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Outer Darkness #6
Outer Darkness #6
Exorcists, mathematicians, and soldiers mount up to battle one hell of a demon. With the number of dead crewmen mounting, Captain Rigg does what he can to save the rest, even if it means they had better be ready to die, too…
- GenresComics
30 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 10, 2019
About the author
John Layman
822 books595 followersJohn Steele Layman is an American comic book writer and letterer. Layman is most known for writing Chew, published by Image Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 26, 2026
2026 - 365 Days of Whatever Is On My Comic Book TBR
Day 146
Great ending for the first arc. Definitely going to jump to the next for this week.
Day 146
Great ending for the first arc. Definitely going to jump to the next for this week.
July 29, 2026
The sixth issue of Outer Darkness marks the conclusion of the comic's first story arc, and after everything that had happened throughout the previous five issues, I was incredibly excited to see how John Layman would bring all of the ongoing storylines together. Ever since Captain Joshua Rigg and the crew of the Charon crash-landed on the frozen world of Trellis, the stakes have become much higher than simple rescue-and-retrieval missions. The series has evolved into a survival story where every decision carries consequences, every crew member hides their own agenda, and every supernatural encounter seems to introduce an even greater horror than the last. The previous issue ended with Sato revealing his true colors, massacring members of the expedition team, while the ancient demon released from Lieutenant Colonel Toppo's cryotube continued terrorizing the wrecked Charon. I couldn't help but wonder whether the crew would survive this disaster or if things were only going to spiral further out of control. Would the horrors lurking on Trellis prove even more terrifying than Toppo and Sato? Could Captain Rigg somehow regain control over his increasingly fractured crew? Those questions made this final installment of the first arc one of the issues I anticipated the most.
The cover immediately caught my attention because it beautifully continues the visual storytelling established by the previous issue's artwork. Captain Joshua Rigg confidently walks forward through the snow with his weapon drawn in one hand while carrying his helmet in the other. Behind him are Agwe, Malachi Reno, and Elox, all advancing cautiously as the burning remains of the Charon smolder in the background. Above the distant mountains looms the silhouette of an enormous creature, which instantly reminded me of the horrifying monster that slaughtered Kayzi and Watnick during the flash-forward sequence in Issue #5. I really appreciate how both covers complement one another. While the previous issue focused on Alastor's expedition team leaving the crashed ship, this cover follows Rigg's group venturing into another dangerous part of the frozen landscape. Together, the two covers almost feel like two halves of the same cinematic scene, emphasizing that multiple stories are unfolding simultaneously after the crash. Even before opening the comic, I already knew this issue was building toward a major confrontation.
The story wastes no time throwing readers back into the chaos aboard the wrecked Charon. Captain Rigg leads Team Charon—which includes Agwe, Elox, and Chief Exorcist Malachi Reno—through the damaged corridors of the ship in search of both survivors and the demonic threat still lurking within. The atmosphere throughout these opening pages is incredibly tense. The once-powerful retrieval vessel has been transformed into a haunted maze filled with flickering lights, bloodstained hallways, and unsettling silence. Instead of feeling like a technologically advanced spacecraft, the Charon now resembles a haunted house drifting in the middle of nowhere. I loved how the artwork reinforced that feeling, making every corridor seem dangerous because something horrifying could appear at any moment.
It doesn't take long before the team discovers evidence that the demon has continued hunting the remaining crew members. They come across the brutal remains of Private Morris, whose body has been grotesquely mutilated. The scene is genuinely disturbing and serves as another reminder that Outer Darkness never shies away from body horror. Every encounter with the supernatural carries real consequences, and the comic constantly reminds readers that death can arrive suddenly and without warning. Even though resurrection exists within this universe, seeing innocent crew members meet such gruesome ends still carries emotional weight because resurrection is never guaranteed.
One moment that genuinely made me laugh amid all the horror was Rigg's continued hatred toward the Crone's familiar. When the black cat suddenly appears and begins hissing before running away, Rigg immediately raises his rifle and attempts to shoot it despite everyone else's objections. His irrational dislike for the poor cat has become one of the series' funniest running jokes. Even during life-or-death situations, Rigg somehow finds time to complain about the animal and even threatens to throw it out of an airlock once they return to space. It's such an absurd character trait that somehow works perfectly because it adds a tiny bit of dark humor without ruining the serious atmosphere.
