What do you think?
Rate this book
Shadowman (2012) (Collected Editions) #1
Shadowman, Volume 1: Birth Rites
There's a million dreams in the Big Easy. But now its worst nightmare is about to come true. As the forces of darkness prepare to claim New Orleans as their own, Jack Boniface must embrace the legacy he was born to uphold. As Shadowman, Jack is about to become the only thing that stands between his city and an army of unspeakable monstrosities from beyond the night. But is the mantle of Shadowman a blessing, or a curse? And what is the true cost of his otherworldly power? From rising star Justin Jordan (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode) and comics superstar Patrick Zircher (Captain America, Hulk).
Collecting: Shadowman 1-4
Collecting: Shadowman 1-4
112 pages, Paperback
First published June 4, 2013
About the author
Justin Jordan
529 books101 followersJustin Jordan is an American comic book writer. He is known for writing and co-creating The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, Spread, Dead Body Road, Deep State, Dark Gods and Savage Things. He has also written Green Lantern: New Guardians, Superboy, Deathstroke and Team 7 for DC Comics and the relaunch of Shadowman for Valiant Entertainment.
In 2012, he was nominated for the Harvey Award for Most Promising New Talent.
In 2012, he was nominated for the Harvey Award for Most Promising New Talent.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
January 11, 2020
3.5 stars
Ok, so I thought I had run across this character while reading Ninjak (something, something, Deadside) but I guess I was wrong? This doesn't seem like the same person at all.
Reboot, perhaps?
Whatever. It still turned out to be a decent story.
So the gist is that this new kid ends up taking up the Shadowman mantle (whatever that is) from the father he never knew. <--because of spoilery magic stuff that I just can't/won't explain right now.
What did I think?
The art looks good and I liked the plot well enough to download the next volume to see what will happen.
Ok, so I thought I had run across this character while reading Ninjak (something, something, Deadside) but I guess I was wrong? This doesn't seem like the same person at all.
Reboot, perhaps?
Whatever. It still turned out to be a decent story.
So the gist is that this new kid ends up taking up the Shadowman mantle (whatever that is) from the father he never knew. <--because of spoilery magic stuff that I just can't/won't explain right now.
What did I think?
The art looks good and I liked the plot well enough to download the next volume to see what will happen.
July 27, 2013
Jack Boniface is a young man trying to find out who his parents were and why they left him as a child, abandoning him with only a strange medallion. Now living in New Orleans after drifting for a few years, he finds out that his parents were criminals and out of anger throws his medallion into the sea. Little did he realise the medallion was protecting him from supernatural dark forces that have been looking for him for years. With his protection discarded, those dark forces are on their way to claim Jack’s untapped power for their own – but also racing to his side are the forces of good to reveal his powers to him and show Jack that he is… Shadowman!
This is my first experience with the character of Shadowman and only my second Valiant book but I understand the company and its characters go back to the 90s and have a rich history. What brought me to this title was Justin Jordan, a writer whose work on The Strange Talent of Luther Strode blew me away with how good it was. Jordan remains a solid bet as Shadowman is another superbly written book.
On the face of it, this is the kind of story that feels generic and ordinarily would have me rolling my eyes or checking to see how many pages were left before I could drop it and move on, but because Jordan is such a brilliant writer, he turns this story into something I really cared about. It’s uncanny because a dark and supernatural story where the superhero is dressed like death and wielding a scythe isn’t what I’m looking for in comics but in the hands of this talented writer? It’s exactly what I want.
Moreover, there was a lot about the story I didn’t quite get, like what the Deadside is – is it heaven, hell, purgatory, another world? – or who Shadowman is – is he Death? What is the relevance of the Loa? Does he have other powers besides the scythe? Talking monkeys? – or background characters’ motivations, his parents’ backgrounds, etc. Not coming away with a strong enough impression of any of these would ordinarily bother me and make me mark it down, but the book really draws you in and involves you in the world in such an immediate way that those things didn’t bother me in the slightest. Justin Jordan is that good.
Paired with superb artist Patrick Zircher, who makes the story look really good, and you’ve got a great first volume that’s accessible for new readers like me who don’t know the character at all but also for anyone looking for an interesting horror comic. Valiant is schooling DC on how to do supernatural comics right - Shadowman is what Constantine or Justice League Dark should be. Graphic demonic violence, an excellent cast, great writing and art, Shadowman, Volume 1: Birth Rites is a brilliant comic.
This is my first experience with the character of Shadowman and only my second Valiant book but I understand the company and its characters go back to the 90s and have a rich history. What brought me to this title was Justin Jordan, a writer whose work on The Strange Talent of Luther Strode blew me away with how good it was. Jordan remains a solid bet as Shadowman is another superbly written book.
On the face of it, this is the kind of story that feels generic and ordinarily would have me rolling my eyes or checking to see how many pages were left before I could drop it and move on, but because Jordan is such a brilliant writer, he turns this story into something I really cared about. It’s uncanny because a dark and supernatural story where the superhero is dressed like death and wielding a scythe isn’t what I’m looking for in comics but in the hands of this talented writer? It’s exactly what I want.
Moreover, there was a lot about the story I didn’t quite get, like what the Deadside is – is it heaven, hell, purgatory, another world? – or who Shadowman is – is he Death? What is the relevance of the Loa? Does he have other powers besides the scythe? Talking monkeys? – or background characters’ motivations, his parents’ backgrounds, etc. Not coming away with a strong enough impression of any of these would ordinarily bother me and make me mark it down, but the book really draws you in and involves you in the world in such an immediate way that those things didn’t bother me in the slightest. Justin Jordan is that good.
Paired with superb artist Patrick Zircher, who makes the story look really good, and you’ve got a great first volume that’s accessible for new readers like me who don’t know the character at all but also for anyone looking for an interesting horror comic. Valiant is schooling DC on how to do supernatural comics right - Shadowman is what Constantine or Justice League Dark should be. Graphic demonic violence, an excellent cast, great writing and art, Shadowman, Volume 1: Birth Rites is a brilliant comic.
May 30, 2017
Another excellent book from Valiant.
