In a city ravaged by crime can our hero find the gumption to thwart the plans of this latest threat?  Should you even care?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

The Shadow has come face-to-face with the killer known as “The Light,” and barely managed to survive. Who is this mysterious woman? Where has she come from? And how has she gained mystic skills and martial abilities that make her a match for The Shadow himself?

Lamont Cranston has certainly seen his share of bloodshed but this latest spree of violence has struck a personal cord with him.  This newest enigmatic assailant seems to just bother our pulp icon to the core, in a way that hits close to home in the mine of our wayward vigilante.  And thanks to the prowess of the creative team each awkward bout of tension followed by frustration is felt within these pages.

Chris Roberson pens the script and the scribe does an excellent job applying all the various cogs that create the world of The Shadow.  He uses the corny elements along with nicely placed dramatic sequences to give weight to what feels like a shakily thrown together piece.  But truth be told by the time I finished my first read through I discovered that I enjoyed the structure but it was the dialogue in between that left me wanting. That’s not to say that the narrative failed to read well but rather that it lacked a consistently realized voice for each player.

The art by Giovanni Timpano is certainly engaging from the first panel to the last one.   I found that the illustrations done by him possessed just enough kinetic energy and surefire strength to sell the visual component of this literary jaunt.  There were moments where bodies and faces seemed far too stiff or even misshapen but overall the complete package more than made up for a few minor hiccups along the way.

The Shadow #15 is yet another solid addition and even if it flounders slightly before a somewhat lackluster cliffhanger there’s enough here to enjoy. Recommended.

3.5/5