While Team Charon continues searching the ship, Ship Administrator Soreena Prakash contacts Captain Rigg with alarming new information regarding Sato Shin. I was honestly relieved to see Prakash carefully investigating everything that had happened since Sato's resurrection. Unlike some of the crew members who were willing to dismiss his unusual behavior as trauma, Prakash approaches the problem logically and methodically. After reviewing the available evidence, she concludes that when Sato's soul was retrieved following the Dryx ambush back in Amano-14, something else returned alongside him. A demonic entity had entered his body during the resurrection process, slowly corrupting him from within. That revelation finally confirmed many of the suspicions I had developed over the past few issues. Looking back, I even realized that the cover of Issue #2 might have been foreshadowing this corruption all along with its unsettling imagery surrounding Captain Rigg.
At this point, I genuinely started worrying about Alastor. Sato had already demonstrated how dangerous he had become, and considering how much tension already existed among the senior officers, I feared that Alastor would eventually become one of his next victims. Throughout the series, Alastor has become one of my favorite members of the crew because he constantly challenges Rigg whenever he believes the captain is making reckless decisions. Even when I disagree with him, his actions always come from a place of responsibility rather than selfish ambition. I really hoped he would survive because I felt there was still so much potential left for his character.
Eventually, Team Charon finally encounters the terrifying monster that had been teased since the beginning of the previous issue. Seeing the creature again immediately connected the two storylines together. The same beast responsible for killing Kayzi and Watnick in the future was now standing before Captain Rigg's team in the present. Fortunately, the crew manages to work together effectively, combining futuristic weaponry, magical rituals, and coordinated tactics to destroy the monster before it can inflict additional casualties.
However, what truly fascinated me was Agwe's explanation after the battle. He reveals that although the creature had been defeated, it possesses the ability to regenerate over the course of more than a century. That single revelation suddenly recontextualized the entire flash-forward sequence from Issue #5. The monster that massacred the colonists on Trellis-86 125 years in the future wasn't another member of the same species—it was the exact same creature Rigg and his crew had just defeated. That realization honestly blew my mind. I absolutely loved how John Layman connected the timelines because it rewarded readers who paid close attention to the earlier chapters. Rather than including the future sequence simply for shock value, it ultimately became an important piece of long-term storytelling that demonstrates how actions in the present continue echoing far into the future.
While Rigg and Agwe begin discussing how to deal with the increasingly dangerous Sato, I was pleasantly surprised when Alastor suddenly appears before them with Sato already restrained in heavy chains. I honestly wasn't expecting that. Considering everything Sato had done throughout the previous issue, I assumed capturing him would require another lengthy confrontation. Instead, Alastor had already accomplished the task before anyone else even arrived. Moments like this remind me why I enjoy Alastor so much as a character. He doesn't simply complain about Rigg's leadership—he consistently proves himself to be an incredibly capable officer who gets the job done.
Some time later, after the Charon has been repaired enough to resume operation, the surviving senior staff gathers to discuss Sato's fate. I found this conversation particularly interesting because there really isn't a perfect solution. Simply killing Sato would not permanently eliminate the threat because the demonic entity within him would only return stronger and even more enraged. On the other hand, allowing him to remain free would put the entire crew at risk. The moral dilemma presented here feels surprisingly complex. Sato is both a victim and a villain at the same time. The original Sato Shin never chose to become possessed, yet the creature inhabiting his body has committed horrific crimes. It raises difficult questions about responsibility, justice, and whether someone who has lost control of themselves can still be saved.
The solution ultimately chosen by the crew is honestly one of the darkest moments in the series so far. Rather than executing Sato, they decide to imprison and magically control him, forcing the demon inside him into service aboard the Charon. Watching them essentially enslave him was incredibly unsettling. While it solves the immediate problem, it also feels morally questionable because Sato is no longer treated as a human being but as a dangerous weapon that can be pointed toward future enemies. The comic doesn't present this decision as heroic or villainous; instead, it leaves readers to decide for themselves whether the crew has crossed an ethical line.
Just when I thought the issue had already delivered enough surprises, the story reveals one final twist involving Alastor. It becomes apparent that he intends to use Sato as a weapon against Captain Rigg himself. Suddenly, his earlier disagreements with the captain take on an entirely different meaning. While I certainly wasn't shocked that Alastor continued opposing Rigg, I never expected his resentment to escalate into secretly planning the captain's assassination. At the same time, I can't pretend the revelation came completely out of nowhere. Throughout the series, nearly everyone aboard the Charon has expressed frustration with Rigg's reckless leadership style. Some crew members merely complain, while others openly question his authority. Alastor simply takes those feelings one step further. Whether his actions are justified remains debatable, but they undeniably make the political tension aboard the Charon even more compelling moving forward.
