Honestly with Shadowman I have felt it ever since the Halloween issue it has been a little lackluster and as a fan of Valiant and all their titles I didn’t want to feel that way. But with Shadowman #13 the book has gotten back on track and is heading in the right direction.

Official Description from VALIANT:
When a troubled young man with a history of violence and a penchant for blackouts meets an overwhelming source of power with a mystical scythe, the results are doomed to be destructive. A voodoo loa has possessed Jack Boniface – or so he believes. But after Jack awakens in an alleyway covered in blood, he embarks on a journey across lands of shadows and death to discover if he can expel the dark force that’s seized control of his life, and which may be responsible for a violent rampage throughout New Orleans.

Writer Peter Milligan jumps into the Valiant waters and takes on Shadowman and it is a welcome addition. One thing that has bothered me with the book since the wrap-up of it’s last story arc, which I loved, was that it was meandering with one off stories. Until now. Jack Boniface is doing some terrible things or that’s what we are lead to believe which Jack can neither confirm or deny but it’s a deadly problem nonetheless. The Abettors make their return and Alyssa is being lead to believe she can no longer aid Jack but now must kill him. It’s just the shot in the arm this title and story needed.

Milligan has turned the tables on Jack, surrounds him now in mystery and are taking him down kicking and screaming. This is an about face on this character and it brings in the darkness that this title deserves. Series artist Roberto De La Torre is extremely comfortable working in the raw, rough edges of New Orleans dark alleyways and swamps and uses everything Milligan gives to make this dark, edgy, mysterious and scary. His swamp scenes with the Mambo are a tell tale sign of how weird and dark De La Torre can get. It’s beautiful stuff with real grit and grim which will sink you deep into the delta swamplands.

Milligan uses every device at his disposal from the back alleys and swamps to literally boiling a skull in a pot and huffing the fumes. This isn’t a pretty picture he paints or which De La Torre draws and neither should it be. This is the dark side of the Valiant universe and this new creative team isn’t afraid to go to the darkest depths and drag Shadowman readers with them. This is a great kick off to a new arc and well worth picking up. It’s got me excited again at the possibilities for Shadowman and even though they’re dark, they are also full of ambition and excitement.

4/5