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Outer Darkness #7
Outer Darkness #7
Captain Rigg’s past is revealed, and the Charon finds a haunted house in deep space. If only the crew could figure out how there’s still someone living inside…
29 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 12, 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 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 6, 2026
Second arc starts
July 29, 2026
The seventh issue of Outer Darkness marks the beginning of the comic's second story arc, and I was excited to see what direction the series would take after concluding its explosive opening storyline. The previous issue ended with one of the biggest revelations so far: Alastor had secretly devised a plan to eliminate Captain Joshua Rigg by manipulating Sato, whose body had become the vessel of a powerful demonic entity. Although the immediate crisis aboard the Charon had been resolved, the relationships among the crew remained fragile. Distrust continued to grow, hidden agendas were becoming more apparent, and Rigg's authority as captain seemed weaker than ever. Going into this issue, I found myself wondering whether Alastor would eventually act on his plans or if circumstances would once again force him and Rigg to cooperate. At this point, I had already accepted that nothing in Outer Darkness could ever be considered normal. Every mission somehow becomes stranger than the last, so I was eager to discover what bizarre supernatural phenomenon awaited the crew next.
The cover immediately establishes that sense of mystery. Rather than depicting an intense battle or a terrifying monster, it presents the scene from Captain Rigg's perspective as he sits in the captain's chair aboard the bridge of the Charon. Displayed across the massive viewscreen is perhaps one of the strangest things I have seen throughout the series so far—a glowing green mansion floating in the middle of outer space. It is such an absurd image that it instantly grabs your attention. There are so many questions that immediately come to mind. Why is there an ordinary-looking house drifting through space? Why is it glowing bright green? How did it even get there? Under normal circumstances I would have found the concept ridiculous, but after everything this series has already shown—from God-Engines and necro-storms to demons, haunted spacecraft, and resurrection rituals—a haunted house floating through space somehow feels perfectly at home within the world of Outer Darkness. The cover succeeds because it sparks curiosity without revealing anything about the terrifying story hidden inside.
The issue opens with a dramatic flashback that initially left me confused in the best possible way. A group of Galactic Service crew members desperately runs through dark corridors while being pursued by grotesque spider-like creatures with disturbingly human infant faces. Those creatures immediately stood out because they perfectly capture what makes Outer Darkness so unsettling. The comic constantly combines familiar imagery with something grotesquely unnatural, making its monsters genuinely disturbing instead of simply monstrous. It appears that these events occurred years before the present storyline, during the time when Joshua Rigg was still a much younger officer.
Among the fleeing crew members is Rochelle, the mysterious woman whose disappearance has motivated Rigg ever since the beginning of the series. Watching the two of them interact finally answered several questions I had been carrying since Issue #1. Believing that death is inevitable, Rigg finally confesses his feelings for Rochelle. The scene is surprisingly emotional because, despite all the supernatural horror surrounding them, the conversation feels incredibly human. Rochelle responds by admitting that she loves him, and for a brief moment the two share a kiss. Unfortunately, the moment isn't as straightforward as I initially expected. Rochelle also reveals that she loves Admiral Siddarth. That revelation completely changes the emotional weight of the scene. Rather than giving Rigg the closure he desperately wanted, her confession leaves him heartbroken. I genuinely felt bad for him because you can clearly see how deeply her words affected him.
One of my favorite artistic moments in the issue follows immediately afterward. The comic transitions from young Joshua's devastated expression to the older Captain Rigg in the present with an almost seamless visual cut. It beautifully illustrates that despite everything he has experienced over the years, he still carries the emotional scars of losing Rochelle. The memory isn't simply something he recalls—it continues to define his actions and motivations.
The flashback is eventually revealed to be a vision induced by Gallu, the Charon's God-Engine. Ever since Gallu was introduced, I've been fascinated by the concept of these imprisoned supernatural beings powering interstellar vessels. Unlike ordinary engines, the God-Engines possess personalities, emotions, and seemingly limitless knowledge. Gallu deliberately forces Rigg to relive one of the most painful memories of his life, almost as if testing his emotional resilience. I still find it incredibly bizarre that an advanced spaceship literally runs on a living demonic entity, but that's exactly why I enjoy this series so much. It constantly finds new ways to merge science fiction with occult horror in ways I haven't encountered elsewhere.
