The Shadow NOW series MEGATHREAD!

[Guest]

Didn't like it tbh.

Art was hit & miss, and that particular style worked better with The Spider.Most of the characters in Shadow Now look lifeless and static (bad choice of referrence photos?).
Writing didn't make things any better, but I do like the little nods to Chaykin, and I love that Liss doesn't waste time to get the plot going.

[TheRetroVideoGameAddict]

So, what did you guys think? I really loved it due to the creative team being the same as early issues of The Spider, these guys can tell a freakin' story as good as anyone. The art was incredible and the plot flowed nicely, it was quite stellar if I may say so myself and I highly recommend it.

[LetsRollKato]

Wasn't fond of the art. Not really a fan of overuse of photos. But the writing was really good. I look forward to more.

[pulphero]

If I had a minor gripe, it was with a couple of lines of dialogue that just seemed out of place. At one point the Shadow says "Give me a break!" and at another point he addresses a woman as "doll". In the first instance, the Shadow hasn't spent a lot of time in modern-day America, so why would he all of sudden be picking up these modern expressions? As far as referring to a woman as 'doll', it's like dialogue from an old gangster movie - the Shadow didn't talk that way even back in the 1930s, in any of the pulp novels or radio shows. I had the same reaction when he referrred to some crooks as 'mooks' (enough times to make it annoying) in a couple of issues of Matt Wagner's The Shadow Year One. Other than when he's spouting over-the-top theatrical pronouncements like "the weed of crime", etc. the Shadow shouldn't be talking in colloquialisms from modern times (he didn't grow up talking that way), or 1930s slang (not only because he'd be smart enough to avoid sounding like a man out of time, but because it makes him sound low-class). He speaks perfectly grammatical American English, without using expressions that would tie him to a particular time or social class.

I'm shocked that anyone had a problem with the artwork. My big worry is that if the series continues beyond the initial 6-issue arc, any artist that replaces Worley won't be able to pull off the difficult trick of doing 'modern pulp'.

[comixfan1980]

I think The Shadow Now #1 was a nice intro to The Shadow as a modern day character. Colton's art was really dead on, as it was with The Spider, and I feel that Liss' script was great to kicks things off, too bad it's only a miniseries at this point. For those not enjoying it as much as you thought you would, give it an issue or two more to prove itself as I believe this book has some good it could do for the character in the long run.

[TheTerror]

issue 1 was pretty great, it lagged in the middle but got much better tord the end of the book. I loved how it looked and felt like The Spider but it was the Shadow, this art and writing team work well together.

[DynamitePulpReader]

This first issue was OKAY, it was pretty much whatbi was expecting but maybe slightly better. Nice art here and decent story, I'm hoping for more action in upcoming issues and maybe even seeing this go to ongoing in time.

[LetsRollKato]

The turncoat angle was entirely predictable but, what're you gonna do?

It seems to...vaguely...follow the Chaykin/Helfer/Sienkiewicz/Baker series. I'd love to see Twitch and the Shadow's sons show up. That was such a great damned series.

[pulphero]

The turncoat angle was entirely predictable but, what're you gonna do?

It seems to...vaguely...follow the Chaykin/Helfer/Sienkiewicz/Baker series. I'd love to see Twitch and the Shadow's sons show up. That was such a great damned series.

Just a guess, but I'm pretty sure they won't be acknowledging the Shadow's head on a robot body. Nor do I think they should.


But anything from Chaykin's Blood & Judgment would seem to be fair game, including the Shadow's sons. They'd be around 50 now, though.

[LetsRollKato]

I really, really wanted to see where they were going to go with that.

I so loved the irreverence and satire of it all.

[pulphero]

I really, really wanted to see where they were going to go with that.

I so loved the irreverence and satire of it all.

It WAS sorta like a terrible, horrible road accident that holds you so transfixed you just can't look away...
I mean, the very abject WRONGNESS of the thing is also its most compelling feature.
It was almost like a Mad Magazine or Not Brand Echh parody of The Shadow.
Excuse me, I have to go re-read my run of the Archie Adventure Series Shadow.

I'm sure it was all just an opium-induced hallucination anyway.

[Chadster]

The Shadow NOW was good, but I still prefer the core series. This is a nice companion piece though, but this can't touch what's going on in The Shadow with the whol "The Light" storyline, that's been epic as all hell.

[LetsRollKato]

THE SHADOW NOW #2

I have to say...I'm really not enjoying the art on this book. The inconsistencies are glaring.

What is that odd hammer/wrench hybrid Kyle beats the cab driver with?

Despite that...And the Shadow's dialog not sounding quite...Shadow-like...I find it interesting and will continue reading it. I'd love to see some of the characters from Chaykin's run...like Twitch and Lorelei make an appearance.

[LetsRollKato]

THE SHADOW NOW is losing me...

...It's just not grabbing me as much as I'd hoped. The artwork in particular but some of the dialogue is still...off...And there are little things )such as Cranston and what's-her-name...Margot? whatever...both needing to carry the thug out to the car and complaining that he's heavy, yet Shiwan Khan's high-school aged GRANDDAUGHTER has no problem lifting and carrying him by herself) that drive me nuts.

The artwork is just boring and static and far too posed. It's bland. Lacks imagination.

I'll stick around because I'm a completest and I want to support Dynamite but, man...it's just not grabbing me.

[pulphero]

I must admit, as it's progressed, more and more the characterization of The Shadow just strikes me as wrong. He is far too fallible and human, and not enough of a commanding and awe-inspiring presence, ever in control of the situation no matter how dire or seemingly threatening. And I've winced several times at Liss' attempt to interject intended humorous remarks. I almost feel that Liss isn't really taking the character seriously. There was a little of that in Chaykin's version as well, but it always seemed to come from other characters.