The story deals with military-style gang who are led by a guy named General Sodom. He wants to make it in with the rising autocratic leaders overseas (Hitler and Mussolini) and works to prevent a peace envoy named Cyril Bench from reaching Europe. He and his gang take over a ship named the Neptune on which Margot Lane is beginning a cruise while the Shadow and Harry board The Boxer, the ship taking Bench. Sodom holds the passengers of the Neptune hostage and demands that the Boxer bring Bench to him. The Shadow makes this happen in spite of the FBI's feelings on the matter and when the ships hook up the action gets underway. After much battling Sodom and the Shadow face off in a lifeboat with Sodom apparently drowning.
This one is a pretty straightforward tale, full of action nicely rendered by Robbins. He puts the emphasis on action and movement as opposed to period atmosphere, but nonetheless a successful translation of the pulp to comics form.
This one is a pretty straightforward tale, full of action nicely rendered by Robbins. He puts the emphasis on action and movement as opposed to period atmosphere, but nonetheless a successful translation of the pulp to comics form.
My first Frank Robbins Shadow comic was issue 7 (a cracker of a cover as well) but I picked this one up a few months after I bought issue 7. The change in style certainly must have jarred most fans (it did for me) but it just clicked with me. Although it would be a few years until Frank's work really "clicked " for me I really loved his art on the Shadow, he put so much action into every panel. I wonder if Denny was happy with the change in art style on his great stories?
ReplyDeleteDon't O'Neil's opinion, but I assume he was happy enough, though he likely had little power to change it at the time. I've always cottoned to the work of Frank Robbins since running across it first on a Batman story about this same time.
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