With its fourth outing, does this modern re-interpretation earn the right to exist? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

Uneasy alliances abound as Khan, pursing his own dangerous endgame, places the assassination of the Shadow in Batu’s hands. As Batu bristles under her grandfather’s watchful eye, she forms a dangerous partnership with a local gang leader who claims to have the key to defeating the Shadow. Meanwhile, the Shadow draws both the Russian and Vietnamese mafias into his orbit, preparing to turn rivals into deadly enemies. Long-plotted schemes come to fruition as the Shadow moves to defeat his greatest enemy!

In this engaging piece of literature, we get to see an aged icon take on the present day while fighting the battles of his past. It’s an interesting dynamic that easily makes this comic a must own, combine that with the strength of this creative team and there are a lot of reasons to sit back, find a nice quiet spot and enjoy this ride.

David Liss handles this arc with grace, as he slowly but surely puts all the pieces of this particular vigilantes arsenal on the table. We’re witnessing a chess match, with human lives in the balance, as our masked avenger takes on Shiwan Kahn. It’s through that lens that we get to see the competency of this particular hero, and thanks to the strong work of the scribe I’m left eagerly awaiting what comes next. I have literally no complaints about the script, except that I wish the next issue had arrived with it.

The art by Colton Worley is beautiful. There I said it, this illustrator from the first page to final panel has immensely impressed with his technique. His painted renditions offer a photo-realism few can reach, and when he needs to he offers that right level of style and finesse in order to sell the odd moments involved with this text. In short: pick this up for the pretty pictures, you won’t regret it.

The Shadow Now #4 is an exceptional entry that has me excited for the future. Highly recommended.

5/5