SHADOWMAN has been an iconic staple in the superhero community since 1992, though few outside of the fan army remember him with the same tenacity as his more famous Marvel and DC counterparts. Flickering in and out of the spotlight, Valiant's own flagship superhero was at one point selling 100,000 comic books a month, rivaling that of Batman and Superman and penned by some the greatest in the industry, like Garth Ennis, Frank Miller and Steve Ditko. But, as many publishers found themselves in the early 2000s, Valiant's owner company, Acclaim, shut down all production in anticipation of bankruptcy and singlehandedly ended the careers of not just SHADOWMAN, but the entire Valiant universe.

In 2007, a group of comic professionals bought up the rights to the entire Valiant comic library and re-launched* all of the former titles. Ladies and germs, I present to you, the brand-spanking new SHADOWMAN! A hero for the new millennium, he is part man, part voodoo magic, all ass-kicking demon slayer! Oh yes, he's back, and he is back with vengeance.

The new SHADOWMAN starts quick and dirty, greeting us with a splash page of maniacal ghosts spiraling out of the realm of the dead and into the middle of downtown New Orleans. The original SHADOWMAN, in defiance of his pregnant wife's request, shows up amid a hail of gunfire and blasts all the spirits to kingdom come, but at the cost of falling into the spirit world himself. Two decades later, we are introduced to Jack Boniface, son of SHADOWMAN who, like any good superhero successor, is now an orphan and unaware of his most powerful destiny. While he spends his time working at a museum and researching his parents, an ancient and violent demon has found his way to Earth and has completely obliterated an entire bar. The creepy self-named demon, Mr. Twist—now freshly adorned in the flesh of a few dozen people and two cops—announces the coming of his master and begins to clear a safe landing path to Earth, starting with the son of SHADOWMAN. As Jack's destiny becomes clearer, strange creatures (both human and not) come out of the woodwork and muck up what seemed like such a quiet, normal life.

SHADOWMAN #1 is a fantastic continuation of an already strong superhero legacy, proving that even characters once tossed to the fates of the fandom gods can come back better than ever. It also shows that superheroes and horror can not only get along, but make comics that appeal to fans of both sides. Author Justin Jordan does a great job of balancing magic, muscles and mayhem while delicately handling the matter of rebooting such a huge figure to a new audience. The art, by long-standing industry artist Patrick Zircher, adds depth to the large, demonic fight scenes and sexy, sexy ladies, crafting a whole new image of this classic title. An eerie, demonic, face-smashing good time, SHADOWMAN is worth your time whether returning to the fold, or a newcomer.  

*Valiant is also rebooting the likes of Bloodshot and Harbinger. If you've been missing your early 90s superheroes, keep your eyes peeled.

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