Shadowman: Deadside War from Valiant Entertainment is arguably the best thing to come out of the publisher since the pandemic. Why because it defies expectations while building on writer Cullen Bunn’s bibliography since Punk Mambo. Until recently, Shadowman didn’t have the most public face in the Valiant Universe. But by developing the unique voodoo magic system and challenging conventional comic structures something new arises.
Shadowman Background
For clarification Shadowman is the Valiant universe’s poster boy for the supernatural. In the classic “Valiant Comics” era he’s the saxophonist Jack Boniface who becomes a vampire. Wait nevermind, that’s just what it looks like at first glance. Some Coven actually picked him to be the latest Shadowman to fight the evil necromancer Master Darque.
Meanwhile fans of the Shadowman video games by Acclaim, might know Micheal LeRoi. Unlike classic Boniface, LeRoi’s the zombie hitman Zero (a.k.a. Shadow(space)Man). In the Acclaim era Garth Ennis makes the character an action-horror protagonist with guns. What; it was still the 90s. Also, Ennis and artist Ashley Wood introduce the Deadside and Shadowman’s role as a peacekeeper of the dead.
As for the Valiant Entertainment era, the two concepts are combined into the new Jack Boniface. Only the series didn’t catch on as well as series like Bloodshot or X-O Manowar. In fact, Shadowman disappears until Andy Diggle takes up the title by developing Jack and the source of his power. By finally coming to an understanding with the Shadow Loa of freedom Busou Kobalamin, Jack closes the book on Darque and restarts his life. But not before meeting some interesting characters like Punk Mambo.
Setting Up The Voodoo System
Before we go into more about Shadowman, we need to talk about Bunn’s Punk Mambo. To save time we’re only going to talk about the roles of Loa, Voodoo Priests, and the magic system. At the core of Valiant’s Voodoo magic is the duality of the living and the dead. Normally the Loa and other spirits ride mortals, with most priests revering the Loa for this. But that might have to be because Loa tend to influence who they ride. Punk meanwhile represents a complementary opposite where the she “rides” the Loa and influence them. This concept expands in Shadowman: Deadside War.
Shadowman: Deadside War Prologue
In Cullen Bunn’s Shadowman, all of the lore from before ties together for a grand epic. Jack’s settling into his life as Shadowman with the help of death Loa Baron Samedi. But things aren’t going quite right and not just because Jack would rather play his saxophone. I mean Clayton Cowles makes a good sheet music presentation to show how good Jack is. The Deadside is manifesting blights by influencing people and spirits to give into their darkest desires.
Over the first four issues, Bunn would evenly pace the growing threat Shadowman faces. Each foe made in the sinister details of Jon Davis-Hunt herald the coming of the Deadside Loa. Bunn presents the Deadside as this force of nature ready to shake the world to its core. So much so that Jack can no longer follow his usual formula.
War Doesn’t Mean Crossovers
Shadowman: Deadside War has a lot riding on it with just its title. When comparing it to several of Marvel’s recent creator-driven crossover events like War of the Realms, expectations are high. Unfortunately Valiant couldn’t afford to imitate Marvel’s formula due to budget restraints. For the general audience that means no tie-in issues or spin-offs that define crossover events. But… this actually services Deadside War by giving it a clear focus and a change in status quo that lasts.
Shadowman: Deadside War Is Aspirational
Since the early chapters of this arc, Bunn’s attempt at a new direction feels challenged at every turn. Jack tries to solve the issues of the Blights and his coven through diplomacy. If he and the Shadow Loa can coexist, why can’t the Deadside do the same with how she rides the world? But the Deadside is influenced by the mortal world’s vices and misery to have the living world switch places with it. It’s an ideological conflict that only heightens with the return of the Abettors Coven led by Jack’s love interest Alyssa Myles. While Alyssa and the Abettors mean well, they don’t exactly approve of going outside of what worked in the past. By the time the Deadside War commences, the only risks they take are meant to return the status quo.
There are times when Jack believes his actions are for nothing and the readers can feel his hopelessness. Seeing a couple of Jordie Bellaire’s muted colored Valiant superhero cameos also helps with that. How can leading by example help anybody when there’s no trust and everyone only cares about their self-interests? But in some simple yet effective illustrations by Pedro Andreo, the Shadow Loa gives a good shake to readers in doubt. It encourages introspection and rereading of Bunn’s Valiant catalogue for the answer to a puzzle.
Because It Thinks Outside The Box
The key feels like that needle in the haystack that feels genuinely satisfying to figure out. It’s not just the inclusion of Punk Mambo or her magic, or successfully overcoming the Deadside. It’s about the full understanding of Voodoo’s duality to uncover a solution. For obvious reasons I won’t spoil the ending. The open-ended nature of this decision feels like not a conclusion but the beginning of a new chapter. Who knows how the development will affect events down the line and what it will cost. At the very least Book of Shadows will continue Bunn’s epic.
Overall for building upon Shadowman arcs, the magic system, great pacing, and sticking to themes Cullen Bunn’s Shadowman gets 8.5/10. Hey some people won’t like the change in artists.
Thanks for coming to the end and as always remember to look between the panels.
[…] Valiant Entertainment is a very special feature. One on hand, the writer Cullen Bunn continues his Shadowman epic. But in addition, he includes the Valiant Universe’s other supernaturals. Not limited to […]