One major Valiant Entertainment relaunch, literal years in the making, is a new comic book series for the supernatural superhero Shadowman. Helmed by Cullen Bunn and Jon-Davis Hunt, the relaunch was originally slated to debut in 2020 before being delayed due to the pandemic, much like Valiant’s earlier relaunch of Savage. And Bunn and Hunt are off to a bloody start with their new series, able to completely cut loose and embrace the horror sensibilities possible with the character as the Valiant Universe gets its most terrifying hero back in the fold.
Things down in the Big Easy are becoming more sinister than usual as Jack Boniface, the superhero Shadowman, finds New Orleans is directly in harm’s way. The veil separating the mortal realm from the spirits of the Deadside has grown dangerously thin, with Jack — a jazz musician and museum curator by day and voodoo empowered superhero by night — moving to investigate. What Shadowman discovers is a horrifying incursion by the Deadside, resulting in bloodthirsty monsters prowling in the mortal world that will have Jack traverse the globe to stop further incursions lest the Deadside invade the living world for good.
Bunn crafts a story that serves as the perfect jumping-on point for readers that may have never read a Shadowman comic before, while careful to respect everything that has come before it. And as the supernatural mayhem escalates over the course of the opening issue, Bunn is able to lean into the strength of his past work to prove why he’s the right writer for the job. Bunn is an accomplished comic writer in both the horror and superhero genres and this title is one that allows him to actively draw from and blend both to great effect. This is a bloody story with a mounting sense of dread as Shadowman becomes drawn deeper and deeper into the latest incursion of the Deadside and Bunn’s keen eye for scary story pacing really lends itself well, with this debut issue genuinely gripping as the stakes steadily increase.
Hunt, working with colorist Jordie Bellaire, makes it clear that he’s leaning more into horror than typical superhero action. That distinction is certainly a welcome one given how gorgeous some of the set pieces and characters are rendered. Bellaire’s choice in color palette imbues the artwork with a real season of menace, especially as it employs everything from startling crimson and ominous shadows to sickly greens to denote the more unearthly sequences. Hunt’s linework is clean and with a keen eye for detail, from Shadowman himself to the gruesome scenes that Jack stumbles into as he attempts to defend New Orleans. And when the action does kick in, Hunt brings a rousing energy to the pages as Shadowman confronts ravenous monsters prowling through town.
Bunn and Hunt’s Shadowman relaunch is definitely worth the wait, with the new comic book series bringing the blood and fury while taking full advantage of the horror possibilities inherent to the title character. This is a welcoming issue that introduces the character to readers that may not be familiar with the strange adventures of Jack Boniface, but also provides a new story that will entertain longtime fans of the superhero. Shadowman may have made his big return a bit later than anticipated, but the comic proves that he hasn’t lost a step in the interim.
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