I've heard the cries of the dying... and the mourning... the victims of crime and injustice... I swore I'd do everything in my power to avenge those deaths... to protect innocent lives... and if I fail to keep that promise... my entire life is a lie! 
- — Batman
Batman and the Outsiders #1 is an issue of the series Batman and the Outsiders (Volume 1) with a cover date of August, 1983.
Synopsis for "Wars Ended... Wars Begun"
When Wayne Industries employee Lucius Fox is captured by freedom fighters in the nation of Markovia, Batman seeks the aid of the Justice League to rescue him, however the group declines Batman's plea for help stating the potential diplomatic problems that may result from such an attack. Angered, Batman quits the League and decides to go alone.
In Markova, the king dies leaving his sons Gregor and Brion in charge of the country. Meanwhile, the hero Metamorpho is in the country seeking out Dr. Jace in another attempt to cure himself. While Batman enlists the aid of Black Lightning to help find Lucius, the plan goes awry, when Black Lightning's planned capture it interrupted by Katana who has come to Markovia seeking revenge. During the altercation Black Lightning is captured, and Katana escapes.
Batman later finds the mysterious amnesiatic girl named Halo, and the two go seeking out Batman's friends, while in the Markovian palace. Brion is given powers by Dr. Jace, and becomes the hero Geoforce, however he is betrayed by his soldiers and shot in cold blood. Metamorpho tries to avenge the boy but is similarly captured.
Batman is soon also captured by the soldiers, leaving only Halo alone in the wilderness to figure out what to do. Coming too, Batman finds himself in a dungeon with the other heroes and Lucius, and soon finds out that he is a prisoner of Baron Bedlam.
Appearing in "Wars Ended... Wars Begun"
Featured Characters:
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- Geo-Force (First appearance)
- Halo (First appearance)
- Katana (First appearance)
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Supporting Characters:
- Alfred Pennyworth
- Gregor Markov (First appearance)
- Helga Jace (First appearance)
- Justice League of America
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- Black Canary
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- King Viktor Markov (Single appearance; dies)
- Lucius Fox
Villains:
- Baron Bedlam (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- General Karnz (Single appearance; dies)
- Martha Wayne (Flashback only)
- Rooster (thug)
- Stud (soldier)
- Thomas Wayne (Flashback only)
Locations:
- Castle Markov
- Markovburg
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- The team called the Outsiders does not exist yet in this story. The characters are still coming together; the Outsiders team is formed in the next issue.
Trivia
- This issue includes an editorial by Mike W. Barr in place of the letters column. Barr explains the publication origins of the Outsiders. When Len Wein told him they were canceling The Brave and the Bold to replace it with a team book lead by Batman, Barr volunteered to write the entire series. Marv Wolfman had earlier suggested a team mixing existing characters and new ones. Dick Giordano had suggested that Batman should lead this team. Barr and Wein decided Batman should quit the Justice League so he wouldn't be spread too thin. Barr chose Black Lightning as one of the existing characters because he fit in perfectly with Batman, and Metamorpho because he didn't fit in at all. Barr created Geo-Force, Halo, and Katana. Marv Wolfman noticed that Geo-Force was extremely similar to Terra, a character he developed with George Perez in the New Teen Titans series. Instead of scrapping Geo-Force, Wolfman suggested that the two characters be brother and sister. Jim Aparo became the regular Outsiders artist because of his prior work with Barr on The Brave and the Bold.
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
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