Returning to the present, Rigg and Agwe briefly discuss the current state of the crew. One detail that I appreciated was Rigg's awareness that many members of the Charon actively dislike him. Throughout the first story arc, his reckless leadership style repeatedly placed everyone in danger, so it makes sense that trust has deteriorated. He even acknowledges that Alastor wishes to remove him from command. Rather than pretending these conflicts never happened, the series continues allowing previous events to influence the characters, making the crew feel like a believable group of individuals rather than a collection of static archetypes.
Soon afterward, the Charon receives another distress signal that leads them to the mysterious glowing mansion floating in the vacuum of space. Before the crew boards the structure, however, the comic shifts into an extended historical flashback explaining its origins. I absolutely loved this section because it feels like reading an entirely separate horror story embedded within the larger narrative.
The mansion, known as Maison Mornet, possesses one of the creepiest backstories in the series so far. Originally built centuries earlier in France, it gradually became corrupted through countless acts of cruelty, occult rituals, murder, demonic worship, and unimaginable suffering. As generations passed, the house itself absorbed the evil surrounding it until it effectively became a living supernatural entity. The comic illustrates this beautifully through a sequence showing different periods of the mansion's history layered across the same rooms. Watching centuries of horror unfold simultaneously was both disturbing and fascinating. Every new tragedy added another layer to the curse until the building itself no longer resembled an ordinary house but something fundamentally alive.
I honestly found myself thinking about how terrifying the concept really is. Throughout the series we've seen souls leave bodies and travel through the Outer Darkness after death, but I never imagined that an entire building could somehow become a vessel for countless trapped souls. Looking back at everything the comic reveals, though, it actually makes perfect sense. The mansion witnessed so much death, pain, and demonic influence over hundreds of years that the accumulated spiritual energy eventually transformed the structure itself into something capable of existing beyond ordinary reality. Rather than a haunted house containing ghosts, the house itself had effectively become the ghost.
The historical narrative eventually reaches 1942 during Nazi-occupied France, where a Vatican-sanctioned team of exorcists arrives to investigate the mansion's supernatural activity. I appreciated this addition because it demonstrates that humanity has been fighting occult threats long before the Galactic Service ever existed. Among the investigators is Sister Magdalena, whose courage immediately stood out to me. Despite knowing the dangers hidden inside the mansion, she willingly enters alongside her companions to confront the evil lurking within.
As expected, the mission quickly turns disastrous. The mansion unleashes terrifying paranormal manifestations, distorting reality and picking off members of the investigation team one by one. The atmosphere during these scenes genuinely reminded me of classic haunted house horror films. Hallways seem to shift, demonic apparitions emerge without warning, and the investigators slowly realize they have entered a place that exists outside normal physical laws. I especially appreciated how the comic avoided relying solely on jump scares. Instead, it built tension through uncertainty, making every room feel unpredictable.
Back in the present, Captain Rigg dispatches Chief Exorcist Malachi Reno and several specialists into Maison Mornet. Watching futuristic soldiers and exorcists enter what is essentially a seventeenth-century haunted mansion floating through outer space perfectly summarizes why Outer Darkness is such a unique comic. No other series I've read combines genres with this much confidence.
As the investigation progresses, the crew discovers something almost impossible. Sister Magdalena is still alive despite having entered the mansion decades earlier. Because time appears to flow differently within the cursed structure, she has survived for centuries from her own perspective while only experiencing a fraction of that time herself. I immediately started imagining how confusing this situation must have been for her. From her point of view, she had only recently entered a haunted mansion in twentieth-century France. Now she suddenly finds herself aboard a starship surrounded by humans, aliens, advanced technology, and magical science centuries beyond anything she has ever known.
The confrontation inside Maison Mornet ultimately reveals the demonic force responsible for the curse—a powerful demon named Valac. The battle is another excellent showcase of how Outer Darkness handles supernatural combat. Instead of relying solely on guns or explosions, Reno combines ancient exorcism rituals with futuristic equipment, creating one of the most entertaining action sequences in the issue. Malachi Reno continues proving why he is one of my favorite supporting characters. Every time he appears, he demonstrates incredible confidence and competence while remaining remarkably calm in situations that would terrify almost anyone else.
