It’s been a while, but let’s talk some comics on this edition of Parlay Points, the complementary blog to the ODPH podcast! Valiant Entertainment has a huge book hitting comic book shops this week with Shadowman #2. The latest volume by CULLEN BUNN & JON DAVIS-HUNT started off with a very strong first issue & look to continue the momentum for Jack Boniface’s return. Lets see how it went…..
SHADOWMAN #2
Written by CULLEN BUNN
Art by JON DAVIS-HUNT
Colors by JORDIE BELLAIRE
Letters by CLAYTON COWLES
Cover A by JON DAVIS-HUNT
Cover B by CASPAR WIJNGAARD
Cover C Horror Movie Homage Variant by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
Preorder Variant Cover by ANNIE WU
On sale MAY 26th | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+
Credit: Valiant Entertainment & DMG Entertainment
First & foremost, I’m totally digging Baron Samedi, the Loa of the Dead doing the intro for the issue. It’s a fun way to recap events for new readers. Hopefully this is a permanent fixture of the book moving forward.
Credit: Valiant Entertainment/DMG Entertainment
The issue kicks into high gear with the horror right from the start. It also teaches a great lesson: Nothing ever good comes from hitchhiking. From there, we catch up with Boniface & Samedi on a road trip to Arizona where our hero has to stop the Deadside doorway that has opened & the evil coming with it.
The dialogue plays very well with Samedi being both the Angel & Devil on Boniface’s shoulders. Readers get fun banter to break up the seriousness of the threat at hand. The elements of humor definitely adds to the dynamic between those two. Plus, a new threat looms over our hero & what role they’ll play hasn’t been revealed….just yet. From there, our hero delves into the mission at hand. The outcome doesn’t come easy & without more questions.
Credit: Valiant Entertainment/DMG Entertainment
The team of Bunn & Davis-Hunt continue to build this supernatural world in a great direction. Horror fans will definitely appreciate the opening simplicity of the car intro. It’s simple in set-up & does a great job setting the tone for the rest of the book. One other note-worthy point is Boniface’s inner dialogue before the main battle. How Boniface describes the mood before walking in the old saloon really adds another layer to the character’s drive. Bunn is weaving a great story in these pages.
Davis-Hunt hits all the points in this issue. From creating a literal “ghost town” to horrific creatures, the art delivers each page. Prime example is this issue’s antagonist, which really reflects the Deadside to perfection. The detail in which Davis-Hunt draws the creature’s features & the end of its’ fight with Shadowman really stand out, It’s perfect for a supernatural horror comic.
There’s no second issue slowdown here. The creative team has done a superb job with merging horror with heroics to give the readers a fresh look at one of Valiant’s more well known characters. If you’re looking for a great supernatural horror saga, look no further than Shadowman by Valiant.
Issue #2 is out May 26th at your local comic shop . Hit me up on Twitter & let me know what you think of the latest adventures of Jack Boniface. Till next time….