Return Of The Shadow!

We wrap up a month full of The Shadow with Walter Gibson's final novel Return of The Shadow. This adventure was written and published in 1963, long after the Street and Smith outfit had retired the original magazine. Belmont was as paperback publisher and wanted to revive the character and engaged the original writer Gibson for the task. Sadly, the deal proved to be less lucrative for Gibson than Belmont originally promised, and he backed away after only a single entry, which was used to kick off the brief run of nine additional Shadow yarns. Return of The Shadow supposedly is only a single draft by Gibson, yet given his talents that still means a thoroughly entertaining outing. 

The story is set in the Hudson Valley to begin with, and we follow both Harry Vincent and Lamont Cranston as they try and track down the murderer of a successful businessman. His family and associates are of course suspect and much of the early parts of the novel are spend tracking down and establishing timelines. Harry for his part also finds himself driven off a road and seemingly killed early in the story for reasons which only become clear later when a larger plot to kidnap and replace United Nations members is uncovered. Much if not all of the Shadow team are called upon to contribute to the solution of this mystery which ends in a mad fracas. 

Here is a dandy graphic showcasing the covers of the various Shadow novels Belmont released. The Belmont operation was owned by the same folks who owned Archie Comics which was releasing a Shadow comic at about this same time. These goofy Shadow noveks look like fun, and I wish someone would reprint them all. After Gibson's departure from the project the editors employed the prolific Dennis Lynds who became the latest "Maxwell Grant". Note that the debut novel is by Walter B. Gibson and not "Maxwell Grant", the only time Gibson's name was used on the over three hundred Shadow novels he produced. And with that we wave farewell The Shadow. It's been a blast this past October month and I'm already looking forward to November when another pulp icon rears up to confront ancient evil in an antique land. 

Happy Halloween my fellow Shadow fans! 

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The Shadow Laughs!

"The Shadow Laughs" is the last of the original three Shadow novels penned by Walter Gibson in his initial surge to create some sort of context for the highly popular character on the radio who was just a fascinating voice. It's the first to get an original cover by Jerome Rozen. The story concerns counterfeiting and pits The Shadow once again against Isaac Coffran, a old and evil man set up to be The Shadow's arch nemesis, but who disappears from the annals after this encounter. Other baddies repeat from the previous stories.

New stuff is the first trip to the Cobalt Club where Lamont Cranston mingles with the rich and sometimes infamous. And Lamont Cranston himself puts in an appearance, the real one, as Gibson does a twist on his revelation from the previous novel that The Shadow's identity was Cranston. Instead, we learn that The Shadow merely assumes the guise of Cranston when the peripatetic Cranston is jet-setting around the globe.

Harry Vincent is back as he attempts to solve two murders, which only The Shadow thinks are linked. Harry spends a good deal of time in this one spying on different folks, but frankly seems to have little to do as The Shadow seems to increasingly dominate the story. The action is heady, and we see for the first time the matched set of .45 automatic guns come into play. And the hint of the "Yellow Peril" returns.

Nonetheless this installment is the weakest of the three novels. We learn about our hero, who seems to blend into the shadows and emerge from the darkness in an almost supernatural way, but the adventure itself seems rather humdrum after the lurid danger of the previous yarn. There are some weird torture devices, but they lack the verve of the previous threats.

One begins to notice the almost complete absence of women in the stories. We've had three adventures now featuring The Shadow and not a single woman of consequence has been introduced. That's peculiar.

I'll have more to report later today. Check back in four hours. 

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Eyes Of The Shadow!

Eyes of the Shadow is the second Shadow novel by Walter (call me Maxwell Grant) Gibson. One of his stated goals in this outing was to establish more about the nature of The Shadow himself and to that end he introduced the character of Lamont Cranston, the wealthy millionaire with an avid interest in wireless technology who seems at least to be The Shadow's alter ego.

This is a much more lurid and weird pulp story than the debut story. It concerns a dying man's attempt to share a treasure with six of his compatriots from long ago but his plan goes awry when dangerous men intervene before he dies. His nephew is charged with the mission but needs the extensive help of Harry Vincent and The Shadow to save not only himself but the other men as well. The villains are a heinous lot and among their number is a murderous "ape man" who lurks in the corners ready to pounce. An arch villain of sorts is introduced in the person of the aged and exceedingly evil Isaac Coffran.

