Comic Review: Shadow Service #2

Shadow Service #2

Vault Comics

Writer: Cavan Scott

Artist: Corin Howell & Triona Farrell

Letters: Andworld Design

We’re still in the introduction phase of Shadow Service, but everything from the tone to the world-building has got me wanting more. Sure, there may be some storytelling tropes here, but I’d chalk that up to first-5-issue syndrome rather than poor storytelling. Let’s face it, there are some things every comic needs to do in the first 5 issues, and one of those is heavy character development. How else do you get readers invested?

Flashbacks aren’t always the most enthralling plot device. They take readers out of the here-and-now of the narrative. Ask us to press pause on what we really want to know about. Flashbacks also defuse tension. Since we know where the character has come to, we know they survive the flashback, so the tension feels less immediate. Of course, they also give us a more thorough understanding of the character at hand. Flashbacks seamlessly blend plot progression with character development. Anything that’s included in a flashback is bound to rear its ugly head in later issues. In other words, if Gina’s step-dad doesn’t come back to haunt her at some point in this comic, I’ll feel a bit let down. Also, what the heck happened to Gina’s mom? Anyway. . . the point is, flashbacks are as important and necessary as they are contrived.

This comic is still finding its tone. However, it falls somewhere between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Hellblazer. Of course, these comparables of similarities in themselves. They both deal with supernatural, demonic, and angelic entities. Shadow Service does the same, but just imagine what it’s like for Buffy or John to have a top-secret government agency as an uneasy ally.

Simply put, Shadow Service #2 builds on a strong foundation set by the first issue. Sure, this house may only have a foundation and frame, but its bones are certainly solid.

I like weird monsters. I also like art that pushes the envelope when it comes to the concept of the uncanny valley. For those who don’t know the uncanny valley, it is a phenomenon that dictates what humans find grotesque. When something looks nothing like a human, we typically perceive it for what it is. If it looks close to human, we see it as odd, but not repulsive. The uncanny valley is between these two points of interpretation and human reaction. That is, things that look slightly human–too human, yet also too much unlike a human, are extraordinarily disturbing. Artists Howell and Farrell do a great job of bringing the uncanny valley to bear when it comes to their monsters. The art style is detailed and dynamic, the colors vivid, without being cartoonish. The character design feels grounded for a story that deals with the supernatural.

Lastly, the lettering, speech balloons, and captions never get in the way of the action on-page. They all fit seamlessly into the panels, even when Gina is narrating, which she does a lot, the pages and panels never feel crowded.

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