I will say straight up that this is my favorite title that I have reviewed so far. I seldom give a ten rating but I have this time. It’s an intense tale full of mystery and intrigue the villains are perfectly aligned in a scheme to take down both of their arch-nemesis. Ras Al ghul has never been more sinister as he does battle with his own grandson. Shiwan Khan is the perfect person for Ras to team up with as, together, they try to do what they couldn’t do alone, take down their foes. The story opens in New York as the Pyg is up to no good once again as he’s trying to convince New Yorkers to don his Dollotron masks. But he hadn’t counted on Batman and Robin’s interference.
The Creative Team:
Steve Orlando has a clear love for all things Shadow, which obviously goes way back (as he himself, explains in the forward) and a love for the Batman, as it was the Shadow that inspired Batman to begin with. And Dynamite has tapped Mr. Orlando for one of the greatest cross-overs to ever exist. This is the best Batman cross-over story since the 1970’s with the Len Wein’s Batman/Hulk cross-over. Every panel is important to the whole story and both the Shadow and Batman will face a dark side that they have never faced before. This is comic book writing at it’s best. Great stuff includes the aforementioned fight between Robin and Ras Al ghul and the Shadows facing a bullet to the brain. Batman’s sanity is pushed to the brink and the teaming of Bruce Wayne/Lemont Cranston was inspired. I highly recommend this title to anyone curious about the Shadow or Batman.
Giovanni Timpano is the perfect artist to bring these two franchises together. The creator of Eclipse has already worked on the Shadow and if he hasn“t worked for DC on any Batman title yet (I don“t recall him on any off the top of my head) the story tellers behind the Caped Crusader really need to bring him on board. His work is dark and his panels rich with shadows and he brings a certain menace to both Bruce Wayne and Lemont Cranston that greatly enhance Orlando“s story. His style is clearly more European than American which makes his take on the characters fresh and unique. It“s expressive and the detail in his work is exquisite. I loved his art and he“s fast becoming one of my favorites in the medium.
In Conclusion:
Each page draws us deeper into the dilemma that our heroes face. Just as soon as you think that things couldn’t get any worse for our protagonists, Orlando turns up the heat even more. Both characters are brought to the brink of despair and when you think that they’ve had more than they could take, they wind up deeper in the muck. I used to think that a good Shadow/Batman team up would have to take place in the 1940’s when the Shadow was at his peak and Batman was fresh, but I was totally wrong. The Damian Wayne Robin is the perfect anti-hero for this title and is well used in the story, his dilemma is just as intriguing as the protagonists. This book could not get any better than this. ***** (10 rating)
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Writer – Steve Orlando
Art – Giovanni Timpano
Colors – Flavio Dispenza
Letters – Taylor Esposito
Publisher – Dynamite/DC
Author Profile
- Kevin Given has studied with “ Longridge Writers Group †and “ Writer’s Boot Camp †a speech/communications major from the University of Maine Presque-Isle/Orono sites. He has created the “ Karl Vincent Vampire Hunter †franchise which includes novels and comic books. They can be found on amazon, Indyplanet and Kindle. For a limited time you can get digital copies of “ Karl Vincent: Vampire hunter †# 1 and “ Files of Karl Vincent †# 1 for free on Indyplanet. Kevin is producing the third novel in the series “ Dracula Rising †(working title) and developing “ Foul Blood †into comic book form. Don't forget to check out the YouTube show " Comics: Let's Talk " hosted by Kevin Given
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