The Lords of Order in DC Comics are not known for their sense of fun. Indeed, these cosmic guardians, the power behind Doctor Fate, are known for being completely humorless. Yet, in Outsiders #9, the Lords of Order create a pun that is lethally bad on a metatextual level.
Written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, with art by Robert Carey, Outsiders #9 takes the titular team to a lost city. Known as Cannon, the city resembles a giant cannon. The team learn that the city was fashioned by the Lords of Order, to be “the first gun, and the last.”
The Outsiders learn that Cannon was created by the Lords of Order in response to the growth of chaos in the multiverse. The Cannon was capable of destroying whole realities, yet had never been fired. However, it was their belief that it must be fired soon, “burning away every story but ours.”
The Cannon is a clear pun on the word “canon,” as in an established continuity in a work of fiction. Canon has become more of a guideline than a rule in the Dawn of DC era. There is little effort, for instance, to reconcile the current storylines of Batman and Detective Comics, which feature two different groups taking over Gotham City at the same time. This has annoyed some fans, who (like the Lords of Order) would prefer one cohesive and strictly regulated timeline.
Outsiders #9 puts a comedic spin on war between Order and Chaos
The Outsiders side with the Klarion the Witch Boy against the Lords of Order. The Chaos Lord seeks to destroy the Cannon, enjoying the current state of affairs in the DC Universe. This results in a fight that is as much debate as it is a battle. Ultimately, Luke “Batwing” Fox ends the conflict by taking control of the Cannon on behalf of humanity.
Outsiders #9 is now available at comic shops everywhere
