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Outer Darkness #5
Outer Darkness #5
After The Charon crash-lands on a frozen planet, the crew is forced to fight together or die alone. Unfortunately, there’s a demonic betrayer in their midst… and something even worse lurking beneath the snow and ice.
- GenresComics
29 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 13, 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 24, 2026
2 part finale to this arc. Continue the amazing work
July 29, 2026
By the time I reached the fifth issue of Outer Darkness, I realized that this series had become almost impossible to predict. What originally seemed like another space exploration comic had transformed into one of the most unique blends of science fiction, supernatural horror, and dark fantasy that I've ever read. Instead of relying on the familiar trope of humans battling alien empires or advanced civilizations, Outer Darkness continues to build its universe around demons, cursed entities, occult rituals, ancient gods, and supernatural forces that exist beyond the boundaries of space itself. Every issue introduces another terrifying aspect of this universe, making the unknown feel even more dangerous than before. After the shocking ending of the previous chapter, I found myself asking even more questions than usual. Was Sato truly possessed, or had he become something entirely different after being resurrected? Could the crew survive after crashing on an unfamiliar frozen planet? And perhaps most importantly, what new horrors were waiting for them beyond the wreckage of the Charon? Those lingering mysteries made me eager to continue reading because it genuinely felt like the first story arc was building toward something catastrophic.
The cover of Issue #5 immediately stood out to me because it resembles the dramatic poster of a science-fiction action film. The Charon lies wrecked on an icy planet, smoke and destruction filling the background while several members of the crew walk away from the crash site. Alastor Satalis leads the group, accompanied by Baxter, Sato Shin, and Kitty, the Crone's familiar. The image almost looks like one of those cinematic scenes where survivors silently walk away from an explosion, carrying weapons while preparing for whatever comes next. I especially liked how the artwork raises questions instead of answering them. Why are these particular crew members together? Why are they walking away from the ship? Where are the rest of the crew? The frozen environment also immediately tells readers that survival itself will become a major challenge. Looking back after finishing the issue, I appreciated how accurately the cover captured the chapter's atmosphere without revealing its biggest twists.
The issue opens in a completely unexpected way with a flash-forward set 125 years into the future on the New Avalon settler colony of Trellis-86. Right away, I knew something terrible had happened. The colony appears abandoned, eerily silent, and filled with signs that disaster has already unfolded. The atmosphere reminded me of classic survival horror stories where the environment itself tells a story before any dialogue does. A young girl named Kayzi desperately calls for help while searching for survivors among the ruined settlement. Thankfully, another survivor named Watnick finds her, and for a brief moment I genuinely believed they might escape together.
Their discovery of a trans-rover gave me a sense of hope. After all, finding a working vehicle usually marks the turning point where characters finally catch a break. Unfortunately, Outer Darkness quickly reminded me that hope rarely lasts very long in this universe. The moment Watnick opens the rover's door, an enormous monster lunges from inside and attacks without warning. The creature brutally kills him before Kayzi can react, crushing him with horrifying force and leaving her completely defenseless. It was honestly a brutal opening sequence. The comic builds a small glimmer of optimism only to destroy it seconds later, both literally and emotionally. I genuinely felt bad for the two of them because they looked so close to escaping, only for everything to fall apart almost instantly. Even though the opening initially feels disconnected from the main story, it immediately establishes that whatever is happening in the present will eventually lead to an unimaginable catastrophe over a century later.
The narrative then returns to the present, picking up immediately after the Charon's devastating crash landing. I immediately noticed that the frozen world where the crew has crashed is none other than Trellis, the same planet shown during the opening sequence. I thought this was an excellent storytelling decision because it cleverly ties the flash-forward to the present timeline without immediately explaining how the two are connected. Instead of simply showing readers the future, the comic invites us to wonder how the crew's current actions will eventually shape the horrifying events witnessed at the beginning of the issue.
The aftermath of the crash immediately reveals just how devastating Captain Rigg's decision truly was. Although deliberately crashing the Charon prevented an even greater disaster aboard the ship, it also scattered the crew across an unforgiving frozen wilderness. Portions of the vessel have been destroyed, numerous systems are offline, and survivors have become separated into different groups while dangerous enemies remain somewhere nearby. I really appreciated how the comic doesn't portray the crash as either entirely heroic or entirely disastrous. It saved lives while simultaneously creating a completely new set of problems.
