The Shadow #11 Review


Can The Shadow do what needs to be done even in a situation where he doesn’t necessarily want to?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

The pulse-pounding conclusion to REVOLUTIONARY! El Rey and his enforcer the Black Sparrow have hatched a scheme to seize control of Spain from the ashes of the Civil War. Who can stop this mad would-be dictator and his lust for power? Only the Shadow! With the help of Miles Crofton and George Owell, the Shadow must infiltrate El Rey’s castle to strike at the villain in his own lair. Who lives? Who dies? The Shadow Knows!

When it comes to the adventures of this iconic and memorable pulp hero, we’re often left with a very straight forward journey that arrives at a rather uncomplicated finish.  However with this arc the creative team decided to challenge our protagonist in a way that will certainly have some repercussions in the stories to come.

Victor Gischler pens the script, and the series scribe delivers a fitting conclusion that matched the size and scale of this particular opus.  The precision of his word placement not only kept the pace lively but it successfully realized the gravitas of this situation while emboldening the core mechanics associated with Lamont Cranston.  This issue dealt with some complicated themes that may have seemed too hefty, but by the finish readers will understand why the undertaking carried so much as they leave thoroughly satisfied.

The art is once again handled by Aaron Campbell, whom expertly yields yet another series of stunning renditions for this franchise.  It was impressive to see the level of skill that he brought to bare during the expansive battle sequence, but I was captivated by the simple one on one duel that concluded this saga.  Each pencil stroke breeds authenticity, which cannot be discounted, as a visual experience that’s truly second to none comes to bare from start to finish.

The Shadow #11 proves that this old school character, with all of his iterations still has plenty of miles left in his proverbial literary journey.  Highly recommended.

4.5/5

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