January 2, 2020
Patrick Zircher has really came into his own. His art is fantastic. The Shadowman origin is a minor revamp of the original Shadowman stories from the early 90's. Jack Boniface is an orphan who has inherited the Shadowman power from his father. He must learn to use the power to stop Mr. Twist from bringing back Master Darque.
August 9, 2017
This is the weakest of the re-booted Valiant titles (and I think at this point I've read all of them).
The first couple issues is the origin of Shadowman, and it's pretty generic and obvious. Then he battles some evil being. I typically hate magic stories because the author has the power to do whatever they want - use any plot devise, or 'cool' thing - without appeal to logic/reason/psychological coherence. Stories need to have an internal logic, and that's all thrown out the window when you have magic (which necessarily breaks logic). ex) so how did Moses get over the sea, did he have to build rafts? Ahh, fuck it, lets just let him part it with his magic powers and move on to the next incomprehensible occurrence.
The art is extremely competent and professional but lacks a specific edge, or style (which is what I always demand from a comicbook). The art would have been better served by a more interesting story, but as is it doesn't hold-up this story.
I wanted to catch up on this title because Shadowman is going to be crossing-over into some of the other Valiant titles soon, but it's going to be hard to keep reading this if the story doesn't improve in subsequent volumes.
The first couple issues is the origin of Shadowman, and it's pretty generic and obvious. Then he battles some evil being. I typically hate magic stories because the author has the power to do whatever they want - use any plot devise, or 'cool' thing - without appeal to logic/reason/psychological coherence. Stories need to have an internal logic, and that's all thrown out the window when you have magic (which necessarily breaks logic). ex) so how did Moses get over the sea, did he have to build rafts? Ahh, fuck it, lets just let him part it with his magic powers and move on to the next incomprehensible occurrence.
The art is extremely competent and professional but lacks a specific edge, or style (which is what I always demand from a comicbook). The art would have been better served by a more interesting story, but as is it doesn't hold-up this story.
I wanted to catch up on this title because Shadowman is going to be crossing-over into some of the other Valiant titles soon, but it's going to be hard to keep reading this if the story doesn't improve in subsequent volumes.
May 2, 2025
I'M SHADOWMAN.
Horror at its best! This is the second graphic novel I've read with an African-American protagonist.
December 1, 2014
3.5 bumped to 4.
Liked this just a bit better than Harbinger. Story was darker and artwork/character design was stronger. It does have the requisite "young man discovers his powers" beginning but once you get past that the story progressed nicely.
Liked this just a bit better than Harbinger. Story was darker and artwork/character design was stronger. It does have the requisite "young man discovers his powers" beginning but once you get past that the story progressed nicely.
December 28, 2016
Oh, this is a good one.
So far in the Valiant Universe, we haven't had a purely magical hero or villain. Some of the series have dabbled in magic, like Eternal Warrior or Archer & Armstrong, but Shadowman goes right in at the deep end. If this was a Marvel book, it'd be Doctor Voodoo.
As a series, this gets right into it from the beginning as we're introduced to the legacy of the Shadowman and how it affects our hero Jack Boniface. From there things hit high gear and don't really stop until the final few pages as the villain, Master Darque, begins to plot his return to the land of the living.
What really sells this one is the artwork, I think. Patrick Zircher's art is phenomenal; his use of shadow and Brian Reber's colours really create a great atmosphere and visual for the series, and I expect having Patrick Zircher co-write the series with Justin Jordan allowed him to play to his own strengths.
So far in the Valiant Universe, we haven't had a purely magical hero or villain. Some of the series have dabbled in magic, like Eternal Warrior or Archer & Armstrong, but Shadowman goes right in at the deep end. If this was a Marvel book, it'd be Doctor Voodoo.
As a series, this gets right into it from the beginning as we're introduced to the legacy of the Shadowman and how it affects our hero Jack Boniface. From there things hit high gear and don't really stop until the final few pages as the villain, Master Darque, begins to plot his return to the land of the living.
What really sells this one is the artwork, I think. Patrick Zircher's art is phenomenal; his use of shadow and Brian Reber's colours really create a great atmosphere and visual for the series, and I expect having Patrick Zircher co-write the series with Justin Jordan allowed him to play to his own strengths.
November 17, 2020
Who Knows What Evil Lurks in the Hearts of Men???
Not this guy, he actually seems to know Jack shit.
But, in his defense, this volume is his origin story and he does seem to be a pretty quick study for a museum janitor (with all due respect to all museum custodial staff out there).
I enjoyed the art and a little of the world-building that got teased out toward the end but for the most part it was "New Orleans!Voodoo!Possession!Portals!Sassy-Monkey-in-a-Top-Hat!"
Not this guy, he actually seems to know Jack shit.
But, in his defense, this volume is his origin story and he does seem to be a pretty quick study for a museum janitor (with all due respect to all museum custodial staff out there).
I enjoyed the art and a little of the world-building that got teased out toward the end but for the most part it was "New Orleans!Voodoo!Possession!Portals!Sassy-Monkey-in-a-Top-Hat!"
July 2, 2013
Justin Jordan is a name you might know if you've read his breakout creator-owned series "Luther Strode". I couldn't wait to see Jordan work on another book, but I'll be damned if his work for DC didn't fall pretty flat. But coming into Shadowman, it felt right. Everything felt exactly right. Like the other Valiant revamps, this book gets off to a great start and wastes no time with unnecessary exposition. And only a few pages in, we feel like we've known these characters for years. It feels easy, and off-hand, completely conversational
And completely accessible to a brand we reader of the book and comics alike. It's no 'Luther Strode', but it packs a hell of a punch and made me eager for the next volume.
I'm actually trying to decide which other monthlies to drop so I cannot a few of these Valiant ones in my budget as single issues. They're that good.
Although Valiant might not be pumping out the next Watchmen, it sure as hell is competing with Image's ongoing series' and keeping pace with them without breaking a sweat.
Writing: B
Art: C+
And completely accessible to a brand we reader of the book and comics alike. It's no 'Luther Strode', but it packs a hell of a punch and made me eager for the next volume.
I'm actually trying to decide which other monthlies to drop so I cannot a few of these Valiant ones in my budget as single issues. They're that good.
Although Valiant might not be pumping out the next Watchmen, it sure as hell is competing with Image's ongoing series' and keeping pace with them without breaking a sweat.
