The Return of Shadowman

[Thegreatmagnet]

Is anyone else excited for the new Shadowman book next year? I figure he's been running around the Deadside for years kicking *SQUEE*, so he should now be a total badass. Also he's gotta be *SQUEE* at Master Darque.
I'd love to see a book where he returns to the Deadside and hunts Darque for some payback. Meanwhile, Punk Mambo has to teach him how to keep control and ride the loa.

[Shadowman99]

Is anyone else excited for the new Shadowman book next year? I figure he's been running around the Deadside for years kicking *SQUEE*, so he should now be a total badass. Also he's gotta be *SQUEE* at Master Darque.
I'd love to see a book where he returns to the Deadside and hunts Darque for some payback. Meanwhile, Punk Mambo has to teach him how to keep control and ride the loa.

I've been excited for the new Shadowman issue since issue #1 hit the shelf Has there been some official annoucement about a new comic coming next year that I missed?

Last I saw of Jack though was in Ninjak when he was sitting in MI6's little magical prison feeling sorry for himself, so based on what I know I don't think he'll have been running around the Deadside 'levelling up' But I need to catch up on my reading, so maybe I've missed something recent

I think I'd be happiest if the whole 'struggle to control the Loa' thing was over now. That's occupied pretty much every comic to date and especially with Milligan's take on it has become really, really stale for me. I'm ready to move on with an 'in control' Jack so the character can develop more from there, which is badly needed. His powerset hasn't even been properly established yet for God's sake, so that'd be good to work into the comic fairly quickly.

[Keith]

It's interesting... Dinesh hinted at a "big return" in the next Ninjak arc. When I consider candidates on who that might be, my mind goes to Jack Boniface.

[Watchtower]

Is anyone else excited for the new Shadowman book next year? I figure he's been running around the Deadside for years kicking *SQUEE*, so he should now be a total badass. Also he's gotta be *SQUEE* at Master Darque.
I'd love to see a book where he returns to the Deadside and hunts Darque for some payback. Meanwhile, Punk Mambo has to teach him how to keep control and ride the loa.

I've been excited for the new Shadowman issue since issue #1 hit the shelf Has there been some official annoucement about a new comic coming next year that I missed?

Last I saw of Jack though was in Ninjak when he was sitting in MI6's little magical prison feeling sorry for himself, so based on what I know I don't think he'll have been running around the Deadside 'levelling up' But I need to catch up on my reading, so maybe I've missed something recent

I think I'd be happiest if the whole 'struggle to control the Loa' thing was over now. That's occupied pretty much every comic to date and especially with Milligan's take on it has become really, really stale for me. I'm ready to move on with an 'in control' Jack so the character can develop more from there, which is badly needed. His powerset hasn't even been properly established yet for God's sake, so that'd be good to work into the comic fairly quickly.

What I really like about Kindt's take is that he firmly establishes a major character flaw for Jack: he's a massive doormat. He's genuinely surprised that Punk Mambo can control her loa, implying that he believed he had to let himself be fully corrupted to use its power, and Ninjak realizes that Darque's bonds were purely in Jack's head and that the only reason he never left was because he didn't know he could. To paraphrase Ninjak himself: "This is a man that hates the road he walks on, but feels forced to take it."

Now he's been left to brood in MI6 confinement. If someone can properly build on what Kindt started (assuming he doesn't do it himself), then I think we could have a solid redemption arc on our hands.

[QUARTZ]

I like where they left him, I think he was the best part of that Deadside arc, it'd be a shame not to pick up the character from there, cash in on his continuity. I'd be down for sure.

[TheeBaldMoose]

It's interesting... Dinesh hinted at a "big return" in the next Ninjak arc. When I consider candidates on who that might be, my mind goes to Jack Boniface.

I too have gotten some tweets regarding new books "that rhyme with ShadowCan and Pie-Lords".

Putting both of these together, maybe some solid news here for Shadowman in the Next Ninjak arc, then a launching of the new book?

Makes sense to me

[Keith]

It's interesting... Dinesh hinted at a "big return" in the next Ninjak arc. When I consider candidates on who that might be, my mind goes to Jack Boniface.

I too have gotten some tweets regarding new books "that rhyme with ShadowCan and Pie-Lords".

That's some right clever rhyming, there. Kudos to that braniac.

[TheeBaldMoose]

It's interesting... Dinesh hinted at a "big return" in the next Ninjak arc. When I consider candidates on who that might be, my mind goes to Jack Boniface.

I too have gotten some tweets regarding new books "that rhyme with ShadowCan and Pie-Lords".

That's some right clever rhyming, there. Kudos to that braniac.

..... connection made

[Keith]

It's interesting... Dinesh hinted at a "big return" in the next Ninjak arc. When I consider candidates on who that might be, my mind goes to Jack Boniface.

I too have gotten some tweets regarding new books "that rhyme with ShadowCan and Pie-Lords".

That's some right clever rhyming, there. Kudos to that braniac.

