As pillars of this pulp icon’s past fall into place, do fans really need to spend their money on this in order to find out some secrets?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

Bear witness to the first time that The Shadow ever donned his costume in action! When mobsters meet in secret at a meatpacking warehouse, they become the unfortunate first criminals to see the Master of Men’s unsettling form. Will any survive the ensuing carnage to warn their master? Plus, Margo Lane and the debut of The Shadow’s ultimate nemesis!

When it comes to a hero who literally shrouds himself in shadows, I find myself wondering if revealing his origins further dampens his mysticism. Much to my glee the creative team here handles that obstacle in a stellar fashion, as they illuminate our protagonist while not cheapening his name brand.

Matt Wagner pens the script and despite the use of some overly corny or even cringe worthy dialogue he absolutely nails the narrative meat of the saga.  Each word he types offers a level of candor that allows this mini-series to stand toe-to-toe with the monthly title, even as it spills some of its secrets along the way.  At this point this point I know fans are wondering just how necessary the yarn really is and truth be told it’s only passably important  But that doesn’t stop this release from being hugely entertaining in its own right.

The art by Wilfredo Torres is the star of this engrossing affair.  The execution of the illustrator leads to some simplistic but nonetheless breathtaking visualizations that should excite enthusiasts quite easily.  Each pencil stroke lands on the page with a concerted touch, created a vibrant atmosphere full of bold lines that easily realize these proceedings.  My one and only complaint is that there are times where facial expressions seem a tad bit too exaggerated but these instances were minimal at best.

The Shadow: Year One #3 is a solid continuation that does exactly what it sets out to do, while offering a unique adventure to curious readers.  Recommended.

4/5