Writing: B
Art: C+
December 1, 2020
Entretenido y diferente. Un superhéroe que no quiere serlo, otro más, y con unos poderes y enemigos peculiares. No siendo experto en Marvel o DC supongo que habrá algún equivalente en ese mundo como casi todo en Valiant.
Le podría dar 3 estrellas, pero por el toque de originalidad lo vamos a subir un poco y darle 4 estrellas ****. Además como este cómic forma parte de los saldos de Medusa Cómics lo mismo podéis encontrarlo a buen precio.
Hay una coincidencia que no sé si es real o casual y mi cabeza las ha relacionado. En cierta forma, este Shadowman y más su personaje normal, Jack Boniface, me ha recordado a la serie Lovecraft Country, no sé si el libro del mismo título (Territorio Lovecraft) tendrá ese aire. Incluso los enemigos son dos hermanos como albinos con poderes y el protagonista es mestizo aunque el no lo sepa.
Le podría dar 3 estrellas, pero por el toque de originalidad lo vamos a subir un poco y darle 4 estrellas ****. Además como este cómic forma parte de los saldos de Medusa Cómics lo mismo podéis encontrarlo a buen precio.
Hay una coincidencia que no sé si es real o casual y mi cabeza las ha relacionado. En cierta forma, este Shadowman y más su personaje normal, Jack Boniface, me ha recordado a la serie Lovecraft Country, no sé si el libro del mismo título (Territorio Lovecraft) tendrá ese aire. Incluso los enemigos son dos hermanos como albinos con poderes y el protagonista es mestizo aunque el no lo sepa.
March 20, 2014
While I didn't enjoy this quite as much as some of the other Valiant relaunches, it was still a great book, with lots of wonderful concepts, and fantastically expressive characters. Zircher's art has always been some of my favorite, and it's better than ever in Shadowman. The New Orleans Cajun vibe has never really appealed to me, but the fabulous colors and imaginative narrative really drove me to a satisfying ending. I'm pretty stoked about some of what's been sewn here, and can pretty confidently recommend it for anyone who's been enjoying the new Valiant universe.
January 19, 2015
This is a pretty good start for a reboot. A new Shadowman is inaugurated while facing down a disturbing new villain, all while greater forces are working in the background. The book does a good job of setting up the main characters and environments, like the Deadside. And the action sequences are well done, and the book is lush and colorful. There are some nice character moments, too, and it feels like a good setup for the continuation of the rebooted series.
September 2, 2020
To see my interview with the writer, Justin Jordan, go here: https://youtu.be/kZfmHL7CsKU
Totally cool. Amazing art. Mr Twist is a badass villain and holy shit, how cool.
I can’t wait to see more of this. Shadowman looks really cool, and I love the overall demonic tone. This would make a great movie.
Totally cool. Amazing art. Mr Twist is a badass villain and holy shit, how cool.
I can’t wait to see more of this. Shadowman looks really cool, and I love the overall demonic tone. This would make a great movie.
September 15, 2019
Valiant keeps being awesome.
the story and art was really good
the story and art was really good
November 16, 2019
Even the weaker titles from the 2012 Valiant reboot are better than most of what's on the market. That said, I just couldn't connect with Shadowman, but it was a quick, fun read with lots of action and good characters. I'm more excited to see how Shadowman plays a role in the larger Valiant universe, connecting with other characters.
April 10, 2017
Very old school in it's framing.
World: The art is okay, the colors are fantastic but the details on the characters are a bit lacking. The world building is fairly choppy but interesting in it's concept. If not for the intro page in issue 2, I would have been lost in what was truly happening. It's not completely broken but storytelling needs to be tighter as with the world building.
Story: The story moves along very fast and for an origin story it is very 90s comic books where character motivations are very basic and straightforward. It feels very old school, including a costume with a logo on the chest. The pacing is fast and motivations as basic with a rushed ending to set things up. It's entertaining but I will need more depth of character and more fleshed out story to keep me entertained.
Characters: Very basic, people are evil because they are, people are good because the story needs it. Shadowman has very little internal motivation that readers can relate to and picking up the mantle was fairly fast and rushed. Alyssa and Dox are also very basic "training" and "team" characters with no depth at this moment. 4 issues is not a lot and with the pacing and the things that happened it's expected, but I am expecting more moving forward.
Basic in it's design, hoping for more in the future.
Onward to the next book!
World: The art is okay, the colors are fantastic but the details on the characters are a bit lacking. The world building is fairly choppy but interesting in it's concept. If not for the intro page in issue 2, I would have been lost in what was truly happening. It's not completely broken but storytelling needs to be tighter as with the world building.
Story: The story moves along very fast and for an origin story it is very 90s comic books where character motivations are very basic and straightforward. It feels very old school, including a costume with a logo on the chest. The pacing is fast and motivations as basic with a rushed ending to set things up. It's entertaining but I will need more depth of character and more fleshed out story to keep me entertained.
Characters: Very basic, people are evil because they are, people are good because the story needs it. Shadowman has very little internal motivation that readers can relate to and picking up the mantle was fairly fast and rushed. Alyssa and Dox are also very basic "training" and "team" characters with no depth at this moment. 4 issues is not a lot and with the pacing and the things that happened it's expected, but I am expecting more moving forward.
Basic in it's design, hoping for more in the future.
Onward to the next book!
November 17, 2014
This book is certainly fun. I read this series out of order, reading Trade 3 before reading this one or the second one. I was able to fill in the gaps, had to sort of take it on good faith that the talking monkey with the top hat made sense and was introduced at some point. Well, he was introduced in this trade, along with the main character. This is what a good supernatural yarn should be, in comic book form- Beautiful artwork, horrific and disgusting sequences pulled together with a set of rules that make sense of all the magic and monsters. The writing is not as Sharp as Shadowman's Scythe, which is why the book only gets a 3 rating, but it was certainly a lot of fun.
September 8, 2017
The "last in a line of protectors against dark mystical forces" trope is a little cliche, I know, but it's also always been a favourite of mine. Tie that together with a superhuman character with an interesting take on his powers (bonded to a loa, Shadowman's powers only work at night-time), and you've got a fun character.