..... connection made

[nonplayer]

Best pod cast quote ever!
"Waaaaaa My bandage ropes hurt"

[chriskay99]

It's interesting... Dinesh hinted at a "big return" in the next Ninjak arc. When I consider candidates on who that might be, my mind goes to Jack Boniface.

I too have gotten some tweets regarding new books "that rhyme with ShadowCan and Pie-Lords".

That's some right clever rhyming, there. Kudos to that braniac.

..... connection made

Could be Gallowplan and Spy Cords?

[GammaJosh]

Darque's bonds were purely in Jack's head and that the only reason he never left was because he didn't know he could.

I'm sorry but I absolutely hated that ending. It really diminished the end of the original run in my opinion. And it further diminishes Darque. They already turned him into a tree after getting taken out by a kid in about half of a single issue. Darque should be the Doctor Doom of the Valiant Universe. They started him off with a pretty good build-up in Shadowman 1-9 (and 0 and 10), but man does he look like a patsy now.

Plus, why the hell is the shadow loa a big goofy looking pink thing now?

[Watchtower]

Darque's bonds were purely in Jack's head and that the only reason he never left was because he didn't know he could.

I'm sorry but I absolutely hated that ending. It really diminished the end of the original run in my opinion. And it further diminishes Darque. They already turned him into a tree after getting taken out by a kid in about half of a single issue. Darque should be the Doctor Doom of the Valiant Universe. They started him off with a pretty good build-up in Shadowman 1-9 (and 0 and 10), but man does he look like a patsy now.

Plus, why the hell is the shadow loa a big goofy looking pink thing now?

End Times already *SQUEE* Shadowman by having him drive off his love interest, go Revenge Before Reason on his dad, and then give himself up to Darque. And the way I see Darque's bonds is that they were real at some point only to vanish when he died, but since Shadowman didn't know that he still felt "bonded".

I would also say his loa's got more of a purple tinge to him.

But yeah, I totally get what you mean on the pink bit. And I agree that Darque should really just come back to life and be that Doome-esque villain that he was in VH1. Yeah, dead is dead, but this is Darque we're talking about. Necromancy's his whole forte.

[Shadowman99]

Darque's bonds were purely in Jack's head and that the only reason he never left was because he didn't know he could.

I'm sorry but I absolutely hated that ending. It really diminished the end of the original run in my opinion. And it further diminishes Darque. They already turned him into a tree after getting taken out by a kid in about half of a single issue. Darque should be the Doctor Doom of the Valiant Universe. They started him off with a pretty good build-up in Shadowman 1-9 (and 0 and 10), but man does he look like a patsy now.

Plus, why the hell is the shadow loa a big goofy looking pink thing now?

End Times already *SQUEE* Shadowman by having him drive off his love interest, go Revenge Before Reason on his dad, and then give himself up to Darque. And the way I see Darque's bonds is that they were real at some point only to vanish when he died, but since Shadowman didn't know that he still felt "bonded".

I would also say his loa's got more of a purple tinge to him.

But yeah, I totally get what you mean on the pink bit. And I agree that Darque should really just come back to life and be that Doome-esque villain that he was in VH1. Yeah, dead is dead, but this is Darque we're talking about. Necromancy's his whole forte.

It's true, when VEI first introduced Darque I thought he was going to be this A-level bad guy in the universe. One of those characters that literally makes you feel a sense of dread when he turns up on the page because you know things are about to get really bad.

Regarding Darque and the Loa's hold over Jack, I don't really care what the reasons were the the Loa got the better of Jack or why Darque's magic bonds affected Jack. It's high time that Jack sorts his *SQUEE* out and etablishes his powers and skills so that he can start kicking some *SQUEE* in the VU rather than moping about like a wuss.

[Watchtower]

Darque's bonds were purely in Jack's head and that the only reason he never left was because he didn't know he could.

I'm sorry but I absolutely hated that ending. It really diminished the end of the original run in my opinion. And it further diminishes Darque. They already turned him into a tree after getting taken out by a kid in about half of a single issue. Darque should be the Doctor Doom of the Valiant Universe. They started him off with a pretty good build-up in Shadowman 1-9 (and 0 and 10), but man does he look like a patsy now.

Plus, why the hell is the shadow loa a big goofy looking pink thing now?

End Times already *SQUEE* Shadowman by having him drive off his love interest, go Revenge Before Reason on his dad, and then give himself up to Darque. And the way I see Darque's bonds is that they were real at some point only to vanish when he died, but since Shadowman didn't know that he still felt "bonded".

I would also say his loa's got more of a purple tinge to him.

But yeah, I totally get what you mean on the pink bit. And I agree that Darque should really just come back to life and be that Doome-esque villain that he was in VH1. Yeah, dead is dead, but this is Darque we're talking about. Necromancy's his whole forte.

It's true, when VEI first introduced Darque I thought he was going to be this A-level bad guy in the universe. One of those characters that literally makes you feel a sense of dread when he turns up on the page because you know things are about to get really bad.

Regarding Darque and the Loa's hold over Jack, I don't really care what the reasons were the the Loa got the better of Jack or why Darque's magic bonds affected Jack. It's high time that Jack sorts his *SQUEE* out and etablishes his powers and skills so that he can start kicking some *SQUEE* in the VU rather than moping about like a wuss.

