Re-reading: Shadowman #2

A week-to-week plan is available for re-reading VALIANT from the beginning...
start anytime, go at your own pace.

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How would you rate this book?

10
1
10%
9
3
30%
8
3
30%
7
2
20%
6
1
10%
5
0
No votes
4
0
No votes
3
0
No votes
2
0
No votes
1
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 10

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xoken
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Re-reading: Shadowman #2

Post by xoken »

I thought we could do a book a day (that way people can read one every day or catch up on weekends), talk about it on its own, in the context of whats next, in regards to what expectations it creates and vote on how good it is. I don't have to be the one that posts everyday. If I miss a day or if someone wants to take over please do

For voting think of your single favourite comic book (not just VALIANT) as the benchmark - thats a 10 - and grade according to that.

The voting (I'm hoping) will help new readers make more educated descisions. If this turkey files maybe we can even do a list of the books according to average voting grade.

Make sure to mention what you like'd about the book, what you didn't, what you wish they would have done, your favourite panels, lines of dialogue, little bits of trivia etc.

Shadowman #2
Image

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Todd Luck
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Post by Todd Luck »

This issue we is a complete change. Shooter takes over the writing. It's very dialog driven. It's great seeing Jack try to cope with what happens to him by going to the doctor, talking with his best firend, ect. We get a supporting cast and Nettie's voo doo perspective proves interesting. We establish Shadowman's role and get him a very cool costume. And we end with a bad a$$ confrontation with the serial killer.

The thing that keeps this from rating up with Shooter's other Valiant issues, is that he rewrote this issue after rejecting Englehart's original plot and it feels like it. It's a piece meal of scenes trying to get this character from point a) to point b). And the confrontation with the killer felt too simplistic and unresolved.

But even if the glue that holds the scenes together isn't as strong as we've come to expect, what is there is still great and the art is still fantastic. An 8.

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Post by Todd Luck »

Does anyone have the unpublished Englehart plot for issue 2 posted anywhere? It makes an interesting companion to the actual published issue.

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Post by xoken »


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Post by Todd Luck »

I like almost as much as the one we actually got. Definately deals with the killer better. But it's very different and just didn't fit in with a "real science" universe. For the long term it's much better that we did get Shooter's version, it established a lot of things that help make the next 40 some issues unforgetable.

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Post by xoken »

Gotta love that first page :thumb:

So who is Faye Perozich, the person co-credited with writing?

Overall a good issue, somethings bothered me:

It never sat well with me the way Nettie just started talking about Jack being a Shadowman. The next bit also felt a little spider-man-ish.

Question: Any ideas as to who those guys watching Lydia's house are?

Scott the voice of reason is really an empty scene.

And somethings I really liked:

The mood is great in this one, like the last. The fight in the bayou has the best mood of any Shadowman book.

Netties talk when she gives him the costume is good.

The ultimate warrior has a much cooler look now.

Its soooo cool when he comes up from out of the water :thumb:

I give it an 8

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Post by xoken »

Todd Luck wrote:This issue we is a complete change. Shooter takes over the writing. It's very dialog driven. It's great seeing Jack try to cope with what happens to him by going to the doctor, talking with his best firend, ect. We get a supporting cast and Nettie's voo doo perspective proves interesting. We establish Shadowman's role and get him a very cool costume. And we end with a bad a$$ confrontation with the serial killer.

The thing that keeps this from rating up with Shooter's other Valiant issues, is that he rewrote this issue after rejecting Englehart's original plot and it feels like it. It's a piece meal of scenes trying to get this character from point a) to point b). And the confrontation with the killer felt too simplistic and unresolved.

But even if the glue that holds the scenes together isn't as strong as we've come to expect, what is there is still great and the art is still fantastic. An 8.
Great review, thats two shadowman books in a row where I wrote my comments, then read yours and felt like you did a better job :( :thumb:

Why do you think Shooter gave Shadowman a costume? Seemed to me like he was trying hard to keep the valiant characters more real.

Ive also wondered who shooter would have compared shadowman to from marvel or dc. a batman maybe? We already have a batman in the valiant universe (magnus or xo), spiderman maybe?

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Post by Todd Luck »

xoken wrote:
Great review, thats two shadowman books in a row where I wrote my comments, then read yours and felt like you did a better job :( :thumb:

Why do you think Shooter gave Shadowman a costume? Seemed to me like he was trying hard to keep the valiant characters more real.

Ive also wondered who shooter would have compared shadowman to from marvel or dc. a batman maybe? We already have a batman in the valiant universe (magnus or xo), spiderman maybe?
Since Jack's pictured with a costume on the cover of issue 1 I assume they were always planningon giveing him one eventually. A plain clothes guy just doesn't look as cool or scary (criminals are a cowardly and supersticious lot you know :) )

The armored guys could've been feds but I always assumed they were from Harbinger. Considering Harada caught Lydia eventually (as seen in Solar) I'ld say it's Harbinger.

I'ld say Jack is Spiderman-ish and Shadowman is Batman-ish :wink: .

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Post by depluto »

Still feels awkward, but I read this knowing the direction would change.

On the other hand it feels like a good old-fashioned Valiant comic. Weird dialogue. though. Nettie talks more ghetto than Cajun, but at least Jim spelled "y'all" right.

Another 6.

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Post by magnusr »

A bit inbetween issue. Continuing from last issue and setting up the stage for the rest of the series. Very much happens in just one issue. Good art and writing.

/Magnus

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Post by magnusr »

The VCB synopsis:

Jack Boniface is getting a check-up. The results say that he’s in perfect shape despite his recent aversion to light and his unhealthy musician lifestyle. When night falls, the urge to be Shadowman becomes obsessive. Jack takes the mask and goes out on patrol. He disrupts a mugging and returns home, flushed with excitement.
After sleeping all day, Jack is awoken by his housekeeper, Nettie. She tells him she knows he’s Shadowman. She claims voodoo “loa” or spirits have entered Jack and compell him to fight evil in the night.
Later, Shadowman is on patrol and comes upon a murder scene. It is the work of the killer he fought previously as Shadowman. A message scrawled in blood is signed:”Samedi”. Next, Shadowman visits Lydia’s old apartment. It has been completely cleaned out. Even the bodies in the attic are gone. And, he realizes, the place is under surveillance. A SWAT Team-like squad arrives to capture him, but Shadowman is already gone.
The following day, Nettie gives Jack an outfit to wear as Shadowman. Upon the chest is a symbol representative of how Jack’s soul steps out at night to be Shadowman. She also tells him that “Samedi” is the Loa of Death and that the messages have been a challenge. He must go out and face the challenge.
In the swamps of the bayou, Shadowman meets the killer. They fight savagely. Shadowman must get this demon out of his night. He defeats the killer, delivering him to where the police pick him up.

/Magnus

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Post by Daniel Jackson »

These early issues have some of the best art of the series and I love this original classic Shadowman costume over the leather jacket look that would come later on.

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Post by Elveen »

I loved all the early Shadowman books, what I most loved about this book, is the clear importance of Vodoo in the Shadowman mythology, "the Loa of Death"

and the "... must get the bad guy out of the night..." concept, I always loved that, that Jack was under some kind of compulsion to fight the bad guy, like it was not his decision. :thumb:

The fight scene in the swamp is cool, and I believe forshadows the importance of the swamp in later issues.

I also like that Jack didn't kill the bad guy... by that's just me.

3 important part of the Shadowman story are included in this issue: importance of Voodo, "get out of my night", the swamp!

Shadowman #2 = 9 [but when I read it, it was a perfect 10, but now I compare it to the other Valiants, so I have to drop it one point.]


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