Valiant continues to pair people well with their characters - Jordan's got a very good sense of how to tell horror stories, and that's fundamentally what this is - a story of a superhero who's in a horror movie.
Valiant continues to pair people well with their characters - Jordan's got a very good sense of how to tell horror stories, and that's fundamentally what this is - a story of a superhero who's in a horror movie.
June 23, 2018
Good reboot of the Shadowman character, who was one of my favorites of the original Valiant line. This is really just a short intro to the character as not much has happened yet but we do see a glimpse of origin as well as an introduction to his enemies. Master Darque once again appears to be the main villain, although as expected all the characters are a little different than before.
I love the whole New Orleans Voodoo setting and the art is nice as well. This looks to have potential to be a really good series.
I love the whole New Orleans Voodoo setting and the art is nice as well. This looks to have potential to be a really good series.
January 29, 2014
Reconozco que las colecciones mágicas me tienen ganado demasiado fácil y si le sumamos temas demoníacos, voodoo y Nueva Orleans, ya me voy de cabeza. Así que como todo eso tenemos en esta colección, yo me apunto a seguirla, por mucho que pueda ser un poco confuso este arranque, al menos para mi que no leí en su día nada de la vieja valiant y no conozco a los personajes, pero lo que importa, es que me ha dado ganas de conocerlos.
September 22, 2017
Not a bad origin story. It caught me up with some things I'd read in other title and that's cool. I'm familiar with a few key players.
It just didn't wow me, yet. But, the Shadowman I met in Rapture and this one...they may be the same person, but they're also very different.
I'm hoping for a fun journey.
It just didn't wow me, yet. But, the Shadowman I met in Rapture and this one...they may be the same person, but they're also very different.
I'm hoping for a fun journey.
February 14, 2017
The art and most of the story is good, but there is very little in the way of an ending. It's great that Valiant is trying to stick to 4 issue arcs, mostly, but the ending to this was just rushed. But the first three issues were a lot of fun.
April 19, 2018
Much, much better than I expected.
Want to Read
October 16, 2018I was referred to this by the Doctor Mirage story, which apparently overlaps (I think at a later point than this volume).
March 5, 2023
I am not a big fan of superheroes but Shadowman is always a great read!
February 28, 2026
Well for some stupid reason goodreads doesn't have the single issues for 1-3 properly in the system, so here are my notes for issues 1-3 alongside my rating. Issue 4 can be found on the specific issue as there was not enough characters for all my notes:
Issue #1 - 4/5
I believe this is my first real introduction to the valiant universe, how fitting that it is with the league 12 for 12 challenge. Now I have to admit, it took a moment for me to get a grasp on this series as I realized this was the second series with the name shadowman, and I was worried that there was a lot of baggage that came with it. But most of these characters seem to be original to this series so the feeling like I was dropped right into the middle of a preexisting situation at the start of this issue was unfounded and actually desired as we head to the past to meet Josiah, the father of the modern day shadowman, as he leaves his pregnant wife Helena, to then j to shadowman and fight alongside his colleagues in the desire projects as a portal has been opened by a figure known as Darque and now the dead are pouring through, declaring war on the living. And of course shadowman is the one to rush in, scythe in hand, to push them back and save his friend Dox as he orders him to go back and protect everyone. Shadowman pushes past the dead to Darque, who has successfully stalled Shadowman enough for the sun to begin to rise…making him vulnerable! The last we see of Josiah is Darque stabbing him, and then Shadowman pushing Darque through the portal, the two entangled as they fell through and the portal closed behind. It seems like Darque needed Shadowman to push him through, as if only Shadowman could pass over. Dox went to check on Helena, but she was already gone. Leaving New Orleans with the magical amulet Josiah gave her for protection.
We now jump to the present day to meet Jack Boniface, now wearing the amulet Josiah has his mother, he has been in New Orleans for three months working at the local La Nouvelle Orleans Museum of Culture while waiting for his private detective, Dave, to get any information back on his birth parents. Dave swung by the museum today to report success…but Jack isn’t going to like it, as he found Jack’s parents criminal records. The homicide charges were never proven and they fell off the map 20 years ago, but for Jack, who has looked up to his father for years…this is a gut punch.
Elsewhere, two officers are arriving to a scene at a local club. Only to walk downstairs to find all of the club goers ripped to shreds and strewn all over. It’s a horrific sight and they immediately begin to call for help…until the body parts start to move and form together into one horrific blob until glowing yellow eyes and a large sharpened smile introduces itself as Mr Twist. They immediately try and shoot it with no luck, and it responds by sending its flesh out and into their mouths…forcing them to join him in a parasitic relationship. He claims the master is coming and they will hear his words of glory and resurrection.
The last time Jack saw his mother, she gave him the amulet he now wears on his neck. She told him his father, who was a very good man, gave it to her and it was very important and she now gives it to him as she knows he will be the best man to keep it safe and it will return the favor. She promised to tell him everything he wants to know about his father when she returns from work…she never came back, the authorities told him it was black ice but that meant nothing to a 10 year old. And now in the present day Jack is faced with the truth of his parents history, he can’t help but see it all as lies and in a moment of anger and betrayal he took the amulet off and chucked it into the sea. Suddenly a woman named Alyssa in a mysterious house gets a funny feeling…she can sense him. She immediately runs to Dox to inform him of this. The amulet was protecting Jack, and now that they can sense him that means the bretheren can as well. Dox has apparently been training her for years for just this time and I find it interesting that they refer to Jack as “the host.” But they won’t get to Jack first…the two cops enlisted by Mr Twist have that pleasure and they quickly arrested him and bore their deadly teeth at him. Jack is freaking out as they drive deep into the dark, showing their terrible faces and bodies now, as they drag him out of the car and ask if he has any last words. He attempts to kick them and run away, and they put a few shots in his back. As Jack goes down it’s as if a door is opened as the light beams a large shadow across the floor. The shadow speaks to Jack, the amulet hid Jack even from him and suddenly the shadow enters Jack’s body like it did for his father and the fathers before him to they become one…shadowman. Immediately he breaks free from the cuffs and dawns an entirely different outfit with a white painted on face, ready to take them on. So based on the total transformation, I assume that shadowman is a completely different entity from Jack that can take over his body at night? Interesting. Also I really like the detail that his mom only died after she took off the amulet which means she was found and taken out, Josiah couldn’t make two of them or what?
