Simon Spurrier, et.al., The Shadow: Leviathan. Mount Laurel, NJ: Dynamite Entertainment, 2018. ISBN: 987-1-5241-0569-3.
Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: superheroes, noir
Format: e-book galley
Source: NetGalley
I am learning by now that Dynamite's The Shadow comics can be hit or miss. When they get it right, say with The Shadow/Green Hornet, Volume 1: Dark Nights (link to my review), it can be great. When they miss, it is usually bad. The Shadow: Leviathan is a serious miss. It seems they are attempting to bring the character into the modern era, but it just does not work.
Mary Jerez was a schoolgirl saved by The Shadow during a school shooting. She grows up, life goes on, she becomes a medical doctor. She becomes convinced that a horribly burnt patient under her care is The Shadow. But is he? The Shadow has not been seen in years. Meanwhile, right wing extremists steal his image to create a xenophobic patriot movement.
That premise has potential, but the authors just run all over with it. At times, it seems the authors are more concerned with preaching politics than delivering a story. Then the story goes between flashbacks of The Shadow in action and the present day. In addition, the whole Leviathan stuff is never really clear.
The story feels messy and not always coherent. If they wanted to bring The Shadow into modern times, this was too overwrought to accomplish that. As I stated, I have liked some The Shadow comics, but I am not sure what to make of this mess. The art is good enough, but the story is just incoherent. This could have had potential, but instead it falls flat.
1 out of 5 stars.
Book qualifies for the following 2020 Reading Challenges:
#ArcApocalypse
No comments:
Post a Comment