Thanks to Reno's efforts, the demon Valac is finally defeated and Sister Magdalena is successfully rescued from her centuries-long imprisonment. My favorite moment occurs immediately afterward when Reno politely introduces himself before welcoming Magdalena to the twenty-eighth century. I couldn't help but smile because the line perfectly captures how surreal the situation truly is. Imagine believing you are living in the twentieth century only to discover that hundreds of years have passed and humanity is now exploring haunted regions of outer space. That would probably be one of the most overwhelming experiences imaginable.
Beyond the exciting rescue mission, I appreciated how this issue continued developing the larger mythology of the series. Rochelle remains the emotional center of Rigg's personal journey, Gallu continues hinting that the God-Engines understand far more than they reveal, and the rescue of Sister Magdalena subtly expands humanity's long history of confronting supernatural forces. Rather than simply moving from one monster-of-the-week adventure to another, the comic carefully builds a universe where every supernatural event contributes to a much larger mythology.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Outer Darkness Issue #7, and I would honestly consider it one of my favorite chapters in the series so far. The haunted mansion storyline was incredibly creative, the historical flashbacks added fascinating lore, and the rescue of Sister Magdalena introduced a compelling new character whose perspective should be interesting to explore in future issues. I also loved how naturally the narrative shifted between present-day events, centuries-old history, and Rigg's personal memories without ever becoming confusing. Each flashback served a purpose, gradually providing context for the mysteries unfolding in the present.
The horror elements were especially strong in this issue. Maison Mornet genuinely felt like a place saturated with centuries of evil, and its history was disturbing enough that I found myself wanting to learn even more about it. Combined with the emotional development surrounding Rigg and Rochelle, the issue successfully balanced terrifying supernatural encounters with meaningful character moments.
Finally, the additions to the Charon's roster leave me even more excited for what lies ahead. Sister Magdalena immediately feels like someone who will contribute significantly to future missions, while the introduction of the Beauty—the Crone's mysterious night aspect—suggests there are still many secrets aboard the Charon waiting to be uncovered. With every new issue, Outer Darkness continues proving that its universe is far stranger, darker, and more imaginative than I initially expected, and this second story arc has already begun with another memorable and thoroughly entertaining adventure.
The cover immediately establishes that sense of mystery. Rather than depicting an intense battle or a terrifying monster, it presents the scene from Captain Rigg's perspective as he sits in the captain's chair aboard the bridge of the Charon. Displayed across the massive viewscreen is perhaps one of the strangest things I have seen throughout the series so far—a glowing green mansion floating in the middle of outer space. It is such an absurd image that it instantly grabs your attention. There are so many questions that immediately come to mind. Why is there an ordinary-looking house drifting through space? Why is it glowing bright green? How did it even get there? Under normal circumstances I would have found the concept ridiculous, but after everything this series has already shown—from God-Engines and necro-storms to demons, haunted spacecraft, and resurrection rituals—a haunted house floating through space somehow feels perfectly at home within the world of Outer Darkness. The cover succeeds because it sparks curiosity without revealing anything about the terrifying story hidden inside.
The issue opens with a dramatic flashback that initially left me confused in the best possible way. A group of Galactic Service crew members desperately runs through dark corridors while being pursued by grotesque spider-like creatures with disturbingly human infant faces. Those creatures immediately stood out because they perfectly capture what makes Outer Darkness so unsettling. The comic constantly combines familiar imagery with something grotesquely unnatural, making its monsters genuinely disturbing instead of simply monstrous. It appears that these events occurred years before the present storyline, during the time when Joshua Rigg was still a much younger officer.
Among the fleeing crew members is Rochelle, the mysterious woman whose disappearance has motivated Rigg ever since the beginning of the series. Watching the two of them interact finally answered several questions I had been carrying since Issue #1. Believing that death is inevitable, Rigg finally confesses his feelings for Rochelle. The scene is surprisingly emotional because, despite all the supernatural horror surrounding them, the conversation feels incredibly human. Rochelle responds by admitting that she loves him, and for a brief moment the two share a kiss. Unfortunately, the moment isn't as straightforward as I initially expected. Rochelle also reveals that she loves Admiral Siddarth. That revelation completely changes the emotional weight of the scene. Rather than giving Rigg the closure he desperately wanted, her confession leaves him heartbroken. I genuinely felt bad for him because you can clearly see how deeply her words affected him.