Issue #2 - 4/5
I really like Dox, such a good teacher to bring us into this world…even if he makes the occasional huge mistake, lol. But take for instance the start of this issue, how he describes magic as a process of energy that can be controlled and harnessed. Like computer code, how you can make a computer do something in binary the hard way, or you use the programming languages to have the same effect with less effort and time. That’s what spells are, a language that theoretically anyone can use. At the moment Dox is showing us how to inscribe a bullet with a carving containing a portion of his own will and power…which he can then use to blow the brains out of some nasty monsters that took over some cops at the end of the last issue and are now trying to kill Shadowman. At the moment Dox and Alyssa are rushing in to assist, running over one of the monsters in the process while Shadowman sends his fist through the head of the other. But these monsters are crazy strong as the body isn’t what’s in control…it’s the parasite within which Shadowman detects and rips open the mouth of one of them to drag out. Unfortunately it stabs him on the arm to break free and quickly dig away, but Dox is much more successful as the pin the other monster under their car and blow the parasite right out of it’s head, letting them carve it out to bring back and study at their base. unfortunately when they turn around Shadowman is gone, he has already developed an ability to travel through what they call the “deadside.” But as Dox tells Alyssa, their job is not over they are abettors and their task is to find Shadowman and abet him. And they are still going to have to beat Mr Twist to that punch, he has now joined up with the rest of the group known as the Brethren, tasked with bringing their master back, and Twist is currently getting outfitted with a giant 3 piece white and pink suit at a custom tailor as he has killed the rest of the patrons and employees of. Twist is a bit power hungry and does not like the representative of the Brethren questioning him and his purpose here. He desires more souls and they are to give that to him to give him the power necessary to fulfill his purpose, and up next on that chopping block is the tailor. The Abettors have weakened over the years, reduced to Dox and Alyssa only, and they shall be wiped out to pave the way for the master’s return. But just at that moment, the parasite that got away returned to its master to report back…he has worn to do.
Suddenly Jack is met with memories of the orphanages and foster homes he jumped in between, he didn’t want any of them as he always kept his father in mind but now as he imagines the face of his father…all he sees is Shadowman covered in blood. Suddenly he wakes up in his house, he runs to the bathroom with the memory of bullets being shot into his back…to find no damage whatsoever. Perfectly healed. Jack thinks he may be going crazy, but then he sees the bullet holes in his shirt.
Elsewhere in the depths of Lyceum, stands Darque. It seems that he has taken over the real. Of the dead and now comes back to the university behind the worlds where he learned so much. There a golden angelic creature is pinned to the wall, and was the teacher for Darque. His studies are over and he has even found the way to go home, so he has come back to make sure his teacher passes the knowledge on to no one else…snapping their neck with just one of his hands. Vowing that the barrier between worlds will break and he will conquer his world just like he conquered the land of the dead.
At the museum Jack works at, he almost let an expensive looking vase fall while dusting…only for Alyssa to swoop in and save it. She introduces himself but right before Jack can, she lays out his entire name and family lineage and asks why he got rid of the amulet and if his mom ever told him what it was. Jack is taken aback, how does she know all of this? Well she has a lot more answers to give and to prove that she is legit she went ahead and lit her hand on fire with a blue glow. He is once again confused as she grabs his hand and transfers the cool fire to him, neat trick (as Dox would later call it) and just the reality check Jack needs to know he isn’t going crazy. Alyssa shows him that it is all magic and there is a lot they need to discuss, prompting Jack to run off with her for an early lunch immediately.
All the while Twist is opening a connection to have a conversation with his master, Darque, to give an update on Jack and how he joined with the shadow Loa. This is disappointing to hear but he is still young and untrained and must be destroyed before he can understand what he is, and Darque wants Twist to handle that portion personally. Alyssa brought Jack to Dox’s house in the French Quarter while Dox was examining the parasitic creature obtained at the beginning of the issue. Dox introduces himself and apologizes if Alyssa said anything that really didn’t make sense, she says a lot of things that won’t be of use yet, lol. Dox is a really good teacher, he brings Jack over to the creature and shows it to him. Introducing it to Jack as a construct, a living thing made from flesh of a sacrifice. Dox explains that there is energy all around them that they cannot see or touch but it is measurable and can be used. But this doesn’t explain what happened last night, which prompts Alyssa to blurt out that he is the shadowman…once again information that is true but not helpful right now. Dox explains that Jack is special and he has been looking for Jack his entire life and they can now protect and train him with the loads of charms they have. But here’s the problem, all of that would have been useful…if they didn’t already invite Twist in by accident. Turns out twist was still connected to that hunk of flesh, which he used to own a portal directly to them at the end of the issue! Well first real big test, let’s make it count. I have to admit, I am quite worried about Jack facing Darque. Even his dad had trouble with him and now he has had 20 years to grow stronger and conquer an entire real. No shot Josiah is alive after all those years with Darque conquering the afterlife all by himself. It’s quite an immediate challenge for a newbie.
Issue #3 - 4/5
We’ve got to get the word out! Yoda exists in Shadowman in the form of a talking monkey with a top hat, more people need to experience this!! We immediately pick up from the chaos at the end of the last issue as Jack barely gets a moment to breathe and be protected by Dox and Alyssa, as Mr Twist opens a portal right into their “safe” house. The group immediately kills back from the giant demon as he targets Jack but sends off small parasites for the others to deal with. Jack is powerless without being able to find a shadow and bring out the Loa to activate his abilities, but Dox still has a magnum filled with magic bullets and Alyssa can still summon fire to burn them a path out of there while Dox holds off Twist. As Twist takes Dox in his giant hand and the pair run out the door…they run right into the brethren agents sent there alongside Twist to aid him. They open fire on the duo as Alyssa and Jack jump behind a couch for cover. But she has a second plan, she opens a trap door in the ground and takes a shard of glass to stab into Jack. The Loa is dormant inside of him and they need to wake it up, jumping inside the trapdoor the pair immediately disappear into the deadside. Unfortunately leaving Dox to be Twist’s plaything until they can be found or die within the deadside themselves.
