DCU Comic Book Reviews

SHADOWPACT #13

Bad Tidings And Evil Deeds

July 2007

Written by Bill Willingham

Pencils by Scott Hampton

Inks by Scott Hampton

Cover by Scott Hampton

Synopsis

In New Orleans, Shadowpact battles an old God whose been given new life with the unleashing of wild magic.   In the black Tower, Jeremy Karne (aka Kid Karnevil) bides his time until he is able to find a way out of Nightshade’s magical dimension and back to Earth.  In Gotham City, Dr. Gotham casts a spell that brings forth a small piece of the Sun King, but only at the cost of sacrificing the life of Lady Strega.  Elsewhere, Zauriel receives a new mission:  kill Blue Devil.  Around the world, the forces of evil are piling up against Shadowpact.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This was an excellent issue.  I really hope that Zauriel fans, and there seem to be more of them than one might imagine, pick this up to give it a try.  If they do, I hope that the rest of the issue hooks them into sticking with this book.  Yes, the Shadowpact is not in this issue all that much, but I get the sense that many people think of Shadowpact as a kind of lighthearted book, especially considering the presence of Detective Chimp.  Without Shadowpact, Willingham really digs into the darker side of this book, first showing a thoroughly evil and despicable Jeremy Karne escaping from jail and then showing the vile act of Dr. Gotham wrapped up in civility.  I love the contrast between the two men which just goes to show how differently evil can manifest.  Contrasting them, we get Zauriel, saving the lives of people and inspiring good feelings.  Really, now that I think about, we have Karne and Zauriel, two opposite ends of the good and bad side of morality, with the civil, urbane Dr. Gotham somewhere in the middle. 

Based on thing, snippets I have read, Zauriel will join Shadowpact, but whether he does this as part of plan to infiltrate the team to learn if Blue Devil is really evil or if he does it after deciding that Blue Devil does not need to be killed, I do not know.  Either way, Willingham has set up an intriguing development. 

I think I have said before the Phantom Stranger’s narrator is starting to grate on me.  This issue wasn’t so bad and was probably a good idea, allowing Willingham to switch gears in the plot without needing too much exposition.  But it is still, at least I think, an idea that should be abandoned soon. 

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