One of the first confrontations after the crash occurs between Captain Rigg and First Officer Alastor Satalis. Their already strained relationship reaches another boiling point as Rigg punches Alastor over the decision to retrieve Lieutenant Colonel Charles Toppo. I'll admit that I understood Rigg's frustration. If Toppo had never been brought aboard the Charon, the demonic entity imprisoned within the cryotube might never have been released in the first place. However, I also found myself sympathizing with Alastor. From his perspective, he was simply following one of the oldest and most sacred laws of the Galactic Service regarding Guaranteed survivors. Ignoring that protocol would have been considered a serious violation of duty. Neither man was acting out of selfishness. Instead, both believed they were making the correct decision based on their own responsibilities. Their disagreement perfectly illustrates one of the series' strongest themes: sometimes there isn't a clear right or wrong answer, only difficult choices with devastating consequences.
With the Charon no longer capable of supporting the entire crew, Rigg divides the survivors into separate teams. Alastor leads an expedition toward the nearby mountains to search for caves that could serve as temporary shelter, while Rigg remains with another group to investigate the damaged sections of the ship and continue searching for Toppo. The moment this plan was announced, I immediately became nervous because splitting up in a horror story almost never ends well. It felt obvious that the comic was setting both teams on completely different paths toward danger.
Looking back at the cover, I finally realized what it had been teasing all along. The image of Alastor, Baxter, Sato, and Kitty walking across the frozen landscape wasn't simply promotional artwork—it represented the cave scouting expedition that forms one of the issue's central storylines. I always enjoy covers that gain new meaning after reading the comic, and this was another excellent example of that.
Meanwhile, another intriguing scene unfolds when Elox quietly confronts Sato. Unlike everyone else aboard the Charon, Elox already understands that something has fundamentally changed within him following his resurrection. Their brief interaction contains very little dialogue, yet it communicates an incredible amount of tension. Elox clearly knows Sato is responsible for far more than anyone suspects, while Sato calmly silences him before he can reveal anything. The scene immediately confirmed my suspicions from the previous issue. Whatever had returned inside Sato was no longer merely hiding—it was actively executing a larger plan.
At the same time, Alastor begins piecing together the events surrounding Toppo's escape. He correctly realizes that the cryotube could never have opened on its own and that someone aboard the Charon must have deliberately released the prisoner. I found myself agreeing with Alastor completely because his reasoning was perfectly logical. Unfortunately, the growing hostility between him and Rigg prevents any meaningful discussion. Rigg dismisses his concerns almost immediately, largely because neither man is willing to trust the other anymore. Watching this unfold became increasingly frustrating because both officers possess valuable insights, yet their ongoing power struggle prevents them from working together effectively. Their inability to communicate may honestly be just as dangerous as any demon they encounter.
As the story continues, the comic effectively alternates between Rigg's team exploring the wrecked Charon and Alastor's expedition venturing deeper into the icy mountains. I couldn't shake the feeling that disaster was approaching both groups simultaneously. Rigg's team remained focused on locating Toppo before he caused further destruction, while Alastor unknowingly traveled alongside the one person secretly orchestrating everything—Sato.
Sure enough, the expedition quickly turns into a nightmare.
Upon reaching a cave that appears suitable for shelter, Sato suddenly launches a brutal surprise attack against his own teammates. The violence unfolds with shocking speed as Baxter becomes one of his first victims. I genuinely wasn't expecting the massacre to happen so abruptly, even though I already suspected Sato had become the primary antagonist of this arc. Watching him systematically eliminate members of his own expedition was both horrifying and tragic because these were people who had fought alongside him only a few issues earlier. Every death reinforced how completely the resurrection had transformed him.
What disturbed me even more was what happened afterward. Rather than simply killing the expedition team, Sato contacts Prakash and calmly reports that the cave is completely safe, deliberately encouraging more survivors to travel toward the same location. The realization immediately hit me that this wasn't merely an act of murder—it was a carefully planned trap. Sato wasn't interested in eliminating only one group of crew members. He intended to lure the remaining survivors into the cave so they could suffer the exact same fate. That revelation completely changed the tone of the issue. The greatest threat was no longer some mysterious demon hiding in the shadows but someone the crew still believed to be one of their own.
At this point, I couldn't stop asking myself one question: what exactly is Sato trying to accomplish? His actions clearly serve a larger purpose, but the comic still keeps his true motives hidden. Is he simply following the commands of the demonic force possessing him? Is he attempting to free something even more dangerous? Or does he now genuinely believe he is serving a higher purpose? I appreciated that the story continues withholding those answers because it keeps Sato feeling mysterious rather than reducing him to a straightforward villain.