At the moment death in the deadside is looking likely as Alyssa finds herself alone and surrounded by the dead desperate for her power. Jack is woken up elsewhere by the aforementioned monkey known as Jaunty. It speaks in an accent as it welcomes Jack to the deadside. But when asked if he really has to talk like that, Jaunty stops and corrects himself as 300 years in that realm and he got bored, lol. But Jaunty woke Jack up because Alyssa is in danger but they need to go somewhere first to meet someone if he has any chance of saving her. Jack will be find as his shadow wraps around him like a blanket to keep the hungry dead away. Jack is on board for anything if it means saving her.
Back in the Earthly realm, Lionel of the brethren has come to Twist for an update. Turns out he has chained Dox up to play with, and Dox actually knows Lionel. I wonder if Lionel used to be a member of the Abetters? We found out last issue that part of Twist’s role is to kill and sacrifice souls to build enough energy to usher his master back into his world. Well Dox is marked to the brim with Geand Veves, filled with energy that is keeping Twist out but would be enough to fulfill his purpose…if only he can successfully crack Dox open that is.
Back in the deadside, Alyssa is getting even more desperate as she fights the dead off. While talking with Jaunty, Jack finds out that this is a lace between worlds. Filled with people in between or stray thoughts given life or visitors from other places where the rules are different. From here you can go to places beyond heaven and hell, it’s the bored of everywhere…it was anyway, before “HE” set himself up as the tollbooth attendant. Jack isn’t quite sure what that means, but even if he doesn’t Jaunty explains his second shadow, the Loa, will explain. Finally they have reached their destination, the heart of desire where a portal opens and none other than Josiah steps out, withered and almost dead being held up by his scythe. Jack doesn’t recognize him, and only sees him as Shadowman. But suddenly Josiah lunges forward and stabs the Loa into the ground with his scythe. He is here to give Jack a choice. The scythe is currently holding the Loa down and it will stay there, unless Jack frees it. He doesn’t have to carry the burden anymore, he can take the “Gris Gris” offered to him and find his way out. Josiah had to stay here to stop Darque, to Hayes the gateway and the Loa hated him for it. Finally it broke free and found Jack, but with such little power Josiah can no longer fight. But Jack can’t just leave Alyssa, he can hear her calling for help and to leave the Loa and escape would mean prioritizing only himself. Jack doesn’t truly have a choice, mainly because he is a good person, and as he takes the scythe out his father faded before him as he exclaims that this is never what he wanted for Jack and wasn’t what his mother wanted either. It almost seems like there is a brief moment of recognition as he fades away. Jack is on a permanent course now, none of this will end until he dies. But with the power of the Loa at his disposal, it is as of the two have fully merged to truly become Shadowman just in time to save Alyssa. As the issue comes to an end, Twist once again calls on his master to give a progress update and give information on the power Dox holds within him, enough to finally bring Darque back. If only they can crack him open first.
Issue #1 - 4/5
I believe this is my first real introduction to the valiant universe, how fitting that it is with the league 12 for 12 challenge. Now I have to admit, it took a moment for me to get a grasp on this series as I realized this was the second series with the name shadowman, and I was worried that there was a lot of baggage that came with it. But most of these characters seem to be original to this series so the feeling like I was dropped right into the middle of a preexisting situation at the start of this issue was unfounded and actually desired as we head to the past to meet Josiah, the father of the modern day shadowman, as he leaves his pregnant wife Helena, to then j to shadowman and fight alongside his colleagues in the desire projects as a portal has been opened by a figure known as Darque and now the dead are pouring through, declaring war on the living. And of course shadowman is the one to rush in, scythe in hand, to push them back and save his friend Dox as he orders him to go back and protect everyone. Shadowman pushes past the dead to Darque, who has successfully stalled Shadowman enough for the sun to begin to rise…making him vulnerable! The last we see of Josiah is Darque stabbing him, and then Shadowman pushing Darque through the portal, the two entangled as they fell through and the portal closed behind. It seems like Darque needed Shadowman to push him through, as if only Shadowman could pass over. Dox went to check on Helena, but she was already gone. Leaving New Orleans with the magical amulet Josiah gave her for protection.
We now jump to the present day to meet Jack Boniface, now wearing the amulet Josiah has his mother, he has been in New Orleans for three months working at the local La Nouvelle Orleans Museum of Culture while waiting for his private detective, Dave, to get any information back on his birth parents. Dave swung by the museum today to report success…but Jack isn’t going to like it, as he found Jack’s parents criminal records. The homicide charges were never proven and they fell off the map 20 years ago, but for Jack, who has looked up to his father for years…this is a gut punch.
Elsewhere, two officers are arriving to a scene at a local club. Only to walk downstairs to find all of the club goers ripped to shreds and strewn all over. It’s a horrific sight and they immediately begin to call for help…until the body parts start to move and form together into one horrific blob until glowing yellow eyes and a large sharpened smile introduces itself as Mr Twist. They immediately try and shoot it with no luck, and it responds by sending its flesh out and into their mouths…forcing them to join him in a parasitic relationship. He claims the master is coming and they will hear his words of glory and resurrection.
The last time Jack saw his mother, she gave him the amulet he now wears on his neck. She told him his father, who was a very good man, gave it to her and it was very important and she now gives it to him as she knows he will be the best man to keep it safe and it will return the favor. She promised to tell him everything he wants to know about his father when she returns from work…she never came back, the authorities told him it was black ice but that meant nothing to a 10 year old. And now in the present day Jack is faced with the truth of his parents history, he can’t help but see it all as lies and in a moment of anger and betrayal he took the amulet off and chucked it into the sea. Suddenly a woman named Alyssa in a mysterious house gets a funny feeling…she can sense him. She immediately runs to Dox to inform him of this. The amulet was protecting Jack, and now that they can sense him that means the bretheren can as well. Dox has apparently been training her for years for just this time and I find it interesting that they refer to Jack as “the host.” But they won’t get to Jack first…the two cops enlisted by Mr Twist have that pleasure and they quickly arrested him and bore their deadly teeth at him. Jack is freaking out as they drive deep into the dark, showing their terrible faces and bodies now, as they drag him out of the car and ask if he has any last words. He attempts to kick them and run away, and they put a few shots in his back. As Jack goes down it’s as if a door is opened as the light beams a large shadow across the floor. The shadow speaks to Jack, the amulet hid Jack even from him and suddenly the shadow enters Jack’s body like it did for his father and the fathers before him to they become one…shadowman. Immediately he breaks free from the cuffs and dawns an entirely different outfit with a white painted on face, ready to take them on. So based on the total transformation, I assume that shadowman is a completely different entity from Jack that can take over his body at night? Interesting. Also I really like the detail that his mom only died after she took off the amulet which means she was found and taken out, Josiah couldn’t make two of them or what?
