Comic Book Review: Outsiders #24: Blackest Night

I’ve been away from the Outsiders for a little while, but I decided to give it a read again.  At first, this issue seemed like a history lesson on Terra. I slowly began to lose interest in this issue around page two.

Creative Team:
Writer: Peter Tomasi
Pencils: Fernando Pasarin
Inks: Scott Hanna, Prentis Rollins, and Fernando Pasarin

Story Rating: 5 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 4 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 4.5 Night Girls out of 10

Synopsis:Terra is narrating. She is talking about her being half a princess. Her father was the king of Markovia and her mother was American, but not the Queen of Markovia. Now shes talking about her half brother Brion. She has powers, she can move the earth. Her brother Brion also has the powers. (I have already lost interest for the most part in this issue)

She then continues to talk about how she betrayed the Titans and what not. Memory Download Complete. Guess what folks Terra’s back and as….wait for it…..a blacklantern.

Now we’re to current time. Terra has gotten into the Outsiders layer. Brion is touching his sisters face asking what happened to her. She says she doesn’t know there was darkness then she was in the air again. She says that the black ring on her finger is glowing and putting terrible thoughts in her head and that she is ashamed of them.

She went to the Titans tower and almost did some bad things to Beast Boy but she managed to push away the darkness in her head. She tried to taking the ring off but it won’t come off. Owl man quickly asks to test the theory. Brion objects and says it isn’t the time or place, but Owl Man argues that it is the time and place.

Black Lightning now steps between the two and says they can all agree that Terra has been dead for a while and now is suddenly standing in front of them, which is a bit out of ordinary even in their work. Terra says to go ahead and take it off.

Brion objects once again but Terra gives the go ahead. Owl Man goes to cut it off but Geo-Force puts his hand down to stop him. He says that he should do it. He looks at Terra and says that he has to do it. With a crunch he cuts her finger off. Although the finger is now completely removed the ring comes back and Terra grows another finger for it.

She says that they should call the Titans and ask them what she did. Shs says she has nothing to hide. Starfire blasted her but the ring rebuilt her. Geo-Force says he believes her and Owl Man politely reminds him that she has a history, but before he can finish Geo-Force screams he knows her history.

Brion says that they are there to help not judge and its as simple as that. Terra says she doesn’t want to hurt anybody else. Black Lighting asks if she thought that breaking into their bunker was her idea of a good idea. She says she didn’t know what else to do. Metamorpho asks if she ever thought of knocking instead of attacking. Brion tells him to shut up.

Terra is now pleading her case to Black Lighting. She says that they don’t understand what the ring has done to her and she doesn’t want any part of it either but its trying to control her just like its controlling the others.

Black Lighting asks about the others.  Terra explains that she isn’t the only one with the black ring. Owl Man makes the comment that they must have been too busy hunting the Arkham Loonies and have been out of the loop the past few days. (I’m not sure of how the Outsiders have missed millions of dead people rising and flying around.) 

To verify the existence of the Black Lanterns, Owl Man makes the move and calls Alfred to make sure dead people were actually coming back. Terra explains that the dead is rising everywhere. Alfred confirms what Terra said and says the situation is dire. He says that the quicker they can get back the better. (Why weren’t the Outsiders contacted earlier, I understand that the folks at Arkham are nuts, but more important than the dead rising?)

Terra says that she wants Brion to save her life and save her soul. Only Brion can give her the nothingness. Brion says he won’t forsake her. Terra wants to be buried and it doesn’t matter if she is honored or dishonored she just wants nothingness. Brion’s unconditional love was the only thing good in her life and he needs to help her fight the black to kill her. She then proceeds to tell all the guys that they can be her pallbearers. She’s looking at the four guys and can see them all in a different color, except Metamorpho who appears to be two colors.

Now we’re following Halo and Tatsu in a truck. Halo is complaining about having to fly the whole way and how she attracts bugs and they end up slamming into her. Tatsu makes a joke about her being a giant bug zapper going 70 miles per hour. Halo says that she can see them and hear them as they crash into her.

Halo says that she was a little worried about Tatsu because the truck was weaving over the yellow line a few times. Tatsu says that she is getting a little tired, but she’ll be fine to drive as long as Halo keeps talking to her and she’s not focused on the snoring in the back because its making her sleepy. Meanwhile in the back of the truck the Creeper is sleeping on a bench and Killer Croc is tied up in a chair. Both are snoring.

Tatsu says that her and Halo haven’t had much time to catch up lately. Halo says she’s right they haven’t had much time since its been one thing after another. Halo tells Tatsu that she misses their talks and Tatsu agrees with her. Tatsu asks where they should start. Halo says that there is only one place to start and thats with boyfriend of course. She asks if Tatsu was seeing anybody before Alfred came calling. Tatsu says she hadn’t she’d been mostly keeping to herself and asks Halo if she was seeing anybody.

Halo says that she hasn’t been seeing anybody. She spent the time moving around the country trying to do some good. Re-forming the Outsiders came at a good time for her. Tatsu says her too but there was a moment. Halo now is interested and Tatsu says there was a kiss then abruptly interrupted by three people on the road. One is holding a sword.

The guy with the sword cuts the truck in half causing one big crash which in my opinion was the most exciting part of this issue. Everybody in the truck goes flying different ways and Tatsu cuts her seatbelt with her sword. She looks scared and for good reason. The three people on the road are her family. Her husband and her two sons.

She doesn’t understand how this has happened. She then tells them she missed them and asks them to forgive her for leaving them in the fire. He husband interupts her and tells her of course they forgive her.

Creeper leaps forward grabs Tatsu and jumps back. He says the hallmark moment is over. Halo is above Tatsu’s family and is getting ready to blast them with her light. Which she does in a giant green ball sends the three guys flying in all different directions. Tatsu freaks and says she can’t lose them again.

Tatsu’s family appears to be dead but we all know their not, and her little kids then come up with the idea that they should kill the bright one because she hurt their eyes. The two boys head up toward Halo and she hits them with more light beams. Creeper takes off saying he better find some reinforcements and maybe some lollipops for the zombie kids.

One kid asks the other why everyone is trying to burn them and the other suggests they burn her and let her know how if feels to have skin melt. Halo says she can’t keep up the intensity because her power expenditure is draining her.

The boys tear through her energy shield and grab Halo by the neck. She manages to rip their arms off and they take off. Creeper is talking to himself looking for Killer Croc when he sees a bright light heading for him. He then says Fist of Fury at Twelve O’ Clock as a fist projecting the black lantern symbol flies towards his face. Creeper manages to lean back and avoid the flying fist while saying Float like a butterfly, sting like a creep.

Creeper manages to find his friendly neighborhood Killer Croc. Croc protests and tells him to get him out of the chair. Tatsu’s husband asks her if it makes her proud the way her children are persistent. Just like their mother.

Tatsu asks who he is and he says he is her husband that she left inside a home consumed by flames. Tatsu says he isn’t because they are all a nightmare. A nightmare that she will never fully wake from. They begin a sword fight.  End of issue.

The Good:  There was really not that much good to the story in Outsiders #24.  Having said that, I did enjoy how the Creeper provided some nice comedy in this issue.

The Bad: I found the fact that different inkers worked on this issue apparent. Sometimes the art didn’t match up. The story was decent at best. It was the same standard issue Blackest Night format to the story that we have gotten countless times in previous Blackest Night tie-in issues.

Overall: I would not recommend that anyone run out to buy Outsiders #24.  This issue is not worth the cover price.
____________________________________________________________
Joel