SHADOWMAN #8 – Review

SHADOWMAN #8, from Valiant Entertainment on April 13th, 2022, concludes the Shadow War event with a long-shot plan by Jack and the Abettors to put the Deadside back where it belongs using an unlikely partnership.

The Details

• Written By: Cullen Bunn
• Art By: Pedro Andreo, Álvaro de Miguel
• Colors By: Jordie Bellaire
• Letters By: Clayton Cowles
• Cover Art By: Jon Davis-Hunt
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: April 13, 2022

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Was It Good?

SHADOWMAN #8 isn’t a good comic. It’s one of the best comics Valiant has on the market and this is possibly the best ending to an event that rivals (or exceeds) any event out from any publisher right now. If you’re not reading this series, shame on you. SHAME!

It’s hard to know where to even begin after the stellar issue #7. Jack and the Abettors (with a little help from Punk Mambo) can’t beat Deadside in a straight fight, so they’ve opted for an end-around tactic that works… almost… and adds in a little twist in the end for good measure.

Bunn is writing his ass off in this series (sorry, children), and the results speak for themselves. The plan is clever. Each of the main characters has a distinctive voice that gives the cast an eclectic vibe (due in part to Clayton Cowles’s excellent lettering), and the conclusion feels satisfying even though it doesn’t end the way most readers and the cast of characters expected. In terms of plot, pacing, and dialog, there’s not an obvious flaw to be found.

If there’s a nitpick to be had… a very minor nitpick… it’s the lack of development of the Abettors. Giving each Abettor adequate page space to develop would split the narrative in too many directions to keep the story cohesive, but it feels weird having a team present that’s so pivotal to the final battle when readers know almost nothing about them.

Andreo, de Miguel, Bellaire, and the aforementioned Cowles turn in phenomenal work in this issue. Most of the pages are pure supernatural displays of power in multiple forms, and the spells complement each other and fit stylistically into the vibe of the book without looking gaudy or noisy. The magic flows, and this is a visually brilliant comic that blends gritty darkness and bright energy.

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]

First, catch up on how the first half of the war turned out in our SHADOWMAN #7 review.

We begin with a brief montage of Valiant’s heroes all doing their part to save the Earth, but the Deadside’s armies are too much to stop. Following up on his announced plan at the end of the last issue, Jack, Punk Mambo, and the Abettors enter the Deadside to try for an exorcism. However, it’s not your Grandma’s brand of exorcism.

The Pantheon has sworn not to obstruct Deadside (personified in human form) but they know enough not to get in Jack’s way. Using a massive merging spell, the Pantheon temporarily merge with Punk Mambo and the Abettros to increase their powers while they attempt to purge the humanity from the Deadside, severing Deadside’s human form from the source of its power and pulling all the dead back.

Deadside sense the exorcism underway and sends her/its army back through the blights to stop the Abettors. We conclude the issue with a taste of humanity, remaining scars, and a new mission.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.

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