Dynamite is proud to announce that beloved pulp-era
crime-fighter will appear for the first time in the modern age in the upcoming
The Shadow Now comic book series.
Mystery/thriller novelist David Liss, whose previous comic book
credentials include Black Panther and Mystery Men from Marvel and Dynamite's
The Spider, will usher the classic character into present day New York City
with the assistance of talented artist Colton Worley. The first chapter in this six-issue
miniseries is slated for release in October, featuring cover artwork by Tim
Bradstreet (Punisher) and interior artist Colton Worley.
In The Shadow Now, the greatest pulp hero of all returns
to New York City in modern times, having spent decades in the mystical East to
rejuvenate himself. Lamont Cranston
seeks to resume his old life, and his heroic alter-ego is ready to stand once
more as an enemy to evil. But while he
was gone, his foes have remained vigilant, and the most dangerous man The
Shadow has ever faced prepares to rise once more.
"The Shadow is, without doubt, one of the coolest
pulp characters of all time, so I was thrilled to get a chance to add something
to the legend," says the critically acclaimed David Liss, whose first
book, A Conspiracy of Paper, won the coveted 2001 Edgar Award from the Mystery
Writers of America for Best First Novel.
"While we are working within the long and storied tradition of
Shadow adventures, I think we're also doing something original with this
character, and that's always a great combination. I was especially happy when I heard Colton
would be doing the art for this miniseries.
His art is stunning, and a perfect fit for our neo-pulp tone. This story is dark and moody, which I think a
Shadow story should be, but I think we're also portraying a very human and
fallible version of the man behind the mask.
Fans who have followed The Shadow in comics over the years are going to
be very interested to see how we run with what's come before this."
The Shadow began its existence in 1930 as a narrative
voice on the Street and Smith radio program Detective Story Hour. The audience thrilled to the serialized
adventures of this mysterious figure, whose mythos expanded to include
Occidental mysticism, hypnotic powers over weak criminal minds, and twin .45
caliber handguns. With a keen intellect
and relentless drive, The Shadow hunted criminals without mercy in an era when
gumshoe detectives and bootlegging mobsters was a thrilling yet fearsome
reality. The character's popularity has
endured for over 80 years, bolstered by appearances in radio serials, novels,
comic books, films, and more. In recent
years, Dynamite published a groundbreaking and well-received ongoing Shadow
series launched by comic writer Garth Ennis (Preacher).
David Liss has written comic books for Marvel and
Dynamite, including Black Panther, Mystery Men, and The Spider. He is also the author of five novels, with
more on the way. His debut novel, A
Conspiracy of Paper (2000) with its hero, the pugilist-turned-private
investigator Benjamin Weaver, was named a New York Times Notable Book and won
him the 2001 Barry, MacAvity, and Edgar awards for Best First Novel. David's second novel, The Coffee Trader,
(2003) was also named a New York Times Notable Book and was selected by the New
York Public Library as one of the year's 25 Books to Remember. His third novel A Spectacle of Corruption
(2004), the sequel to A Conspiracy of Paper, became a national bestseller.
David's fourth novel, The Ethical Assassin (2006) is his first full-length work
that is not historical fiction. David's
most recent novel, The Whiskey Rebels, is set in 1790′s Philadelphia and New
York. The third Benjamin Weaver novel, The Devil's Company, arrived in stores
in late 2009.
"David Liss is one of those writers who just
naturally understands pulp noir," says Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of
Dynamite. "He understand the feel
of it, the chills down the spine, that paranoid feeling that danger lurks at
every turn. The whole idea behind The
Shadow Now is that, despite all our advances, the world can still feel that way
-- there's still evil lurking in the hearts of men, and only The Shadow knows
how to deal with it. David can perfectly
capture that old-time Shadow spirit, the foreboding and menace, the kind that
would terrorize even today's criminal element."
The Shadow Now #1 is being offered in the August 2013
Previews catalog, the premiere source of merchandise for the comic book
specialty market, with an intended street date of October 2013.
