This was a surprise. Never read any Valiant title before but Bunn and Davies-Hunt do a good job with this.

This series is a new discovery for me, and this particular volume was excellent. This volume collects issues of the comic 1-4 of the 2021 run so far.

John Boniface is the Shadowman, a New Orleans musician bound to the Shadow Loa, a powerful voodoo spirit. This gives him supernatural powers, but it also brings responsibilities for him. In this adventure, dark forces attempt to open passages between our reality and the dead side. It is up to Shadowman to close those openings and put things right.

For starters, the art in this book is very good. Early on Shadowman and Baron Samedi look very good. I particularly liked the sort of dark and fun portrayal of Baron Samedi. The art overall is colorful and can be a bit evocative.

The story itself is good and well paced. After a brief introductory note, we get right into the story. As we read on, the story grows in complexity as Shadowman works to figure out who is responsible for the breaks in the veil of reality. Baron Samedi comes along, sometimes helpful, other times not so much. He can come across as a bit of a trickster. Samedi's interactions with Shadowman are one of the things that make this a good comic. The story draws you in. I basically read this in one sitting, enjoying the plot and various details along the way.

In addition, this volume includes a gallery of images, sketches, and covers, It also features some commentary from the author and artist. The commentary on Baron Samedi is worth reading.

Overall, this is very good. I highly recommend it for libraries with comic book collections. Readers who enjoy comics with occult, horror, and/or folklore elements will likely enjoy this one. I am looking forward to a second volume. So far, one of my best reads for 2022.

this was a really unique story and the artwork was great! i realize i’m reviewing this long after i’ve read the book (i thought i’d already sent feedback, oops) but it was an enjoying read i completed in a single sitting.

I received this as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Valiant Entertainment, LLC for giving me access.

The Shadowman is sending creatures of the dark back to where they came from, but he infant came from the Deadside as well. Bunn creates an interesting blend between the two worlds that keeps you hooked to find out more and why. The only issue that I had was the time jumps seemed unnecessary and were slightly confusing.

This was an interesting collection, but it was pitched for people that already have some knowledge of the character, his powers, and the voodoo-esque mythos of the series. It wasn't so bad that I was lost but I felt there was some history I was missing that made the reveal of the big bad potentially less impactful than it should have been.

'Shadowman Book 1' by Cullen Bunn with art by Jon Davis-Hunt is another team doing another classic character at Valiant.

Jack Boniface, also known as Shadowman, is always fighting at the things that try to come in to our world. When Baron Zamedi shows up, Shadowman is suspicious, but he seems to want to help, or watch as Shadowman gets killed.

I liked the story, and the backup story. The art is pretty solid too.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Valiant Entertainment, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't able to view this graphic novel before it was archived.

Issues #1-4 from the 2020 version of Shadowman at Valiant comics has been collected for readers of the supernatural series. Jack Boniface, a.k.a. Shadowman, fights against the forces of darkness trying to get into the fabric of the world of humanity. As these dark forces try to force their way through doorways across the United States, the Shadowman goes across the country to find out just what sinister force is behind it and works to stop those trying to peel back reality. The series is written by the prolific Cullen Bunn, and drawn by artist Jon Davis-Hunt. For fans of supernatural tv shows, or those who wonder what lurks behind what we see as reality, Shadowman is fascinating and heart-pounding. 

Shadowman Book 1 is now available from Valiant.

Really just didn't do much for me. I think the concept is really dope, but I just think it attempted to tackle too much in too short a time. It was overwhelming and a bit confusing. The characters were really sick though and I think the whole concept is intriguing. The art style was also a bit overwhelming and all over the place, but it did grow on me over time. I don't think I'll be continuing with further volumes of this, unfortunately, but it was an entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Valiant Entertainment for an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my very own.

I'm just going to admit right up front that I didn't completely understand this one. It's got some mystical, other-worldy, voodoo stuff that doesn't get explained all that well (at least for me) which made it a little difficult for me to follow. What I got was that the story revolves around musician Jack Boniface who is in a sort of body-share arrangement with a voodoo spirit that turns him into Shadowman, an entity who is able to bend shadows/darkness to his will. I'm not exactly sure if the Shadowman is good, evil, or indifferent... It's complicated.

This story concerns Shadowman looking into why/how demon spirits from another world are suddenly increasing in number within our realm and performing epic amounts of sinister mischief. In the process he goes on a cross country quest accompanied by an entity called Baron Samedi who is "The King of Death". The two are not friends but thrown together by necessity.

The artwork was good. Unfortunately, storywise, I just didn't " get it". It struck me as a typical worlds colliding in a supernatural battle for survival.

A slightly confusing, yet interesting story about worlds colliding - reality and the Deadside - with the Shadowman (a voodoo spirit inherited by Jack Boniface) being able to cross effortlessly into both. This book is full of demonic creatures, spectacularly drawn and kinda scary. I'm not a big fan of horror so this title/series isn't for me. However, there is a great pairing of characters between the Shadowman and Baron Samedi a.k.a The King of Death. The writing is ephemeral and mysterious, and the visuals influenced by rock n' roll which lends the story's pacing an unexpected musicality.

The Review

Such a brilliant reintroduction into the world of Shadowman for both newcomers and longtime fans of the character and Valiant’s universe overall. The balance that the collection found between visceral and gritty artwork and layered mythology building and character growth was amazing to watch unfold. The way the author wrote the narrative to showcase these self-contained battles in each issue, each representing a battle within humanity itself, while also alluding to an all-connecting source that is growing out of control was so well executed and kept me as a reader invested greatly.

The almost muted tones of the scenery in each panel did a great job of highlighting the horror and carnage these creatures left behind as the Shadowman worked to seal these breaches in the veil. What was great to read through was Jack’s evolution as a character, seeing him being thrust into new situations as the rules of these battles and the creatures he is facing seems to be changing before his eyes, giving the hero a new challenge that reinvents the character’s arc overall.

The Verdict

A chilling, heart-pounding, and action-packed volume of comics, author Cullen Bunn and Valiant Comics’s “Shadowman: Book One” is a must-read book of 2021, and the perfect read for fans of both graphic novels and the spooky/Halloween season. The tone and atmosphere seemed to be a blend of Ghost Rider, Buffy the Vampire Slayer mythos building, and Blade’s maturity all rolled into one ass-kicking horror thriller, and I cannot wait to dive into the next volume.

I haven't read any of the original/older Shadowman book so didn't know what to expect. Just by looking at the graphics, I thought it will be similar to The Punisher but boy was I wrong! (I should read the descriptions more closely...)

The premises are really interesting since its saturated with paranormal history. Plus the Shadowman is from New Orleans-the home of spirits and hauntings! I love the details of the illustrations and all characters were thoughtfully portrayed.

I think Baron Samedi is one of my favorite graphic novel characters now!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this volume and will look out for/get the second one.

Thank you #NetGalley, Diamond Book Distributors and Valiant Entertainment for giving me the opportunity to read this! You have a fan!

Really liked the art work. This was the first time I read a Shadowman story and it’ll most likely be my last. I couldn’t get into it, I had to search how the magic system worked and that itself made me want to stop reading. It’s a decent plot though

Yet again a highly entertaining Shadowman story that promises even bigger evils and troubles ahead for Jack to deal with The artwork is great and depicts the story perfectly. Filled with monsters, this story has the perfect amount of horror, mystery, gore & sass. Can't wait for more.

Always enjoy books by Cullen Bunn. Very interesting, and also enjoyed the characters. The artwork was enjoyable also. Can wait for the next book. #ShadowmanBook1 #NetGalley

Not the strongest Shadowman graphic novel I've read-- definitely a shift toward a story of the week format rather than a tight, character-centered arc.

I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis of this book. I have a love for dark tales.
This book did take me awhile to understand the magic system, I did like how unique it was and that we were not "told" but "shown" details along the way. This is always my favorite way to discover these details of the story and, it was done very well in this book. I did like the artwork and I am glad I finally got around to reading after the year long reading slump.

Bosou Koblamin is one chill Loa.

This has been my introduction to Shadowman and it was a blast to read. The story starts strong, right in the middle of a fight with a messed-up looking lion demon, but all is not as it seems when he tells Shadowman to find "her," to help "her." Yes, demons have a soft side, even after slaughtering a bunch of people, which in my opinion is rather nice to read it being represented.

Each issue does well to read as standalones or one long story as is here. The art and lettering fit wonderfully in the story, the colors used give a nostalgic feel bringing you back to simpler times back when you picked up your first comic and were drawn into the world you were reading. Also many of the characters are drawn with emotionless faces, a.k.a skulls, but they are shadowed well so you can tell what they're feeling or thinking even without the speech bubble.

Shadowman/Jack Boniface's introspection is marvelously described and uniquely him. Each character has their own personality and they all mesh well together. I must say though, my personal favorite is Baron Samedi. He's a pretty cool dude, mysterious and always with a flourish. I also very much like the added details in the gallery about character designs and information about thin places relating to the real world.

Overall the story, characters, and art were on point and I look forward to seeing where Shadowman goes next in his adventure.

Thanks to Netgalley and Diamond Book distributors/Valiant for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This Volume was cool. I want to continue reading g this story. The artwork is amazing and I like the main character Jack Boniface. His Crossroad Blues t-shirt is an awesome touch. Jack Boniface is responsible to investigate brights that open up, thin spots in the veil between our world and the Deathside, which allow murderous spirits to cross through. His job is to banish the evil spirits back while investigating why more brights are appearing all around the world. Its a very detailed mythology that I want to explore further. Thank you to Netgalley and Diamond Book Distributors / Valiant Entertainment for the opportunity to enjoy the e-ARC of this graphic novel.