Batman and the Outsiders #8: Discussion and Review Thread

[Binker]

My review to this will be posted soon. But until then, post what you thought of it!

[Binker]

By Nathaniel Ruff (also known as Binker, Binker2 and Nate on many forums)

BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #8

Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by Julian Lopez and Bit
Cover by Doug Braithwaite
Edited by Mike Marts

PLOT:
As the Outsiders' situation deep in the heart of China worsens, the team must turn to the member they trust least to bail them out: Batgirl. All this, plus REMAC in full-force action and a guest appearance by the former leader of the Outsiders — Nightwing!

REVIEW:
Issue #7, again, was another exciting issue of Batman and the Outsiders, as it really rocked. Metamorpho's part of the story revealed that the so-called space station was actually a weapon. So the plot was thickened as to what the heck is going on here. Another good thing was that Batman let Thunder rejoin the team, and that was good given the fact that Batman reminded me of his post-Crisis a$$hole which is something I really hate from the character. With nothign bad from that issue, time to check out the next, latest issue of "Batman and the Outsiders!"

Our word today is: Action. No, that isn't a reference to "Action Comics", it's because this whole book is filled with action and exciting moments that you couldn't have asked for more. There are a bit of a funny moment, with Salah, who is controlling the REMAC, going nuts, passing out, and dragging his legs, with the REMAC copying every one of that. Now knowing what I got from this issue, I wish the cover was different. The cover to this issue kinda presents that Batgirl was going to fight the Chinese by herself, and that obviously wasn't it. Maybe the cover should've had our team on one side, the Chinese superhero team on the other side, and them charging into one another. Or just something else that clearly said that this was action, and it was our team that starts it. Of course, we didn't forget about Metamorpho, and while his situation didn't change, he's the only one left now that the team, and the book, will focus on before this whole story arc can be concluded. Wait, is it a story arc?

Overall, I had a nice time reading this issue. It was filled with action, the Outsiders are now out of China, and now we're ready for the final part the team must concern themselves on: Metamorpho. As I explained; I think the cover where Batgirl seems to be the sole good guy (or gal) against the Chinese shouldn't have been as that's not really happened. The cover was cool-looking, though, but maybe a battle looking cover would've fit well with the story. Now, it seems this whole deal we're in has two issues left, and Metamorpho returns to Earth and we'll promise a return of the former Outside by the name of Looker. And I'm going to be a newbie on this. Why? I do not know how the heck she is.

RATING: Yay

Next Issue: Metamorpho returns to Earth! And Looker is back!

[Dard]

This issue is pretty typical of this series so far.
Weak story, strong writing.
But this time, it is taking things to the extreme.

The main story is reduced to almost nothing. What is left is Rex who reports that a giant weapon is fired on the moon. That's it. No explanation, no clue, just Rex returning to earth in seemingly no time.
Simply too little for eight issues into a series.

But then there is the actual writing.
Batgirl finally using her big skills again not for killing, but for not killing. Oh, how I missed that! She's still not of much use in this series, but any screentime she gets away from Beechan is pleasing me!
Thunder is back in action. Not as some annoying spectator, but as someone who is showing what she can do! Together with Nightwing it brings back fond memories of the former Outsiders series. Too bad it won't stay that way. But it is fun while it lasts. Dixon is still handling Thunder and Grace' relationship rather heavy-handed, but not really bad. I hope that Thunder will stay in the team. You just couldn't keep them apart in any believable way. I hope Dixon's successor will see it the same way.
I think the issue actually profited that the usual show-stealers Rex and Oliver were more in the background.
I'm also glad that the mess with the chinese is resolved in a somewhat credible way. That the Outsiders kept things unbloody, the humiliation and secrecy of the operation there (not that we will ever find out what the chinese were doing there) will ensure that things will be swept under the rug.

And then there is Remac. I could not believe that the Outsiders would employ an autonomous android, mindwiped or not. The lessons of Indigo should have been too traumatic for that. But as a remote controlled puppet, this is another thing entirely.
The whole Remac action, the reactions of the computer geek and his interaction with Alfred left me ROFL! I would never have thought that I would be enjoying this so much! "That's it, one foot in front of the other." Wahahaha!

Definitely one of the best single issues I have read in quite some time.
But it is still not enough.
In the long term, I will only remember the story and how good it was. And there is too little story. Eight issues and I still have no idea what they are doing and why.

RATING: Both yay and blah!

[Agent_Torpor]

By Nathaniel Ruff (also known as Binker, Binker2 and Nate on many forums)

RATING: Yay



SHOCKING! Absolutely SHOCKING!

[pariah-1972]

This issue is pretty typical of this series so far.
Weak story, strong writing.
But this time, it is taking things to the extreme.

The main story is reduced to almost nothing. What is left is Rex who reports that a giant weapon is fired on the moon. That's it. No explanation, no clue, just Rex returning to earth in seemingly no time.
Simply too little for eight issues into a series.

But then there is the actual writing.
Batgirl finally using her big skills again not for killing, but for not killing. Oh, how I missed that! She's still not of much use in this series, but any screentime she gets away from Beechan is pleasing me!
Thunder is back in action. Not as some annoying spectator, but as someone who is showing what she can do! Together with Nightwing it brings back fond memories of the former Outsiders series. Too bad it won't stay that way. But it is fun while it lasts. Dixon is still handling Thunder and Grace' relationship rather heavy-handed, but not really bad. I hope that Thunder will stay in the team. You just couldn't keep them apart in any believable way. I hope Dixon's successor will see it the same way.
I think the issue actually profited that the usual show-stealers Rex and Oliver were more in the background.
I'm also glad that the mess with the chinese is resolved in a somewhat credible way. That the Outsiders kept things unbloody, the humiliation and secrecy of the operation there (not that we will ever find out what the chinese were doing there) will ensure that things will be swept under the rug.

And then there is Remac. I could not believe that the Outsiders would employ an autonomous android, mindwiped or not. The lessons of Indigo should have been too traumatic for that. But as a remote controlled puppet, this is another thing entirely.
The whole Remac action, the reactions of the computer geek and his interaction with Alfred left me ROFL! I would never have thought that I would be enjoying this so much! "That's it, one foot in front of the other." Wahahaha!

Definitely one of the best single issues I have read in quite some time.
But it is still not enough.
In the long term, I will only remember the story and how good it was. And there is too little story. Eight issues and I still have no idea what they are doing and why.

RATING: Both yay and blah!I'm a little lost by what they were doing in china in the first place and how they accomplished it?
Weren't they supposed to be stopping a missile from being launched?
How did being they stop that ? by being captured??

[AlistairCrane]

I echo Dard's sentiments exactly.

[Ferrian]

Good issue overall. The Remac parts were pretty funny.

[Dard]

I'm a little lost by what they were doing in china in the first place and how they accomplished it?
Weren't they supposed to be stopping a missile from being launched?
How did being they stop that ? by being captured??I'm not sure I remember it correctly, but AFAIK the Batman ordered the Outsiders to hijack the rocket in order to get to space and go after Rex.
It's just plain old theft that was going on here. And a very, very badly planned one.

[Starba]

As much as I usually love the art on this book, I really have to despair about the portrayal of the Chinese soldiers. Half the time, they looked like monkeys. =(

[Seraku]

I liked it, not great but it was good overall. Remac parts were funny.