Review: Shadowman #6

Shadowman was the third Valiant title that I picked up, having done a little history search on the internets I was interested because it just seemed different. Having read the first five issues now I am glad I picked it up. Now having read issue #6, I can see this book is about to get hectic and I cannot wait.

Master Darque (the big bad guy) has “teamed” up with Baron Samedi (ruler of the Deadside) so you know serious stuff is about to go down. Darque gives Samedi the ability to possess the body of one of his followers (we saw him in the last issue) and Samedi tracks down Jack. Jack and Alyssa had just stopped a small operation done by the Brethren, involving kidnapping children and harvesting their nightmares and went to visit the grave of Jack's crush from the diner, who died in the last issue. That’s when Samedi finds them and he kicks Jack's ass. As this is all going on, Dax is visited by Shan Fong who tells him things in Deadside are getting serious.

Justin Jordan is continuing with writing duties and he's improved in a short while. The first issues seemed a bit wordy and “hey I'm introducing this character and these bad guys”, like everything was spoon fed to you, but not so much now. This is the second issue into a new arc and you can tell things are being set up for the future of Shadowman and events in the Valiant universe and I really like where it’s going. The pacing was good with a bit of an action-romp feel to it, fun but still intriguing.

Patrick Zircher is on art duties and has continued his high quality. His art just works on every level, that's really the best way I can describe it. It works well in creating an atmosphere from these books and I can't seem to find any kind of fault with his art. Brian Reber and Guy Major were in charge of colors, and they just look great. I'm trying to think of a way to describe it but I can't do it justice, you're just going to have to flick through just to see how great this book looks in the art department.

This book just hits it on all the right notes. I think this may end up sneaking up and being a huge hit this year, I know that’s a big call but it really is starting to show so much promise. Six issues in, I really hope Valiant can keep it up. Do yourself a favor, pick up Shadowman, you can't go wrong.

Score: 4/5

Writer: Justin Jordan

Artists: Patrick Zircher, Lee Garbett and Neil Edwards

Publisher: Valiant Comics

Price: $3.99

Released: 4/3/13