I really enjoyed this story, one in which the details of The Shadow's work are just getting developed. We meet The Shadow's ace wireless man Burbank for instance. This isn't quite The Shadow we have become familiar with, but it's getting closer all the time.

One more installment later today. Check back in four hours. 

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The Living Shadow!

To celebrate the holiday, look for four installments today -- three focused on the earliest published Shadow yarns and one on Walter Gibson's final bow.  

Thanks to the lovely reprints from Sanctum Books, I've been dutifully filling my shelves with scores of Shadow novels by Walter Gibson, under his nom de plume of "Maxwell Grant" of course. Recently I finished once again the debut Shadow yarn, "The Living Shadow" which introduces the macabre world of the secretive crime fighter and introduces the audience to Harry Vincent, an operator plucked from his own untimely demise and literally owing his life to the mysterious Shadow.

Original Source for the First Shadow Cover

In this initial story, the Shadow uses his elaborate network of agents to plumb the mystery of a jewel heist. There is a distinct "Yellow Menace" angle to the tale as a Yang Foo, a fence for stolen goods get lots of attention in the story and is the inspiration for the cover which is borrowed from another Street and Smith publication. There is also a good deal of code breaking as The Shadow both deciphers and sends mysterious messages.

The Shadow in this story is different from the grim avenger we're mostly familiar with. He remains off stage a good deal more and there is not yet any hint of Lamont Cranston in the proceedings,he's just "The Shadow" a mysterious entity who battles crime for unknown reasons. Harry Vincent carries the action while The Shadow lingers in the background emerging from time to time to put his memorable stamp on things.

"The Living Shadow" is a satisfying yarn, but is apparently only one of a trio of stories Gibson cobbled together when given the brief to turn the famous laughing radio character into a viable pulp adventurer.

I read "The Living Shadow" many years ago in the Pyramid paperback format. Anthony Tollin has been thoughtful enough to publish in succession the first three Shadow novels as part of a anniversary celebration a few years back. I've been itching to read them through since and at last got around to doing so.

I'll have more to report later today. Check back in four hours. 

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Crime Department Of The Shadow!

The Shadow was enough of a cultural icon in 1953 that Harvey Kurtzman and Will Elder thought nothing of bringing a swinging satire of the radio and pulp star to the pages of MAD Magazine. He even rated the cover of the fourth issue of the iconoclastic comic rendered by Kurtzman himself. 

Elder was Kurtzman's go-to artist on MAD, the guy who got the highest profile assignments. So the Shadow was seen as a property the fan base of the up-and-coming comic would know and relate to  immediately. The story focuses on the relationship between the Shadow and Margot Lane, here redubbed "Margo Pain". The Shadow himself is renamed "Lamont Shadowskeedeebooboom" for what it's worth.

Elder's wonderfully vibrant art filled to the brim with "chicken fat" makes for wonderful reading. To read the rest of this story check out this link.  This one like many other MAD parodies has been reprinted many times. I own it at least thrice in volumes I've collected over the decades. These MAD satires are sturdy items that weather the rigors of time quite well. 

Enjoy your Halloween Eve and check in at the Dojo tomorrow for an all-day Shadow celebration. 

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The Private Files Of The Shadow!

The Private Files of The Shadow is a delightful volume which performs two great functions. On the one hand it gathers together all those tasty Denny O'Neil and Mike Kaluta Shadow stories from the early 70's at DC Comics. One the other hand it offers up a brand-new story of The Shadow by the team, this one told with a great deal of wit and charm. You can see earlier posts to see what goes on in those tales which are reprinted, but in the single new story let me just say this. 

We follow The Shadow as he moves across the cityscape of NYC soundlessly. We listen to a radio broadcast which follows the hero across the rooftops and learn that after a savage and deadly attack the son of the Japanese ambassador has been kidnapped. The Shadow enters a lush Oriental building and after battling a mob of thugs finds the kidnapped child. He then does what heroes are supposed to do and at the same time leaves a present for Wing Fat, the rich and opulent man who ordered the kidnapping. It's a present he'd wished he never received. 

