IT WAS A DARK AND SHADOWY NIGHT.

Cover Art: Alex Ross (L) and John Cassiday (R)

Art: Howard Chaykin

The Shadow Fan returns for Episode 41! This week, Barry Reese talks about Howard Chaykin's return to the character, responds to some listener feedback, and then dives into the first issue of The Shadow/Green Hornet: Dark Nights # 1. It's another action-packed episode devoted to the greatest crimefighter of the pulp era!

If you love The Shadow, this is the podcast for you!

Listen to The Shadow Fan Podcast Episode 41 now at
http://theshadowfan.libsyn.com/the-shadow-the-green-hornet-dark-nights

ONLY HOWARD CHAYKIN CAN TAKE THE SHADOW TO MOSCOW!

Cover Art: Howard Chaykin

Blood and Judgement

Almost thirty years after his critically acclaimed Blood & Judgment series, fan-Favorite writer/artist Howard Chaykin returns to The Shadow for a new Dynamite Entertainment mini series, The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow.

Official Press Release:

Dynamite is proud to announce that legendary writer/artist Howard Chaykin will write his first new tale of The Shadow in nearly thirty years.  The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow will take place three decades prior to the events of his critically acclaimed Blood & Judgment series.  Chaykin will reprise his creative role both as writer and artist for this new venture.

"I'm delighted and grateful to Dynamite for the opportunity to work once again on so legendary a character as The Shadow," says Chaykin.  "My new miniseries, The Shadow: Midnight in Moscow, tells the secret story behind the Shadow's disappearance in 1949."  While this new series marks his return to Shadow storytelling, he hasn't strayed far from the character in recent years, contributing gorgeous cover artwork for Dynamite's variety of Shadow series.

Blood and Judgement

"The Shadow: Blood & Judgment is one of my favorite comic series of all time," says Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite.  "It absolutely blows my mind, still to this day.  I can't even begin to express how much this means to me as the publisher of the series and how much as a fan of Howard's series.  Howard Chaykin's return to the character is going to be phenomenal.  And in a move that will certainly keep his fans on their toes, he's setting Midnight in Moscow up not as a direct sequel to his earlier work, but years and years beforehand, at an exciting and critical moment in the Shadow's history.  I have such tremendous respect for Howard as a storyteller, a true modern master of the comic book medium."

Howard Chaykin is a modern legend in the comics industry, with an exceptionally respected body of work spanning four decades.  He is perhaps best known for American Flagg!, a series published by First Comics in 1982.  Chaykin wrote and illustrated the first twelve issues exclusively, and was praised by critics and readers alike.  In 1985, Chaykin wrote and drew The Shadow for DC Comics, the acclaimed run that would later be collected by Dynamite as The Shadow: Blood & Judgment.  He is the recipient of Inkpot and Eisner Awards.  His extensive library of comics work includes such titles as Star Wars, Black Kiss, American Century, Challengers of the Unknown, Blackhawk, Hawkgirl, Blade, Punisher War Journal, and Satellite Sam.  He was also executive script consultant for The Flash television series on CBS, and later worked on action-adventure programs such as Viper, Earth: Final Conflict, and Mutant X.

Blood and Judgement

The Shadow began its existence in 1930 as a narrative voice on the Street and Smith radio program Detective Story Hour.  The audience thrilled to the serialized adventures of this mysterious figure, whose mythos expanded to include Occidental mysticism, hypnotic powers over weak criminal minds, and twin .45 caliber handguns.  With a keen intellect and relentless drive, The Shadow hunted criminals without mercy in an era when gumshoe detectives and bootlegging mobsters was a thrilling yet fearsome reality.  The character's popularity has endured for over 80 years, bolstered by appearances in radio serials, novels, comic books, films, and more.  In recent years, Dynamite published a groundbreaking and well-received Shadow series launched by comic writer Garth Ennis (Preacher), with further tales crafted by Victor Gischler and Chris Roberson.  Lamont Cranston's grim alter-ego has also appeared in such related series as The Shadow: Year One, Masks, and The Shadow / Green Hornet: Dark Nights.

