The Shadow #1

The Shadow #1Picking up from events introduced in last year’s The Shadow #0, Dynamite Entertainment launches a new series starring The Shadow and his war against a secret cabal of illusionists known as The Society of United Magicians. Opening with the death of magician George Carlini and The Shadow taking on a group of circus performers and then interrupting a seance, the first few pages (as bizarre as they are) lay the groundwork for arc as the Shadow reveals himself to a low-ranking member of the order that he, and he alone, holds Harry Houdini’s secret of “the Last Illusion” which the society covets.

Honestly, I’m more impressed with the artwork of Giovanni Timpano than writer Cullen Bunn’s tale which I’m far from sold on. The issue does demonstrate the bloodthirsty nature of The Society of United Magicians while alluding to the dangers of Houdini’s secrets falling into their hands, but even for a comic about a cloaked vigilante who can cloud men’s minds to appear invisible the storyline is a bit hard to swallow. It’s good to see that The Shadow’s adventures will be continuing, but I’m just not sure how much of this run I’ll sticking around for. Hit-and-Miss.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $1.00]