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  1. #1
    Astonishing Member Timothy Hunter's Avatar
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    Default Any Fans of the DC Shadow Comics?

    I got introduced to the Shadow via the Alec Baldwin movie which was trying too hard to ape Batman 1989, but it was endearing. Young Alec Badlwin would make a terrible Batman but a brilliant Bruce Wayne.

    The first Shadow comic I read was the Chaykin miniseries. I love the artistry and the panel structure of Chaykin's work, but I find his writing convoluted.

    The 87 Shadow ongoing I found to be much better.The first six issues with Sienkiewicz might be some of the greatest comic art ever found inside an ongoing. However, much like the Chaykin mini, the writing is overstuffed with subplots.

    Contrary to some, I actually think that Helfer's writing get's better once Baker comes along. It seems a lot more focused. The humor was handled very well for a comic book and I think was as consistently funny as JLI, which wasn't all the time, but keep in mind how difficult it is to write humor in an American comic book.

    For traditional fans of the Shadow I would reccomend the graphic novel by Kaluta and O'Neil as well as the annual by Helfer and Joe Orlando which is much more conventional than the main series.
    Last edited by Timothy Hunter; 01-21-2021 at 10:10 AM.

  2. #2

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    I loved the Helfer/Sienkiewicz/Baker Shadow series back in the day, but sold all those issues almost 20 years ago. I know Kyle Baker considered it "just a gig," like work for hire he never felt passion for, but those were some great comics -- funny, dark, weird, and surprisingly violent, like a proto-Vertigo series for mature readers.

    Chaykin's Shadow: Blood and Judgment miniseries was interesting, back when Chaykin was at the top of his game in the mid-'80s, especially as an artist. I have the four issues, each signed on the cover by Chaykin, and would happily sell them.

    I think I tried the first Dynamite volume of The Shadow but didn't care for it at all. Wasn't that Garth Ennis? I always want to like Dynamite's pulp hero comics much more than I actually do, but I feel that way about the old pulp stories as well.

    The movie is great, though. Well, not GREAT, but great fun.
    Last edited by Big Bad Voodoo Lou; 01-29-2021 at 01:09 PM.
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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Timothy Hunter View Post
    I got introduced to the Shadow via the Alec Baldwin movie which was trying too hard to ape Batman 1989, but it was endearing. Young Alec Badlwin would make a terrible Batman but a brilliant Bruce Wayne.

    The first Shadow comic I read was the Chaykin miniseries. I love the artistry and the panel structure of Chaykin's work, but I find his writing convoluted.

    The 87 Shadow ongoing I found to be much better.The first six issues with Sienkiewicz might be some of the greatest comic art ever found inside an ongoing. However, much like the Chaykin mini, the writing is overstuffed with subplots.

    Contrary to some, I actually think that Helfer's writing get's better once Baker comes along. It seems a lot more focused. The humor was handled very well for a comic book and I think was as consistently funny as JLI, which wasn't all the time, but keep in mind how difficult it is to write humor in an American comic book.

    For traditional fans of the Shadow I would reccomend the graphic novel by Kaluta and O'Neil as well as the annual by Helfer and Joe Orlando which is much more conventional than the main series.

    Loved all of them, but don't forget about the '73 series by O'Neil--great stuff!!

  4. #4
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    I didn't really like the Chaykin. I liked the Helfer much more. But the run that I loved the most was the 1973 O'Neil edited comic book with art by Michael Wm. Kaluta, Frank Robbins and E.R. Cruz.

  5. #5
    Ultimate Member j9ac9k's Avatar
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    Chaykin's art really drew me in and I liked that mini - he totally captured the tone of that era. I really liked the Helfer/Seinkeiwicz run and also enjoyed the Baker run, though it got a bit more satirical at some point and then downright silly. (I seem to remember his severed head in a jar...)

  6. #6
    Uncanny Member MajorHoy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GCWaters View Post
    Loved all of them, but don't forget about the '73 series by O'Neil--great stuff!!
    Also for fans of the 1930s-era Shadow was The Shadow Strikes! which ran for 31 issues between 1989 and 1992.

    Eduardo Barreto was the artist for several of the stories.
    The scripts by Gerard Jones were also good.
    (Then when we found out many years later what Jones also did, well, . . . )

  7. #7
    Astonishing Member Timothy Hunter's Avatar
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    I heard that fans of the more classic version of the Shadow prefer The Shadow Strikes and the 70s series. I haven't read either but I am really interested in both. Big fan of Kaluta and Barreto.

  8. #8
    DC/Collected Editions Mod The Darknight Detective's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MajorHoy View Post
    Also for fans of the 1930s-era Shadow was The Shadow Strikes! which ran for 31 issues between 1989 and 1992.

    Eduardo Barreto was the artist for several of the stories.
    The scripts by Gerard Jones were also good.
    (Then when we found out many years later what Jones also did, well, . . . )
    That's my favorite Shadow series, FWIW.
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  9. #9
    Ultimate Member Riv86672's Avatar
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    I’ve enjoyed all the DC Shadow series.

    I remember grinning like an idiot when I saw the in house ad for this crossover...:


    As for the later modern era series, the mini by Chaykin well, that blew my mind. The ongoing series was hella fun and I was crushed when it ended, and a cliffhanger to boot. I thought Helfer was really in the zone w. the main character and large supporting cast.

  10. #10
    Uncanny Member MajorHoy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Timothy Hunter View Post
    I heard that fans of the more classic version of the Shadow prefer The Shadow Strikes and the 70s series. I haven't read either but I am really interested in both. Big fan of Kaluta and Barreto.
    Well, unfortunately DC is unlikely to ever collect The Shadow Strikes! run, even if they ever got the licensing for the character again.

  11. #11
    Relaunched, not rebooted! SJNeal's Avatar
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    I actually just pulled a box containing the full runs of all of DC's Shadow series (Chaykin, Helfer, Jones) from storage this past weekend. I'm still debating if I want to reread them, or just throw the whole lot on eBay and make space... :-/
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  12. #12
    Astonishing Member signalman112's Avatar
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    SHADOW #4 cover by Kaluta.

    shadow4Kaluta.jpg

  13. #13
    small press afficionado matt levin's Avatar
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    BIG fan of Kaluta's, and later, Frank Robbins' The Shadow, as well as other iterations, notably a four-issue Shadow/Doc Savage, and a much later Shadow/Twilight Zone (yes, really! and it works!) Although this one's not a DC publication) four issue series. I was first introduced to The Shadow via an old-time radio record collection from the library, and later found the DC series.
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  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by MajorHoy View Post
    Well, unfortunately DC is unlikely to ever collect The Shadow Strikes! run, even if they ever got the licensing for the character again.
    Given Dark Horse reprinted the Joe Kubert TARZAN and the Roy Thomas CONAN, I'd assume whichever comic book publisher currently has the license from Street & Smith/Condé Nast would be able to reprint any of the Shadow comics that have been published in the last 80 years.

  15. #15
    Uncanny Member MajorHoy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by matt levin View Post
    . . . and a much later Shadow/Twilight Zone (yes, really! and it works!) Although this one's not a DC publication) four issue series. . .
    That was an interesting one from Dynamite.

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