Blood and Judgement

About Dynamite Entertainment:
Dynamite was founded in 2004 and is home to several best-selling comic book titles and properties, including The Boys, The Shadow, Vampirella, Warlord of Mars, Bionic Man, A Game of Thrones, and more.  Dynamite owns and controls an extensive library with over 3,000 characters (which includes the Harris Comics and Chaos Comics properties), such as Vampirella, Pantha, Evil Ernie, Smiley the Psychotic Button, Chastity, Purgatori, and Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt.  In addition to their critically-acclaimed titles and bestselling comics, Dynamite works with some of the most high profile creators in comics and entertainment, including Kevin Smith, Alex Ross, John Cassaday, Garth Ennis, Jae Lee, Marc Guggenheim, Mike Carey, Jim Krueger, Greg Pak, Brett Matthews, Matt Wagner, and a host of up-and-coming new talent.  Dynamite is consistently ranked in the upper tiers of comic book publishers and several of their titles - including Alex Ross and Jim Krueger's Project Superpowers - have debuted in the Top Ten lists produced by Diamond Comics Distributors. In 2005, Diamond awarded the company a GEM award for Best New Publisher and another GEM in 2006 for Comics Publisher of the Year (under 5%) and again in 2011. The company has also been nominated for and won several industry awards, including the prestigious Harvey and Eisner Awards.

Learn more about Dynamite Entertainment here.

THE BUCK STARTS HERE!

Cover Art: Howard Chaykin

Art: Howard Chaykin

Hermes Press has released the first cover for Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, a four-issue mini-series written and drawn by Howard Chaykin premiering August 2013.

Here's how Hermes Press describes the book:

"Before Star Trek and Star Wars, Buck Rogers captivated audiences around the world and made science fiction a national obsession. Now, over 80 years after the creation of the newspaper strip that became a household word, Howard Chaykin has returned the character and his universe back to basics: Buck Rogers, former World War I ace is accidentally suspended in time only to awaken to a new and different earth, 500 years in the future, fragmented by war and ruled by an omnipotent force -- the Chinese. Now, Buck along with Colonel Wilma Deering, begin a new fight, to free the United States!"

THE SHADOW FAN PODCAST TAKES ON CHAYKIN’S BLOOD AND JUDGEMENT

Cover Art: Howard Chaykin

New Pulp Author Barry Reese takes an in-depth, spoiler-filled look at Howard Chaykin's 4-issue limited series from 1986! The Shadow Fan goes through the entire story, with summaries of the action, commentary on the creative decisions taken and discussion about the differences between Chaykin's take and Walter Gibson's traditional version.

Listen now at http://theshadowfan.libsyn.com/blood-and-judgment.

THE SHADOW KNOWS THE FIRE OF CREATION

Cover Art: Alex Ross

The 176 page trade paperback collection of Dynamite Entertainment’s The Shadow: Fire of Creation arrives in comic shops on Wednesday, November 7th.

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows! It’s 1938 and The Shadow returns in a tale of blazing action and deadly intrigue, as a night of carnage on the New York waterfront plunges the mysterious vigilante into a conspiracy involving the fate of the world itself. As storm clouds gather across the globe, American Military Intelligence meets with a certain Lamont Cranston, determined to beat a host of spies and assassins to the greatest prize of all… but what that might be, only the Shadow knows.

Collecting the first six issues of the hit series written by Garth Ennis and drawn by Aaron Campbell, featuring Garth Ennis’ script to issue #1 as well as a complete cover gallery featuring art by Alex Ross, Jae Lee, John Cassaday, Ryan Sook, Howard Chaykin, and more.

Learn more at Dynamite Entertainment.

ENNIS AND AARON TAKE TO THE SHADOWS IN APRIL!

Cover: Alex Ross

Cover: Jae Lee

In the first issue of the new ongoing The Shadow series, it’s 1938 and The Shadow returns in a tale of blazing action and deadly intrigue, as a night of carnage on the New York waterfront plunges the mysterious vigilante into a conspiracy involving the fate of the world itself. As storm clouds gather across the globe, American Military Intelligence meets with a certain Lamont Cranston, determined to beat a host of spies and assassins to the greatest prize of all… but what that might be, only the Shadow knows. Be sure to get The Shadow #1 in April 2012!

Written by Garth Ennis with art by Aaron Campbell. Cover art provided by Alex Ross, Howard Chaykin, Jae Lee and John Cassaday.

Learn more about Dynamite Entertainment at http://www.dynamite.net/.

Click on images for a larger view.

Cover: John Cassiday

Cover: Howard Chaykin

Dynamite To Reprint Howard Chaykin’s The Shadow

The Shadow: Blood And Judgement by Howard Chaykin was originally published by DC Comics in the eighties around the same time as other gritty takes on characters in comics such as Watchmen and The Dark Knight. This story was last collected in 1991.

