Shadowman #5
Valiant
Writer: Andy Diggle
Artist: Doug Braithwaite
The latest arc in the Shadowman series is exploring the history of the Loa spirit that gives Jack Boniface his abilities. The spirit has possessed ancestors of Jack and fought injustice throughout time. A former Union soldier possessed with the shadow Loa is the protagonist of this chapter. The veteran is now a simple farmer in 1875 who wants to give up his life of violence. A Voodoo practitioner calls on this Boniface for protection interrupting that escape.
Much like Jack, this Boniface seems to fear the Shadow Loa and struggles to maintain control. There is reluctance from this Boniface to be a hero anymore. The veteran learns that his former lover is in control of the miners. After the revelation, the veteran decides to intervene.
That connection ends up being one of the more interesting parts of a pretty standard revenge story set in a post-Civil War West. One of the big villains of the Valiant universe is directly connected to the lover. I have to confess that while I did read Valiant when it launched in the 90’s, I have not done so until recently. That means that some of the characters I recognize might not mean the same as they once did. I still think the lover is a pretty big deal though. Most other characters are there simply to drive the narrative forward. The main villain is a stereotypical villain in western films. He is a racist, somewhat ignorant Confederate veteran who gained power through cruelty. The villain does little to the story except provide a need for revenge from the Union veteran Boniface. The story is a simple revenge tale of a reluctant man who has sworn of violence similar to Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven. If not for the hook of the Shadow Loa it would be somewhat forgettable.
In the last issue, the story was told through the narration of Jack who was sharing the body of his ancestor. In this issue, we get no narration from Jack. Instead, the story is narrated through a letter that is sent to an unknown recipient. I was a little disappointed in that at times. The reveal of the lover, for example, lacked from not getting Jack’s reaction. For those who might not recognize the character, it would have given context. Last issue we experienced Jack’s awe at how the ancestor was in control of his Loa. In the current issue, we can only guess at how he feels a familiarity in fearing his Loa. It is an interesting idea having the written letter, but it had some major drawbacks. The art has a realism style that works well for the setting. The idea of this issue’s Shadowman being in a Union uniform was a terrific idea. The grounded look fit it well. Artist Doug Braithwaite does a fine job. His expressions only go from screaming to stoic, however. Both expressions are done well but I would like more variation in his faces. Braithwaite just needs to practice on adding some tools to his toolbox.
The other spot that the realism falls apart was in the fights. The violence involved is graphic and highly exaggerated. When the violence reaches such a ridiculous level it is hard to bring in grounded realism. It felt a little off. There are still some great looking moments in the book. The ritualistic opening of a slave calling on the protection of the Shadowman showed that Braithwaite has skills. The colors of Jose Villorrubia ignored heavy shadows and contrasting colors to try and add to the realism of the issue. It felt washed out at times, but for most of the issue worked well.
This issue does introduce an interesting character and twist which are the strongest parts of the book. The story and villains are simple and forgettable. The book is good but there is nothing here that had me feeling impressed. I would give this one a pass if you are not a big Shadowman fan.
Shadowman #5
This issue has some great reveals in the past of Jack Boniface's family line. The setting and subject fit a variation on Shadoman very well. This book is done terrifically but did not feel like a must-read. If you are a fan of Shadowman this will be a satisfying issue. If you are not you might feel a bit lost and underwhelmed. You will want to give this one a pass if you are not committed to the series.
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