The Shadow 1941: Hitler's Astrologer HCPublisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: December 10, 2013
Price: $19.99
Writer: Denny O'Neil
Artist: Mike Kaluta
Format: 200 pgs., Full Color, Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-6069-0429-9
Age Rating: Teen+
ICv2 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
In his crusade against the forces of evil The Shadow has mostly dealt with threats on the domestic front. But on the eve of America's entry into WWII he and his band of operatives leave behind the mad men and gangsters of New York City to go flying halfway around the world to conduct a private war against the very heart of evil: Nazi Germany.
The Shadow is a notoriously difficult character to get right, especially in comics, where it's hard making fighting rank and file criminals seems all that visually interesting. It's also hard to create an opponent substantial enough to face him without swerving entirely into the territory of complete fantasy. Which is why pitting him against the Nazi war machine is so perfect.
And while there are those who will undoubtedly say otherwise, The Shadow is definitely a character who's utterly dependent on his original milieu, who should never be updated; the period details are an intrinsic part of its appeal. Denny O'Neil and Mike Kaluta understood all of this which is why their graphic novel The Shadow 1941: Hitler's Astrologer is the perfect encapsulation of the character and his world. It's a been twenty years since its original publication and as far as I'm concerned no one has been able to better it. This is essential reading for any comic fan.
--Steve Bennett: Writer and retail services consultant.