While Sato's betrayal dominates much of the issue, I also enjoyed seeing the series continue exploring the different dynamics among the crew. Rigg remains committed to protecting his people despite their growing distrust of him. Alastor continues demonstrating why so many crew members respect his leadership. Elox silently observes everything from the sidelines, seemingly understanding far more than anyone else. Even the Crone and her familiar continue adding an air of mystery through their cryptic knowledge of the supernatural. Every member of the Charon feels increasingly important, and I appreciate that the comic refuses to let any character exist merely as background decoration.
One aspect I continue to admire throughout Outer Darkness is how naturally it combines horror with science fiction. The frozen landscape feels just as threatening as the demons themselves. The damaged Charon becomes a haunted labyrinth filled with uncertainty, while the icy wilderness introduces another entirely different survival challenge. Rather than relying solely on monsters to create tension, the environment itself constantly contributes to the feeling that the crew has become stranded somewhere far beyond the reach of civilization.
The pacing of this issue also deserves recognition. Although there are several quieter investigative moments, they all gradually build toward Sato's shocking betrayal. The comic never allows the tension to disappear for long. Every conversation, every expedition, and every decision carries the possibility of leading directly into another horrifying encounter. By the time I reached the final pages, I genuinely felt that no one aboard the Charon could be considered safe anymore.
Overall, Outer Darkness Issue #5 serves as an excellent continuation of the aftermath of the Charon's crash while simultaneously pushing the series into an even darker direction. The story successfully balances survival, mystery, horror, and character development without sacrificing the momentum built throughout the previous issues. Sato's transformation finally takes center stage, revealing him as one of the most dangerous threats the crew has faced so far, while the fractured relationships among the surviving officers continue making every decision more complicated than it should be.
Perhaps what impressed me the most was how effectively the comic builds suspense through uncertainty. Even though I expected Sato to become a problem eventually, I never imagined his betrayal would escalate so quickly or become so devastating. The issue also leaves me wondering how Captain Rigg's team is faring inside the wrecked Charon. Will they encounter Toppo before it's too late? Will they discover what Sato has done to the expedition team? More importantly, can the surviving crew still trust one another after everything that has happened?
With the story now split between the frozen wilderness, the wreckage of the Charon, and the terrifying conspiracy unfolding from within, the first story arc feels like it has reached its most dangerous point yet. Every chapter continues proving that survival in the Outer Darkness depends not only on overcoming the monsters lurking beyond the stars but also on surviving the darkness that has begun growing within the crew itself. That final cliffhanger left me eager to immediately continue with the next issue because I genuinely couldn't wait to see how—or if—Captain Rigg and his remaining crew would survive the nightmare unfolding around them.
The cover of Issue #5 immediately stood out to me because it resembles the dramatic poster of a science-fiction action film. The Charon lies wrecked on an icy planet, smoke and destruction filling the background while several members of the crew walk away from the crash site. Alastor Satalis leads the group, accompanied by Baxter, Sato Shin, and Kitty, the Crone's familiar. The image almost looks like one of those cinematic scenes where survivors silently walk away from an explosion, carrying weapons while preparing for whatever comes next. I especially liked how the artwork raises questions instead of answering them. Why are these particular crew members together? Why are they walking away from the ship? Where are the rest of the crew? The frozen environment also immediately tells readers that survival itself will become a major challenge. Looking back after finishing the issue, I appreciated how accurately the cover captured the chapter's atmosphere without revealing its biggest twists.
The issue opens in a completely unexpected way with a flash-forward set 125 years into the future on the New Avalon settler colony of Trellis-86. Right away, I knew something terrible had happened. The colony appears abandoned, eerily silent, and filled with signs that disaster has already unfolded. The atmosphere reminded me of classic survival horror stories where the environment itself tells a story before any dialogue does. A young girl named Kayzi desperately calls for help while searching for survivors among the ruined settlement. Thankfully, another survivor named Watnick finds her, and for a brief moment I genuinely believed they might escape together.
Their discovery of a trans-rover gave me a sense of hope. After all, finding a working vehicle usually marks the turning point where characters finally catch a break. Unfortunately, Outer Darkness quickly reminded me that hope rarely lasts very long in this universe. The moment Watnick opens the rover's door, an enormous monster lunges from inside and attacks without warning. The creature brutally kills him before Kayzi can react, crushing him with horrifying force and leaving her completely defenseless. It was honestly a brutal opening sequence. The comic builds a small glimmer of optimism only to destroy it seconds later, both literally and emotionally. I genuinely felt bad for the two of them because they looked so close to escaping, only for everything to fall apart almost instantly. Even though the opening initially feels disconnected from the main story, it immediately establishes that whatever is happening in the present will eventually lead to an unimaginable catastrophe over a century later.