One of my favorite artistic moments in the issue follows immediately afterward. The comic transitions from young Joshua's devastated expression to the older Captain Rigg in the present with an almost seamless visual cut. It beautifully illustrates that despite everything he has experienced over the years, he still carries the emotional scars of losing Rochelle. The memory isn't simply something he recalls—it continues to define his actions and motivations.
The flashback is eventually revealed to be a vision induced by Gallu, the Charon's God-Engine. Ever since Gallu was introduced, I've been fascinated by the concept of these imprisoned supernatural beings powering interstellar vessels. Unlike ordinary engines, the God-Engines possess personalities, emotions, and seemingly limitless knowledge. Gallu deliberately forces Rigg to relive one of the most painful memories of his life, almost as if testing his emotional resilience. I still find it incredibly bizarre that an advanced spaceship literally runs on a living demonic entity, but that's exactly why I enjoy this series so much. It constantly finds new ways to merge science fiction with occult horror in ways I haven't encountered elsewhere.
Returning to the present, Rigg and Agwe briefly discuss the current state of the crew. One detail that I appreciated was Rigg's awareness that many members of the Charon actively dislike him. Throughout the first story arc, his reckless leadership style repeatedly placed everyone in danger, so it makes sense that trust has deteriorated. He even acknowledges that Alastor wishes to remove him from command. Rather than pretending these conflicts never happened, the series continues allowing previous events to influence the characters, making the crew feel like a believable group of individuals rather than a collection of static archetypes.
Soon afterward, the Charon receives another distress signal that leads them to the mysterious glowing mansion floating in the vacuum of space. Before the crew boards the structure, however, the comic shifts into an extended historical flashback explaining its origins. I absolutely loved this section because it feels like reading an entirely separate horror story embedded within the larger narrative.
The mansion, known as Maison Mornet, possesses one of the creepiest backstories in the series so far. Originally built centuries earlier in France, it gradually became corrupted through countless acts of cruelty, occult rituals, murder, demonic worship, and unimaginable suffering. As generations passed, the house itself absorbed the evil surrounding it until it effectively became a living supernatural entity. The comic illustrates this beautifully through a sequence showing different periods of the mansion's history layered across the same rooms. Watching centuries of horror unfold simultaneously was both disturbing and fascinating. Every new tragedy added another layer to the curse until the building itself no longer resembled an ordinary house but something fundamentally alive.
I honestly found myself thinking about how terrifying the concept really is. Throughout the series we've seen souls leave bodies and travel through the Outer Darkness after death, but I never imagined that an entire building could somehow become a vessel for countless trapped souls. Looking back at everything the comic reveals, though, it actually makes perfect sense. The mansion witnessed so much death, pain, and demonic influence over hundreds of years that the accumulated spiritual energy eventually transformed the structure itself into something capable of existing beyond ordinary reality. Rather than a haunted house containing ghosts, the house itself had effectively become the ghost.
The historical narrative eventually reaches 1942 during Nazi-occupied France, where a Vatican-sanctioned team of exorcists arrives to investigate the mansion's supernatural activity. I appreciated this addition because it demonstrates that humanity has been fighting occult threats long before the Galactic Service ever existed. Among the investigators is Sister Magdalena, whose courage immediately stood out to me. Despite knowing the dangers hidden inside the mansion, she willingly enters alongside her companions to confront the evil lurking within.
As expected, the mission quickly turns disastrous. The mansion unleashes terrifying paranormal manifestations, distorting reality and picking off members of the investigation team one by one. The atmosphere during these scenes genuinely reminded me of classic haunted house horror films. Hallways seem to shift, demonic apparitions emerge without warning, and the investigators slowly realize they have entered a place that exists outside normal physical laws. I especially appreciated how the comic avoided relying solely on jump scares. Instead, it built tension through uncertainty, making every room feel unpredictable.
Back in the present, Captain Rigg dispatches Chief Exorcist Malachi Reno and several specialists into Maison Mornet. Watching futuristic soldiers and exorcists enter what is essentially a seventeenth-century haunted mansion floating through outer space perfectly summarizes why Outer Darkness is such a unique comic. No other series I've read combines genres with this much confidence.
