Whether you know it or not, an injustice has been thrown upon us comic book fans for too long now. The legendary, red-scarved and black-cloaked vigilante with the hooked nose, steely gaze, and ominous laugh has been unceremoniously resigned to our misty-coloured memories and plaintive sighs – but no longer!
Today is an exciting day for us suffering, pulp-deprived fans!
Lamont Cranston, the Shadow, returns in a new ongoing, monthly series from Dynamite Entertainment. Criminals will cower and the gunfire of retribution will ring out loud in the streets of 1930’s New York…for the Shadow knows – say it with me now – what evil lurks in the hearts of men!
Aren’t we lucky? You bet we are!
The Shadow
Written by: Garth Ennis
Illustrated by: Aaron Campbell
Published by: Dynamite
Truth be told, the character of the Shadow, created for the radio drama Detective Story Hour way back in 1930, has never really been gone from the public consciousness. Both Batman and the Green Hornet were based on the mysterious vigilante – and those characters been front and centre in the public eye for decades (well, maybe more the Dark Knight than the Hornet). Still, the Shadow had his own comic book series many times over, by many publishing companies, including DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Archie Comics, Malibu Comics and Dark Horse Comics. Now it’s Dynamite Entertainments turn.
In fact, regular Biff Bam Pop! contributor, Jason Shayer, recently wrote a column on an acclaimed Shadow mid-1980s mini-series that Dynamite just republished in trade paperback form in anticipation of this new, ongoing series. You can read that piece here.
Dynamite, you see, had a stroke of genius. They got Garth Ennis, one of comicdom’s most celebrated writers, to helm this 2012 incarnation of the pulp legend. Ennis is known for character driven, often violent works, such as The Boys, Preacher, The Punisher and Judge Dredd. He’s a perfect fit for a guns blazing, political intrigue period piece like The Shadow!
Set in 1938, on the cusp of war, the New York waterfront is the backdrop for a host of spies, assassins, assailants, associates…and the gun wielding, justice toting, Shadow, a man determined to unmask a conspiracy that could destroy the world! With his crimson scarf fluttering wildly behind him and his haunting, hideous laughter echoing from back alleyway to towering rooftop, criminals must surely run in fear!
With four different covers to choose from (including ones by Alex Ross, Jae Lee, John Cassaday and Howard Chaykin), not including a bunch of limited edition variants, be sure to make the run this Wednesday to your local comic shop.
The weed of crime may bear bitter fruit, but we Shadow fans can taste the sweet justice that is this new series!
Every Wednesday, JP makes the after-work run to his local downtown comic book shop. Comics arrive on Wednesdays you see and JP, fearful that the latest issue will sell out, rushes out to purchase his copy. This regular, weekly column will highlight a particularly interesting release, written in short order, of course, because JP has to get his – before someone else does!
