu and Jeff head into the dressing rooms to suit up.
What follows is a couple pages of Black Lightning and Katana wrecking the fools. The Shaky-Santa approaches Katana to let her know about his son being held outside.
They take care of the creep in the car... we get a father-son reunion, and everything ends happily ever after... well, except for the fact that Jeff still has to pick out a gift for his ex.
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Welp... not my favorite issue of the Outsiders. A pair of pretty uninspired Christmas romps... neither of which really did anything for me.
The whole first story felt, I dunno, unnecessary. It's established pretty early on that Looker's powers would be all they would need to put poor ol' Mudge through his hallucinatory yuletide tour. Not sure why the rest of the Outsiders would even need to be present.
Also, drugging the old man's drink? That doesn't seem very heroic, does it? I mean, the Outsiders really walked the ethical tightrope here... just for some information, which I'm not even sure would be admissible. I guess it's lucky ol' Eben ultimately decided to spill every last bean to the police.
Some of my favorite soap-operatic Outsiders storytelling methods are used here. Little asides and vignettes are always welcome in this book. We get that brief scene with Looker where she receives a gift from her lover... I enjoy things like that. Hell, our entire back-up strip is basically an aside-vignette.
Also, as much as I hate to say it... the art here felt very rushed. I know that these early Baxter books weren't the kindest to art... giving a "flat" and lifeless look that wasn't present on newsprint... but this definitely isn't up to our usual Aparo standard. The cover, however, is pretty excellent.
Speaking of the Baxter books... and this has no bearing on the story... but, I've never come across a copy of this issue "in the wild" that didn't have some "spinal damage"... that is to say, the cover is splitting a bit at the staples. Every single copy I find is in various states of coming apart. It's just this issue too... every other issue of Outsiders (and other Baxters) are just fine! So weird. Wonder if it's just my neck of the woods, or if others have the same experience.
The back-up strip was... eh. Not great but also not terrible. I always enjoy Trevor Von Eeden, so his work here was definitely appreciated. The story though? I think "eh" covers it.
Overall, this is a tough one to recommend. It's one of the few issues of (Batman and the) Outsiders that I walk away from feeling unsatisfied. As always though, your mileage may vary.
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