Outlawed #1: Think of the Children! (Spoiler-Free EARLY Review!)

Outlawed is the start of an event that’s been teased for months. As such, it has a lot to do, and it delivers. The pacing ramps up immediately and doesn’t let up to the last page, but still manages not to feel rushed. It toes the line between weaving in past comics while still offering a good starting point for newer readers. If someone had read the most recent run of Champions, some of the events shouldn’t be surprising. But if they hadn’t, it’s not required reading. The story doesn’t get lost in the past. It’s teen heroes taking action, and the plot goes from there.

The art felt off at points to me at times. Blurred limbs to imply motion and dramatic perspectives to increase tension didn’t quite land for me. Instead, they pulled me out of the story as I did a double-take. However, despite a few moments of this distraction from the story, the art delivered the compelling narrative well.

The references in this comic are clear and delivered in a way that works with the story. The whole feel of the comic struck as reminiscent of the opening pages to the 2006 series Civil War, which due to the similarities between the Superhero Registration Act and the legislation that Outlawed revolves around, had to be intentional. Beyond pulling from other comics, Outlawed seems to have found inspiration from the real world. The dialogue and concept of the conference which is the setting for the majority of the comic are very in line with speeches given by Greta Thunberg – the youth are the future leaders and need to take action since the adults have failed them.