Outnumbered #6 (of 6) Critical Hit Comics Writers: Todd Ireland & Kevin Leeson Pencils: Rusty Beach Inks: Robin Thompson BW, 40 pgs $4.95 All the passion and hard work pays off by Chad Boudreau The battle started in issue #5 comes to an end and so too does Outnumbered. Its creators have managed to do what many aspire to but few actually accomplish: See their vision through to fruition. Self-publishing one comic is hard work and yet Todd Ireland, Kevin Leeson, Rusty Beach and the rest of the Outnumbered crew managed to finish and release six issues, telling a complete and enjoyable tale. Rough and tumble is the way I like to describe Outnumbered. Its story is one told from the streets-a motley crew of marginalized young adults fights the destructive forces of a drug that has turned many of the city's homeless and dispossessed into dangerous, mutated addicts. The characters aren't flashy or attractive and certainly couldn't be considered typical role models, and yet they are dedicated and brave, stepping up to fight the good fight when no one else will. That fight culminates in issue #6 with a startling turn of events that gives the conclusion of Outnumbered a dark and tragic edge. There too is a roughness to the comic itself. The first few issues had production flaws-blacks that were not black and blurry images on some pages. Those blemishes were not present in later issues. The printed quality of the art was far more consistent when inker Robin Thompson was added to the team. What is present in each issue though is the sense that the creative team is learning its way. The story progresses but so too does the development of the writers and artists. Ireland and Leeson honed their writing, learning to give action sequences more room on the page, and finding ways to grow their characters. Rusty Beach, meanwhile, continued to experiment with page layouts, and while I still feel he has more to learn about bringing action to the page, there exists throughout Outnumbered exceptional moments that establish a setting, create atmosphere or make the reader feel for the characters. Outnumbered is not a polished, professional comic, but it is all the more exciting a find because of it. The creators know their story and their characters. The tale is complete, innovative and compelling. Also, when you read it you know the team cared about the project and worked their collective asses off to bring Outnumbered to life. It is worth reading, warts and all. It is testament that creating comics takes passion, dedication and lots of hard work. Many people want to make comics. Only a small percentage will actually make it happen. These folks did. 4 of 5   Rating Average Score: 4.8 Votes: 5 Rate this comic or article (as the case may be): Options    Printer Friendly

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