DCU Comic Book Reviews

SHADOWPACT #14

Quitter! Part One Of The Redemption Contract

August 2007

Written by Bill Willingham

Pencils by Tom Derenick

Inks by Wayne Faucher

Cover by Tom Derenick and Wayne Faucher

Synopsis

In the Oblivion Bar, Zauriel attacks Blue Devil with the intent to kill, based on heavenly orders.  It seems that Blue Devil’s heroics have inspired fans all over the world to make pacts with the devil in the hopes they can become a hero like him.  Blue Devil offers Zauriel a deal:  he will attempt to fix the situation and if he can’t, Blue Devil will willingly die.  Elsewhere, the Sun King orders Dr. Gotham, to personally attack and kill Shadowpact.  Meanwhile, Blue Devil holds a press conference urging others to not emulate him or make deals with the devil.  Afterwards, a lawyer offers to represent Blue Devil to arguer that devil never followed through on his end of the deal.  In Chicago, Dr. Gotham attacks a school bus full of children as bait to lure out Shadowpact.  In the Oblivion Bar, Blue Devil resigns from the team and decides to visit his family in hell.  With the loss of Blue Devil, Nightmaster enlists Zauriel to replace him as the newest member. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This issue was worth the price alone just for the final blurb at the end about the team going someplace much worse than hell...Chicago!  It actually doesn’t matter where (and it might have been funnier if it was Camden or Trenton), just the line is worth it.  The rest of the issue is worth it as well, from Blue Devil’s press conference to the lawyer (and the almost too obvious loop hole in Blue Devil’s pact with the devil).  Willingham has the type of mind that I suspect the lawyer will be an agent of the devil.  Even if he is not, I love the angle to the story.  It was also a nice surprise to see how quickly Blue Devil understood Zauriel’s point and set out to make things right, a true sign of a hero.  Of course, being a hero is what got him into trouble in the first place.  It is that circular argument that I love so much about this story. 

I am unsure about the level of hatred the team members direct towards Zauriel at the end.  Yes, I get it, they are upset because he is trying to kill Blue and Devil and is responsible for Blue Devil quitting the team.  But aren’t they intelligent enough to understand that Zauriel is first under orders from heaven to do what he must and that second Blue Devil is truly, really glamorizing hell with what he does.  I mean, if the reader can figure it out, or can have it explain to us so that we understand, it should make sense that the characters should be able to figure it out.  The characters should not be dumber the readers; it just insults our intelligence. 

I like Derenick’s work on this book and I am glad that it seems like the series finally has a stable artist, but his Detective Chimp needs work.  And Zauriel is wearing one ugly costume.  It looks like a woman’s one-piece bathing suit.

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