Review: The Shadow: Death of Margo Lane #2
This issue begins with Ying Ko (The Shadow) behind bars and being greeted by gang members of the Red Empress. The narration tells us that many of the Chinese immigrants found that a criminal lifestyle was the only one open to them because of a land which promised equality and opportunity but was instead steeped in bigotry and exclusion. The gang plans on blowing up the prison that The Shadow finds himself in and killing him with it. Using chemicals our hero melts away the bars and makes good his escape before the building goes Ka-blowie. A great moment reminiscent of the old cliff hangers from the ‘30’s and ‘40’s. Wagner picks up the pace from issue one as we see non-stop action to a rousing conclusion.
The Creative Team
Brennan and Brennan are having more fun with this issue than the last one. The pace has increased and the ante has been upped bringing both The Shadow and Margo closer to the Red Empress. Margo thinks that our protagonist has been destroyed and is hell bent on finding his killers. She voices her concerns to Shrevie who reassures her that it’s the bad guys that are afraid of the boss, not the other way around. The art is deliberately reminiscent of the old pulps and comics yet retains its modern sensibility. So much care has been taken to bring us a finely crafted homage to the creations of Walter Gibson, Vernon Greene and other early artists.
The Cover
This cover should pique the comic store surfer’s curiosity. We see our hero behind bars with a roll of dynamite beside him. In the foreground is Margo Lane firing her weapon off to the right. An urgent, startled look on her face and she’s in a defensive pose. The symbol of the Red Empress in front of her. Enough information to completely describe what’s happening in this issue.
In Conclusion
The end of this issue sees the police speculating about the warehouse explosion while The Shadow gets vital information about this case from the morgue. The mortician tells our protagonist that there were four bodies, three men and a woman. The woman’s body was burned beyond recognition. Could this be Margo Lane? On the final page another vital clue is discovered before we read “To be continued.” ***1/2
The Shadow: Death of Margo Lane #2
Writer: Matt Wagner
Art: Matt Wagner
Colors: Brennan Wagoner
Letters: A Larger World Studios
Cover: Matt and Brennan Wagoner
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Publication date: July 13, 2016