by Mike Favila, Editor

I’ve always liked the stuff coming out of IDW these days, so it was a nice surprise to get a copy of Shadow Show #1 in the mail last night.  I didn’t know too much about the series, but the comic is based on an anthology with the same name that came out a few years back.  Issue 1 is a comic retelling of Joe Hill’s contribution to the collection. Of course I’d read Bradbury’s stuff in school and loved it, but had never dug deeper.  Judging from the range of talent that contributed to the book (Neil Gaiman, Dave Eggers),  I definitely missed out.

The comic revolves around a young girl named Gail and her friend Joel who discover something mysterious and squishy on the beach.  Upon closer inspection, it turns out to be a Lochness monster type of creature.  Instead of playing it for the straight horror beats that are obvious and easy, Joe Hill is slightly playful and careful with his characters here.  It’s lighter than what I’m used to getting from Hill, but this is by no means a bad thing.  If anything, Shadow Show is a nice showcase for his storytelling range.

If this is the first salvo, then I’m hooked.  I think Shadow Show is going to be a great series, and I can’t wait to read the coming issues, especially if they all possess the same caliber.

Rating:
ComicsOnline.com gives Shadow Show 4 out of 5 magical new worlds!

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