Issue #2 - 4/5
I really like Dox, such a good teacher to bring us into this world…even if he makes the occasional huge mistake, lol. But take for instance the start of this issue, how he describes magic as a process of energy that can be controlled and harnessed. Like computer code, how you can make a computer do something in binary the hard way, or you use the programming languages to have the same effect with less effort and time. That’s what spells are, a language that theoretically anyone can use. At the moment Dox is showing us how to inscribe a bullet with a carving containing a portion of his own will and power…which he can then use to blow the brains out of some nasty monsters that took over some cops at the end of the last issue and are now trying to kill Shadowman. At the moment Dox and Alyssa are rushing in to assist, running over one of the monsters in the process while Shadowman sends his fist through the head of the other. But these monsters are crazy strong as the body isn’t what’s in control…it’s the parasite within which Shadowman detects and rips open the mouth of one of them to drag out. Unfortunately it stabs him on the arm to break free and quickly dig away, but Dox is much more successful as the pin the other monster under their car and blow the parasite right out of it’s head, letting them carve it out to bring back and study at their base. unfortunately when they turn around Shadowman is gone, he has already developed an ability to travel through what they call the “deadside.” But as Dox tells Alyssa, their job is not over they are abettors and their task is to find Shadowman and abet him. And they are still going to have to beat Mr Twist to that punch, he has now joined up with the rest of the group known as the Brethren, tasked with bringing their master back, and Twist is currently getting outfitted with a giant 3 piece white and pink suit at a custom tailor as he has killed the rest of the patrons and employees of. Twist is a bit power hungry and does not like the representative of the Brethren questioning him and his purpose here. He desires more souls and they are to give that to him to give him the power necessary to fulfill his purpose, and up next on that chopping block is the tailor. The Abettors have weakened over the years, reduced to Dox and Alyssa only, and they shall be wiped out to pave the way for the master’s return. But just at that moment, the parasite that got away returned to its master to report back…he has worn to do.
Suddenly Jack is met with memories of the orphanages and foster homes he jumped in between, he didn’t want any of them as he always kept his father in mind but now as he imagines the face of his father…all he sees is Shadowman covered in blood. Suddenly he wakes up in his house, he runs to the bathroom with the memory of bullets being shot into his back…to find no damage whatsoever. Perfectly healed. Jack thinks he may be going crazy, but then he sees the bullet holes in his shirt.
Elsewhere in the depths of Lyceum, stands Darque. It seems that he has taken over the real. Of the dead and now comes back to the university behind the worlds where he learned so much. There a golden angelic creature is pinned to the wall, and was the teacher for Darque. His studies are over and he has even found the way to go home, so he has come back to make sure his teacher passes the knowledge on to no one else…snapping their neck with just one of his hands. Vowing that the barrier between worlds will break and he will conquer his world just like he conquered the land of the dead.
At the museum Jack works at, he almost let an expensive looking vase fall while dusting…only for Alyssa to swoop in and save it. She introduces himself but right before Jack can, she lays out his entire name and family lineage and asks why he got rid of the amulet and if his mom ever told him what it was. Jack is taken aback, how does she know all of this? Well she has a lot more answers to give and to prove that she is legit she went ahead and lit her hand on fire with a blue glow. He is once again confused as she grabs his hand and transfers the cool fire to him, neat trick (as Dox would later call it) and just the reality check Jack needs to know he isn’t going crazy. Alyssa shows him that it is all magic and there is a lot they need to discuss, prompting Jack to run off with her for an early lunch immediately.
All the while Twist is opening a connection to have a conversation with his master, Darque, to give an update on Jack and how he joined with the shadow Loa. This is disappointing to hear but he is still young and untrained and must be destroyed before he can understand what he is, and Darque wants Twist to handle that portion personally. Alyssa brought Jack to Dox’s house in the French Quarter while Dox was examining the parasitic creature obtained at the beginning of the issue. Dox introduces himself and apologizes if Alyssa said anything that really didn’t make sense, she says a lot of things that won’t be of use yet, lol. Dox is a really good teacher, he brings Jack over to the creature and shows it to him. Introducing it to Jack as a construct, a living thing made from flesh of a sacrifice. Dox explains that there is energy all around them that they cannot see or touch but it is measurable and can be used. But this doesn’t explain what happened last night, which prompts Alyssa to blurt out that he is the shadowman…once again information that is true but not helpful right now. Dox explains that Jack is special and he has been looking for Jack his entire life and they can now protect and train him with the loads of charms they have. But here’s the problem, all of that would have been useful…if they didn’t already invite Twist in by accident. Turns out twist was still connected to that hunk of flesh, which he used to own a portal directly to them at the end of the issue! Well first real big test, let’s make it count. I have to admit, I am quite worried about Jack facing Darque. Even his dad had trouble with him and now he has had 20 years to grow stronger and conquer an entire real. No shot Josiah is alive after all those years with Darque conquering the afterlife all by himself. It’s quite an immediate challenge for a newbie.
Issue #3 - 4/5
We’ve got to get the word out! Yoda exists in Shadowman in the form of a talking monkey with a top hat, more people need to experience this!! We immediately pick up from the chaos at the end of the last issue as Jack barely gets a moment to breathe and be protected by Dox and Alyssa, as Mr Twist opens a portal right into their “safe” house. The group immediately kills back from the giant demon as he targets Jack but sends off small parasites for the others to deal with. Jack is powerless without being able to find a shadow and bring out the Loa to activate his abilities, but Dox still has a magnum filled with magic bullets and Alyssa can still summon fire to burn them a path out of there while Dox holds off Twist. As Twist takes Dox in his giant hand and the pair run out the door…they run right into the brethren agents sent there alongside Twist to aid him. They open fire on the duo as Alyssa and Jack jump behind a couch for cover. But she has a second plan, she opens a trap door in the ground and takes a shard of glass to stab into Jack. The Loa is dormant inside of him and they need to wake it up, jumping inside the trapdoor the pair immediately disappear into the deadside. Unfortunately leaving Dox to be Twist’s plaything until they can be found or die within the deadside themselves.
