The new Valiant, or we should just say Valiant, has been on a roll of late releasing all of their properties slowly but surely with top writers and artists.  Included among that list is Shadowman written by Justin Jordan and drawn by Patrick Zircher.  They have taken the property and kept what worked best and added their own elements to make it a book filled with magic, action and intrigue.

Volume 2 finds Jack Boniface tired of the fight he has barely began.  And when reality comes crashing down, he decides to take matters into his own hands and end it once and for all.  Aided by the Lord of the Dead, Baron Samedi, as well as his companions Alyssa and Dox they invade the Deadside to put a stop to Master Darque no matter the cost.

The old Shadowman title was a great book and remained so for most of its duration, but the current incarnation finds the action ramped up which makes for a nice change of pace.  Zircher’s pencils are appropriately moody unlike some of his previous gigs like his run on Iron Man.  They also seem looser so he is able to play with shadow and shading far more than he usually does.  There was a little scepticism at first with Zircher being announced as the artist on the book, but it seems to have worked out perfectly as he is doing some the best work of his career.

Justin Jordon seems to be having fun writing this as well, as it is tightly paced as we move from issue to issue.  Every scene has a purpose to the overall story and there is not any filler to be found which is a good thing, as a lot of writers, at least for the Big Two, like to pad their stories for the eventual trade.  Here, everything is essential and interesting to boot.  The voodoo mythology is nicely interwoven among the history and legacy of the Shadowman character, and we get a real sense of importance while reading it.  Another nice addition to this volume was the introduction of Doctor Mirage, now a woman, and hopefully a character that will spinoff into a title of her own as in her short appearance, Jordan has made her one of the most interesting figures in the book.

As the book moves forward, it is hopeful that Justin Jordan and Patrick Zircher keep the book on course.  The direction is a fun one and keeps the reader engaged the whole way.  Another great job by Valiant!

4 out of 5