The Outsiders #5 review

This is an oddball issue. The Outsiders – Luke Fox, Kate Kane and Drummer – spend an evening at a party, supposedly to catalogue the monsters of New York. The hostess?

Natalia Knight, the enigmatic Nocturna, a Batman villainess who once convinced Kate, aka Batwoman, that they were both vampires, and, apparently, preyed upon her sexually. Kate seems surprisingly forgiving, accompanying Nocturna on a journey through her house of horrors. Along the way the Queen of the Night regales Kate with her (latest) origin – 19th-century maiden who happily turned vampire in order to escape the horrors of childbirth. Recently, though she’s had a surprise.

Meanwhile, exploring the corridors alone, Luke falls for the oldest trick in the book.

The young girl victim who isn’t what she seems.

It’s Klarion the Witch Boy, often a bad guy, occasionally a helper of heroes. Here he claims it’s the latter.

Drummer, meanwhile, has dolled herself up to better persuade the decadent party guests to share their stories.

There’s only one, though, in whom she’s really interested.

To me, this is nonsense talk. To Drummer, it’s the chance to get more answers about the Planetary Guide she found in the debut issue of this Wildstorm-linked DC series. Hopefully Drummer will work out the big picture soon and we readers will share the information.

On first reading I didn’t like this issue. A Nocturna who skews so far from the original as to be unrecognisable. A stupidly naive Luke Fox. Drummer and demons talking nonsense. A second reading, though, with different expectations, proved more enjoyable. I enjoyed the cameos by various DC universe demons and the unfolding mystery of what’s been happening with the Multiverse.

Kate Kane is recognisably ascerbic and Drummer mysterious, but Luke is seriously naive – he’s been a Bat-Cousin for a while and should know that when you’re in a gallery of ghouls, you don’t take things at face value.

While Drummer’s conversation with the demon I guess is named Squiggles – are we meant to know who they are? – is at times annoyingly opaque/unreadable, her apparent reference to Jack Hawksmoor of The Authority intrigued me greatly.

The story ends with our cast reuniting and declaring the mission a success, and the final shot is Kate back in her Batwoman togs, looking for butt to kick. Has her encounter with Nocturna set her back on the path of regular superhero?

Writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing obviously have a plan, but I could do with the obtuseness being dialled down to 11. I’m still deeply irritated by the stupid blanked-out swearing… there’s no need, just give us PG dialogue. Did Alan Moore need implied expletives to make his characters sound ‘cool’ and ‘edgy’? He

did not.

Also, it’s a waste of letterer Tom Napolitano’s talent. If we must have pretendy swearing, have him design an interesting solution. Throughout this issue Napolitano once again shows he has the goods, with fantastic fontwork.

Artist Robert Carey – Happy St Patrick’s Day, if you’re reading – is back once more and I appreciate the consistency he gives the world of the Outsiders. His Drummer is a revelation this issue; either she scrubs up very well – three decades younger well – or she has a literal glamour. The parade of monsters look suitably unsettling, especially Justice League Dark annoyance The Upside-Down Man. And Carey’s updated Klarion looks kool.

Valentina Taddeo’s commitment to blues and blacks and purples and reds is so effective in Nocturna’s Palace of Pain that when we get outside into the city streets it’s a huge relief, and a treat for the eyes. As for Roger Cruz’s cover art, coloured by Adriano Lucas, it’s a bit of a guddle – a dull composition, with reactions from our heroes that are way over the top. It reminds me of a bad Aurora kit ad. I’m sure he’ll do better next time.

I’d love to know your thoughts on this issue – did you have strong opinions either way? Did you, like me, need a second read? Spill the beans.