SHADOWMAN #6 – Review

SHADOWMAN #6, from Valiant Entertainment on February 16th, 2022, pits Jack Boniface against more monsters from the Deadside when an old ally and the new Abettors arrive to help.

The Details

• Written By: Cullen Bunn
• Art By: Pedro Andreo
• Colors By: Jordie Bellaire
• Letters By: Clayton Cowles
• Cover Art By: Jon Davis-Hunt (cover A)
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: February 16, 2022

Wait! Don’t Forget To Sign Up For The Comical Opinions Newsletter.

Was It Good?

SHADOWMAN #6 does one thing exceptionally well in an already stellar series. It ends with a game-changing cliffhanger that feels epic in every sense of the word.

Shadowman is probably the only hit Valiant has going right now with good reason. Bunn keeps churning out creepy, entertaining issues without missing a beat. Issue #6 is no exception because Bunn consistently manages to tell an efficient, episodic story contained in one issue while interweaving touchpoints for the greater arc to make readers feel satisfied while building towards a larger goal.

The plot here puts Jack on the trail of a blight erupting from an abandoned hospital; the perfect locale for haunted shenanigans. The proceedings happen directly and quickly, but Bunn also manages to work in the re-introduction of Punk Mambo (she’s on the cover) to the Shadowman universe.

Again, this comic succeeds by giving readers a complete and satisfying sense of movement on the arc while simultaneously giving readers a complete story on a smaller scale. That said, the tipping point here is a (very, super, monumentally) big cliffhanger of an ending. No spoilers here, so read through to the next section if you want more detail.

Not that Bunn’s writing needs any help, but the story is elevated further by Andreo’s wispy art. Every (non-human) character has an ethereal or ghostly element to them that evokes the supernatural through Andreo’s style. Spookiness prevails on every page, and it fits the story material to a tee.

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]

If you’re unsure how the Deadside manifested in human form, first read our SHADOWMAN #5 review.

We begin with Jack Boniface aka Shadowman approaching a long-abandoned hospital emanating dark energy, indicating a blight has formed at its heart. Inside, a ghastly surgeon has been kidnapping, killing, and surgically altering humans to act as hosts for demons crossing through the blight. Jack is still hopeful he can broker a peace to prevent a Deadside invasion, but his speech falls on deaf ears.

The monsters attack and Jack is forced to use his scythe and start cutting them down, when suddenly, Deadside arrives to confront Jack. She/It is impervious to Jack’s attacks and quickly overpowers him. When all seems lost, the Abettors arrive with a freshly reacquainted Punk Mambo who cast a spell to temporarily drive the dark forces back.

We conclude the issue with an escape, an explosive exit, and a clear view that a massive Deadside invasion has already begun.

As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.