The Outsiders are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As their name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who do not fit the norms of the "mainstream" superhero community, i.e. the Justice League. The Outsiders have had a number of different incarnations. They were founded by Batman, whose ties to the League had become strained at the time, and introduced the now-classic line-up of Batman, Black Lightning, Metamorpho, Geo-Force, Katana, Halo and Looker. A later incarnation of the Outsiders from the early 2000s comics was led by Nightwing and Arsenal following the dissolution of the Teen Titans superhero group, and depicted the team as a pro-active group hunting for supercriminals. For the team's third incarnation, Batman reforms the team as a special strike team featuring classic members Katana and Metamorpho alongside new recruits such as Catwoman and Black Lightning's daughter Thunder. After the Batman R.I.P. storyline, Alfred Pennyworth acts on Batman's instructions to reassemble the team once more, recruiting new members and more of the team's original lineup. Another version of the team with a familiar line-up briefly featured in Batman Incorporated in 2011 as the black ops section of Batman's organization. Following DC's 2011 reboot, a new version of the Outsiders is introduced in the pages of Green Arrow as a secret society represented by seven weapon-themed clans. Members in this incarnation include Katana, Onyx, and several new characters. The original Outsiders are returned to continuity in 2017, following DC Rebirth, once again as a secret team founded by Batman; Batman revives the team with a new line-up in 2018. Black Lightning leads another incarnation in 2022. A version of the team appears in the live action series Black Lightning, fully formed starting in the third season led by Black Lightning. Fictional history Batman and the Outsiders / The Adventures of the Outsiders (1983–1987) The Outsiders first appeared in a special insert in the final issue (#200) of The Brave and the Bold in 1983. The team was given its own comic, Batman and the Outsiders, which debuted in August 1983. It was created and originally written by Mike W. Barr and illustrated by Jim Aparo (later illustrated by Alan Davis). After Batman left the group in issue #32, the title was changed to The Adventures of the Outsiders, continuing until its cancellation with issue #46. Issue #38 featured the last original story