This is a snappy fifteen-page yarn that unfolds visually and quickly. It's a zesty treat for those of us who really adored what the O'Neil and Kaluta team had accomplished so many years before. This was published by DC in the then popular graphic novel format, and I suppose was inspired by the previous year's Shadow effort by the team for Marvel. If you'd like to read this one check out the Internet Archive at this link. 

Check in later today to enjoy a rather different take on the classic Shadow character. 

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The Shadow - Hitler's Astrologer!

In 1988, fifteen years after the end of the original Shadow series at DC, Denny O'Neil and Mike Kaluta joined forces again to bring another tale of the Shadow to the readers. This time the venue was Marvel Comics and the format was the graphic novel. The story was inked by Russ Heath, though according to sources Berni Wrightson was originally sought to fulfill that chore. What we get is an elegant Shadow story filled with intrigue, violence, and the kinds of twists and turns that Shadow stories are renowned for. The problem with the original series, as juicy as it was, is that always the stories were necessarily simplified to fit the limited number of pages available. Here with sixty-one pages and not a mere nineteen or twenty at their disposal these storytellers really unwind a corker. 

Set in 1941, the story "Hitler's Astrologer" begins in the hectic streets of NYC as we follow a young blonde woman who is immediately assaulted by German agents. Despite the work of the Shadow's agents the young woman is kidnapped and nearly sent back to Germany. She is the daughter of Hitler's astrologer, and herself seen as a particularly adept student of that strange art. There are secrets inside secrets, and I am loathe to spoil them for this particular yarn. But know that the story winds its way from NYC to Berlin and we encounter many notorious Nazis such as Heinrich Himmler, Josef Goebbels, Rudolph Hess and even Adolph Hitler himself. In the course of protecting the beautiful young woman Harry of course falls in love which makes the ending of this subtle tale all the more tragic. This one pulls few punches, yet is still a tale told largely within the confines of the classic comics code. If you have always wanted to learn why Hitler decides to invade Russia and why Hess notoriously flew to Scotland this is a real treat. 

To read this one for yourself check out the Internet Archive and use this link. O'Neil really liked writing the Shadow and seemed to have a talent for it. Writing all those Batman tales must have helped. Mike Kaluta produced far too few Shadow stories in his career, but like a great showman always left me as a reader wanting more. This one is a gem and highly recommended. 

Check in later today to glimpse O'Neil's and Kaluta's swan song on The Shadow. 

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Wild Adventure Of The Empire Of Doom!

Empire of Doom teams up Doc Savage with The Shadow one more time. The time is the late 30's when the world is suffering under the threat of a worldwide war. The United States is not yet a combatant, but is helping its ally Great Britain, in various ways including sending them a decommissioned naval destroyer. But before that can happen the "Golden Master" steals it with the aid of his Mongolian soldiers. He then launches an attack on NYC and specifically the Shadow by destroying the hotel in which he resides. Shiwan Khan also steals various super-weapons the Shadow has collected and cached. Using this might he and his forces fend off attacks by both Doc Savage and the Shadow. 

Will Murray writing as "Kenneth Robeson" has spun an action-filled yarn this time. The emphasis on the previous team-up was atmosphere and mystery, more suitable to The Shadow. This time the goal seems to be to deliver as much slam-bang action as possible, which gives Doc Savage the spotlight despite the fact the villain is a Shadow regular. The pace of the story is remarkable and pulls the reader along almost as quickly as the pages can be turned. Since Doc and the Shadow now have a history, there's little need for the two of them to spar and they join forces almost from the beginning, albeit each in his own distinctive way. The scale of his story is larger too as the whole of the United States Navy is brought into play attempting to foil Shiwan Khan's plans. In fact, this tale is so large it actually feels more like two pulp adventures rolled into one, when the action shifts from the oceans to the mysterious land of Xanadu as detailed in the poem "Kubla Khan" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. 

The previous meeting of these two pulp giants was largely interested in the lore of the Shadow and was told very much from that perspective. This tale reads very much like the Shadow is tagging along on a classic Doc Savage adventure. In that regard we get a lot of the Shadow operating in relative sunshine, not his ideal environment. There are a great many dandy Doc moments and we all of the gang of five save for Johnny who as he often is, is opening tomb somewhere and is too busy. 

This one is highly recommended. 

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Wild Adventure Of The Sinister Shadow!

Since reading about this delightful crossover by Will Murray and weirdly Lester Dent (by way of a cache of unpublished materials) of the two most famous Street and Smith pulp heroes, I've been most eager to get my mitts on it and read it though. The Sinister Shadow from Altus Book's TheWild Adventures of Doc Savage imprint is a delight in many ways and easily something any fan of Doc Savage or The Shadow must have. For more from Murray on how it came together check this out.

(Joe DeVito)

The Sinister Shadow begins with Lamont Cranston going to see Doc Savage about the problem he has with The Shadow stealing his identity and (in his mind at least) threatening to kidnap him and extort money. He is in fact kidnapped along with Ham Brooks, one of Doc's five assistants, and that puts Doc and The Shadow both on the trail of a villain who calls himself "The Funeral Director" who has fashioned an elaborate organization of henchman dubbed variously as Morticians, Undertakers, Gravediggers, and Pallbearers. This large gang has made a business of kidnap and ransom of various rich men in the society, so much so that it has drawn the attention of the criminologist George Clarendon.

In this rousing and fast-paced but unusually lengthy pulp adventure, we at different times find Doc and The Shadow battling each other and even working in tandem to bring down the Funeral Director's vile gang. The Shadow's men include Harry Vincent, Clyde Burke, and Cliff Marsland. Doc is helped by Monk Mayfair, Ham Brooks, and Long Tom Roberts. Sadly, neither Renny Renwick nor Johnny Littlejohn show up in this hair-raising war on crime.

(Joe DeVito)

Murray tells the story in precise short sentences and quickly paced paragraphs and the action rarely slows down and almost never stops. We get some very evocative descriptions of the characters, in particular The Shadow. If there is a big complaint about this one it's that the Doc fan gets slighted as The Shadow and his men seem to dominate much of the action. Each hero is showcased though and by the story's end the heroes appear to understand one another better.



The story, full of action as it is, needed a few more twists and turns. It does do a vivid job of drawing from the early stories of both characters, set as it is relatively early in the careers of both heroes. And we do get some neat switches for the fans. But maybe even more would've been nice. Not as well read in Shadow lore as I am in Doc, I felt most fortunate that I took the time last year to read the first three Shadow novels, they come in handy.

It's a pricey package, but a highly readable one. This wonderful pastiche gets the Dojo's highest recommendation.

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The Shadow - A Thriller!

I've never read a James Patterson novel before. But when I saw he'd done a pastiche with The Shadow I was intrigued. The Shadow is a strange novel and not what I expected. The story begins in 1937 when Lamont Cranston and Margo Lane are dining out at a swanky restaurant and find themselves poisoned by Shiwan Khan. Cranston scoops up Margo's limp body and races to a destination in NYC which he hopes will save both of them. Cut to 2089 and a young woman named Maddie Gomes who has just turned eighteen and so has come into her inheritance. Turns out that inheritance is found in a remote warehouse and is in fact the cryogenically preserved form of Lamont Cranston. With his revival the story really kicks off. 

The novel is set in a grim future in which populations have exploded and resources have made the disparity between the haves and have-nots extreme, so much so that most people schlep around a grungy dirty city with little or no access to water clean or otherwise and food is scarce. So scarce that the promise of food makes people cast off their cautions and so fall prey to all kinds of insidious experiments. The world is ruled by a single man, a man who lives in a resplendent mansion and who just might be an old enemy of the Shadow. 

The novel reads swiftly with tiny chapters that cause the reader to race along. The perspective changes from time to time, but mostly we have a straightforward science fiction adventure yarn that pits our hero the Shadow and his young ally against the oppressive martial forces of the enemy. This is not the Shadow of the pulps or the radio exactly, but it's suggested is the man who those pop culture entertainments are based upon. I admit that bugged me a little. This Shadow can turn invisible (sort of) and later develops other powers. Other characters have powers such as telepathic control of other people. 

If you're a Shadow completist this 2022 novel might be fun, or it might be annoying. I can only give The Shadow a moderate recommendation. 

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Justice Inc. Files Four!

Justice Inc. #4 completes the run. It's another original story by O'Neil and again Kirby and Royer are on the artwork. The cover this time is by Joe Kubert, who it turns out was producing several covers for DC and especially for Kirby's books as this was at the very end of his tenure at DC before returning to Marvel.

The title of the story is "Slay Ride in the Sky" and the story begins as the Justice Inc. team follows an airliner in a small plane to investigate airliner disappearances, just as the airliner is attacked by a flock of gulls. The gulls prove more than a nuisance as they explode effectively downing the plane in the sea. The team itself is set upon by gulls and their plane too explodes but they parachute to safety. Once down they swim to help survivors from the larger plane, but a boat appears, and gunmen shoot down the helpless people in the water. Enraged, The Avenger and his team apprehend the men who indicate they don't know who masterminded the plot. Cut to MacMurdie hours later in his lab and he identifies the explosive as "Tintiabulum" a new and experimental explosive not yet on the market developed by Olympia Laboratories. The team heads there and confront the owner Jason Lynn but soon after his denials of guilt an explosion rocks the office killing him. The Avenger and his team survive ,and Benson takes on the identity of the slain Lynn and heads to see Rufus Comb the chairman of the airline which has been suffering the tragic explosions to their aircraft. It turns out Comb is the villain, and he knows of Benson's ruse and captures him taking him and Smitty to a blimp, the base of operations for the scheme to bilk insurance money for the destroyed aircraft and then head to safer climates. Benson and Smitty escape and a fight breaks out on the blimp. Benson chases Comb as he attempts to escape in a small plane. During the battles gulls show up homing in on a most dangerous signal and explode the blimp. The Avenger knocks Comb off the plane to his doom and intercepts the falling Smitty and the pair fly off leaving the villains to fall to their much-deserved deaths.

And that's it for the series. Four issues didn't really seem to be enough to find out what this series could do. The first two issues were truncated adaptations of the original pulp novels and the last two issues were original. The Avenger's team itself was barely organized by the end of the run. The letters pages in issues #3 and #4 talk about the fact they really need to do multi-part stories in the series, but the editorial response is strictly negative to that idea. I find that approach quaint in the modern world of comics and especially DC where the saga rolls on in an unending fashion these days.

The crossovers with The Shadow were fun (more on that later), and if the books had continued it's likely that there would've been more of this kind of thing. One clear problem for the series was Josh and his step 'n fetchit characterization, which in the comics is presented as a ruse by the extremely well- educated black man to put his white opponents off guard. Still, it's uncomfortable to read such dialogue in anything approaching a modern comic. You can tell that they were nervous about this presentation as it never goes on too long.

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Justice Inc. Files Three!

Justice Inc. #3 is an original story by writer Denny O'Neil with artwork by Jack Kirby and his ace inker Mike Royer. The cover is by Kirby with inks by Al Milgrom.

The story is titled "The Monster Bug" and it features a returning villain and introduces Fergus MacMurdie. A group of thugs led by Colonel Sodom threaten Fergus MacMurdie a renowned chemist and try to coerce him to help. The Avenger shows up saying he's been tracking Sodom since he escaped The Shadow's agents (Sodom was also the villain in DC's The Shadow #5 though he seems to have suffered a demotion since then when he was "General Sodom" - more on that later this month) and a battle breaks out. So does a mysterious chemical called the "Monster Bug" which becomes a vapor that transforms the wife of MacMurdie into a hideous monster who is then quickly shot down by Sodom who then escapes. MacMurdie is quickly gathered up by Benson and Josh and becomes a member of Justice Inc.

Next the team figure Sodom will target the next most prominent chemist in town, so The Avenger uses his flexible face to become a duplicate of the man and the team goes out on the town as decoys. The plan works and Sodom and his henchman attempt to apprehend Benson but Sodom transforms some of his men into monsters and battle for life and limb erupts. The monsters are subdued and the team quickly reassmbles to go after Sodom after learning his hideout's location from a captured henchman. They then pursue Sodom as he goes after the famed chemist again, but during the final fight the "Monster Bug" infects Colonel Sodom and in a fit of madness he crashes through a wall and falls many stories to his presumed death.

This is a pretty solid issue, and it does blend the world of DC's pulps. The Avenger showed up in The Shadow series before this issue. (I'll get around to this review eventually.) Jack Kirby continues to be a draw, no pun intended.

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Nights Of The Shadow Fourteen!

The Shadow #12 is the last issue in the run. Under a very moody Mike Kaluta cover is the story titled "Night of the Damned". It's written by Denny O'Neil and again illustrated by E.R.Cruz.

The tale begins with Margot Lane and Harry Vincent driving in to a town called New Gotham a place apparently famous for its Revolutionary War period design and feel. The car blows a tire, crashes, and they are set upon by hooded thugs who kidnap Margot and throw Harry into the river. The Shadow meanwhile is interviewing a Russian weightlifter about an arch-villain named Ivan Zaronovitch, a man in league it seems with the Devil himself. The Shadow heads out to New Gotham after offering a kind word to Shrevvy who has recovered from his wounds. The find Margot in a classic sacrificial ritual complete with hooded villains pitchforks. The Shadow intercedes, saves her and then finds Harry who it seems was saved by a local monk named Father Flotsky. Later Harry attacks both the Shadow and Margot and they then find themselves on a classic witch's dunking stool. The Shadow escapes the trap, frees Harry from his hypnotic trance, and reveals the true villain Father Flotsky to be the Russian arch-fied Zaronovitch who races up a belltower and then is killed when an inexplicable wind swings the bell and throws him to the ground, apparently indicating that God himself took a hand to assist the Shadow. The story ends with the Shadow's laughter.

And so ends the series.

I found the Shadow read to be more compelling than I actually expected. I'd read sample issues before, mostly the Kaluta stuff. It was fun, but I found as I read the whole run the pulp roots became more and more established, giving the whole experience a nice dark feeling. This is a surprisingly dark comic for its time. The Code is still in the cover and despite that death is not an uncommon feature of the book, though always the villains are dispatched by the last page, usually on the last page. There is a certain sameness to the storytelling which is seen clearly when several issues are read together. The villains often it seems fall their deaths. I didn't actually count, but it happens at least a half-dozen times in the twelve issues. Margot is in every issue. The single issue mentioning Kent Allard is a neat twist, and one I'd have missed if I'd read the issues when they first came out.

As for the art, I'd have to say Kaluta is the most successful. Frank Robbins offers up a very active Shadow, but the atmosphere isn't as rich under his hand. E.R.Cruz is an artist who I should like more than I do, and I'd have to say he's a decent choice for this title. His oily inks serve the mood well.

Denny O'Neil did a good job here translating The Shadow to comics. I got a real sense of his mystery and also a sense of the humanity of his team. There did seem to be a trend in the later issues to focus on the characters of the agents more, but always it's The Shadow we want to see. All in all a very good read, very fun.

Visit the Internet Archive to read this actual issue at this link. 

O'Neill and Kaluta tackled the Shadow two more times together. That time they did one DC and one for Marvel. More to come. 

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Justice Inc. Files Two!

Justice Inc. #2 is a great departure from the debut. Denny O'Neil is still scripting, apparently adapting a second Robeson story titled "The Sky Walker". The big shift though, that replacing the realistic if somewhat somber Al McWilliams is the legend Jack "King" Kirby. Suddenly the comic is possessed of an energy, but an energy derived at the cost of the noir mood of the debut.

The story begins with a train derailed through mysterious means. The Avenger comes across the wreck and some looters and takes action alongside Smitty. The looters don't seem to have been the cause of the crash, but soon The Avenger sees the culprit, a man seemingly walking in the air. Cut to the mansion of Robert Gant, an inventor and who is attacked and killed. His attackers are themselves attacked by his black servant Josh and his black maid Rosabel who drop their subserviant stereotypical speech patterns when not in the presence of white men. The Avenger appears to help and finds help in the college-trained Phi Beta Kappa man Josh and Rosabel who join Justice Incorporated. Soon this new team sees a skyscraper tumble to the ground and they stop to help. Benson goes onto the offices of Abel Darcy the man financing the deceased Gant, and quickly takes on his identity to gain access to his files. He is discovered soon after proving Darcy's guilt and the battle is on. The Avenger and Josh are captured but escape in time to confront Darcy, the Sky Walker who uses Gant's twin inventions an invisible airplane (hence the apparent sky walking) and a sonic cannon capable of the destruction seen so far in the story. The Avenger takes to the sky in a plane and shoots the villain down by causing the sonic ray to destroy the plane sending the mastermind plunging to his death. There is a text piece by Allen Asherman about a possible Justice Inc. movie and possible casting choices.