One aspect I especially admired throughout this concluding issue was how well it balanced action with character development. The battles against supernatural creatures were exciting, but they never overshadowed the emotional conflicts brewing among the crew. Every major confrontation also advanced someone's personal storyline. Rigg continues proving himself to be an effective but deeply flawed leader. Prakash establishes herself as one of the ship's most intelligent and dependable officers through careful investigation rather than brute force. Agwe once again demonstrates why he serves as Rigg's closest advisor, providing knowledge that often saves lives despite his morally questionable outlook. Alastor continues evolving into one of the most layered characters in the series, while Sato's tragic descent into full demonic corruption transforms him from a cheerful supporting character into one of the comic's most unsettling antagonists.
I also continue appreciating the world-building that makes Outer Darkness feel so unlike any other science-fiction comic I've read. The series refuses to separate science from the supernatural. Instead, both exist side by side as equally valid parts of everyday life. Advanced spacecraft rely on exorcists, mathematicians create magical containment formulas, resurrection is treated as routine medical procedure despite its horrifying consequences, and demons are encountered with the same professionalism as any military threat. It's such a bizarre concept on paper, yet John Layman makes the entire universe feel remarkably believable because every strange idea follows its own consistent internal logic.
Overall, Outer Darkness Issue #6 delivers a satisfying conclusion to the first story arc while simultaneously laying the groundwork for even bigger conflicts in the future. It resolves the immediate crisis surrounding the crashed Charon and the arch-fiend released from Toppo's cryotube, but wisely leaves several mysteries unanswered. Sato's fate, Alastor's secret agenda, Elox's mysterious ambitions, and the ominous future awaiting the Trellis colony all remain hanging over the series, making it impossible not to want to continue reading.
Perhaps my favorite storytelling decision across these last two issues is the way the flash-forward sequence was handled. At first, the scenes on Trellis-86 felt completely disconnected from the main narrative, but the gradual revelation that they are direct consequences of the crew's present-day actions was incredibly satisfying. It rewards patience without revealing too much, proving that the series is willing to play the long game with its storytelling.
As the first major arc comes to an end, I feel like Outer Darkness has successfully established both its universe and its core cast of characters. The crew of the Charon is far from perfect. They argue constantly, question each other's motives, keep dangerous secrets, and occasionally make terrible decisions. Yet those imperfections are exactly what make them feel believable. Combined with the comic's imaginative blend of space exploration, occult horror, and supernatural mystery, this first arc leaves me genuinely excited to see where Captain Rigg and his dysfunctional crew will venture next. If the opening six issues are any indication, the journey into the Outer Darkness has only just begun, and I have a feeling the horrors waiting beyond known space are only going to become even stranger from here.
The cover immediately caught my attention because it beautifully continues the visual storytelling established by the previous issue's artwork. Captain Joshua Rigg confidently walks forward through the snow with his weapon drawn in one hand while carrying his helmet in the other. Behind him are Agwe, Malachi Reno, and Elox, all advancing cautiously as the burning remains of the Charon smolder in the background. Above the distant mountains looms the silhouette of an enormous creature, which instantly reminded me of the horrifying monster that slaughtered Kayzi and Watnick during the flash-forward sequence in Issue #5. I really appreciate how both covers complement one another. While the previous issue focused on Alastor's expedition team leaving the crashed ship, this cover follows Rigg's group venturing into another dangerous part of the frozen landscape. Together, the two covers almost feel like two halves of the same cinematic scene, emphasizing that multiple stories are unfolding simultaneously after the crash. Even before opening the comic, I already knew this issue was building toward a major confrontation.
The story wastes no time throwing readers back into the chaos aboard the wrecked Charon. Captain Rigg leads Team Charon—which includes Agwe, Elox, and Chief Exorcist Malachi Reno—through the damaged corridors of the ship in search of both survivors and the demonic threat still lurking within. The atmosphere throughout these opening pages is incredibly tense. The once-powerful retrieval vessel has been transformed into a haunted maze filled with flickering lights, bloodstained hallways, and unsettling silence. Instead of feeling like a technologically advanced spacecraft, the Charon now resembles a haunted house drifting in the middle of nowhere. I loved how the artwork reinforced that feeling, making every corridor seem dangerous because something horrifying could appear at any moment.
