Shadowman is suffering from a depth that it may be too far out of its own game in. I like when a mystery wraps itself within a mess, but this is one where I don't think anyone really has any clue about any part of anything that's going on. To its credit, it does bring the Jack Boniface saxophone player into the story, and quickly gets through it. But again, I am not certain if it's some delusion, spell, or whatever. It also seems that the story is sort of abandoning the crazy aspect of the last run. I know that the last group was specifically intended to round up readers for the new line, but if it was, abandoning ship on everything the line intended may have not been the best moves, either. It has really embraced the mature readers moniker this month with the language - but it doesn't really add much to the story. Better to abandon later.
This one's bad, kids.
I have been doing whatever I can to avoid reading this. I have started three or four times - only to stop over and over again - and get tripped up in whatever else I can get to - just to stop going any further with this train wreck. Even now, I am writing two days behind. I know, not TOO bad. But consider this... I read TRINITY ANGELS in preference to this. It just seems to entrench itself right back into the old even GOLDEN AGE style of writing and art. Take a look on page five of the comic. The characterizations on the top of that page are PAINFULLY awful. Yes, Mr. Kirby. I am apparently throwing your dead carcass right onto the flames here. I am only on page five reading now. There are WHOLE COMICS I can't write enough about to hate this much. Red Skull has a defensive electronic kelp bed? And of course, Captain America has hidden shock pellets to fight it off? Wow. This is bad. Take a look at page sixteen - the lower left panel? What in the world is that? A head? A face? A melted clay pot? Apparently next issue bring the end to this. Mercifully.