So back to our story already in progress... The Outsiders have been sent to the Children's Hospital by Batman on a dual mission - watch out for the next instance of infant-going-on-geezer, and deliver Christmas gifts to sick kids. Of course, the measure of a hero is the obstacles he or she faces:
How can they succeed at either of their goals if the Wayne Foundation doesn't have the street cred required to allow the team to stay on site beyond ridiculously short visiting hours? Halo, who doesn't know anything about anything (remember, she once asked what FOOD was), apparently has an opinion on the length of visiting hours during the holidays, holidays she probably first heard about the day before. How does she even know the hours were short? The Outsiders might have gotten there at the last minute. Don't blame your lateness on the staff. Just get out QUICKLY and QUIETLY. And suddenly, they're running towards a "disturbance"...
WHAT disturbance? Did you hear anything? I sure didn't. Yes, it's the Tie-fighter dogfight between Tannarak and the Phantom Stranger, but the way the panels are paced, there's no sign that the Outsiders have heard it. Pesky. And now there's another guy in a white suit running along with them and listening in on their secret identity-breaking conversation. But that's ok - cue Mission Impossible moment...
...He's the Batman! Chalk one up for the "bendy ears" side of the Bat-ears debate. I've always gone for "rigid" myself, even if I have to disregard Outsiders continuity to do so (I do so gladly). I mean, how did that disguise work AT ALL? Somehow, the ears, the cape, the mask, the finny gloves, were all under there. And Rex is right, it would be so much simpler if Batman actually TRUSTED his own team.
It's on a need to know basis. My theory is that they don't need to know so long as Geo-Force is on the team snitching to that Manhunter witch, Dr. Jace. But Rex's will do in a pinch. And it looks like Katana didn't bring ANY gifts for the kids - her box held her swords. While the Outsiders wait for Geo-Force's arrival in the closet, let's look in on the REAL hero of this tale:
That's more like it! Eldritch energies clashing, and Tannarak giving up his earlier pink for deep black. Capes flying. Ironic "quotes". That's a magical duel I can get behind! Tannarak, we know you're only some 2 minutes old, but how about gracing us with some exposition?
Wow, the last time Tannarak fought the Stranger, he was turned into the glint in his father's eye! The glint escaped until it found a new host in little Timmy Whitfield. But Timmy wasn't a perfect host because he couldn't grow a nice black goatee.
The Phantom Stranger judges him while standing on the ceiling:
Carol's new baby, however, definitely CAN grow a goatee, and has heat vision to boot!
Maybe it's Tannarak's magic, but you gotta admit, it's not very spell-like. I'm looking through my old D&D books and everything. It IS effective though, as yet another hospital gets a ceiling destroyed by a supervillain.
It's the Outsiders' only territory. Batman patrols everything else alone. Speaking of those guys, where the heck are they? They missed the whole exposition scene! Worse, they don't know the Stranger is there and let an obvious "disturbance" go on and on in a Children's Hospital/Maternity Ward while they wait for one of their own.
Next time: We'll be able to gauge just how useful Geo-Force actually is. Was it worth the wait?
How can they succeed at either of their goals if the Wayne Foundation doesn't have the street cred required to allow the team to stay on site beyond ridiculously short visiting hours? Halo, who doesn't know anything about anything (remember, she once asked what FOOD was), apparently has an opinion on the length of visiting hours during the holidays, holidays she probably first heard about the day before. How does she even know the hours were short? The Outsiders might have gotten there at the last minute. Don't blame your lateness on the staff. Just get out QUICKLY and QUIETLY. And suddenly, they're running towards a "disturbance"...
WHAT disturbance? Did you hear anything? I sure didn't. Yes, it's the Tie-fighter dogfight between Tannarak and the Phantom Stranger, but the way the panels are paced, there's no sign that the Outsiders have heard it. Pesky. And now there's another guy in a white suit running along with them and listening in on their secret identity-breaking conversation. But that's ok - cue Mission Impossible moment...
...He's the Batman! Chalk one up for the "bendy ears" side of the Bat-ears debate. I've always gone for "rigid" myself, even if I have to disregard Outsiders continuity to do so (I do so gladly). I mean, how did that disguise work AT ALL? Somehow, the ears, the cape, the mask, the finny gloves, were all under there. And Rex is right, it would be so much simpler if Batman actually TRUSTED his own team.
It's on a need to know basis. My theory is that they don't need to know so long as Geo-Force is on the team snitching to that Manhunter witch, Dr. Jace. But Rex's will do in a pinch. And it looks like Katana didn't bring ANY gifts for the kids - her box held her swords. While the Outsiders wait for Geo-Force's arrival in the closet, let's look in on the REAL hero of this tale:
That's more like it! Eldritch energies clashing, and Tannarak giving up his earlier pink for deep black. Capes flying. Ironic "quotes". That's a magical duel I can get behind! Tannarak, we know you're only some 2 minutes old, but how about gracing us with some exposition?
Wow, the last time Tannarak fought the Stranger, he was turned into the glint in his father's eye! The glint escaped until it found a new host in little Timmy Whitfield. But Timmy wasn't a perfect host because he couldn't grow a nice black goatee.
The Phantom Stranger judges him while standing on the ceiling:
Carol's new baby, however, definitely CAN grow a goatee, and has heat vision to boot!
Maybe it's Tannarak's magic, but you gotta admit, it's not very spell-like. I'm looking through my old D&D books and everything. It IS effective though, as yet another hospital gets a ceiling destroyed by a supervillain.
It's the Outsiders' only territory. Batman patrols everything else alone. Speaking of those guys, where the heck are they? They missed the whole exposition scene! Worse, they don't know the Stranger is there and let an obvious "disturbance" go on and on in a Children's Hospital/Maternity Ward while they wait for one of their own.
Next time: We'll be able to gauge just how useful Geo-Force actually is. Was it worth the wait?
Comments
Does she even know what hours are, at this point?
Speaking of those guys, where the heck are they?
Seriously, this story reads more like the Phantom Stranger guest-starring the Outsiders than the other way around.