Shadowman #7 Review: The Refusal To Go Quietly

 

Shadowman #7 Cover B by Dan Brereton

 

In Shadowman #7, writer Cullen Bunn gives us a silent issue. Or should I say his best attempt? Cullen often shares his protagonists' thoughts with readers. So accompanying this issue's breakneck action is Shadowman's soliloquy.

 

 

It may not be Hamlet, or for that matter the Scottish Play. Nonetheless, it's a view inside the struggle of the hero. Like all those who set aside a normal life to take up a cause, Jack Boniface often yearned to set aside the burdens of the world, only to heave them back onto his shoulders. 

 

 

In issues #4, 5, and 6, he strove to wield reason instead of a scythe. He tried to make peace with the Deadside.

 

 

Now, as the barriers break down, and the Deadside invades our world, we see people everywhere struggling to fight back the demons. Heroes and villains set aside normal pursuits to defend their homelands. Yet Shadowman remains the key to restoring the balance. He must repair the barrier that once protected our world, or everyone's life--as they know it--is over.

 

 

Aiding Cullen is Pedro Andreo, a rising star in the penciling and inking wars. Sometimes he struggles to convey our heroes convincingly, yet he's always good in a fight. This time out, he ushers us through the chaos and violence like a seasoned veteran. 

 

 

Colorist Jordie Bellaire helps us feel Shadowman's despair, resolution, and determination. Lacking his usual spectacular sound effects, letterer Clayton Cowles comforts us with calm, reliable narrative boxes. Like Jack Boniface, Cullen leads his own team of abetters through the violent fray.

 

 

Sometimes a reader's attention wanders. Sometimes his admiration fades. But in this third issue of the Deadside War story arc, fueled by fighting and monologue, Cullen Bunn grabs and refuses to let go. For someone who loves stories driven through dialogue between the primary characters, that comes as a welcome surprise.

 

 

If you've yet to pick up an issue of Shadowman, now's the time. It may fall midway through this story arc. The series may be well on its way. Still, you'll find the issue fun, exciting, and self-explanatory. Shadowman #7 feels like the perfect introduction to the Valiant universe, while also rewarding loyal readers with character development and a world-spanning battle. 

 

 

It also reminds us that heroes are not born. They're made, time and again, everyday.

Dragon Dave