The Shadow / Batman 1

The World's Greatest Mystery. The World's Greatest Detective. They can barely stand each other, so how will they possibly deal with the World's Greatest Evil? What legacy can two of the world's most enduring icons of justice leave once they discover an ancient evil has been living inside the world they protect for centuries. Can Batman and the Shadow save the world without destroying it in the process? Writer Steve Orlando (Batman/The Shadow, Justice League of America) and artist by Giovanni Timpano (The Shadow, Transformers) unite to tell an instantly classic tale of noir, mortality and generational heroes and villains.

Two iconic characters are thrust together when a mysterious cabal known as the “Silent Seven” descends on New York. Delving into the mystical elements of both the Shadow's and Batman's pasts, writer Orlando (Wonder Woman) and artist Timpano (The Shadow; Transformers) craft a quintessential story that touches deep into their motivations and what makes each tick. The Shadow knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men, but who knows what lurks in his heart? Batman has spent decades trying to heal the sorrow caused by losing his own family, but can he actually prevent it from happening again? Orlando asks these questions within the plot but also has the characters asking the same of themselves and each other.
VERDICT A beautiful work of graphic noir fiction starring venerable characters of the pulp era supported by newer protagonists from the last decade, this book is both old and new and a delight for fans of either superhero.