I knew it. I just knew it. I knew that Marvel couldn’t keep it together through all five issues of Shadowland without adding in something completely ridiculous. And with Shadowland #3, the “House Of Ideas” proved me right. What started out as a gripping tale about a man who has lost so much it pushed him over the edge has now been given an easy answer, a back door element that just sucks the human drama right out of it.
I won’t spoil exactly what’s going on but rest assured Marvel have pussied their way out of having Matt Murdock be responsible for his own actions. I can only assume his guilt while “under the influence” is why Marvel is ending the Daredevil series (well, only to have it brought back with a crappy artist, but that’s a story for another time).
Outside of the final page and the big revelation Shadowland #3 is a great read from end to end. Andy Diggle crafts a layered and complex story with an ease that allows everybody to understand what’s going on without simplifying the story for those of us who have followed since the beginning.
At the end of Shadowland #2, Daredevil basically ordered The Hand to attack and kill Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Spider-Man and other assorted former allies. Not to mention Kingpin had brought Ghost Rider into the picture and Moon Knight has infiltrated the Shadowland haven as his alter ego. All of that explodes in this issue right from the first page.
Diggle is smart enough to know how to weave the subtext of his story around huge action scenes and the stuff in issue 3 is excellent. Ghost Rider ripping through Shadowland being his former pissed off self, Moon Knight mowing down Hand operatives and that doesn’t even touch the throwdown between Daredevil, his Hand henchman and the heroes who are trying to save him. There’s a great scene where Daredevil defeats the power of the Iron Fist that gets the questions flowing as to how he got so powerful. With so many options at their fingertips the idea that Marvel has chosen the path they have is just cliché and typical.
With every issue I begin to enjoy Billy Tan’s artwork that much more. Issue #3 is easily his best effort both with the flow of the action and his solid work on faces. As always, Tan keeps the action high energy allowing it to pop right off the page. I think Tan has a thing for boobs [editor’s note: who doesn’t?] because pretty much every girl here is stacked to the nines. The very idea that Lady Bullseye could be as agile and gymnastic as she is with a rack this plentiful is kind of silly but who doesn’t like the bad girls to be extra hot?
For the first nineteen pages, Shadowland #3 is just as wonderful as the first two issues, then it completely falls apart. Daredevil’s plan for a new Hand “champion” is stupid as is the big reveal as to what’s wrong with Matt Murdock. I’m sure with the Diggle/Tan combination the final two issues of Shadowland will be awesome reads but with this new element they won’t be nearly as powerful.