At the moment death in the deadside is looking likely as Alyssa finds herself alone and surrounded by the dead desperate for her power. Jack is woken up elsewhere by the aforementioned monkey known as Jaunty. It speaks in an accent as it welcomes Jack to the deadside. But when asked if he really has to talk like that, Jaunty stops and corrects himself as 300 years in that realm and he got bored, lol. But Jaunty woke Jack up because Alyssa is in danger but they need to go somewhere first to meet someone if he has any chance of saving her. Jack will be find as his shadow wraps around him like a blanket to keep the hungry dead away. Jack is on board for anything if it means saving her.
Back in the Earthly realm, Lionel of the brethren has come to Twist for an update. Turns out he has chained Dox up to play with, and Dox actually knows Lionel. I wonder if Lionel used to be a member of the Abetters? We found out last issue that part of Twist’s role is to kill and sacrifice souls to build enough energy to usher his master back into his world. Well Dox is marked to the brim with Geand Veves, filled with energy that is keeping Twist out but would be enough to fulfill his purpose…if only he can successfully crack Dox open that is.
Back in the deadside, Alyssa is getting even more desperate as she fights the dead off. While talking with Jaunty, Jack finds out that this is a lace between worlds. Filled with people in between or stray thoughts given life or visitors from other places where the rules are different. From here you can go to places beyond heaven and hell, it’s the bored of everywhere…it was anyway, before “HE” set himself up as the tollbooth attendant. Jack isn’t quite sure what that means, but even if he doesn’t Jaunty explains his second shadow, the Loa, will explain. Finally they have reached their destination, the heart of desire where a portal opens and none other than Josiah steps out, withered and almost dead being held up by his scythe. Jack doesn’t recognize him, and only sees him as Shadowman. But suddenly Josiah lunges forward and stabs the Loa into the ground with his scythe. He is here to give Jack a choice. The scythe is currently holding the Loa down and it will stay there, unless Jack frees it. He doesn’t have to carry the burden anymore, he can take the “Gris Gris” offered to him and find his way out. Josiah had to stay here to stop Darque, to Hayes the gateway and the Loa hated him for it. Finally it broke free and found Jack, but with such little power Josiah can no longer fight. But Jack can’t just leave Alyssa, he can hear her calling for help and to leave the Loa and escape would mean prioritizing only himself. Jack doesn’t truly have a choice, mainly because he is a good person, and as he takes the scythe out his father faded before him as he exclaims that this is never what he wanted for Jack and wasn’t what his mother wanted either. It almost seems like there is a brief moment of recognition as he fades away. Jack is on a permanent course now, none of this will end until he dies. But with the power of the Loa at his disposal, it is as of the two have fully merged to truly become Shadowman just in time to save Alyssa. As the issue comes to an end, Twist once again calls on his master to give a progress update and give information on the power Dox holds within him, enough to finally bring Darque back. If only they can crack him open first.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2018
The Valiant comics universe debuted during a time when I was no longer reading comics, so I was mostly unaware of them until the line’s revival 5-6 years ago. Thus this is my first experience with Shadowman.
I liked it. A lot.
There is a bit of the “reading the resume” to set the character’s backstory, but it’s relegated to just a couple panels. The rest of the main character’s history is filled in organically as we get up to speed with the danger facing the world. All of it flows unhindered by infodumps, with excellent pacing throughout. Coming off of the clunky Storm Dogs Vol. 1 TP, this was a nice change of pace.
The art by Patrick Zircher is terrific. The panels tell the story without any impedance, allowing the story to shine through. I almost want to say the art fades into the background, which is a ridiculous comment, but what I really mean is that it doesn’t call attention to itself. So many comic books make you work to puzzle out the story and figure out how the sequence of pictures fits together, whereas Zircher’s work doesn’t get in the way. It also looks great.
I’m a bit of a logo design fan and I absolutely love Shadowman’s logo, which is easily one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s just genius. This seems to be one of the key things they kept from the original, which was an excellent choice. The updated uniform is also nice, and once again I see echoes of the costume creator from City of Heroes at work here. I even made a character who vaguely resembles Shadowman quite by accident.
I’d actually love to see this as a movie or TV series, because the visuals are varied and there is tons of potential to explore. From the bright colors of New Orleans to the subdued oddness of the otherworldly Deadside, with monsters and magic and the blend of superhero and horror (superhorror!), this would be a terrific show.
I liked it. A lot.
There is a bit of the “reading the resume” to set the character’s backstory, but it’s relegated to just a couple panels. The rest of the main character’s history is filled in organically as we get up to speed with the danger facing the world. All of it flows unhindered by infodumps, with excellent pacing throughout. Coming off of the clunky Storm Dogs Vol. 1 TP, this was a nice change of pace.
The art by Patrick Zircher is terrific. The panels tell the story without any impedance, allowing the story to shine through. I almost want to say the art fades into the background, which is a ridiculous comment, but what I really mean is that it doesn’t call attention to itself. So many comic books make you work to puzzle out the story and figure out how the sequence of pictures fits together, whereas Zircher’s work doesn’t get in the way. It also looks great.
I’m a bit of a logo design fan and I absolutely love Shadowman’s logo, which is easily one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s just genius. This seems to be one of the key things they kept from the original, which was an excellent choice. The updated uniform is also nice, and once again I see echoes of the costume creator from City of Heroes at work here. I even made a character who vaguely resembles Shadowman quite by accident.
I’d actually love to see this as a movie or TV series, because the visuals are varied and there is tons of potential to explore. From the bright colors of New Orleans to the subdued oddness of the otherworldly Deadside, with monsters and magic and the blend of superhero and horror (superhorror!), this would be a terrific show.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews