THE SHADOW: MIDNIGHT IN MOSCOW #1 Review

By Harrison Rawdin on Tuesday, May 20th, 2014

One issue in: is this a promising mini-series? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

New Year’s, 1950–the end of a tumultuous decade…and LAMONT CRANSTON, the man the world and the underworld know all too well as THE SHADOW, has had enough. It’s time for the Mysterious Nemesis of Crime to hang up his cloak, his slouch hat, and his twin .45s, and retire from public life…

…But despite this momentous decision, MARGO LAINE and the rest of the Shadow’s AGENTS fear that mankind, teetering on the brink of nuclear Armageddon, may not be quite ready to be bereft of the Dark Avenger.

There comes a time in the life of any costume avenger when they have to take stock of their accomplishments and decide if it’s time for them to rest. It’s not a narrative that’s popular but it has its place, and through the work of a particular talent this opening certainly deserves some interest.

Howard Chaykin may not be the author fans picture when dealing with The Shadow, but nonetheless he quickly proves his grasp on the material. Lamont Cranston has given twenty years of his life in the service of justice, and as the world begins to turn to a new era he’s finally getting the itch for retirement. From that this release gains traction, especially due to a barrage of dialogue that’s thick but never overwhelming. In short: the script is solid and even rather familiar.

Pulling double duty, Howard Chaykin carries renditions that are all his own. And if you’re familiar with his previous work than you’ve more that likely already formed an opinion on his overall technique. What I will say is that his attention to detail is near unparalleled but there are times where the characters lack fluidity. Even so the colors by Jesus Aburto help to soften that particular problem.

The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow #1 is a promising start that might not raise the bar for the pulp genre, but succeeds in yielding enough material to warrant a look by even the most discerning fanboy or fangirl. Recommended.