Batman and the Outsiders #8 is a great step in the right direction for the series, capturing a fundamental sense of heart for the team while entrenching them deeper in a dangerous mystery that is sure to explode at any moment. Read Full Review

After a crisis is avoided, The Outsiders regroup and lick their wounds. Ra's Al Ghul on the other hand, begins a new scheme to destroy Batman and his handpicked heroes. Who will blink first, Batman and his team, or Ra's Al Ghul and the League of Shadows? Read Full Review

Batman and the Outsiders has taken a major turn upwards as it focuses more on its core cast and less on the original 90s-style antiheroes and villains who dominated the first arc. Bryan Hill's character work is always excellent, especially when he's working with characters he clearly feels passionate about. Read Full Review

Batman & the Outsiders continues to grow and improve with each issue as Bryan Hill and Dexter Soy fully take the reigns of this title. The team has endured some speed bumps to ensure they can establish a proper foundation for both the narrative and characters, and are now paving the way with a well-balanced, gripping, and engaging story. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite titles from DC, and I only hope it continues to improve from here! Read Full Review

Batman and The Outsiders #8 is flat-out one of the best issues of the series thus far. Read Full Review

What I really want is for Batman to knock Ra's on his smug keister, though… and sooner, rather than later. Read Full Review

This is a slower-paced issue than the last one, but the character moments show a progression that hasn't been there before.  Duke, especially, seems more confident and I can't wait to see his new power set in action.  Dexter Soy is back and the book looks great and the story is ramping up to be an epic battle between Ra's and the Outsiders.  I am back on the Batman and the Outsiders trolley and can't wait to see what happens at the next stop. Read Full Review

"Batman and the Outsiders" are charged up in this latest issue. Read Full Review

Despite the team's victory in extracting Sofia from Ra's al Ghul‘s clutches, the comic is far from done with the Demon's Head who has begun taking his revenge on the Dark Knight's pupils with the corruption of Signal, a jibe at Cassandra's destiny, and a hitting Black Lightning where he lives. Far from being finished, it looks like Ra's has just begun. The question is, after he's done how many Outsiders will still be standing? Worth a look. Read Full Review

This was pretty enjoyable and I like that this book references Tom King's run, but without any real nod to Gotham City being the City of Bane, and Duke off not being married to Gotham Girl... the continuity of this issue is definitely questionable, at least until we find out Gotham Girl doesn't marry Duke until the end of Batman/Catwoman.

Prelude:
Batman and the Outsiders has struggled to maintain a consistency within the title so far. Let's see if this issue changes that.

The Good:
I do like how Duke knows that the League is trying to play him.

I do like how Bruce and Katana are interacting with Sofia.

Dexter Soy's art is good in this issue.

The Bad:
Continuity is a bit rough here.

Conclusion:
Some firm ground for Outsiders as a series this issue but not for the team. The cliffhanger can be interesting but this story has to play out first.

It was good to see Black Lightning get more of a role than usual. However the story isn’t that captivating.

I like that we got an issue to ruminate on the team and the status quo. Sometimes, especially with team books, we don't ever get that and it begins to become a drag for this reader. I just wish this book wasn't forced to tie into Year of the Villain. I feel like that is its biggest problem. It can't just tell its own story.

I signed up for Batman & the Outsiders for two reasons, first because I want to see Duke Thomas as the Signal stick as a character in the universe (he's day Batman!). He has heart and has peaked my interest ever since All Star Batman. It's refreshing to see writers create a character with a good back story, a cool skill set, and let them stand on their own. There was no virtue signaling, no ramrodding him down our throats. He's the type of character you want to root for out of the gate. And that dynamic coupled with Katana finally being given a worthy role was enough for me to say yes to the series. There was also the promise of "BATMAN & the Outsiders" becoming "The OUTSIDERS" one day. Ton's of potential here (swords, lightning, strong and like-able characters).

And yet I fear for the comic. Duke's role is confusing, poorly written, and like the girl they've been trying to save, frustrating. They are too easily duped. It's just not believable or necessary. Batman doesn't bring on individuals with wishy washy allegiances. So again it doesn't make sense. Duke can find himself without having to play the buffoon. And maybe this is just a lazy plot mechanic, but either way not fair to the characters or the readers. Oh and if Kaliber and the forgettable character the Outsiders are trying to protect (I really can't recall her name) are to eventually round out the group, no thanks.

You're $32.00 into a run that is teetering on my putting $3.99 elsewhere.



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I don’t know, I still wish I got more out of the characters? But it’s not bad, just not great.