The narrative then returns to the present, picking up immediately after the Charon's devastating crash landing. I immediately noticed that the frozen world where the crew has crashed is none other than Trellis, the same planet shown during the opening sequence. I thought this was an excellent storytelling decision because it cleverly ties the flash-forward to the present timeline without immediately explaining how the two are connected. Instead of simply showing readers the future, the comic invites us to wonder how the crew's current actions will eventually shape the horrifying events witnessed at the beginning of the issue.
The aftermath of the crash immediately reveals just how devastating Captain Rigg's decision truly was. Although deliberately crashing the Charon prevented an even greater disaster aboard the ship, it also scattered the crew across an unforgiving frozen wilderness. Portions of the vessel have been destroyed, numerous systems are offline, and survivors have become separated into different groups while dangerous enemies remain somewhere nearby. I really appreciated how the comic doesn't portray the crash as either entirely heroic or entirely disastrous. It saved lives while simultaneously creating a completely new set of problems.
One of the first confrontations after the crash occurs between Captain Rigg and First Officer Alastor Satalis. Their already strained relationship reaches another boiling point as Rigg punches Alastor over the decision to retrieve Lieutenant Colonel Charles Toppo. I'll admit that I understood Rigg's frustration. If Toppo had never been brought aboard the Charon, the demonic entity imprisoned within the cryotube might never have been released in the first place. However, I also found myself sympathizing with Alastor. From his perspective, he was simply following one of the oldest and most sacred laws of the Galactic Service regarding Guaranteed survivors. Ignoring that protocol would have been considered a serious violation of duty. Neither man was acting out of selfishness. Instead, both believed they were making the correct decision based on their own responsibilities. Their disagreement perfectly illustrates one of the series' strongest themes: sometimes there isn't a clear right or wrong answer, only difficult choices with devastating consequences.
With the Charon no longer capable of supporting the entire crew, Rigg divides the survivors into separate teams. Alastor leads an expedition toward the nearby mountains to search for caves that could serve as temporary shelter, while Rigg remains with another group to investigate the damaged sections of the ship and continue searching for Toppo. The moment this plan was announced, I immediately became nervous because splitting up in a horror story almost never ends well. It felt obvious that the comic was setting both teams on completely different paths toward danger.
Looking back at the cover, I finally realized what it had been teasing all along. The image of Alastor, Baxter, Sato, and Kitty walking across the frozen landscape wasn't simply promotional artwork—it represented the cave scouting expedition that forms one of the issue's central storylines. I always enjoy covers that gain new meaning after reading the comic, and this was another excellent example of that.
Meanwhile, another intriguing scene unfolds when Elox quietly confronts Sato. Unlike everyone else aboard the Charon, Elox already understands that something has fundamentally changed within him following his resurrection. Their brief interaction contains very little dialogue, yet it communicates an incredible amount of tension. Elox clearly knows Sato is responsible for far more than anyone suspects, while Sato calmly silences him before he can reveal anything. The scene immediately confirmed my suspicions from the previous issue. Whatever had returned inside Sato was no longer merely hiding—it was actively executing a larger plan.
At the same time, Alastor begins piecing together the events surrounding Toppo's escape. He correctly realizes that the cryotube could never have opened on its own and that someone aboard the Charon must have deliberately released the prisoner. I found myself agreeing with Alastor completely because his reasoning was perfectly logical. Unfortunately, the growing hostility between him and Rigg prevents any meaningful discussion. Rigg dismisses his concerns almost immediately, largely because neither man is willing to trust the other anymore. Watching this unfold became increasingly frustrating because both officers possess valuable insights, yet their ongoing power struggle prevents them from working together effectively. Their inability to communicate may honestly be just as dangerous as any demon they encounter.
As the story continues, the comic effectively alternates between Rigg's team exploring the wrecked Charon and Alastor's expedition venturing deeper into the icy mountains. I couldn't shake the feeling that disaster was approaching both groups simultaneously. Rigg's team remained focused on locating Toppo before he caused further destruction, while Alastor unknowingly traveled alongside the one person secretly orchestrating everything—Sato.
Sure enough, the expedition quickly turns into a nightmare.
Upon reaching a cave that appears suitable for shelter, Sato suddenly launches a brutal surprise attack against his own teammates. The violence unfolds with shocking speed as Baxter becomes one of his first victims. I genuinely wasn't expecting the massacre to happen so abruptly, even though I already suspected Sato had become the primary antagonist of this arc. Watching him systematically eliminate members of his own expedition was both horrifying and tragic because these were people who had fought alongside him only a few issues earlier. Every death reinforced how completely the resurrection had transformed him.
