BOOK OF SHADOWS #4, from Valiant Entertainment on February 22nd, 2023, ends the crossover event between Shadowman and his allies against Exarch Fane.
The Details
- Written by: Cullen Bunn
- Art by: Vicente Cifuentes
- Colors by: Nick Filardi
- Letters by: Dave Sharpe
- Cover art by: Rafael Albuquerque (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: February 22, 2023
Is It Good?
BOOK OF SHADOWS #4 delivers a solid conclusion for a “just okay” crossover event starring the collective of Valiant’s supernatural heroes. If that sounds like unenthusiastic praise, it’s because this crossover lacks the one thing that would turn it from good to great – a wow moment. Let’s get into it.
When last we left the Shadowmates (still wordsmithing that nickname), they were surrounded by werewolves, demons, and vampires on all sides. Now, Exarch Fane, recognizing the Book of Shadows contains too much power for him to wield on his own, makes a play for a partner while the rest of the team fights the apocalypse on different fronts.
As per usual, Cullen Bunn’s script is rock solid. With a steady pace and excellent dialog, every character gets a moment to shine as the story moves like the wind. The character “voices” are distinctive, and the plot takes a twist and turn or two until the conflict ends with a reasonably satisfying conclusion.
When we say there’s no wow factor, that doesn’t mean there aren’t creative visual moments or big hits. It means there aren’t any surprises or emotional gut punches to give the story weight. The plot amounts to “punch, punch, punch, secret weapon punch, the end.” No disrespect is intended to the creative team for their efforts, but the plot is simplistic, Excarch Fane is a shockingly one-dimensional villain, and the resolution puts all the characters right back where they were before this crossover started. Nothing was gained, nothing was lost, and very little will be remembered.
Likewise, the art by Cifuentes and Filardi is rock-solid, but it feels very small. Most of the panels are medium shots, which negates how big Exarch Fane’s world-ending attack is supposed to be. You never get the feeling this conflict is anything bigger than a brawl localized to the size of somebody’s backyard. It’s likely that time and cost played a factor in the art output, but the “smallness” of the finale contributes to the lack of impact.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our BOOK OF SHADOWS #3 review to find out what happened to Doctor Mirage and Gilead.
We begin mid-battle with Persephone running for her life from vampirized Punk Mambo and Shadowman. Fortunately, the Loa spirits inhabiting both heroes aren’t fond of vampire essence infringing on their territory, so the Loas push the vampire infection out, allowing Punk Mambo and Shadowman the freedom to fight against the monster army.
Elsewhere, Gilead and Doctor Mirage find themselves accosted by scores of souls who’ve died at Exarch Fane’s hands. The souls were absorbed to write more pages in the Book of Shadows and grow Exarch’s power. However, the souls want revenge for what Exarch did to them, and Doctor Mirage comes up with a mutually beneficial solution.
We conclude the issue, and the crossover, with Light against Shadow, an offer rejected, and the dawn of a new day.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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BOOK OF SHADOWS #4 ends the crossover event with a simple, straightforward brawl that saves the world and puts all the characters back where they were. While the story feels complete with very good art, nothing memorable happens, and the overall conclusion feels small.
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