Outsiders VOL 03: Wanted (Outsiders (DC Comics Numbered)) [Paperback]

Judd Winick (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–While the leader of the Outsiders, Nightwing, has deliberately maintained his emotional distance, the others have continued to develop friendships. But are they all who they seem to be? Arsenal has been receiving advice from Batman, but why would he be helping the Outsiders? How was the security base breached? Is one of the superheroes working against the group? Not only must they worry about one another, but the Outsiders also encounter an unexpected evil that does not come from someone with superpowers. Since this is outside of their realm of expertise, they must enlist the help of humankind–specifically John Walsh of Americas Most Wanted. Although this is an entertaining and exciting graphic novel, its an optional purchase. The background information required to follow the story is almost overwhelming, and readers who are not aficionados of the DC comic world could go crazy attempting to sort it all out. However, fans of the previous titles will not be disappointed as the characters continue to develop in engaging ways. Despite some typical graphic novel fare (heroines with large breasts and short skirts, for example), there is hardly any spandex to be seen, and the compelling artwork propels the story forward. Be aware, however, that there is some interspecies sex that might give some adults pause, and a story line involving a child prostitution ring is disturbing.–Heather M. Lisowski, Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 10-12. Former Real World cast member and the creator of the graphic novel Pedro and Me (2000) turns in something quite different here. The Outsiders is a team in turmoil, and readers will barely have a chance to get the characters straight before they are plunked into the middle of an even bigger, stranger drama----a brutal hunt for vengeance against a slavery cartel with ties to one of the team's own members. Things straighten out eventually as the Outsiders learn that Batman has been secretly pulling their strings, and a confrontation between the Caped Crusader and Outsider Nightwing, Batman's former protege, crackles with paranoia and leads to an exciting showdown. Character profiles, which appear at the beginning of the book, don't sufficiently set up the action, and the cliffhanger ending is a little confusing. The overall tone, however, is fittingly dark, the action scenes are extremely well choreographed, and Winick's surprisingly gritty writing (which includes occasional rough language) packs a plot twist into nearly every chapter. Add this to graphic novel collections in need of some hard-hitting superhero action. Jesse Karp
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (November 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401204600
• ISBN-13: 978-1401204600
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 0.5 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #724,142 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It is getting better but the Nightwing subplot does not make sense, February 4, 2006

By 

M. Castro "Spacebutler" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Outsiders VOL 03: Wanted (Outsiders (DC Comics Numbered)) (Paperback)

The first two volumes of the Outsiders had their interesting moments and the stories got progressively better as the book went along. These stories feature action, humor and interesting plots. The characterization for most of the characters, particularly the newcomers is very good, but there is just something completely off about the way that Winnick handles Nightwing in the Outsiders.

Winnick came up with a very interesting concept for his use of Nightwing in the Outsiders: what if a natural, gifted leader had a crisis in the way he leads a team because of the death of a close friend on his watch? The concept had tremendous potential if properly handled. We could have seen Nightwing making tactical errors in his fear of losing others and have him wrestle with the issue. What we get instead is a Nightwing who just seems emotionally distant from everyone around him but who gets ousted as the team leader because he is "going to get us all killed" even though his decisions have been tactically sound.

In the previous stories four of the Outsiders get seriously hurt in different missions. Each time this happens a character complains that Nightwing divided up their forces, yet no one seems to understand that each of those times they were facing multiple threats and keeping the team together would have meant simply ignoring multiple threats. Also in two of these occasions the injury results out of simple incompetence on the part of the team members. The other times they get hurt in the line of duty, but honestly it happens, superheroes get hurt. Batman didn't get all those scars from sitting around sipping cocoa. Still Nightwing gets ousted as the leader of the team and the new leader brings in his ex-girlfriend to watch this happen (way to kick a man when he is down, by the way).

The problem with this subplot isn't that Winnick is messing up Nightwing's life, after all Brian Michael Bendis has made a career out of doing that to Daredevil, but the way he does it. Nightwing's supposed crisis in leaderships is the result of lazy writing. Winnick has the character make the right calls and end up maligned for it. He also has him say something so hurtful and horrific to one of his best friends that he steps completely out of character. Winnick thus lowers the rating on what could be a four or five star book with his poor handling of what could have been a truly great subplot.

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't put it down, September 5, 2008

By 

Kauffinbauchser (Tacoma, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Outsiders VOL 03: Wanted (Outsiders (DC Comics Numbered)) (Paperback)

I teetered between 4 and 5 stars because as much as I'm liking this story it isn't one of the truly great "graphic novels" ever is it? I decided I was rating it for what it was, a collection of super-team comics, and by that standard the choice is clear. This is 5 star work.

I'm so glad I bought all the books in this series together because I can't stop reading them. The surprises and revelations remind me of what got me interested in comics in the first place. This is just really cool story telling with really cool characters.

Make sure you check out Outsiders: Looking for Trouble and Outsiders: Sum of All Evil (Vol. 2) first. Also, when you're done with this you're going to want to read Teen Titans/Outsiders: The Insiders

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read, Solid Art, November 24, 2007

By 

Zauriel (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Outsiders VOL 03: Wanted (Outsiders (DC Comics Numbered)) (Paperback)

The series is really good, but this is one of the weaker volumes in the series. The art is fantastic and Winick tells an excellent story but, I really just didn't feel the whole America's Most Wanted cameo thing in this book but, if you're a fan of the series pick it up.