What disturbed me even more was what happened afterward. Rather than simply killing the expedition team, Sato contacts Prakash and calmly reports that the cave is completely safe, deliberately encouraging more survivors to travel toward the same location. The realization immediately hit me that this wasn't merely an act of murder—it was a carefully planned trap. Sato wasn't interested in eliminating only one group of crew members. He intended to lure the remaining survivors into the cave so they could suffer the exact same fate. That revelation completely changed the tone of the issue. The greatest threat was no longer some mysterious demon hiding in the shadows but someone the crew still believed to be one of their own.
At this point, I couldn't stop asking myself one question: what exactly is Sato trying to accomplish? His actions clearly serve a larger purpose, but the comic still keeps his true motives hidden. Is he simply following the commands of the demonic force possessing him? Is he attempting to free something even more dangerous? Or does he now genuinely believe he is serving a higher purpose? I appreciated that the story continues withholding those answers because it keeps Sato feeling mysterious rather than reducing him to a straightforward villain.
While Sato's betrayal dominates much of the issue, I also enjoyed seeing the series continue exploring the different dynamics among the crew. Rigg remains committed to protecting his people despite their growing distrust of him. Alastor continues demonstrating why so many crew members respect his leadership. Elox silently observes everything from the sidelines, seemingly understanding far more than anyone else. Even the Crone and her familiar continue adding an air of mystery through their cryptic knowledge of the supernatural. Every member of the Charon feels increasingly important, and I appreciate that the comic refuses to let any character exist merely as background decoration.
One aspect I continue to admire throughout Outer Darkness is how naturally it combines horror with science fiction. The frozen landscape feels just as threatening as the demons themselves. The damaged Charon becomes a haunted labyrinth filled with uncertainty, while the icy wilderness introduces another entirely different survival challenge. Rather than relying solely on monsters to create tension, the environment itself constantly contributes to the feeling that the crew has become stranded somewhere far beyond the reach of civilization.
The pacing of this issue also deserves recognition. Although there are several quieter investigative moments, they all gradually build toward Sato's shocking betrayal. The comic never allows the tension to disappear for long. Every conversation, every expedition, and every decision carries the possibility of leading directly into another horrifying encounter. By the time I reached the final pages, I genuinely felt that no one aboard the Charon could be considered safe anymore.
Overall, Outer Darkness Issue #5 serves as an excellent continuation of the aftermath of the Charon's crash while simultaneously pushing the series into an even darker direction. The story successfully balances survival, mystery, horror, and character development without sacrificing the momentum built throughout the previous issues. Sato's transformation finally takes center stage, revealing him as one of the most dangerous threats the crew has faced so far, while the fractured relationships among the surviving officers continue making every decision more complicated than it should be.
Perhaps what impressed me the most was how effectively the comic builds suspense through uncertainty. Even though I expected Sato to become a problem eventually, I never imagined his betrayal would escalate so quickly or become so devastating. The issue also leaves me wondering how Captain Rigg's team is faring inside the wrecked Charon. Will they encounter Toppo before it's too late? Will they discover what Sato has done to the expedition team? More importantly, can the surviving crew still trust one another after everything that has happened?
With the story now split between the frozen wilderness, the wreckage of the Charon, and the terrifying conspiracy unfolding from within, the first story arc feels like it has reached its most dangerous point yet. Every chapter continues proving that survival in the Outer Darkness depends not only on overcoming the monsters lurking beyond the stars but also on surviving the darkness that has begun growing within the crew itself. That final cliffhanger left me eager to immediately continue with the next issue because I genuinely couldn't wait to see how—or if—Captain Rigg and his remaining crew would survive the nightmare unfolding around them.
May 31, 2019
This issue is straight savage. The action is on full blast, the presentation is cinematic as the story bounces from crew to crew back and forth , it's the type of issue every series needs to have to be considered great. Big time props over here.
January 7, 2026
Still good.
The plot thickens on this galactic horror story. There are more demons in this story than there are stars in its sky.
The plot thickens on this galactic horror story. There are more demons in this story than there are stars in its sky.
May 25, 2026
2026 - 365 Days of Whatever Is On My Comic Book TBR
Day 145
Good beginning to a two part conclusion of the first arc. Going to be interesting to see how Rigg gets out of this one to finish his mission.
Day 145
Good beginning to a two part conclusion of the first arc. Going to be interesting to see how Rigg gets out of this one to finish his mission.
July 9, 2019
An emergency crash landing and a sinister passenger starts murdering the crew. A better issue with a horror touch.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews