Priest being one of my favorite writers, and tackling the Shadowman - certainly the most destroyed version of an original Valiant character in the VH2 version. Heck, in the new Valiant version, too. Heck, next to the Q/W one. This one starts out on a wicked turn. It's nearly identical to the whole mess with Shadowman 1 in VH3 - but now the Shadowman 1 seems like a really pale imitation. This one is the real thing. Falling through the story, and the new casual Shadowman being the identity. Give more credit to Priest, yet again. He re-invents the slowly dying world to breathe life (for a short time) back into the old mess than Acclain had become. And sadly, put another notch in his bedpost of killing comics, too. Don't know why it had three different pencils, though.
Clashing outward.
Wowsers. I really liked this comic. For a bunch of different reasons - and it even had Sharon jumping in and out of the extreme perspective of Steve's life - and hiding in the shadows. And still it was great. First - let me talk about the art - which was very good. But the layouts - and connectivity from shot to shot and little connections - felt cinematic. Take a look at page 8. Scorpion slides his face out from the shadows - and in the typical Sixties fashion of the face - a snarl lifted on his lips. But then the page turns - and we see a beautiful shot from the feet and showing Steve in the background - puls the added perspective of the lines on the building leading toward him. Beauty. The fights - although a bit too heavy on the connecting motion lines - really show the movement beautifully - and the turn of the fight moving from spot to spot. Scorpion and Steve's interaction is great - and then it turned away. But one of the strongest parts of the comic - and we have most certainly seen this in other comics - is the regret of heroism from Steve. He regrets losing much of his life - and tosses and turns. Then after the fight - even has a hurt hand - but then so much of it melted away when he put on the cowl. Great level of character and humanity. For this 'throw away' comic. Excellent writing.