The Shadow: The Death of Margo Lane

The Shadow (Dynamite) #6

by Alan Moore (Writer, Artist), Brennan Wagner (Artist)

Legendary creator Matt Wagner returns to both write and draw an all-new tale for the first and most famous of all pulp heroes, The Shadow! Following his critically-acclaimed work on The Shadow: Year One and Grendel vs. The Shadow, Wagner once again lends his masterful talents to unveil “what evil lurks in the hearts of men”, joined by talented colorist Brennan Wagner.
For years, Margo Lane has served as The Shadow’s faithful friend and companion, the closest and most intimate of all his many agents. But when will that proximity to The Shadow’s dark and violent world take its ultimate toll on her? And what effect will his lover’s loss have on the driven and brooding Master of Darkness?
A powerful and resonant tale in the sort of pulse-pounding pulp style that only Matt Wagner could deliver! Also includes Matt Wagner’s 8 page story from The Shadow 100.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Crime, Pulp, Fiction, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics

128 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2016

About the author

Alan Moore is an English writer most famous for his influential work in comics, including the acclaimed graphic novels Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell. He has also written a novel, Voice of the Fire, and performs "workings" (one-off performance art/spoken word pieces) with The Moon and Serpent Grand Egyptian Theatre of Marvels, some of which have been released on CD.

As a comics writer, Moore is notable for being one of the first writers to apply literary and formalist sensibilities to the mainstream of the medium. As well as including challenging subject matter and adult themes, he brings a wide range of influences to his work, from the literary–authors such as William S. Burroughs, Thomas Pynchon, Robert Anton Wilson and Iain Sinclair; New Wave science fiction writers such as Michael Moorcock; horror writers such as Clive Barker; to the cinematic–filmmakers such as Nicolas Roeg. Influences within comics include Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby and Bryan Talbot.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Wagner certainly knows how to write The Shadow. He does noir very well. And I just love his art, especially in books like this. He remains one of my favorite creators since I first discovered Grendel and Mage back in the early 90's.

[Juho Pohjalainen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title is a lie. I don't think this is a spoiler - you all know it to be true, for it always is.

I guess I liked it a little better than Year One, certainly with much better art, but most of the same essential flaws still gnaw at its core. Too much focus on the Shadow, too little on his agents or enemies. The Shadow should always be the greatest mystery of any story of his own, yet outside of the pulps, I've yet to see this happen.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?- The Shadow knows!"

Of course I have not read the hardcover, but instead I read them like any Shadow fan in monthly installments and upon receiving the final installment forthwith read the whole story form begin to end.

This is the story about the Shadow while pursuing a new enemy by the name of the Red Queen he loses one of his most trusted and loved allies in a rather big BOOM as they say in the comics.
His further quest for revenge brings him face to face with his opponent who is somewhat different as he expected but also somebody from his past exploits as well. And she has a weapon that is dangerous for the Shadow.

When the dust settles we are left with the knowledge that something has changed in the world of the Shadow and while he mourns his loss his quest for justice continues .

Great art by Matt Wagner who wisely leaves the Shadow in that era where he belongs namely pre-WWII. Great new material for Shadow fans.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulous tale in the classic mold of previous tales of The Shadow. It has plenty of twists, turns and cliffhangers to maintain a high level of energy and excitement. Recommended.

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Comic writing law was obeyed - out-of-panel deaths are never real

Comic reviewing law must be obeyed - bald lies in the title must be rated as low as possible.

