This issue’s primary focus is on Sofia, introduced in the first issue. She has been targeted by unknown players and needs the protection of The Outsiders. The jury is out on whether she becomes a hero, a villain, or a casualty. She has powers and is prominently featured, so it is unlikely that she’ll end up dead. We get a hint that she could be a villain from Kaliber’s throwaway line: “Dr. Fragile? Nah. Sounds like a bad guy...” When we get a surprise reveal at the end that Ra’s al Ghul is involved, all bets are off. She could likely be turned into a villain.

The less Batman, the better. An odd thing to say, but it is a welcome reprieve. Batman is too omnipresent right now (and I say that as a big Batman fan). There are only two pages where he appears and that is a good thing. Even when Batman is on the page, Bruce Wayne is showcased more than Batman. I greatly appreciate the light touch thus far; the sparse use of Batman allows other characters to get much needed attention.

In team books, it can be tricky to find the right balance of all the characters. Just two issues in, Bryan Hill does a good job not only in balancing characters but also finding the right mix of scenes which are dialogue heavy and those that pick up the pace with quick action. Dexter Soy and Veronica Gandini are delivering quality work in the art department and absolutely helping Hill find that harmony. There are a few panels with Sofia that are tense with emotion. Soy and Gandini are able to convey, fairly effectively, what is going on without getting too busy with pencil line work or overusing colors. Like Hill, they are finding an evenness in what to show in their art. I like what I have seen and hope this remains a consistent team throughout the run.