Outsiders, Vol. 2: Sum of All Evil

There are essentially 2 storylines in Outsiders, Vol. 2. Both involve a member of the Shazam family's Rogues Gallery. However, the first half was just full about some of the most diabolical occult acts I've seen in a non-mature rated comic. In other words: I didn't like it.

Act I sees an entire bus load of people set aflame in a satanic ritual as part of bonding the Captain Marvel villain SABBAC to a low level Russian mobster. Then one of the Outsiders is nearly fatally immolated by this new evil. Add some more grisly killings in his spare. Toss in a legendary Outsider to assist and an appearance by a member of the Shazam family of heroes (and no, it's not Tawky Tawny) in top of a legion of demons and you've got a salad that I wouldn't even touch.

Act II was much better. Dr. Silvana has reorganized the Fearsome Five. Although, isn't one of the members dead? Well, by the end of this story, one of them will definitely be dead, Canada, of all places, will survive a nuclear attack and I will be a new fan in the character of Psimon. 

Since this really feels like 2 different books in one volume, I've got 2 different opinions. For the first half with all this talk about demons and references to the Book of Revelation, why is it that DC Comics will explore the underworld like it's as common as riding a bike in a city park but the concept of Heaven and angels is the stuff of lunatics. Any time a character comes back from the dead, they either have returned from Hell or everything was pitch black. Nobody ever returns from a stint in Paradise. And it's not just WASPs either. DC and Marvel have the same kind of policy with their Muslim, Hindu and characters of other faiths. Personally, it's irritating and not a fair and balanced portrayal of all of the readers of comics.

My take on Act II: I'm not entirely sure that Judd Winick or artist Tom Raney didn't get the characters of Shimmer and Jinx confused. On the two cartoon versions of Teen Titans Go!, Mammoth is the brother of Jinx. However, in this book, his sister is Shimmer, who looks a whole lot like Jinx on the show (minus the purple hair.) The Jinx in the book looks like an African version of Lt. Ilia from Star Trek The Motion Picture, complete with a magical jewel (only on her forehead instead of her throat.) Look, I know that DC didn't make such a glaring error. But when you encounter something that is totally different from what you are used to, it makes for some confusing reading. I really wish that characters on differing mediums would all be consistent. Unfortunately, creator ownership and other executive decisions prevent that for being standard.

Tom Raney provided the artwork for most of this book with a few guest artists for issues #11 and 12. The identity of the inker seems to be a real mystery. Whomever was inking the second half of this book was really something, I tell ya. The artwork of Act I was penciled in a very static 1980s style. I.E.- it was flat. The shading of the last 3 or 4 issues comprising this book was so flashed out. Characters and items were jumping off the page. Such depth. I am a fan!

Not my favorite book. However, with the exception of 3 issues, I have this entire series and I would like to see how it pans off. For now, I keep this book in my collection. Only time will tell whether I keep the 37 individual issues I have, plus annuals complete or will I be selling everything off as a mass bundle. If the rest of this series is as dark and evil as the first half of this book, someone in the Central North Carolina area might be getting there hands on a full run of Outsiders books pretty soon.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.