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the oldest superheroes from the pulp age till today is the Shadow. In this modern retelling of the Shadow you see that the character the Shadow is timeless and still fun for a whole new generation to read of his adventures. In this graphic novel there is a personal twists since it involves Margo, a long time undercover agent of the Shadow and lover of Lamont Cranston, the public persona of the person who is the Shadow. While this is an adventure story that’s filled with action it is also in some sense a tragic love story of sorts but without this becoming a sappy romance novel (I imagine most guys reading comics aren’t looking for that).
In this book we see the Shadow having to find out the source of much crime and evil in the form of a mysterious nemesis name The Red Empress. Part mystery, part crime fighting and action thriller, this story has many twists and turns and excitement. I couldn’t put this story down. I also like the travels that the Shadow takes to do his investigation of trying to figure out what’s going on. This takes him to Asia in places like China and on a sea voyage and back to New York City. Once back in New York the Shadow tries to save a kidnapped heiress which was a set-up to ambush the Shadow by Chinese Tong criminal elements. The Shadow is stuck in a cage but manage to break free though Margo goes into the building where he was at in order to rescue him. However the building caught on fire and explode. Readers are led to believe along with the Shadow that Margo died in the chaos. But did she really die? No matter in light of what happen this means The Shadow is on a war path against the Red Empress and all her secret criminal syndicates. The Shadow has the help of his own networks of agents from all walks of life and some of these are interesting characters in their own right. With some of their help our main hero goes out to find out the identity of who is behind the Red Empress and it heads to a shocking conclusion!
I wished more young people knew more about the Shadow because he’s really cool. Seems like my generation and younger aren’t familiar with a character that directly influenced the invention of the character “Batman.” Yet I think he’s cooler than Batman (and I love Batman!). The publisher Dynamite Entertainment has to be commended for printing this and also selecting good story tellers for this run of the Shadow and other recent stories about the Shadow.
I enjoyed the illustrations in this book. The 1920s and 30s feel is prominent from the outfits the character wear and also the cars, technology, building and manners. I absolutely loved it! This is “noir” plus superhero crime fighting mystery in panel form!

[Graham Connors · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! The Shadow is my favourite comic book character and this really was a peach! Totally recommended!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have not read any Shadow books, or if you are not very familiar with the character, this is not the best place to start. This is a story about the Shadow that offers no backstory for a newer reader, so some things might be lost. But if you are a Shadow fan, you should enjoy this story.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crime is on the rise and even the Shadow is having difficulty keeping it from spreading throughout the city. As he begins to investigate the new “crime boss” in town, the Red Empress, he finds himself the target of her attentions. In an attempt to save the Shadow from a trap, one of his most trusted agents gets caught herself and dies in the blaze. But Margo Lane was more than just an agent, and the Shadow finds himself slipping more towards revenge than justice.

Keeping to all of the trappings of the original stories, Matt Wagner does a great job with making this story feel pretty authentic. This is the Shadow at his absolute best - no modernizing, no alternate reality, no crossover - just the original pulp hero fighting crime and dealing with the consequences. There’s more emotional stakes for the Shadow in this story than we see in most of the original stuff, but that’s not a bad thing! He often feels very detached in the old stories, so giving him a personal stake is nice.

It’s fun to see a lot of agents from the novels make at least cameo appearances. It’s not like the Shadow had only a limited number of “helpers” like Doc Savage, so seeing or at least hearing about a lot of them is fun for those readers who have visited the Shadow’s world previously. You can see Wagner has a love of the characters as well and that certainly keeps fans engaged.

Wagner’s artwork feels right for the period and the tone of the Shadow. I’ve long been a fan of his and this book is just another example of his fantastic work. He does a great rendition of the Shadow himself, but equally captures the clothes, environment, and details of the 1930s. All of his characters are wonderfully rendered and keep with the vision of the original stories. Some of the renditions of the Asian characters may be a bit stereotypical, but that’s more of an homage to the original portrayals than any kind of racial slight. The Red Empress herself is wonderfully drawn and sufficiently nasty! She’s definitely a scary woman!

This was a fun read for Shadow fans or anyone who enjoys the old pulps. If you’re a newer fan or someone who is intrigued by these fantastic characters, you’ll enjoy this story enough that it might make you want to seek out some of the other stories!

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adieu, mon Chérie …

On the radio, the Shadow had a girlfriend named Margo Lane. It took a long time for Margo to become an agent/girlfriend in the pulp magazine, but she eventually became part of the legend of the Master of Darkness.

In this graphic novel, the Shadow is up against an implacable foe known as the Red Empress. Her control over the tongs of Chinatown is vast, but her identity is a carefully controlled secret.