It doesn't take long before the team discovers evidence that the demon has continued hunting the remaining crew members. They come across the brutal remains of Private Morris, whose body has been grotesquely mutilated. The scene is genuinely disturbing and serves as another reminder that Outer Darkness never shies away from body horror. Every encounter with the supernatural carries real consequences, and the comic constantly reminds readers that death can arrive suddenly and without warning. Even though resurrection exists within this universe, seeing innocent crew members meet such gruesome ends still carries emotional weight because resurrection is never guaranteed.
One moment that genuinely made me laugh amid all the horror was Rigg's continued hatred toward the Crone's familiar. When the black cat suddenly appears and begins hissing before running away, Rigg immediately raises his rifle and attempts to shoot it despite everyone else's objections. His irrational dislike for the poor cat has become one of the series' funniest running jokes. Even during life-or-death situations, Rigg somehow finds time to complain about the animal and even threatens to throw it out of an airlock once they return to space. It's such an absurd character trait that somehow works perfectly because it adds a tiny bit of dark humor without ruining the serious atmosphere.
While Team Charon continues searching the ship, Ship Administrator Soreena Prakash contacts Captain Rigg with alarming new information regarding Sato Shin. I was honestly relieved to see Prakash carefully investigating everything that had happened since Sato's resurrection. Unlike some of the crew members who were willing to dismiss his unusual behavior as trauma, Prakash approaches the problem logically and methodically. After reviewing the available evidence, she concludes that when Sato's soul was retrieved following the Dryx ambush back in Amano-14, something else returned alongside him. A demonic entity had entered his body during the resurrection process, slowly corrupting him from within. That revelation finally confirmed many of the suspicions I had developed over the past few issues. Looking back, I even realized that the cover of Issue #2 might have been foreshadowing this corruption all along with its unsettling imagery surrounding Captain Rigg.
At this point, I genuinely started worrying about Alastor. Sato had already demonstrated how dangerous he had become, and considering how much tension already existed among the senior officers, I feared that Alastor would eventually become one of his next victims. Throughout the series, Alastor has become one of my favorite members of the crew because he constantly challenges Rigg whenever he believes the captain is making reckless decisions. Even when I disagree with him, his actions always come from a place of responsibility rather than selfish ambition. I really hoped he would survive because I felt there was still so much potential left for his character.
Eventually, Team Charon finally encounters the terrifying monster that had been teased since the beginning of the previous issue. Seeing the creature again immediately connected the two storylines together. The same beast responsible for killing Kayzi and Watnick in the future was now standing before Captain Rigg's team in the present. Fortunately, the crew manages to work together effectively, combining futuristic weaponry, magical rituals, and coordinated tactics to destroy the monster before it can inflict additional casualties.
However, what truly fascinated me was Agwe's explanation after the battle. He reveals that although the creature had been defeated, it possesses the ability to regenerate over the course of more than a century. That single revelation suddenly recontextualized the entire flash-forward sequence from Issue #5. The monster that massacred the colonists on Trellis-86 125 years in the future wasn't another member of the same species—it was the exact same creature Rigg and his crew had just defeated. That realization honestly blew my mind. I absolutely loved how John Layman connected the timelines because it rewarded readers who paid close attention to the earlier chapters. Rather than including the future sequence simply for shock value, it ultimately became an important piece of long-term storytelling that demonstrates how actions in the present continue echoing far into the future.
While Rigg and Agwe begin discussing how to deal with the increasingly dangerous Sato, I was pleasantly surprised when Alastor suddenly appears before them with Sato already restrained in heavy chains. I honestly wasn't expecting that. Considering everything Sato had done throughout the previous issue, I assumed capturing him would require another lengthy confrontation. Instead, Alastor had already accomplished the task before anyone else even arrived. Moments like this remind me why I enjoy Alastor so much as a character. He doesn't simply complain about Rigg's leadership—he consistently proves himself to be an incredibly capable officer who gets the job done.
Some time later, after the Charon has been repaired enough to resume operation, the surviving senior staff gathers to discuss Sato's fate. I found this conversation particularly interesting because there really isn't a perfect solution. Simply killing Sato would not permanently eliminate the threat because the demonic entity within him would only return stronger and even more enraged. On the other hand, allowing him to remain free would put the entire crew at risk. The moral dilemma presented here feels surprisingly complex. Sato is both a victim and a villain at the same time. The original Sato Shin never chose to become possessed, yet the creature inhabiting his body has committed horrific crimes. It raises difficult questions about responsibility, justice, and whether someone who has lost control of themselves can still be saved.
