Writer – Cullen Bunn
Artist – Giovanni Timpano
Colours – Marco Lesko
Letters – Simon Bowland

Cullen Bun and Giovanni Timpano wrap up the mystery of The Last Illusion, that dreaded secret that has brought murder and chaos to the lives of those associated with the magic world. It is a secret so great that Houdini returned from the dead to deliver it to his wife, one that could mean the return of real magic to the world and one that many would kill for. As for The Shadow, he means to keep that private affair what it is after learning of it and to protect his friend’s legacy from all those who would tarnish it. This second volume starring The Shadow from Dynamite is a good one, something a little different from the norm and it is a story that has seen the hero tested to his limits as masters of illusion and trickery try to best the man. The Shadow has had to use every bit of his training and repertoire against these crooks as they are like no other and it has tested him as much as anything in this life. The story and the artwork have been appropriately moody, lending the book an air of horror and mystery that complemented its noir roots and made it a real joy to read from one issue to the next. One question that rears its head is why did Houdini return to tell his wife at all? Why not just keep the secret where none could claim it? There is a finality to the grave that few can traverse, if any, and instead, by telling it to the living, it simply put his wife in danger, which thankfully The Shadow was able to do something about. It is the only bit of faulty logic to be found in the book, a conundrum that obviously cannot be solved but it would have been nice to have that extra little bit of context explained at some point. Putting that aside though, it made for a very entertaining story filled with a lot of great action courtesy of Bunn and Timpano, not to mention making it all a bit of a challenge for The Shadow, something he does not usually have when running up against the normal sort of crooks he meets in everyday life. It is a bit of a shame that this book could not have kept on running instead of being a miniseries but such as it is equals a win for everyone involved in its creation.

3.5 out of 5