When the undead begin to attack throughout New Orleans, can the combined forces of Shadowman and Dr. Mirage repel an army that can’t be killed?
As Master Darque devises his escape from the Deadside, his earthly minions in the Brethren crime syndicate are shoring up their ranks and preparing the city for the second coming of their dark sovereign. Their operations, however, have drawn the attention of a mysterious, pistol-wielding assassin, who has been retaliating against the Brethren on behalf of a long-forgotten New Orleans deity named Baron Samedi, lord of the dead — a deity that Master Darque has just paid a visit in the Deadside…
The dead are rising in New Orleans. The Deadside is spreading throughout the city, while a sinister new menace gathers an army that can’t be killed. Meanwhile, Jack is about to discover that his Shadowman powers are as much more a curse than a blessing.
The Good
Cover- Baron Samedi in his skin suit assassin looms in the background while Jack Boniface battles zombies in the foreground. This month the cover is bathed in soothing hues of blue giving it this bright a sunny day feel in contrast with the evil dead/walking dead/resident evil spectacle taking place. I like it!
Black Heroes- Jack Boniface is here as well as the lady of the blue flame herself, Alyssa. Baron Samedi as a god of the loa technically is a black god but he’s a walking corpse so I’m not sure how we should categorize him.
Art- The art after page eleven is decidedly smoother than previous months, it’s consistency really helped the later part of the tale to have more legs than the 1-11.
Threat- So Baron Samedi has been tasked with killing Shadowman in exchange for Darque providing him power. Samedi however sees Darque as a bigger threat than the Shadowman so he warns them and proposes an alliance. This issue presents the first real sense of what true power Darque possesses. He is here giving or sustaining a dead and dying god who empowered by him easily takes out Shadowman. It took allot of build up but I’m starting to wonder if Jack can handle this guy if he makes it over into Earth because he’s untrained and still an amateur who gets his ass handed to him by the simplest of supernatural beings.
The Bad
Art-Pages 1-11 are inconsistent and look messy/rushed really detracting from the overall tale.
The Ugly
Despite inconsistent art Shadowman is still one of my very favorite books I just wish it was more consistent. So many layers, so much potential and what appears to be pure chaos to follow. Shadowman is a rock and rolling good time bathed in eerie mysticism 3/5
