He might know what evil lurks in the hearts of men, but how will The Shadow cope when the ruthless Red Empress stirs up trouble among the Tongs and threatens the life of his beloved assistant and friend-with-benefits Margo Lane? It seems like a simple enough mission at first – a shipping heiress goes missing and The Shadow sets out to find her, certain that he is entering the Red Empress’s trap. But is it The Shadow or Margo who is the Empress’s true target, and even if he can locate Margo before the Empress destroys her, nothing will prepare The Shadow for what the Empress has done to his paramour’s mind. It is a journey that takes The Shadow from mainland China to New York’s Chinatown, and to a violent showdown on a freighter that will change The Shadow’s life forever.
The Shadow has had an interesting career since his first magazine appearance in 1931 (although his ‘voice’ was first heard on Detective Story Hour almost a year earlier) but it’s hard to recall another story arc that has so dramatically shaken up Lamont Cranston/The Shadow’s world. The Shadow: The Death of Margo Lane is pitch-perfect pulp storytelling that is packed with action and intrigue, even if Matt Wagner’s writing is a lot more successful than his artwork. This is purely a personal response – other reviewers have gone out of their way to praise Wagner’s illustration – but, although his depiction of The Shadow is undoubtedly faithful, Wagner’s portrayal of other characters (especially Margo) feels arch and unsatisfying, and prevents this instalment from becoming a true classic. In fact, ironically, it’s Margo’s character that is by far the most problematic element in this story. Wagner has her personality nailed throughout the first issue (this was originally published as a five-issue series) but she loses a lot of her agency when she reappears later in the adventure, and the before-end-credits twist doesn’t carry the emotional punch it should. There’s also a reveal during the final confrontation with the Red Empress that feels unnecessarily tacked on, and may not make much sense to The Shadow’s hardcore fans.
Still, it’s great to see The Shadow back in his vintage pre-World War Two universe, and despite its flaws, this latest excursion is very welcome indeed.
THE SHADOW: THE DEATH OF MARGO LANE / AUTHOR: MATT WAGNER / ARTIST: BRENNAN WAGNER / PUBLISHER: DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
