Warning: Here there be spoilers… enter at your own risk.
[quote]What evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows! Hahahahaha![/quote]
The old time radio programs, pulp magazines, comic books, television, and multiple motion pictures have shown us varying versions of The Shadow through his history. Lamont Cranston, suave playboy by day, but when the city needs him and the evil in the hearts of men shows itself, he becomes The Shadow and cleanses that evil with his dual pistols and his power to cloud the minds of men.
Dynamite Entertainment has had previous incarnations of The Shadow, but this review is not about the past… it is about NOW, The Shadow Now #1, that is. This new book from Dynamite, written by David Liss, is a fresh start to this story, although it brings up some hauntingly familiar characters. If any of you have seen The Shadow starring Alec Baldwin, you will be familiar with Shiwan Khan, a man who believes he is descended from Ghengis Khan and destined to rule the world, and his powers to control men with amazing psychic powers. At the end of that movie, Khan was in prison after some delicate surgery to remove the part of the brain that seemed to allow him those powers… but, the end was ominous and foreshadowing of something more.
The Shadow Now begins with an introduction to The Shadow and Lamont Cranston III, although he is really the Lamont Cranston, just using this to hide the fact that he does not age like normal men. He is still fighting crime and trying to find who is in charge of the new crime ring that is running rampant over the city. After some gunfights, a big explosion, and much self-chastisement, Lamont goes to his network of spies to find out what is going on.
A few clues and a tip later, The Shadow is hunting again. This time he hears a name, a name that strikes fear into his heart as much as his name strikes fear into the hearts of men who scurrying around the dark streets, Shiwan Khan. Knowing he imprisoned him years before, Cranston visits Khan in prison… but it turns out to be all part of the plan. A glowing blue hand, a traitor among us, and the symbol of the snake are all signs that the era of the Khan has begun.
This is a really cool book. I love the art. The detail and realism that Colton Worley puts to the page is superb and only adds to a fast paced and enjoyable story. This feels so much like a sequel to the movie that I was really excited when I saw it. A great story of The Shadow and it makes me look forward to where they take this book next. The only thing I didn’t like was that there was not more story. Pick it up and then wait till next month.
