Comic Title: Outsiders #23
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: September 1987
On Sale Date: June 2, 1987 Newsstand Date June 2, 1987
Source: DC Releases, #40

Shipping Date May 12, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #118

Newsstand Date June 2, 1987
Source: Comics Buyers Guide, #702, #704

Copyright Date May 12, 1987
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1987
DC publication dates beyond April 1981 listed by the LoC
represent shipping dates NOT newsstand sale dates

Shipping Date May 12, 1987
Source: Comics Buyers Guide, #702, #704

Cover Price: $1.50
Page Count: 32
Editor: Mike Carlin

Title: "...and the Rockets' Red Glare..."
Pages: 27

Feature(s):
Outsiders (Post-Crisis)

Writer: Mike W. Barr
Penciller: David Ross
Inker: Robert Allen Smith
Letterer: Albert Tobias De Guzman
Colorist: Adrienne Roy

Feature Character(s)

• Outsiders (last appearance in Infinity Inc. Special #1; next appearance in Outsiders #24)
• Black Lightning (last appearance in Infinity Inc. Special #1; next appearance in Outsiders #24)
• Geo-Force (in flashback only; last appearance in Outsiders Annual #1; next appearance in Outsiders #14)
• Halo (last appearance in Infinity Inc. Special #1; next appearance in Outsiders #24)
• Looker (last appearance in Infinity Inc. Special #1; next appearance in Outsiders #24)
• Katana (last appearance in Infinity Inc. Special #1; next appearance in Outsiders #24)
• Metamorpho (last appearance in Infinity Inc. Special #1; next appearance in Outsiders #24)
• Windfall (last appearance in Infinity Inc. Special #1; next appearance in Outsiders #24)
• Batman (last appearance in Doctor Fate #3; next appearance in Outsiders #24)

Guest Star(s)

• Force of July (in flashback; earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Outsiders Special #1)
• People's Heroes (in flashback; first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Suicide Squad #7)
• Major Victory (in flashback; next appearance in Outsiders Special #1)
• Sparkler (in flashback; next appearance in Outsiders Special #1)
• Lady Liberty (in flashback; next appearance in Outsiders Special #1)
• Mayflower (in flashback; next appearance in Outsiders Special #1)
• Silent Majority (in flashback; next appearance in Outsiders Special #1)
• Hammer (in flashback; next appearance in Suicide Squad #7)
• Pravda (in flashback; next appearance in Suicide Squad #7)
• Molotov (in flashback; next appearance in Suicide Squad #7)
• Sickle (in flashback; next appearance in Suicide Squad #7)
• Bolshoi (in flashback; next appearance in Suicide Squad #7)

Villain(s)

• Fusion (in flashback; next appearance in Outsiders #24)
• A group of terrorists (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Mr. Blairman (a government liaison; no further appearances)
• Mikhail Gorbachev (in flashback; earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Green Lantern Corps #208)

Flashback Appearance(s)

• Outsiders (last appearance in Outsiders Annual #1; next appearance in Outsiders #14)
• Black Lightning (last appearance in Outsiders Annual #1; next appearance in Outsiders #14)
• Halo (last appearance in Outsiders Annual #1; next appearance in Outsiders #14)
• Katana (last appearance in Outsiders Annual #1; next appearance in Outsiders #14)
• Looker (last appearance in Outsiders Annual #1; next appearance in Outsiders #14)
• Metamorpho (last appearance in Outsiders Annual #1; next appearance in Outsiders #14)

Comments:
The majority of this story takes place in a flashback to July 1986.

The framing sequence of this story continues in Outsiders #24.

Synopsis:
The Outsiders investigate a prison break out and determine that Fusion has escaped. Batman asks the others to tell him about the team's first encounter with Fusion.

Fusion, a trio of Soviet super-heroes who can combine into a single individual possessing their combined powers, rescued the People's Heroes from a prison in Mozambia. The People's Heroes returned to Russia, while Fusion went to attack America. Gorbachev sends the People's Heroes after him to prevent an international incident.

The Russia super-heroes team with the Force of July to protect the Statue of Liberty from attack. The Outsiders see them and fearing the worst attack. While the three teams fight one another, Fusion and his gang of terrorists gas them. Katana holds her breath and engineers an escape. The combined forces of the Outsiders, the Force of July, and the People's Heroes then defeat Fusion and protect the Statue.

In the present, Batman deduces that Fusion will attempt to assassinate President. The Outsiders then head to Camp David to stop their Soviet foe.