Thus Margo and the Shadow travel to the Orient seeking answers to the problem of who lurks behind the nom-de-plume of the Red Empress. Upon their return to New York, Margo disobeys orders and follows the Shadow into a warehouse that explodes with her still inside. The Shadow has to be restrained from dashing into the fiery ruins. A woman’s body is found in several burned pieces, and Margo’s funeral makes the Shadow even more determined to ferret out this femme fatal…

Both the artwork and story are excellent. There is the feel of one of the old pulp novels, and the big bad very plausible. The inevitable showdown has a number of surprises that I will not spoil. All I will say is I didn’t really see this one coming!

Matt Wagner seems to have a firm grasp on how the Shadow should look. I really liked the statement by the Shadow that his invisibility relies on “stillness,” focusing the mind and body so that people will not see him. Excellent! A touch of the mystical aligned with physical control makes a great explanation of the Shadow’s abilities!

Wagner shows in this graphic novel that he has respect for the Shadow’s origins in pulp fiction. He has made this book one that could have walked out of the Shadow Magazine. I was impressed. Good show, Matt!

I give this addition to the Shadow mythos five stars!

Quoth the Raven…

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a Matt Wagner fan for years, and have enjoyed the bits of his version of The Shadow that I've read, but had missed this one when it came out. I couldn't put this one down once I started reading it, and I highly recommend it, both to Shadow fans and to fans of serious graphic novels.
This one deals with one of the aspects of the original pulps that the early writers tried to avoid...the growing danger to the staff and followers of the pulp characters. Pulp adventurers like The Shadow had a growing group of associates and followers, none of whom were as tough and powerful as he was. This especially went for Margo Lane, who was often in danger, and was so visibly associated with Lamont Cranston, one of The Shadow's main "secret" identities.
So, what happens if she enters a deadly trap that The Shadow can't protect her from?
There are clues in the story as to what was going on, and I loved that, once the mystery became clear, but the possibility of the death of a major character in any series is always there. In this case, where it could refer to either literal or figurative death, it's more complicated.
The book also brings up the morality of the kinds of "mind control" used by both The Shadow and some of his enemies, and the impact of those on the ones brainwashed or controlled. Since this same theme comes up in other pulp stories, like Doc Savage, it's an interesting point of discussion.

[Michael Emond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have loved the Shadow (and the idea of the mythology of the Shadow) ever since I was exposed to him by the DC miniseries by Howard Chaykin and the Helfer/Sienkiewicz ongoing comic. I have read some of the pulps and listened to some of the old radio broadcasts and watched the cheesy Alec Baldwin movie (which I actually like). He has always been a character that I felt could really come alive under the right hands. Unlike Sherlock Holmes I think there has yet to be a definitive version of him that sticks in everyone's minds.

Having said that this series by Matt Wagner gets a lot right. It sets up his powers, it sets up the tone of the character, it plays into one of his unique aspects - his using everyday people as his network of helpers. The art is perfect - it gave everything a nice pulp era feel and Wagner excels at working with the inks to bring the Shadow alive. All things that helped me enjoy this book.

What stops it from being a 4/5 star is the story didn't work for me in terms of drama. The threat of the Red Empress was not threatening enough and the big reveal at the end was a little senseless. I know it was supposed to be a more "wow" moment but it fell flat for me. It was still entertaining but the lack of punch from the ending kept it from being a classic. Although, it does have me interested in seeking out other Shadow books by Matt Wagner.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matt Wagner is an amazing writer and artist, and this volume shows his talent off clearly. He’s the perfect writer for the older pulp characters like the Shadow. He knows the character well. And he captures the noir aesthetic beautifully.

But like endless stream of propagandistic pamphlet-comics that fill the shelves these days, the greatness in this book/series is ruined by the Cultural Marxist worldview that guides the story. The supporting characters, almost entirely “marginalized” peoples, are saintly figures, omnicompetent, and merely victims of their circumstances, those which were engineered by the white heterosexual male of Western Civilization. Any real notion of the traditional Western view of good and evil is cast aside for all — for all, that is, except the Shadow. In the end, he is the real villain.

