Writer – Dennis O’Neil
Artist – Mike Kaluta

The second issue of The Shadow starts off with a deal that is not all on the up and up as they say, a criminal affair which is soon interrupted by a clown called the Harlequin. Not only that, while Harlequin looks to make off with one side of the former deal, The Shadow shows up to put a stop to it all though he ultimately fails to do so. This leads to a phone call with Margo Lane and a circus called the Sorber Carnival where she will go undercover to try and suss out this Harlequin and what motives he might have for the Alamite the statue is made of. Getting a job with the carnival, Margo begins her investigation and meets all sorts of characters, most of them belonging to the freak show which is held there and it is hard to tell just which one of them is the guilty party responsible but she aims to find out. Written by Dennis O’Neil and illustrated by Mike Kaluta, this issue is a step up in every way from the previous book and it makes for a very entertaining read, especially given the beautiful pencils by Kaluta whose work just flows from one page to the next as naturally as a person might breath. This ends up being a darker tale than the last with some in the carnival being cut down by the villain and eventually, the Shadow gathers everyone in one place so that he might reveal what he knows to all those assembled, the man himself also having been undercover as one of the freaks. O’Neil knows how to keep readers on the edge of their seats though and so everything does not go as smoothly as the good guys would like though to be fair, The Shadow has to know that it would not. In the end, the book concludes as it should with the villains getting their comeuppance and The Shadow standing tall. There is a lot to love about this issue, from the opening page that introduces the cast of characters, to a motley lot that immediately intrigues and makes the reader want to delve right into the investigation at the carnival by Margo Lane which was fantastic to see. While it is a good thing to see The Shadow bring his wrath down upon the cowards who dare to commit crimes within his city, it is just as good to see the supporting characters like Margo take the spotlight and get the chance to shine. A great setting, a strong story and some incredible artwork make this issue of The Shadow a win on all fronts.

4 out of 5