Outsiders #21 - DC

So it seems the name . . the Outsiders, is an even more well deserved moniker for this group now. Alfred has pretty much cut all ties they have to the Bat-family. This issue they're locked out of the Bat-cave . . their base of operations. "The Bat-cave and everything in it is no longer operating as the central control center. I cannot afford to compromise our new location. I take no joy in telling you any of this . . but right now there is a threat level that I can only describe as being extremely high . . and that we here within the Bat-family have been personally compromised on such intimate levels that it's necessitated my current position." However, they are still needed. With the escape of all of Arkham's inmates, their retrieval is of the utmost importance. Even more so than their battle with the Insiders. Everybody is pretty optimistic about their fight, especially after the events of last issue, but only Owlman seems to be taking things realistically. "My gut says we haven't seen the last of them. It was way too easy. You're right about it being a battle, because I sure as hell still thing the war's going on. It's just a question of when . . " Anyways, the team splits up and goes after some of the more notorious characters. Creeper, Halo and Katana end up in the Louisiana swamps looking for Killer Croc. Geo-Force and Metamorpho go to Wyoming after Clay-face. And Owlman and Black Lightning go to Alaska in search of Mr Freeze. We see the Alaskan battle this issue, but don't get much insight into the others. It seems that Freeze came her because he wants to remove the bomb that Black Mask put in his head. This was the only place could enough that he could remove his helmet. Of course the heroes defeat him, but they decide to perform the surgery anyway. They don't particularly like that Black Mask can control these inmates, plus . . now they have a better idea of who's behind it and what he's up to. By the end of the issue, I think between Thomas Elliott and the whole Blackest Night affair, Alfred thinks things are to dire in Gotham and has decided to cut off all communication with the Outsiders entirely . . at least temporarily. However, he does offer up a holding facility that Batman constructed several years ago to take all the criminals to as they're apprehended. So for now, the team is officially on it's own. But at least they have a mission. I like what Peter J Tomasi is doing here. I was diggin' the connection to Batman, through Alfred, but . . I think the events of this issue are logical and keeps the book within the current story-lines without creating to many inconsistencies. Alfred will return, as I'm sure will the Bat-cave and all of Bruce's toys. I wasn't thrilled with Tom Mandrake's cover, but . . I absolutely loved Fernando Pasarin's interiors. I really like this book, and I think it has a ton of potential. We just have to wait and see how everything stacks up after Blackest Night. It's only just begun, and it's effects are being felt across the entire DC Universe.