Writer – Cullen Bunn
Artist – Giovanni Timpano
Colours – Marco Lesko
Letters – Rob Steen

With this latest issue of The Shadow, Cullen Bunn ties in H.P. Lovecraft to Houdini and the mystery of the Last Illusion, that little bit of magic that everyone and their dog seems hell-bent on obtaining. As long as The Shadow is in the mix though, nobody will gain that whisper of a spell and Houdini will keep his secrets in the grave with him. Attending a magic show in Los Angeles, The Shadow is there to prevent a war between the two magician factions that are looking to gain the Last Illusion. It is of course, easier said than done and before the end of the night; The Shadow will find himself in a bit of a bind. With Giovanni Timpano on pencils, he and Bunn deliver an action-packed tale filled with magic and mystery, not to mention a good dose of noir for a little added punch. While it might seem an odd fit, pairing the down-to-earth, street-level hero with the magical realm, it works perfectly and the book has been utterly captivating from issue to issue. The Shadow himself is able to confuse and cloud men’s minds, a sort of magic in itself, making this tale all the more fitting. The Sandman makes his return, the man called the magician’s assassin, and he and The Shadow end up in battle like the last time they met, though this time around, the tide has turned and they now find themselves at risk of losing their lives. The book is dark and moody and Timpano fills the story with shadow and menace, making it seem as if anything can happen at any moment. What remains to be seen is how The Shadow will be able to stop either faction of magicians. The easiest thing to do would be to somehow broker an amicable peace treaty, though that seems far-fetched at the moment. More than likely, his guns will measure out what is needed to bring this conflict to an end. It is good to see that Dynamite had remained committed to publishing The Shadow with this book during the year of its’ release, cementing any of their fears in doing so. Bunn is an excellent storyteller and this particular title to bear the name of The Shadow has been nothing short of excellent.

4 out of 5