Outsider (comics)
| The Outsider | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance |
Pre-Crisis Outsider: Detective Comics #356 (October 1966) Michael Desai: Flashpoint: The Outsider #1 (August 2011) The Outsider/Alfred Pennyworth of Earth-3: Justice League Vol. 2 #6 (April 2012) |
| Created by |
Pre-Crisis Version: Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino Michael Desai: James Robinson, Javi Fernandez Outsider/Alfred Pennyworth of Earth-3: Geoff Johns, Jim Lee |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Human |
Outsider is the name of three different characters in DC Comics.
The Pre-Crisis version of Outsider first appeared in Detective Comics #356 and was created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino. The Flashpoint version of Outsider first appeared in Flashpoint: The Outsider #1 and was created by James Robinson and Javi Fernandez. The Earth-3 Outsider first appeared in Justice League Vol. 2 #6 and was created by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee.
Alfred Pennyworth was seemingly killed when he pushed Batman and Robin out of the way of a boulder. It was revealed that he had been revived by a scientist named Brandon Crawford. His attempt at regeneration resulted in a dramatic change: Alfred awoke from his apparent death with pasty white skin with circular markings, superhuman powers including telekinesis, and a desire to destroy Batman and Robin. Calling himself The Outsider, he indirectly battled the Dynamic Duo. Outsider sends coffins with Batman and Robin automatons to deliver the message to Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. Tracking the delivery of the coffins they have to battle off the Grasshopper Gang and find fingerprints belonging to the Outsider which shockingly belong to Alfred Pennyworth. Batman and Robin track down the Outsider to his hideout and battle him to a stand still before the strange creature can turn both Batman and Robin into coffins themselves. Knocking the Outsider out, Batman puts him on a machine which bombards him with radiation once more which restores Alfred back to normal and in good health, but with no memory of his Outsider deeds.
A new version of the Outsider appears in the Flashpoint reality. Michael Desai was born in Chandigarh, India, an infant meta-human with alabaster skin and superhuman durability. When his mother died during his birth (for which Desai's father blamed him), Desai created a sinkhole with a three-mile radius which killed thousands of people and left him the only survivor. How Desai accomplished this feat (and the extent of this power) is currently unknown. Years later, Michael adopted the alias of "The Outsider" (as he is both "outside" the law and the human race) and accumulates considerable wealth through (implied) illegal activities. This allows Desai to elevate India's status as a world power, turning the country into a multinational criminal operation completely under his control. The Outsider has also made many enemies; Rising Sun and Mister and Misses Terrific tried to assassinate him after Desai framed them when they revealed some of his illegal activities. The Outsider then killed all three would-be assassins and set out for the man who hired them. Desai is also engaged in a manhunt to find (and capture) a teenage electricity-based meta-human named Blackout, whom he believes can efficiently power mainland India with his abilities. Later, the Outsider was invited by the heroes of Earth to a meeting (arranged by Cyborg) about creating a group of heroes to deal with the Amazon-Atlantean War. The Outsider's reasons for supporting the heroes revolve around maintaining his empire; he responds to the threat of war by saying, "War is bad for business. My business." When Batman refuses to join the team the Outsider declines as well, stating "the Outsider is out". Desai is revealed to have longevity, since he is shown to be active in Indian criminal and political affairs since the late 1970s. In 1979 the Outsider quelled the Bombay Riots by manipulating and subsequently killing the crime leaders responsible for the violence, uniting their organizations under his leadership. In 1996 the Outsider captured Isis in his Siberian Express on Novaya Zemlya in a bid to blackmail Black Adam into selling Desai his home country, Khandaq. However, when negotiating terms for Isis' release the Outsider attacked and defeated Black Adam with Durlan technology. The Outsider then shot Adam and threw him off the Siberian Express to join Isis as his trophy-prisoner. In the present day, the Outsider is shown interrogating the warden at the prison from which the assassins escaped. Although the warden claimed to know nothing about the prisoners' breakout, the Outsider shoots him and has his family sold into slavery in retribution for his incompetence. The Outsider's investigation then leads him to Khandaq, where he uncovers an encryption key which links Blackout to the assassination attempt. Later, Desai apparently confronts Blackout; however, he realizes that the man he is fighting is not Blackout but J'onn J'onzz in disguise. In 1985, the Outsider is revealed to have kept J'onn J'onzz captive in a secret research facility after stealing Doctor Erdel's teleportation device. After studying him and learning his weaknesses, the Outsider sold J'onn to Russia; he subsequently escaped, and seized the country. In the present day, after the Outsider talks with J'onn about the past J'onn admits to seeking revenge against Desai for torturing him and tries to kill him. During the battle, Outsider uses a salvaged teleportation device to trap J'onn within the Multiverse. After unsuccessfully questioning J'onn about future assassination attempts the Outsider closed the device with J'onn trapped inside, cutting him in half. Later, the Outsider returns to his base and contacts the heroes to join the assault on New Themyscira. and arrives on the scene to attack in the Atlantean-Amazon war.
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