The solution ultimately chosen by the crew is honestly one of the darkest moments in the series so far. Rather than executing Sato, they decide to imprison and magically control him, forcing the demon inside him into service aboard the Charon. Watching them essentially enslave him was incredibly unsettling. While it solves the immediate problem, it also feels morally questionable because Sato is no longer treated as a human being but as a dangerous weapon that can be pointed toward future enemies. The comic doesn't present this decision as heroic or villainous; instead, it leaves readers to decide for themselves whether the crew has crossed an ethical line.
Just when I thought the issue had already delivered enough surprises, the story reveals one final twist involving Alastor. It becomes apparent that he intends to use Sato as a weapon against Captain Rigg himself. Suddenly, his earlier disagreements with the captain take on an entirely different meaning. While I certainly wasn't shocked that Alastor continued opposing Rigg, I never expected his resentment to escalate into secretly planning the captain's assassination. At the same time, I can't pretend the revelation came completely out of nowhere. Throughout the series, nearly everyone aboard the Charon has expressed frustration with Rigg's reckless leadership style. Some crew members merely complain, while others openly question his authority. Alastor simply takes those feelings one step further. Whether his actions are justified remains debatable, but they undeniably make the political tension aboard the Charon even more compelling moving forward.
One aspect I especially admired throughout this concluding issue was how well it balanced action with character development. The battles against supernatural creatures were exciting, but they never overshadowed the emotional conflicts brewing among the crew. Every major confrontation also advanced someone's personal storyline. Rigg continues proving himself to be an effective but deeply flawed leader. Prakash establishes herself as one of the ship's most intelligent and dependable officers through careful investigation rather than brute force. Agwe once again demonstrates why he serves as Rigg's closest advisor, providing knowledge that often saves lives despite his morally questionable outlook. Alastor continues evolving into one of the most layered characters in the series, while Sato's tragic descent into full demonic corruption transforms him from a cheerful supporting character into one of the comic's most unsettling antagonists.
I also continue appreciating the world-building that makes Outer Darkness feel so unlike any other science-fiction comic I've read. The series refuses to separate science from the supernatural. Instead, both exist side by side as equally valid parts of everyday life. Advanced spacecraft rely on exorcists, mathematicians create magical containment formulas, resurrection is treated as routine medical procedure despite its horrifying consequences, and demons are encountered with the same professionalism as any military threat. It's such a bizarre concept on paper, yet John Layman makes the entire universe feel remarkably believable because every strange idea follows its own consistent internal logic.
Overall, Outer Darkness Issue #6 delivers a satisfying conclusion to the first story arc while simultaneously laying the groundwork for even bigger conflicts in the future. It resolves the immediate crisis surrounding the crashed Charon and the arch-fiend released from Toppo's cryotube, but wisely leaves several mysteries unanswered. Sato's fate, Alastor's secret agenda, Elox's mysterious ambitions, and the ominous future awaiting the Trellis colony all remain hanging over the series, making it impossible not to want to continue reading.
Perhaps my favorite storytelling decision across these last two issues is the way the flash-forward sequence was handled. At first, the scenes on Trellis-86 felt completely disconnected from the main narrative, but the gradual revelation that they are direct consequences of the crew's present-day actions was incredibly satisfying. It rewards patience without revealing too much, proving that the series is willing to play the long game with its storytelling.
As the first major arc comes to an end, I feel like Outer Darkness has successfully established both its universe and its core cast of characters. The crew of the Charon is far from perfect. They argue constantly, question each other's motives, keep dangerous secrets, and occasionally make terrible decisions. Yet those imperfections are exactly what make them feel believable. Combined with the comic's imaginative blend of space exploration, occult horror, and supernatural mystery, this first arc leaves me genuinely excited to see where Captain Rigg and his dysfunctional crew will venture next. If the opening six issues are any indication, the journey into the Outer Darkness has only just begun, and I have a feeling the horrors waiting beyond known space are only going to become even stranger from here.
May 24, 2026
End of volume 1, cannot wait to get started on the next arc! The overall story arc should resume with the journey to the retrieval from the outer darkness!
May 31, 2019
This last issue of the first arc helped close things out with a sound Pow!! in your melon. I'm bummed I have to wait a bit before the next issue.
July 10, 2019
A sci-fi-demonic possession story part 2. A good issue with an interesting ending.
January 9, 2026
Give me more.
Great progression of story so far. I also think the artwork is pretty cool. The talents they hired for this gig should be given a raise.
Great progression of story so far. I also think the artwork is pretty cool. The talents they hired for this gig should be given a raise.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews