The King And His Castle

 

 NINJAK WAS HERE!

Montezuma Castle, Arizona

 

Question: 

MI-6 blew up my castle. Destroyed my home!

Do you think the National Park Service would mind if I took over old Montezuma's?

I mean, he's not using it anymore, right?

Review: Shadowman #4

 

Shadowman #4 Cover A by Jon Davis-Hunt

In Shadowman #4, a stranger walks the streets of London, England.

 

He leaves death behind.

 

Jack Boniface, aka Shadowman, senses these strange killings, and tracks them to their source.

 

Baron Samedi, his travel buddy on their quest to cure the Blights, or the torn veils between our world and the Deadside, confirms their otherworldly origin.

 

In what seems an average street in London, one house has been abandoned.

Left to decay. 

In Shadowman #4, Jack ponders the ways of Humanity, and how we invite sickness and evil into our lives.

 

 

He notes the dangers of trying to escape reality, and relying on artificial means of support instead of standing on your own two feet. 

In Shadowman #4, Jack thinks...and contemplates...and ruminates...

And yet, Shadowman #4 abounds with action (and great lettering).

 

The issue features beautiful art, rich in color and detail.

 

And we finally learn the identity of the woman Jack has glimpsed in previous issues.

 

 

Shadowman #4 closes off the the current story arc with a bang, while tantalizing us with what is yet to come. It combines Cullen Bunn's meditations on morality with the glorious artwork of Jon Davis-Hunt, the sumptuous coloring of Jordie Bellaire, and the stylized lettering of Clayton Cowles. It boasts two double-page spreads (Two!) that will--without the assistance of illegal drugs--blow your mind.

You must buy it. There is no other option.

Dragon Dave

Shadowman #4 Spotlight: Penciling & Inking

Shadowman #4 Pre-Order Cover by Declan Shalvey

 

In Shadowman #4, the traveling horror show moves to England. There, in the suburbs of the nation's capital, an evil has slipped through into our world.

 

Having visited England five times in the last decade, I can visualize the neighborhood penciler & inker Jon Davis-Hunt is depicting. I do wish he had portrayed this area with more of the glamor that made Jack Boniface's trip to Barcelona so visually striking.

 

I also wonder why I'm not seeing any chimneys in this neighborhood. Chimneys seem such an integral part of the old houses in England. 

Come on, Jon! Show me the chimneys!

This is a really interesting pairing of panels. Up top we have Baron Samedi, displaying more nuance than possibly any other artist living today could ever show. Below, we see Baron Samedi from behind, with the inked shadows falling on his jacket. 

What is casting such interesting shadows on the fabric? The branches of nearby trees, barren of foliage, perhaps?

This panel reminds me of Jon Davis-Hunt's artwork in The Wild Storm. Jack seems dwarfed by his surroundings. It's definitely not your typical superhero panel.

 

Notice the shadows on Jack's jacket in this panel? Again, what is casting such interesting patterns? Unlike the panel with Baron Samedi, I wonder what the light source is that is creating them in this derelict building.

 

Talk about a mesmerizing panel! Jon Davis-Hunt puts so much detail into it. I wonder if the rip behind the distant figure is a physical rip in the wall, or the veil that links our world with the Deadside. It almost looks like a plant, or a tree.

While I could enthuse endlessly about Jon Davis-Hunt's art, I'll end with the following panel of Jack shifting into Shadowman. It reminds me of how the nanites visually repair Bloodshot's injuries in the movie.

 

Notice the pattern the shadows form on his shirt? Or are those shadows merely the shirt slowly turning black? 

Did you notice his chin? Why is Jack's five o'clock shadow disappearing below where the Shadowman mask appears?

As always, penciler & inker Jon Davis-Hunt dishes up a feast for the eyes--and our minds--in Shadowman #4.

Dragon Dave

Shadowman #4 Spotlight: Coloring

 

Shadowman #4 Cover C by Juan Gimenez

As the good folks at Valiant Entertainment included Shadowman #4 Black & White preview pages in the back of Ninjak #1, I thought they might make a nice color comparison with the finished artwork.

Here's three to enjoy.

Note the blemishes and graffiti colorist Jordie Bellaire adds to the wall behind Shadowman.

Jon Davis-Hunt's monster portrait grows more frightening with Jordie Bellaire's coloring, doesn't it?

See how luminous Jordie Bellaire makes this scene? Rest assured, Shadowman isn't into Disco, and hasn't stepped onto a dance floor.

If you haven't picked up Ninjak #1 yet, I've only shared a small portion of the Black & White Shadowman #4 panels Valiant included as a special bonus. There's plenty more for you to make your own comparisons.

Dragon Dave

Shadowman #4 Spotlight: Lettering

 

Shadowman #4 Cover B by Michael Walsh*

In Shadowman #4, letter Clayton Cowles demonstrates his usual understated brilliance.

Shadowman's words, at least when he appears in his Human form of Jack Boniface, are set in a normal font that is pleasing to the eye. When he stresses words in a sentence, the words come in bold and italicized. Again, nothing that makes your eyes (tired no doubt from reading through your pile of new weekly comics) work overtime.

By contrast, Baron Samedi's ornate font is as flamboyant as his dress sense. Would you categorize it as Gothic, Victorian, or Italianate? Either way, the font communicates a sense of history. 

Once Jack lapses into monologue-ing mode, Clayton Cowles shares Jack's thoughts with us as gently rounded narrative boxes. While the white font can be a little harder to read, I like how the black background reveals the loa inside him.

 

This sound effect is a lot of fun, and so effective too. We don't really need to see Jack glance up to know what he's hearing, or the direction the sound is traveling.

This character, whom you'll see more of the pages preceding the preview pages the good folks at Valiant Comics were kind enough to share with us, reveals his unbalanced nature by the style of his font. I like how the balloon background reflects his skin coloring. 

Do the two SS's together suggest that the character is hissing like a snake? Maybe just a little?

One thing I always struggled to understand was the significance of Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou's colored font and sound effects in Max Bemis and Nathan Stockman's recent Savage series. Thankfully, Clayton Cowles' sound effects seem consistent from issue to issue. For example, consider the style, size, and coloring of these sound effects when you compare Shadowman swinging his scythe at an opponent in Shadowman #4 with the first issue.

From Shadowman #1

Such consistency helps unite these issues released months apart. Given the grotesque imagery involved in such moments, that's another source of comfort letterer Clayton Cowles affords readers in this fantastic horror series.

Dragon Dave

* No wonder Shadowman has a headache in artist Jon Davis-Hunt's cover. Somebody get Shadowman that aspirin, and hurry!

Shadowman #4 Preview Pages

 

Shadowman #4 Cover A by Jon Davis-Hunt*

Well, here it is, horror fans: the final issue in this first story arc of writer Cullen Bunn's Shadowman series. This time out, Baron Samedi takes Jack Boniface (aka Shadowman) to London. It's a haunting grounds British penciler and inker Jon Davis-Hunt knows well. So why did Baron Samedi, the king of the loa, bring Jack to one of the great Capital cities of the world?

What? You really think I'm gonna just tell you? Come on!

You're going to have to read the preview pages to find out...

So, are you psyched up to read Shadowman #4 another this six page preview from the generous folks at Valiant Entertainment? Are you crazy? Are you nuts?

Or do you just live to be scared to death?

Dragon Dave

* Man, that's some headache. Someone get Shadowman an aspirin!

Bloodshot's Epistle to the New Yorkers

 

With all this talk of change

And the dawn of glorious new eras

Let us not forget the really important things

Such as Valiant's best book returning in February 2022.

Canst thou hear me, oh ye decision-makers?

Shalt thou take note of my instructions, oh esteemed editors?

A New Era Begins

 

Rob Levin

A NEW ERA HAS BEGUN AT VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT

 

 

The future of the award-winning publisher's slate of comics will fully embrace the potential that its shared universe of compelling characters has to offer, and Rob Levin has joined the team as Executive Editor to help move this vision forward.

 

While 2021's hit titles SHADOWMAN, NINJAK, and the upcoming series THE HARBINGER (on sale 10/27) will publish new arcs in 2022, the upcoming year will also see a concentrated focus on reminding comic fans about what sets the Valiant Universe apart from other shared universes. 

 

"There's so much to explore within the Valiant Universe, from the wealth of characters to the many genres it spans, and my goal is to emphasize the 'shared' in shared universe," stated Rob. "Whether you're reading one title or everything we release, we're going to make sure each book stands on its own and has a voice and a point of view, and it's also going to play a part in the larger tapestry that is the Valiant Universe."

 

Valiant's comics in 2022 will see epic new stories from fan-favorite and critically-acclaimed creators, all working together to move the universe forward with stories that make an impact and have lasting repercussions. Next year will see the release of a thrilling event that brings Valiant's iconic characters together and will pave the way for new launches and the creation of a whole new team. 

 

"While I can't reveal any specifics just yet, readers will start seeing more of those connections over the coming months, all building to a crescendo in a book that will pay dividends for longtime fans and also deliver an amazing entry point into the Valiant Universe. The excitement internally feels a lot like the original Summer of Valiant did back in 2012 as a reader, and I truly cannot wait to get our upcoming stories into the hands of readers."

 

With David Wohl heading on a new path, he knew Rob was the perfect person to continue crafting a cohesive vision for Valiant's future. "I’ve known Rob for well over a decade, and during that time I’ve had the great fortune to be able to work with him on many diverse projects. That’s why, when my personal situation changed and I needed to move on, I immediately reached out to Rob to see if he’d consider joining the team," remarked David. 

 

"I’ve always found Rob to be an extremely thoughtful, creative and dynamic individual— and that’s why he’s perfectly suited to be part of Valiant’s great team. For Rob and Valiant, the next year (and beyond) is full of so much promise and potential as they build something fresh, exciting, and accessible for the Valiant Universe, that I, for one, look forward to seeing, and enjoying, everything they come up with. It’s going to be a fun and exciting ride!" 

 

 

"David has been a colleague and a friend since the earliest days of my career, and when he reached out to me about potentially joining Valiant, I saw it as both a fantastic opportunity and fortuitous timing," said Rob. "Publishing comics in 2020 was extremely difficult for numerous reasons, and Valiant took that opportunity to really evaluate the line and the overall creative direction at the start of the year. We have a fantastic team in place and a shared goal: deliver stories that will engage and enthrall everyone from our diehard fans to first-time readers."

 

Senior Editor Lysa Hawkins cannot wait for fans to see exactly what the Valiant Universe has in store for them next year. "There is so much to look forward to for the Valiant Universe in 2022! World altering events that shoot off into new stories, endless possibilities, and the return of many beloved and missed faces. 2022 is the year that Valiant will be forever changed."

 

Wow! Thanks for sharing the exciting news with us, Valiant. And welcome to the team, Rob. We wish you all the best as you embrace your new role as Executive Editor at Valiant Entertainment. 

Shadowman Speaks Through Baron Samedi

 

David Nakayama art for Shadowman #2

 

I was searching the Ninjak #1 Limited Edition 25 Copy Incentive cover, but couldn't find it. All the comics sites listed it, but no images were available. So I visited the David Nakayama's website. I didn't find the Ninjak cover I was searching for, but I found this beauty instead.

According to the artist, this was to have been a 100 Copy Incentive Cover. I don't know if it was ever produced. Still, you can tell how proud David Nakayama is of it by the way he describes it, and the way he features it among select examples of his efforts.

The spoken word is a powerful thing. All too often, we attach more importance to what people do than what they say. Yet it is the words we speak that have the power to wound or heal, to strengthen a friendship or transform someone into your enemy.

 

 

So I wonder about this imagery. Baron Samedi stands before Shadowman's mouth. Or does he walk out of it?

Is Shadowman breathing him out, suggesting that his power ultimately comes from the Baron? Or is the Baron influencing our hero Jack Boniface so that he begins to think and talk--and yes, act--like the Loa of the Dead?

Some intriguing thoughts, courtesy of artist David Nakayama.

Dragon Dave

Related Links

Shadowman #2 on David Nakayama's website

Ninjak #1 Pre-Order Edition Highlights

 

 

I always enjoy the extras the good folks at Valiant Comics pack into their Pre-Order editions. Their Ninjak #1 Pre-Order edition certainly didn't let this fan down. Here's a few of the features I especially enjoyed.

1) A focus on Javier Pulido's redesign of Colin King's ninja suit.

 

2) Myna's two-page MI-6 field report covering her surveillance of rogue agent Colin King.

3) And of course, more of Javier Pulido's black and white artwork.

 

Lastly, I must mention the beautiful cover painting by Ibrahim Moustafa. While all the Ninjak #1 covers were absolute stunners, his best captured the essence of Jeff Parker and Javier Pulido's story. Great job, Ibrahim!

If you're not picking up the Valiant Pre-Order editions, you're really missing out.

Dragon Dave