One can enjoy this comic for what it is. But the Shadow presented here isn’t the real Shadow, the one from the old pulps and radio shows. This is the Shadow as filtered through the lenses of Leftism.

[Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book! The author had both written and drew the artwork. Not that many Comic Book Writers can pull off well as Wagner. The story centered on The relationship between The Shadow and Margo Lane and how despite his cold nature, he loves Margo.

I also love the story because it remained faithful to the attitudes of the time, especially the Racism that dominated that period. The Shadow even pointed out that Crime is Crime regardless of Race, Gender, and Class which is true and doesn't discriminate while facing a new foe who claims to know the Shadow well.'

This is one of the best Shadow stories and a must read for fans of The Shadow both old and new.

[Norman Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wagner captures the noir feel of The Shadow, if not all the details. The title is, naturally, a bit of bait and switch, but it grabs attention. The story is filled with action and violence, and because it is fairly short the detective work is minimized. Also because of the shortness, most of the focus is on The Shadow himself and not on his agents. There are some racist slurs deliberately used, for this is set in a time when bigotry was openly practiced and accepted. Wagner's art is stellar. The story is self-contained, but it would have been nice if there had been a sequel; alas, almost assuredly never to be.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

via NYPL - 3.5 stars - Wagner crafts a solid adventure story with some compelling character beats. Margo starts off a very strong protagonist, which makes the ending jarring, as she loses agency to both the villain and to The Shadow. I can't help feeling that the real story - Margo's rebuilding her life, and The Shadow facing her absence - happens after the last page. The Shadow #100 short story was an engaging scenario with great artwork, but didn't have enough pages to really draw the reader in.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another terrific graphic novel from Matt Wagner. The only trouble with it is that the showdown between The Shadow and the Red Empress felt rushed and "undercooked." For that reason, if you forced me to choose, I'd give the edge to Wagner's earlier story featuring Grendel and The Shadow. Still, this one is fun and the art work is stellar throughout. Graphically, this is a beautiful book. I recommend this one.

[Vladimír · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hlavný hrdina bol tak trochu teatrálny psychoš, ale aspoň to s ním nebola nuda. Skvelá dobová atmosféra a dynamická akcia sú hlavnými devízami tohto komiksu. Oceňujem tiež fakt, že Shadow na všetko nebol sám, ale mal svoju sieť agentov. Aj keď som tohto hrdinu predtým poznal len veľmi okrajovo, príbeh ma zaujal a určite sa poobzerám aj po nejakých starších príbehoch.

[Jack Stubblefield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't truly become a fan of The Shadow until I started reading the comics. Such an intriguing character! He's a hero, but everyone around him has an ambivalence towards him. His companions think he does heroic work, but they don't really like him. Good stuff, Maynard.

[Tony Petry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Wagner blew this Shadow story out of the water. He done the art and writing on it both and his son done the coloring. If you like The Shadow pick this up.

[Timo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty decent Shadow. Not too brilliant, not too bad. Decent.

[Randi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read. Fast-paced.

[Paxton Holley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great art. Cool story. Love the Shadow. Love Matt Wagner’s art.

[Rus Wornom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cross between the pulp Shadow and the radio Shadow—two completely different characters. And it works.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous art, and a well paced story.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know what more you could want from a Shadow series. Matt Wagner's take on America's most underrated grim avenger is pitch-perfect.

[Todd Glaeser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matt Wagner does a great Shadow.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matt Wagner is probably the most well-rounded pulp writer in comics.

He's written all the Alex Toth classics; Batman, Sandman, Zorro, (not) The Fox, The Spirit, and of course the Shadow.

Dynamite has been killing it with the licensed properties recently, and this was no exception. Wagner shows off his masterclass in writing AND art. One of the few auteurs in the business.

[Murray Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The shadow: the death of Margo Lane is very good, it was like the old pulp stories. It's got the tongs and Chinatown what more could you ask for. Remember The Shadow knows !

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a cop-out ending, but still a descent read.