The Shadow Volume Three: The Light of the World. Chris Robertson (Writer), Giovanni Timpano (Art), Fabrico Guerra (Colours), Rob Steen (Letters) Dynamite (2014)

A very enjoyable Shadow story that is really for existing fans. A series of very brutal murders attracts the attention of the Shadow, there is no apparent link between the victims other than the way they are killed and reports of a ghostly figure seen near the crime scenes. As the Shadow investigates the link becomes clear and the Shadow finds a thread that could lead to the killer. The story is very well staged, the action is tremendous and the climax is satisfying. The story uses all the beats of a Shadow story with care and skill, everything a existing fan would require is present and that is the problem. It is a very good Shadow story for a fan, it does require a degree of prior knowledge to appreciate the details of the story. It does not quite catch fire and become a deeply engaging Shadow story nor does it offer an invite to a casual reader to discover the joy of The Shadow.
Chris Robertson has written a smartly constructed and credible Shadow story, the crimes are bold enough to attract attention, the period details are used with effect, never calling attention to themselves they just confidently support the context. The cast are all given the room to be themselves and have a part to play other than being a roll call. The Shadow is given the force and drive that is needed to push the story, his encounters with the killer have weight, the killer is a formidable opponent and this means the Shadow has to work hard to achieve his goal.
 Giovanni Timpano's art captures the physical context with telling detail and the cast move naturally through the context. The Shadow has a brooding, powerful presence that gives him the menace that requires. The action is great, there is a force and weight to the movements and the cast engage directly with each other. The quieter moments are done with care and skill, they bring the reader into the story. The lines are a little too soft for my taste, the cast need a bit more definition in their faces to emerge with a real individuality, they do not quite look like they have lived the lives they have.
Fabrico Guerra's colours are great, they give definition and depth to the cast, they bring out the tones of the story with subtle care. They time shifts are clearly signaled without overwhelming the narrative drive of the story .
Rob Steen's letters are natural and easy to read, they never draw attention to themselves, the sound effects are excellent, they never get in the way of a story where the colouring is used to as a special effect. Any Shadow fan will enjoy this comic, I do not think it would create any new ones.

Maidenstone 2.Chris Robertson (Writer), Scott Beveridge (Art), Andrew Kelly (Cover Art), Angie Smith (Editor). Baguette Noir Press (2015)

A very engaging and enjoyable comic with a stand out lead character. Lucy Maitland has lost her father in an accident and her brother and her mother are crumbling in the aftermath of the death. Lucy is trying to hold everyone together while coming under significant pressure from fellow pupils at school. When she meet Dylan, a friendly stranger who helps her Lucy finds that she is falling for him. As the story continues in this issue it becomes clear that Dylan is not entirely what he appears to be and Lucy's problems with the other pupils become significantly worse. Lucy's brother Jamie is becoming aware that something strange is swirling around them but is unable to express it clearly or forcefully enough to be properly heard. Lucy gets a dressmaking commission which may become the opportunity that Dylan was looking for.
This is Lucy's story and she deserves the spotlight. She is a great character, Chris Robertson has done something remarkable, written a teenager who feels like a teenager. Unfortunately most teenager characters are so buried in cliches that the reader cannot hear their heartbeat. Lucy is vital and strongly herself, she is massively distressed, confused and horrifyingly vulnerable, she is also resilient, aware and determined. Lucy engages the reader forcefully by being herself and this is what makes the story work. Lucy is increasingly in danger and the tensions exists because the reader has the opportunity to care about her. The rest of the cast are equally varied in themselves and have a strong claim on the reader. The chief bully who spearheads the trouble at school for Lucy is not given any extra dimensions, the sheer force of her attacks give her powerful and nastily credible life.
Scott Beveridge's art is a pleasure to read, it captures the atmosphere and the subtle moves of the story with force and vivid expressiveness. The gray tones of the art capture the pervasive sense of loss and anxiety that hang on everyone, the emotions are loud and sharp, anger is always just waiting to explode. The quiet time with Dylan is a relief and frightening at the same time. Each member of the cast is distinct and at the same time share strong resemblances. Nicely done to capture the sense of a small town with a strong local population that has not changed much over time as well as being Lucy's perspective.
The creators have delivered another intriguing episode in a strongly individual story with a confident and forceful style. They are taking advantage of the medium to push the story and capture the reader, making it look easy and unforced. A pleasure to read.

Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly sent by Chris Robertson. To buy a copy of Maidenstone 2, and you should give yourself the pleasure of reading a strong, thoughtful and original comic, it can be purchased at  Forbidden Planet and Plan 9 in Aberdeen, and on our Big Cartel site. http://baguettenoirpress.bigcartel.com/ 

Maidenstone 1. Chris Robertson (Writer), Scott Beveridge (Art), Andrew Kelly (Cover), LA Baguette Noir Press 2015

An engaging and very enjoyable opening chapter that manages to set up the story very effectively. Lucy Maitland's father has died under mysterious circumstances and the grief has fractured her faily. Her mother does not want to talk about what she is feeling or thinking and her brother, Jamie, is talking far too much about it. Lucy is caught in the middle trying to keep everyone together, including herself. The town where she lives is sharply divided also, the families that have been in the area for generations and families who came for work on the oil rigs off shore. An explosive confrontation after her father's wake leads to Lucy meeting Dylan who is definitely more than he seems.
A set up is a difficult task to manage, a lot of information has to be presented in a short space of time, the cast introduced, the context established and the plot mechanics set in motion all without confusing or drowning the reader. Chris Robertson has managed the process with deft skill and care, the pacing of the set up is wonderful. He takes enough time to introduce Lucy, her family and her town so that when the action arrives it is both natural and feels inevitable. Lucy is a great lead character, she has a clear and distinctive voice, she is someone and she manages to contain all of the forces pulling at her until releasing them makes her vulnerable to kindness. The rest of the cast are full of life and action, they push and shove to get the readers attention and make the context fill with life and vigor.
Scott Beveridge's art is striking, this is Lucy's story told directly by a teenage girl and the art feels like it was drawn directly by Lucy. The way she sees herself when she is in school, making a dress, out with her mother, playing a computer game with her brother. always the same person but also very different. The art makes the story very personal, it is not events happening to someone else, this is not what happened, this is what it felt like was happening. This is really effective as the final panels show the trouble ahead and the reader is not simply observing a character heading for trouble. Lucy has taken a literal and metaphorical beating and that is barely the start, and the reader is pulled right in.
Maidenstone is a great start, the stakes have been raised very nicely and the the promise of the story is substantial.
Chief Wizard Note: This is a review copy very kindly send by  Chris Robertson, for more details on how to get a copy, and you should treat yourself to one, you can check here, www.baguettenoirpress.co.uk, or here www.facebook.com/baguettenoirpress.