Agreed 1000%.

[Phoenix8008]

It's interesting... Dinesh hinted at a "big return" in the next Ninjak arc. When I consider candidates on who that might be, my mind goes to Jack Boniface.

I too have gotten some tweets regarding new books "that rhyme with ShadowCan and Pie-Lords".

Putting both of these together, maybe some solid news here for Shadowman in the Next Ninjak arc, then a launching of the new book?

Makes sense to me

Hmmm... After how well Venditti handled the space action and especially the Armor Hunters origin stuff, I think he could do pretty well on a title that rhymes with 'Pie-Lords'! The only one I'd like to see writing it more would be Josh Dysart.

[QUARTZ]

Darque should be the Doctor Doom of the Valiant Universe.

Shadowman 4001 certainly teased his return. I would love to see him crop up sometime in the future, and who knows, he probably has some magic way to mess with the past, even if he comes around 4002. Maybe time is completely irrelevant to portions of the Deadside; traveling backwards and forwards is just a matter of opening different doors, kind of like the Dark Tower. I'm sure we haven't heard the last of him.

[Phoenix8008]

Darque should be the Doctor Doom of the Valiant Universe.

Shadowman 4001 certainly teased his return. I would love to see him crop up sometime in the future, and who knows, he probably has some magic way to mess with the past, even if he comes around 4002. Maybe time is completely irrelevant to portions of the Deadside; traveling backwards and forwards is just a matter of opening different doors, kind of like the Dark Tower. I'm sure we haven't heard the last of him.

That skull in 4001 could have been his sister's though, or anyone else that got the grand veve's tatoo'd on them (which seems to somehow go all the way into their bones??)

[Shadowman99]

Darque should be the Doctor Doom of the Valiant Universe.

Shadowman 4001 certainly teased his return. I would love to see him crop up sometime in the future, and who knows, he probably has some magic way to mess with the past, even if he comes around 4002. Maybe time is completely irrelevant to portions of the Deadside; traveling backwards and forwards is just a matter of opening different doors, kind of like the Dark Tower. I'm sure we haven't heard the last of him.

It's very cool that VEI have now officially created the potential for a Shadowman to exist in the 4001 universe

I think the idea of time being irregular in Deadside is a cool idea with lots of potential for exploitation. Already saw in Ninjak that time in Deadside and Liveside doesn't match up, so the mechanic is there.

[Shadowman99]

Darque should be the Doctor Doom of the Valiant Universe.

Shadowman 4001 certainly teased his return. I would love to see him crop up sometime in the future, and who knows, he probably has some magic way to mess with the past, even if he comes around 4002. Maybe time is completely irrelevant to portions of the Deadside; traveling backwards and forwards is just a matter of opening different doors, kind of like the Dark Tower. I'm sure we haven't heard the last of him.

That skull in 4001 could have been his sister's though, or anyone else that got the grand veve's tatoo'd on them (which seems to somehow go all the way into their bones??)

It's MAGIC!

[Thegreatmagnet]

If Darque us going to be the kind of uber villain that everyone wants, stands to reason that they need to build up Shadowman as a legit bad@$$. It might help if someone (Punk Mambo) is there to teach him, especially since he was never trained in the original series.
They've still barely scratched the surface of the Deadside and the new series could be a great showcase. He did just spend the equivalent of years wandering around the place and learning it's secrets.

[Shadowman99]

If Darque us going to be the kind of uber villain that everyone wants, stands to reason that they need to build up Shadowman as a legit bad@$$. It might help if someone (Punk Mambo) is there to teach him, especially since he was never trained in the original series.
They've still barely scratched the surface of the Deadside and the new series could be a great showcase. He did just spend the equivalent of years wandering around the place and learning it's secrets.

This is all sounding good to me

[Zhuge1]

If they brought Shadowman back in the near future, I wonder if they could get Venditti to work on it. The character is in some serious need of work (both in terms of developing the backstory, moving it forward, re-establishing support characters, etc.), and I think he could handle all of that if he'd be interested.

[Shadowman99]

If they brought Shadowman back in the near future, I wonder if they could get Venditti to work on it. The character is in some serious need of work (both in terms of developing the backstory, moving it forward, re-establishing support characters, etc.), and I think he could handle all of that if he'd be interested.

Given the quality character development work he did on Aric, whilst also handling a regular supporting cast, I'd say Venditti's a great nomination for taking Shadowman forward

[GammaJosh]

Yes, please give it to V'ditti! I'm a little concerned about the team on Shadowman 4001 taking an ongoing series. I didn't find it very compelling except for the last page reveal. All of a sudden (ok, 2000 years later), the shadow loa is no longer a rebel but a well adjusted protector, and also doesn't even need a human to form Shadowman, the shadow loa just IS Shadowman? That made no sense to me given everything that came before. It was like they didn't even read the first run.

But back to the positive side of things, yes, please give this to V'ditti. He has the tools and the track record for getting Shadowman back on track!