Robert Kirkman

Paul (ART) Azaceta

Plagued by demonic possession, Kyle Barnes' questions may just lead to the end of life as we know it.

Darkness Surrounds Him

Outcast by Kirkman & Azaceta 1

Geoffrey Froggatt

This is exactly what I was looking for. I’ve been really into demonic horror lately, and I had trouble continuing The Walking Dead comics despite wanting to, so this first volume felt like the exact story I was looking for by the same creators. Outcast tells the story of Kyle, someone who has struggled all his life with the people around him becoming “something else”. At first this seems to be mental illness or abuse, but this story soon reveals itself as being demonic in nature. I loved the slow start and the way we slowly get to know the characters and this world. I loved all the hints to backstories and future storylines. There’s already so much dimension to the characters that have been introduced here and I’m excited to see where we end up in future volumes. I loved the artwork and atmosphere, and I love how every page is framed and coloured. I highly recommend this first volume for anyone looking for a graphic novel about demons.

Krystyna 

I was browsing through my local comic book shop and was immediately drawn to this by the cover. When I turned it over to the back and realized that it was from the creator of The Walking Dead (Robert Kirkman) I had to pick it up. 

The colors on the cover are pretty much the same color schemes that you find throughout this volume. The colors have a very dark, creepy, moody feel to them. This is the first 6 issues in a trade paperback. The 7th issue comes out in March but the 2nd volume trade paperback will not be out until around August, I think. I know that some people have mixed opinions about this, but I loved it. I read it in one sitting, which wasn't hard to do anyway. But, I didn't want to put it down. The art was great and it was creepy. 

The story is pretty interesting. It follows a man named Kyle Barnes who is considered an outcast in two aspects. The first being from society because of events that have taken place with his family. The second being from his ability to exorcise demons in a very unique way and what the demons have labeled him. I know some people felt that the character development was lacking. However, I found that it was a great start to this series. When reading, I found myself flipping page after page to see what was going to happen next. You get background information on the MC, Kyle. You see where he has came from and what he has dealt with. 

The problem that some readers found was that they didn't understand why he could expel demons in other people but was unable to deal with his own personal demons. I didn't find this to be a problem for me. My reasoning for this is because it is the first volume and I think that it was a great start and that the character development will continue throughout the next issues. The MC, Kyle, is also searching for answers for himself, which kind of gives this "problem" some justification. However, along the way of finding these answers could potentially bring about the end of the world. 

I cannot wait for Volume 2 to come out because I will definitely be continuing it. In my opinion, I could definitely tell this was Kirkman's work; so, if you like The Walking Dead graphic novels, I would recommend picking this up and trying it out. It was an enjoyable, creepy read.

I did have a few minor issues with it, such as a few questions that were left unanswered. I don't want to state what they are because I don't want to ruin anything for potential readers. However, I feel that these questions will probably be answered in future issues.

Wynter

May 8, 2017: I'm debating between 3.5 and 4 stars. How do you make another demonic possession story fresh? It's pretty darn hard. But for what it's worth the story intrigued me enough where I'd love to pick up another volume. There is good character development, great backstory, interesting good vs. evil angle - all the precursors to a great series. The art and the pallet are rather basic, but I enjoyed it. The muted colours and bold inking add to the grimness and grittiness of the plot. I've never read Kirkman's The Walking Dead and could only endure the tv show for the first three seasons, so I'm judging Outcast on its own merit. I must say it's rather good.

Nelson Zagalo

Definitivamente gosto muito de Robert Kirkman, da forma como ele desenha a narrativa no sentido de nos prender aos personagens, de nos levar a compreender e querer saber mais sobre os seus conflitos internos. Ajuda imenso o modo como ele trabalha as inserções de grandes planos, em ponto pequeno, espalhadas pelas pranchas, já que ampliam a emocionalidade do fluxo narrativo. 

Contudo, e apesar de interessante, este "Outcast" não traz nada que já não tivesse visto em "The Walking Dead", é apenas mais uma série de possuídos e excluídos, desta vez com um aparente sistema centralizado de comando, uma qualquer força maléfica.

Outcast by Kirkman & Azaceta 1 Darkness Surrounds Him

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