The Shadow: Year One #10 Review

Does this origin close out on the right note? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

SPECIAL EXTRA-SIZED FINALE ISSUE!!! 30 pages of story and art! Join Eisner Award-winning artist Matt Wagner and the art team of Wilfredo Torres and Brennan Wagner for the pulse-pounding conclusion to this landmark series. Excitement fills the night as The Shadow finally faces off with his long-time nemesis, Dr. Zorn, a psychic villain whose powers and training rival those of the Night Master himself! Will Lamont Cranston’s dark-cloaked alter-ego find the strength to defeat the vile and consumptive Zorn? Will Margo Lane fall to the flying bullets and psychic traps of The Shadow’s enemy? And will the Reporter finally manage to unmask the mystery behind New York’s crusader for justice? New readers and longtime Shadows fans alike will thrill as all is finally revealed as The Shadow’s fledgling adventures against crime draw to a close…and his longtime crusade truly begins!

One of the hardest aspects of any beginning happens to be the details. It would be easy for this release to feel like something that should be left behind except for the fact that this creative team made something that’s downright exemplary. I’ll be honest, this final issue was the cherry on top of a nearly endless but absolutely delicious sundae.

Matt Wagner pens an outing that deserves to be in every pulp enthusiast’s library. The Shadow is a character that personifies an entire era and genre, and as the author peels back the final layers of his myth we’re all treated with something special. And by completing this plot fans are given their truest look at this specific icon and that right there is a feat that must garner recognition. In other words: this is a bountiful affair that, in many ways, really struck a cord with me.

The illustrations handed in by Wilfredo Torres are controlled but stylized. With consistent pencil strokes the talent builds up a world where someone who was once a villain could be a tool for justice. To further compliment the display the colors by Brennan Wagner soften then heighten the panels in a clear succession that perfectly supports the text. And within that framework I had no complaints.

The Shadow: Year One #10 is something that’s absolutely special, as the entire mini-series plus this issue deserves a spot in your collection. This is a must own.