SUMMARY

Flashpoint destroyed the Wildstorm Universe, keeping only one survivor.
Outsiders #7 delves into the emotional toll on Jakita Wagner witnessing the end of her universe.
Wildstorm’s incorporation into the DC Universe during Flashpoint marked the end of an era for the beloved franchise.

Warning: contains spoilers for Outsiders #7!

DC has confirmed that the Flashpoint event destroyed a beloved franchise, and there was only one survivor. Flashpoint redefined the DC Universe, leading to the creation of the controversial New 52. The New 52 incorporated elements of the classic Wildstorm imprint into the DC Universe. In Outsiders #7, DC returns to the Wildstorm universe in the days before Flashpoint, showing its end and revealing its one survivor.

Outsiders #7 is written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Robert Carey. The issue opens with Jakita Wagner attending a meeting of Planetary’s Board of Directors when the world outside goes white. Jakita is flung into the whiteness, where she has a vision of the Flash.

She wakes up in the New 52 universe, witnessing the Justice League’s battle with Darkseid.

A stranger in a strange land, Jakita nevertheless makes her way onto this new Earth–only for it to be upended once again during subsequent reality-altering events. Jakita learns she is immune to reality bending.

Wildstorm Was One of the 1990s Biggest Comic Lines

Wildstorm’s End Came With Mixed Emotions, and This Issue Taps Into Them

One of the original studios comprising Image Comics, Wildstorm became known for cutting edge superhero titles such as Stormwatch, The Authority and Planetary. Co-founded by Jim Lee, Wildstorm, and all its characters were sold to DC Comics in the late 1990s. For several years, Wildstorm existed as an imprint of DC, until 2011, when its characters were incorporated into the regular DC Universe during Flashpoint. Former Wildstorm icons such as Midnighter and Grifter were now rubbing shoulders with Superman and Wonder Woman. Fans lamented the loss of the imprint, but looked forward to the character’s new beginnings.

Yet as seen in Outsiders #7, the end of Wildstorm came with a high emotional cost. Jakita Wagner witnessed the death of her universe and her friends on the Planetary team. Everything Wagner knew changed in a flash. One minute she was in a meeting and the next in an entirely new universe. To her credit, Wagner was able to find love and happiness during her jumps, but every time it was taken away. The events of Flashpoint took a toll on the entire DC Universe, but Wagner suffered more than anyone.

The new Outsiders series has brought back a surprising hero from DC’s past, and they could be bringing a whole universe with them in the process.

Flashpoint’s Legacy Will Be a Complicated One

Wildstorm’s End Was Heart-Breaking For Jakita Wagner

Flashpoint was a huge event for DC, leading to a line-wide revitalization with effects still being felt today, prime among them being the incorporation of the Wildstorm characters into their universe. While it gave fans an opportunity to see Apollo fight Superman, or see Gen 13 take on Superoby, it also marked the end of an era for Wildstorm. While Flashpoint may have led to a new beginning for the DC Universe, it marked the end of the beloved Wildstorm franchise as fans had known it for almost 20 years.

Outsiders #7 is on sale now from DC Comics!