To Kirkman’s credit, the idea of combining Invasion of the Body Snatchers with The Exorcist is quite original. Typically, possession stories concern a single individual, and in Outcast, from issue to issue, more and more people succumbed to the dark powers. The method of fighting demons is also captivating, which simply consists in beating the “host” until the malicious entity is coughed out.
As a whole, however, Kirkman’s title in particular struggled with pacing. Especially in the first volumes relatively little happened. Fortunately, the further into the forest, the more possessed people appeared, and with them the stakes grew. The last volume continues this upward trend. However, in the end, not everything worked out.
Always black and white
The problem is that the previous volume explains where the possessed come from and shows the causes of the conflict between the forces of darkness and light. In the last volume (double of the original edition) practically nothing is added to this thread. The ending itself is also lazy and not as epic as the previous gradation of tension would suggest. Fortunately, not everything returns to the original status quo and many characters have to face the consequences of “their” behavior. However, I lacked in all this some second bottom, perversity, or any other element that would encourage me to reach for this title again in the future.
the same
The heroes were just as average. While the main team, Kyle Barnes and Pastor Anderson, were led in an interesting way to the end, the background is lame. Kirkman has vented his soap opera cravings in Outcast and introduced quite a few side characters. In a way, they give an idea of how possessions affect other families, but these heroes do not stand out with anything special, and this effect is enhanced by drawing them in a similar way. Some threads, however, seem to have been abandoned. An example is the girl known from the previous volumes, already powerful, but only just learning her powers. Ultimately, her presence turns out to be unnecessary, because she has a negligible impact on the plot.
Rapprochement
Paul Azaceta’s drawings are consistently good. Apart from the aforementioned problem with the excessive similarity of the third-level heroes, the whole thing is very decent. The frequent and dense use of black, along with subdued colors, works great in these types of stories. From the very beginning I also loved the patent with small frames within frames that weave additional details into the novel. A simple idea, yet so distinctive.
Unleash
Overall Outcast. Possession is a medium series. Well written, but nothing groundbreaking. The slow pace was not ultimately rewarded for the reader. At the same time, it is difficult to point out any specific flaws and elements insulting the intelligence of the recipient. Outcast is a simple story with all the pros and cons of this approach. So, if someone wants a horror movie with a hint of a moral story in which the family is the most important thing, Kirkman’s title can provide it.