As the investigation progresses, the crew discovers something almost impossible. Sister Magdalena is still alive despite having entered the mansion decades earlier. Because time appears to flow differently within the cursed structure, she has survived for centuries from her own perspective while only experiencing a fraction of that time herself. I immediately started imagining how confusing this situation must have been for her. From her point of view, she had only recently entered a haunted mansion in twentieth-century France. Now she suddenly finds herself aboard a starship surrounded by humans, aliens, advanced technology, and magical science centuries beyond anything she has ever known.
The confrontation inside Maison Mornet ultimately reveals the demonic force responsible for the curse—a powerful demon named Valac. The battle is another excellent showcase of how Outer Darkness handles supernatural combat. Instead of relying solely on guns or explosions, Reno combines ancient exorcism rituals with futuristic equipment, creating one of the most entertaining action sequences in the issue. Malachi Reno continues proving why he is one of my favorite supporting characters. Every time he appears, he demonstrates incredible confidence and competence while remaining remarkably calm in situations that would terrify almost anyone else.
Thanks to Reno's efforts, the demon Valac is finally defeated and Sister Magdalena is successfully rescued from her centuries-long imprisonment. My favorite moment occurs immediately afterward when Reno politely introduces himself before welcoming Magdalena to the twenty-eighth century. I couldn't help but smile because the line perfectly captures how surreal the situation truly is. Imagine believing you are living in the twentieth century only to discover that hundreds of years have passed and humanity is now exploring haunted regions of outer space. That would probably be one of the most overwhelming experiences imaginable.
Beyond the exciting rescue mission, I appreciated how this issue continued developing the larger mythology of the series. Rochelle remains the emotional center of Rigg's personal journey, Gallu continues hinting that the God-Engines understand far more than they reveal, and the rescue of Sister Magdalena subtly expands humanity's long history of confronting supernatural forces. Rather than simply moving from one monster-of-the-week adventure to another, the comic carefully builds a universe where every supernatural event contributes to a much larger mythology.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Outer Darkness Issue #7, and I would honestly consider it one of my favorite chapters in the series so far. The haunted mansion storyline was incredibly creative, the historical flashbacks added fascinating lore, and the rescue of Sister Magdalena introduced a compelling new character whose perspective should be interesting to explore in future issues. I also loved how naturally the narrative shifted between present-day events, centuries-old history, and Rigg's personal memories without ever becoming confusing. Each flashback served a purpose, gradually providing context for the mysteries unfolding in the present.
The horror elements were especially strong in this issue. Maison Mornet genuinely felt like a place saturated with centuries of evil, and its history was disturbing enough that I found myself wanting to learn even more about it. Combined with the emotional development surrounding Rigg and Rochelle, the issue successfully balanced terrifying supernatural encounters with meaningful character moments.
Finally, the additions to the Charon's roster leave me even more excited for what lies ahead. Sister Magdalena immediately feels like someone who will contribute significantly to future missions, while the introduction of the Beauty—the Crone's mysterious night aspect—suggests there are still many secrets aboard the Charon waiting to be uncovered. With every new issue, Outer Darkness continues proving that its universe is far stranger, darker, and more imaginative than I initially expected, and this second story arc has already begun with another memorable and thoroughly entertaining adventure.
June 17, 2019
Where previous issues had begun to grow messy and incoherent, this one is much clearer and easier to follow. The story is better focused, and I really enjoy this world Layman has created.
July 23, 2019
A rescue mission of a passing ship has a surpise passenger in store for our crew. Easy read, nothing special but a good issue.
January 17, 2026
A+++
And the story keeps on and on as the plot thickens like a good stew on a cold winter afternoon.
And the story keeps on and on as the plot thickens like a good stew on a cold winter afternoon.
September 8, 2019
I had dropped this book from my pulls, and I picked this issue up because of a sale at my comics shop. I'm glad I did. This was outstanding, and I'm honestly excited to have this book to read again.
May 30, 2026
2026 - 365 Days of Whatever Is On My Comic Book TBR
Day 149
Great start to the second arc. Kind of Amityville in Space.
Day 149
Great start to the second arc. Kind of Amityville in Space.
August 5, 2019
Here we go again! The gang is drawn to a distress signal where they will meet a new character. Are they good or bad? Who knows? But I'm definitely on board to know more.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews