The Shadow 1941: Hilter’s Astrologer
Hardcover
Written by Denny O’Neil
Illustrated by Michael Kaluta
Colored by Mark Chiarello, Nick Jainschigg, John Wellington
Lettered by Phil Felix
Re-Mastered by Mike Kelleher
Cover by Michael Kaluta
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: December 10, 2013
Cover Price: $19.99

Re-mastered from a 1988 graphic novel, The Shadow 1941 finds The Shadow and his network of resources trying to save a young woman, and the world, from the malevolent Nazi threat! As the mystery of this woman’s connection to the Nazi war-machine unravels, Lamont Cranson must stop at nothing to save this woman, because doing so will also avert a cataclysmic turn in the war.

While the actual book was written in 1988, Michael Kaluta’s art feels like it came from the pulp-pages of a 1940s book. The tone of the art sets the mood for the noir-world of The Shadow. I don’t know how this is possible, but the artwork captures the same feel of the old-time Shadow radio program. Katula’s ability shines in these pages.

Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt #1
Written by Steve Darnall & Alex Ross
Art by Jonathan Lau
Colors by Vinicius Andrade
Letters by Simon Bowland
Covers by Alex Ross, John Cassaday, Jae Lee & Ardian Syaf
Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt Ashcan
Foreword by Mark Waid
Written & Illustrated by Pete Morisi
Colored by Mike Kelleher
Pete’s Dragon
Written by Steve Darnall
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: September 5, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt #1 is probably one, if not THE MOST, original super hero story that you’ll read this year. Hands down, bar none. It’s a great change of pace from the “normal” super hero genre books that are being published right now. In short, pretty sure you’re gonna enjoy this one.

Where the heck has writer Steve Darnall been? I read a LOT of comics, ladies and gentlemen, but I haven’t seen his name in a looooooong time. And that’s a shame. In fact, after an exhausting internet search, I can’t find anything credited to him since 1999. Again, really a shame. I absolutely LOVED this book and so will you. It’s quite different from a lot of first issues, there’s no book length long origin, no “I shall be called THUNDERBOLT” moment, but there are panels and inner monologue that give us small clips and snippets of an origin, and the rest pretty much takes care of itself.