With the latest bit spinning its wheels, has the series jumped the shark into unnecessary territory? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

A voice from the past raises questions that the Shadow cannot answer, and leads him away from the concrete canyons of New York City on a journey that will carry him halfway round the world, from the snowy wastes of Siberia to the steaming jungles of Guatemala. What is the secret of the girasol?

Behold the might and majesty of a pulp icon brought to life in just the right way. To the creative team’s credit they take what’s worked for this iterations of the character and they absolutely run with it while offering a few more additional wrinkles.  That’s what sells this tale initially but its the twist at the end that’s sure to have my fellow fanboys and fangirls clamoring for the next outing.

Chris Roberson pens the script and he does a fine job releasing a text heavy but easy to follow affair.  The key thing to notice here is the fact that even with eighteen previous issues the author still makes time to create a tale that’s a welcome jump on point for curious shoppers.  There are some stumbles along the way, as the bulk of the arc feels like more of a distraction than anything else but is the final haunting moments that reveal this author’s true intent.  And trust me when I say this is one journey that’s worth following to completion.

The Andrea Mutti is strong enough to carry the weight of this heavy saga.  There are some detracting features that call additional details into question but for the most part the talent effortlessly caught my eye by bringing just enough natural nuances to the piece to make it all viable.  There was a specific set of panels involving a series of newspaper clippings that bothered me but this is largely a minor complaint in an otherwise solid effort.

The Shadow #19 is a good comic that has a few bruises but still manages a strong tease.  Recommended.

3.5/5