Publisher:  Dynamite Comics
Writer:  Cullen Bunn
Artist:  Colton Worley
Release Date: 16th July 2014

Lamont Cranston, a.k.a. The Shadow, is on a perilous mission to infiltrate The Society of United Magicians, a secretive coterie founded, and once headed by one of Cranston’s former tutors; legendary master of escapology, Harry Houdini. Originally a benevolent organisation created to protect the secrets of the magical elite, the group now pursue a far more sinister agenda, desperately seeking answers from ‘beyond the veil’ in an attempt to escape death itself.

Recently, I’ve been hearing a slew of superlatives regarding Cullen Bunn’s writing so I was keen to experience it first hand, and this one-shot issue seemed like the perfect opportunity to jump onboard. Right from the outset it’s easy to see why his work is held in such high regard. Here he crafts a stylish, richly detailed characterisation that invites you deep into the tenebrous corners of the character’s labyrinthine psyche, shedding light on his darkest fears and motivations, the entire story nicely framed within a split narrative structure.

The primary story arc is set in Los Angeles, 1936, and centres on our hero’s attempts to surmount a series of deadly booby traps in his quest to bring justice upon the rogue cabal. A secondary thread is told in flashback, showing a ‘pre-Shadow’ Lamont Cranston being pushed to his mental and physical limits under the tutelage of Harry Houdini. At first dismissive and arrogant, the character gradually comes to recognise the overarching lesson in Houdini’s teachings: that in order to evolve he must first become absolutely unafraid of death, an act which would open his mind to limitless possibilities, and furnish him with the creativity to deal with the unexpected. This point is perfectly illustrated throughout the book in how the character deals with potential obstacles.

Unfortunately, I feel the book is let down somewhat by the artwork. The bold lines and intense shadow detail do suit the material, but at times it’s difficult to ascertain what’s happening in a panel. Characters are highlighted in sickly green and garish pink hues, which was, for me, visually unappealing. There are some clever layout ideas (chains used as guttering in one scene, for example), but overall the I found the colours distracting, and it disconnected me from the story on more than one occasion.

This book is a solid foundation for a larger story, which while a little disappointing from an artistic perspective, is still a thoroughly riveting read.

Rating: 4/5.

The writer of this piece was: Martin Doyle
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