Shadowman #5

Shadowman #5 initiates the long-awaited Deadside War, a culmination of writer and horror maestro Cullen Bunn’s groundwork in the preceding four issues of Shadowman. What struck me as intriguing and rather cool was how Bunn cleverly employed the dialogue between Alyssa and Jack to gently jog readers’ memories of the previous events, considering the considerable gap between the fourth and fifth issues (at least three months, given that I read an early version back in October and forgot to review it).

Naturally, since I read an unfinished version, I didn’t have the opportunity to witness Jordie Bellaire’s final coloring work until this week. It was an arduous wait, I must admit, but it proved to be well worth it.

This comic, written by Bunn, with art by Pedro Andreo and colors by Jordie Bellaire, stands head and shoulders above Valiant’s recent publications, and can confidently be counted among the best comics currently hitting the shelves. In my opinion (and despite receiving review copies, I still purchase this series), Shadowman surpasses everything else being published at the moment. It’s hard for me to convey just how much I adore this book without succumbing to excessive hyperbole, but simply flipping through its pages will provide a glimpse of its brilliance. Andreo’s artwork in this issue is truly awe-inspiring, and while Bellaire undoubtedly contributes significantly to its allure, Andreo’s foundation provides the colorist with an exceptional canvas to craft layers of subtle hues and shades that guide your eyes across each page.