Now, twenty-one years later, Dynamite – the current license holders of The Shadow – is bringing Howard Chaykin's The Shadow: Blood and Judgement back into print.

Dynamite has gathered a bunch of quotes regarding the series from some comic book professionals...

“Not since Walter Gibson has anyone been better suited to The Shadow than Howard Chaykin” – Mark Waid

“This is my all-time favorite Howard Chaykin comic book. This is him at the tip-tip-top of his game and, yeah I’ll say it, the best Shadow story ever published!” – Brian Michael Bendis


“IT’S TIME TO GET OFFENDED AGAIN. Welcome back, Mr. Cranston. Welcome back, Mr. Chaykin… we need you both now more than ever. Who knew that underneath all the cocaine, black marble, and rayon that the Eighties had a heart of pulp? As always, Chaykin — and the Shadow — knows…” -Matt Fraction


“Chaykin at his ballsiest and most dynamic. This is how the Shadow should be done.” – Jason Aaron

“Chaykin’s Shadow is a modern legend at his best.” – Rick Remender

“Sharply written, uber-stylish and dead sexy. Yes, Chaykin made The Shadow sexy!” – John Cassaday


“Howard Chaykin was one of the few who dared to make mainstream comics different back in the eighties; it was guys like him, Alan Moore and Frank Miller who made sure there’d be no going back. Howard’s work on The Shadow is amongst his very best: razor-sharp character work, sizzling dialogue and an unsurpassed sense of layout and design.” – Garth Ennis


“The reintroduction of The Shadow in the 1980s in Howard Chaykin’s mini-series was one of the most striking comics of the era. A bold, violent, and modern vision combined with the original caped hero archetype captivated me as a reader.” – Alex Ross


“A comically insolent and graphically innovative re-invention of the grandfather of the superhero.” -Warren Ellis


“There are many reasons to consider Howard Chaykin a comic visionary. This is one of them.” – Brian Azzarello

“The iconic 80s miniseries is back. Some creators use noir themes and images as though they’re throwing them into a shopping basket. Chaykin makes them look as though they didn’t even exist until he came along.” – Mike Carey

“Who knows how to write and draw great suspense, action, and characters that literally pop off the page? THE CHAYKIN KNOWS — HAHAHAHAHA!!!” – Peter J. Tomasi


“Sex, money, intrigue, betrayal, revenge. This is Chaykin. Try to keep up.” – Andy Diggle


“Bloody, brutal, vital and violent, with a striking sense of energy and a huge amount of style on every kinetic page. Howard Chaykin transference of The Shadow from its pulp roots to the comic book gold rush era of 1987 is a gem. It’s good to see it back in print.” – Rob Williams

“My favorite comic growing up in the eighties was THE SHADOW. Howard Chaykin’s Shadow was a breath of fresh air to me and I gobbled up every frame of that miniseries. Chaykin didn’t go onto the regular series when it launched, leaving me to look around for other comics Chaykin had done.” – Aintitcoolnews.com

You can learn more about Dynamite Entertinament at http://www.dynamite.net/.

Thanks to Bleeding Cool for the scans of the original comics below. Click on images for a larger view.

Nick Fury's Pulp Avengers 1959

Avengers 1959 Cover Art: Howard Chaykin

Marvel Comics has released a synopsis and sneak peek at the second issue of their pulpy Avengers 1959 mini series from Howard Chaykin.

AVENGERS 1959 #2 (Of 5)
Written and Penciled by HOWARD CHAYKIN
Cover by HOWARD CHAYKIN
EXPLODING FROM THE PAGES OF NEW AVENGERS...
It’s the tail end of the fabulous fifties. NICK FURY and his AVENGERS roar into their secret mission, hunting down NAZI SUPER VILLAINS...men and women relentlessly preparing to unleash hell on a troubled world barely holding onto peace...only to find the Avengers have what appears to be serious competition in their manhunt for these escaped ubermenschen...when their mission is suddenly compromised by interference from an unlikely source.
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$2.99

Avengers 1959 Pg 1. Story & Art: Howard Chaykin

Avengers 1959 Pg 2. Story & Art: Howard Chaykin

Avengers 1959 Pg 3. Story & Art: Howard Chaykin

Avengers 1959 Pg 4. Story & Art: Howard Chaykin

For more on Marvel Comics, visit http://www.marvel.com/.