While not probably true to roots of the character the use of "King" Kirby on the title really gives it a boost it needed. The stories zing along with a typically robust Kirby vigor. Kirby was finishing out his contract with DC at this stage, after the disappointing Fourth World affair. But being a true pro, his work is always of interest, and highly desirable.

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Justice Has A New Face - Darkman!

When Sam Raimi couldn't get the rights to bring The Shadow to the big screen, he created his own shadowy crimefighter and dubbed him "Darkman". If any movie got me to fall in love with the particular style of a filmmaker, it was Darkman.

Darkman appealed to me from the get-go, coming out in the same summer as Warren Beaty's Dick Tracy was barnstorming the country. I often think of these two movies together, two films about tough crimefighters with distinctive and unusual approaches to movie storytelling, and it's always the gritty Darkman that wins the contest. Beaty's movie is fun and full of vibrant colors and some delicious characters, but its self-awareness is too on the nose, while Raimi keeps Darkman's roots blended well enough that they don't stand out immediately. Later you think of it, but not while you're watching it.

For the folks who might not know, I'll just say that Darkman is scientist Peyton Westlake, a guy who discovers a liquid skin compound that proves to be light sensitive, a miracle for modern medicine moments before he and his partner are supposedly slain by mob boss Robert Durant in a move to retrieve a memo Westlake's girlfriend and lawyer had left at his place. But Westlake doesn't die, though it seems to be the case. Instead, he has his nervous system destroyed by doctors to save him from intense agony which in turn seems to give him immense strength when anger overwhelms him. He has lost his identity and the burns to his face and hands in particular make it impossible he thinks to return to the life he once had. Using his skin compound to create lifelike masks of limited duration, Darkman fights Durant's thugs and attempts to bring down the criminal enterprise that killed his friend, threatens his girl, and destroyed his life.

That's a pretty nifty premise. And even though Darkman is a "superhero" origin tale, it works as a crackerjack adventure too. Raimi's storytelling is top-notch and at once efficient and effective and eccentric. Darkman has a great cast, with Liam Neeson as Westlake/Darkman, Francis McDormand as his girlfriend Julie, and Larry Drake leading the way as the outrageous villain Robert Durant.

The movie was deemed a failure in its theatre release, but was ultimately successful in the video aftermarket, and produced two sequels, both straight-to-video affairs. The first was titled Darkman: The Return of Robert Durant and revives the main baddie from the first movie for another go around with a property deal and the constant struggle between idealism and the demands of the ordinary world. The movie's action is not as specific as the first film, both for budgetary reasons I suspect and because Raimi only produces this one and doesn't direct. It's a diverting film, echoing much of what happened in the first one as many sequels are wont to do.

Arnold Vosloo (who would go on to become The Mummy) is Darkman this time and he does a pretty decent job in his pre-Mummy days. Larry Drake is back as Durant and dominates the screen with this over-the-top baddie. This movie feels too much a need to cleave to the original and that hampers what can happen. The movie in many ways attempts to recreate the first one beat for beat but with fewer dollars. It's not a smart way to go I think ever.

The second sequel is titled Darkman: Die Darkman Die and progresses the story quite a bit. Jeff Fahey is delightfully vile as the new baddie named Rooker, but this time we see the villain's family who apparently are largely unaware of his crimes. He is confronted by Westlake again played by Vosloo and this time a permanent solution to Darkman's problem is dangled in front of the viewer. What will our hero choose, a life in the shadows dedicated to fighting evil or will he take a chance to live his life fully as Westlake. It's not a bad story really, though it breaks down a bit in the end, there is surprising complexity in this actioner. Whatever its failings at least they tried some new things. Again, Raimi is merely the producer.

I don't know if I want more Darkman movies or not. If Raimi were to direct, I'd say for sure. But with other hands, the special nature of the hero is lost a bit. Darkman is a very tortured superhero, and in the original his battle is so visceral that you feel his agony more than a bit thanks to Neeson's dang good acting. He gives us a Westlake who is truly on the edge of madness. In later installments this aspect is diminished quite a bit, to the detriment of the overall impact of the stories.

But if you've by some chance never seen the Darkman movies, but all means give them a look. The trilogy can be had for pretty small money. The original just might be one of the best superhero movies made before the avalanche of such films we enjoy in the modern day. Thank goodness Raimi was denied the rights to the Shadow, so we could get Darkman. 

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