Outsiders (comics)

Outsiders
Cover of Convergence: Batman and the Outsiders #1 (June 2015). Art by Andy Kubert.
Group publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	The Brave and the Bold #200 (July 1983)
Created by	Mike W. Barr (writer) Jim Aparo (artist)
Roster
See: List of Outsiders members
Outsiders
	Cover for Outsiders #1 (November 1985), art by Jim Aparo
Series publication information
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Ongoing series
Genre	Superhero
Publication date	(vol. 1) November 1985 – February 1988 (vol. 2) November 1993 – November 1995 (vol. 3) August 2003 – November 2007 (vol. 4) April 2009 – June 2011
Number of issues	(vol. 1): 28 (vol. 2): 26 (vol. 3): 50 (vol. 4): 25
Creative team
Writer(s)	(vol. 1-2) Mike Barr (vol. 3) Judd Winick (vol. 4) Peter Tomasi
Penciller(s)	(vol. 1) Jim Aparo, Steve Lightle, Joe Staton, Curt Swan, Jan Duursema, Ernie Colón, Brian Bolland, John Byrne, Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens, Jerome Moore, Erik Larsen (vol. 2) Paul Pelletier, Casey Jones (vol. 3) Tom Raney, Dan Jurgens, Carlos D'Anda, Karl Kerschl, Matthew Clark, Shawn Moll, Ron Randall (vol. 4) Lee Garbett, Fernando Pasarin, Don Kramer, Philip Tan, Joe Bennett, Keith Giffen
Colorist(s)	(vol. 1) Adrienne Roy
Creator(s)	Mike W. Barr (writer) Jim Aparo (artist)

Batman and the Outsiders
Art by Kevin Nowlan
Group publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	The Brave and the Bold #200 (July 1983)
Created by	Mike Barr Jim Aparo
Batman and the Outsiders
	Cover for Batman and the Outsiders #1 (1983), art by Jim Aparo
Series publication information
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Ongoing series
Genre	Superhero
Publication date	(vol. 1) August 1983 – April 1986 (vol. 2) December 2007 – February 2009 (vol. 3) May 2019 – September 2020
Number of issues	(vol. 1): 46 (with issues #33-46 called The Adventures of the Outsiders), plus 2 Annuals and 1 Special (vol. 2): 15, plus 1 Special (vol. 3): 17, plus 1 Annual
Creative team
Writer(s)	(vol. 1) Mike Barr (vol. 2) Chuck Dixon, Frank Tieri (vol. 3) Bryan Hill
Penciller(s)	(vol. 1) Jim Aparo, Alan Davis (vol. 2) Julian Lopez, Carlos Rodriguez, Ryan Benjamin (vol. 3) Dexter Soy
Creator(s)	Mike Barr Jim Aparo

The Outsiders are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As their name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who do not fit the norms of the "mainstream" superhero community, i.e. the Justice League.^[1]

The Outsiders have had a number of different incarnations. They were founded by Batman, whose ties to the League had become strained at the time, and introduced the now-classic line-up of Batman, Black Lightning, Metamorpho, Geo-Force, Katana, Halo and Looker. A later incarnation of the Outsiders from the early 2000s comics was led by Nightwing and Arsenal following the dissolution of the Teen Titans superhero group, and depicted the team as a pro-active group hunting for supercriminals. For the team's third incarnation, Batman reforms the team as a special strike team featuring classic members Katana and Metamorpho alongside new recruits such as Catwoman and Black Lightning's daughter Thunder. After the Batman R.I.P. storyline, Alfred Pennyworth acts on Batman's instructions to reassemble the team once more, recruiting new members and more of the team's original lineup.^[2]

Another version of the team with a familiar line-up briefly featured in Batman Incorporated in 2011 as the black ops section of Batman's organization. Following DC's 2011 reboot, a new version of the Outsiders is introduced in the pages of Green Arrow as a secret society represented by seven weapon-themed clans. Members in this incarnation include Katana, Onyx, and several new characters. The original Outsiders are returned to continuity in 2017, following DC Rebirth, once again as a secret team founded by Batman; Batman revives the team with a new line-up in 2018. Black Lightning leads another incarnation in 2022. Batwing and Batwoman lead a new incarnation, outside of Batman's "purview", beginning in 2023.

A version of the team appears in the live action series Black Lightning, fully formed starting in the third season led by Black Lightning.