With the Summer Olympics in full swing, I had remembered that I had a comic that featured a group of superheroes having an epic battle at the event. I had wanted to look at this comic last year, but since the Olympics were delayed, I had to hold off on it. This is also another opportunity to talk a bit about another team that had not appeared in this blog before: The Outsiders.
The Outsiders are a long-running DC superhero team. The original incarnation of the group first appeared in the final issue of the original The Brave and the Bold comic: The Brave and the Bold #200 (1983). The group would get their own book, which lasted 46 issues. The book, alongside The New Teen Titans and Legion of Super-Heroes, was given the "Hardcover/Softcover" treatment. Basically, the comic would be printed in higher-quality paper and distributed to comic shops first ("hardcover"), then a year later, reprinted in standard paper and put on newsstands ("softcover").
The Outsiders have become a long-running team in the DCU, having several series. They also have appeared in media outside of comics, like the Brave and the Bold animated series and the Black Lightning live-action series. So, with that out of the way, let's look at Batman and the Outsiders #15!
The cover is a Jim Aparo piece, and it's pretty good. It depicts Maxie Zeus and two of his New Olympians standing on a Olympic medal platform. I bet that dude on the right is doped all the way to Hades and back. Can we get the IOC on this?!
"Going for the Gold!"
Writer: Mike W. Barr
Penciler: Trevor von Eeden
Inker: Trevor von Eeden
Colorist: Adrienne Roy
Letterer: Ben Oda
Editor: Mike W. Barr
Executive Editor: Dick Giordano
The story begins with Halo lighting the Olympic torch. Let the Olympic Games begin! However, we're getting a most...unusual new event for this year's Games...Superheroes vs. Supervillains! Batman and his Outsiders are facing off against Maxie Zeus and his New Olympians.
If you've ever watched Batman: The Animated Series, you may be familiar with Mr. Zeus. I don't think he's ever fought Wonder Woman, though. Considering she knows the actual Greco-Roman gods, I can imagine her literally laughing him into prison.
Anyway, it's revealed that Maxie has a hostage: one Lacinia Nitocris. Batman demands he let her go, but Maxie's like, "Naw, but she won't be harmed." President Ronald Reagan calls Batman over and asks him to try and settle this without bloodshed. Batman agrees, then casually smacks down a Secret Service agent who had his gun out.
The New Olympians represent some of the old Greco-Roman pantheon: Nox (goddess of darkness), Diana (goddess of the hunt), Proteus (a shape-shifter), Antaeus (a demi-god son of Poseidon who liked to rassle people) and Vulcan (god of fire). The stadium is evacuated, and the fight is on!
Geo-Force engages Antaeus. The Markovian Prince takes down the giant, but Antaeus gives him a wallop to the back for his trouble. Diana challeges Katana to a swordfight. Halo and Nox fly to a construction site. The challenge is to try and do some tightrope walking on a high cable. Nox nearly falls, and angrily rebukes Halo for trying to help her.
Halo's attempt results in her falling, but being a clever girl, Halo realizes that the challenge was to cross the cable without flying. There's a loophole in that. As such, the blonde energy manipulator uses her tractor beams to help her cross.
(clever girl)
Vulcan clears out the soccer field so he and Proteus can face Black Lightning and Metamorpho in a game of handball.
And of course, the ball has to be spiky.
Anyway, Metamorpho and Lightning get to action. Meanwhile, at Gotham Community College, young lady known only as "Miss Howard" is getting some happy news. She's getting the Langston scholarship!
Okay, back to the Olympic superhero action. We see the heroes continuing on their events. Antares walloping Geo-Force. Diana and Katana's swordfight continues with neither combatant being willing to yield. Nox challenging Halo to parallel bars, because...who knows. Batman, who is watching this with Maxie Zeus and Lavinia, finds a piece of paper in Zeus's assistant Argus's pocket.
"Rendezvous at Pantheon"
Batman decides to take his leave. Zeus is like "You can't leave, I didn't command you!", and Batman's like, "I'm Batman, I do whatever I want because I'm Batman." Zeus sics Diana and Antares on the Dark Knight. As Antares leaves, Geo-Force notices that he feels a little stronger. He then realizes something. Like his mythological namesake, Antares draws strength from him every time he touches the ground. And since Antares is jumping in the air, well...
Diana sics some wolves on the Caped Crusader, because she has those, but Katana uses a bit of archery to stick their collars to a wall. An impressed Diana is like "that shot was awesome", and Katana accepts her compliment with a Mighty Backhand. Antaeus tries to ambush Batman, but Geo-Force makes sure that's not a problem. The Markovian monarch then notices that Zeus has fled the coop, Lavinia in tow.
Batman then swipes a police car. I'm guessing the Batmobile was in the shop today. Batman realizes what the note means, and summons Halo. The lightcaster then uses her powers to KO Nox. Black Lightning and Metamorpho take down Proteus and Vulcan. Meanwhile, Batman arrives at a certain home.
Yup. Remember, Maxie Zeus is a loony-tune who thinks he's Zeus. It makes sense he'd have a hideout that references the Ancient Greeks. In this case, at hideout whose address is 144 Corinthian Road. Corinthian is a style of architecture, and the original Pantheon was 144 feet high and 144 feet wide.
So, what is this all about? Well...
Yes, Zeus has a daughter. Her name is Medea. Ain't she cute? Batman tries to sneak her out, but she actually gets the attention of Zeus's hired goons. Batman naturally beats up the goons, because that's what he does. Zeus arrives and tells everyone to knock it off. You see, he kidnapped our Miss Nitocris because...he wanted to give his daughter a mother.
Yeah, in the comics, Zeus had lost his wife through unrevealed circumstances, and the grief made him go nuts and become the looneybug he is today. Although considering the current state of DC "canon", God knows if that's even canon anymore. I hate current DC so much. Lacinia is like "You could have just asked, ya toga-wearing dipstick", and Zeus is like "Imma GAWD." It would have been so funny to see Zeus get a judo chop in the throat here.
Anyway, with that, Lacinia agrees to take Medea in...which is odd, but probably a good idea. Kid could use a sane parent, after all. And with that, Zeus basically tells his hired goons to let the heroes go. They are being observed by a pair of figures on a mysterious satellite.
Ah, I'm sure that won't lead to anything. The cops corral Zeus and his hired goons. Black Lightning rightfully points out that Zeus attacked the Olympics and threatened people. He threatened the life of an Olympic athlete. All because he wanted to give his daughter a mom. Batman agrees that yeah, Zeus was a jerk, but he gets why. Yeah. This ending is weird.
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