Marvel Comics
Shadowland #2
By Hervé St-Louis
August 8, 2010 - 14:13

Marvel Comics
Writer(s): Andy Diggle
Penciller(s): Billy Tan
Inker(s): Victor Olazaba
Colourist(s): Christina Strain
Letterer(s): Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist(s): John Cassaday, Laura Martin
$3.99 US



Daredevil’s old friends from the super hero community try to approach him to reason with him while Moon Knight infiltrates the prison where the Hand is holding New York’s finest and worst elements. Elsewhere, the kingpin uses an incantation to bring a new warrior under his wing. Will Ghost Rider become the Kingpin’s new lackey?

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This issue wasn’t bad at all, even if one gets the feeling that this comic book is but a shell and as readers we’re supposed to dish out loads of money to read the detailed chapters barely covered here. This old formula seems to have worked for decades with comic book publishers. Daredevil as a villain is not convincing, yet. Just putting a dark grey suit won’t cut it. The only interesting here is the Kingpin’s angle and what he has in mind for Daredevil. Everything else is talking heads about old Daredevil buddies wondering what he’s fallen into again, for the umpteenth time. It felt like reading one of those DC Comics since Brad Meltzer wrote Secret Identity where every buddy is chummy and knows everyone else’s secret identity. We only see the threat because the characters tell us everyone is afraid of Daredevil. We don’t actually feel the threat.

Tan is a hit or miss. He’s a hit this issue. The characters look good enough and he did a couple of wonderful pages with Ghost Rider. It’s  not easy to capture the power of a guy on a flaming motorcycle. However, he has problems with his anatomy, giving the heroes impossibly long torsos and very small heads.
Rating: 7/10

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