“Nothing ever ends.”
Those are Dr. Manhattan’s final words in Watchmen. They’ve stayed with me since I read the comic as a teenager, and were recently brought to the forefront in the series finale, Outsiders #11. This has become commonplace in mainstream comics, especially when it comes to DC and Marvel stories, where writers find a way to continue a character’s story in some way.
At its finest, The Outsiders veers into metafiction. In the final issue, Jakita Wagner fires a “bullet” at the heart of creation, shattering it and killing everything that has ever existed. But the Authority’s sentient vessel, the Carrier, travels through time and space to find the Outsiders and bring them together for one last mission, with creation itself at stake.
One of the most incredible things about this series is how Jackson Lansing and Colin Kelly approach the very act of storytelling. They tackle concepts that we as comic book readers take for granted — the nature of canon, “crisis events,” character history — and weave an incredible tapestry that comes together at the end. Nearly every element from previous issues comes into play, including a darker take on the Challenger of the Unknown and the threat of the Last Knight. There’s even a reference to another series I loved, written by Lansing and Kelly.
DC Comics
The other half of the appeal of this series is Robert Carey’s artwork, and he really goes all out for the finale. There’s a big superhero battle, with Luke Fox and Batwoman taking on Jakita. There’s a huge futuristic version of Gotham City, with towering skyscrapers and bright red neon lights. But the best page is when Jakita and Carrier come face to face. Carey draws Carrier as a silvery female figure that, for lack of a better word, feels godlike. Valentina Taddeo uses soft whites in the background, which not only brings focus to Jakita and Carrier’s conversation, but also sells the whole idea of creation.
My only complaint about Outsiders #11 is that it feels a little overstuffed, which I believe is because it was meant to be 12 issues but was shortened. But just to let you know, Outsiders #11 is both the conclusion to a great series and a story about the promise of storytelling. And maybe one day someone will pick up this story again. There is no end.
The Outsiders Volume 11 has a bittersweet ending
Outsiders #11
My only complaint about Outsiders #11 is that it feels a bit overstuffed, which I believe is because it was meant to be 12 issues but was shortened. But just to let you know, Outsiders #11 is both the conclusion to a great series and a story about the promise of storytelling. And maybe one day someone will pick up this story again. There is no end.
A beautiful story about the nature of storytelling and how it may or may not end.
Lansing and Kelly pull no strings from this series and bring it to a satisfying conclusion.
Carrey is bold and daring, and delivers an ending that’s worth reading.
An extra issue could have been used to give the story a bit more breathing room.
