Shadow Art

First up, this cover art from "The Black Master" (the eighth issue, March 1932) just went for $33,460 at auction. It was part of the Charles Martignette collection that is being auctioned over the past couple of months.
Next is a little charcoal sketch from yours truly. $33,461 anyone? I thought not.

A question

Just because something is published as "The Shadow" do you consider it part of the "true" Shadow lore? I'm speaking of the '60's novels, the Helfer & Chaykin comics, and especially the "history" as created by P J Farmer. Linking the Master of Darkness to G-8, giving him the Allard Kent Rassendyll family name as well as "Kentov". Fun stuff, I agree, but can it be considered part of the real history? My last post represented the clews as to what the Shadow looked like but W B Gibson completely ignored them as he began to author the novels. Does that mean that the description is not actually canon? I really liked the article by Arn McConnell "Casting a Little Light Among the Shadows" and some of the conclusions. I choose to throw out the newer stuff (sorry PJF, HC & AH) and work from the contest clews forward. What say you?

The Shadow contest "What The Shadow Looks Like"

From Detective Story Magazine February-April, 1931.

"By the mark of the cobra on my chest."

"Prison bars?  Ha! Ha!  A tight squeeze perhaps, but it can be done."

"Artistic hands, have I, and at my will,  a pack of cards is twain."

"Tis hard for me to disguise features akin to those of the winged terror of the feathered tenants of the barnyard.  An inky dye must I apply to hide my Nordic forbears."

"As the unrelenting hound is to the fox, so am I to malefactors.  But a whippet gait I take when on the scent."

"A dove to those I love;  a jungle thing that cannot change its spots to those whose wicked hand I'd stay;  and oft like a bird, I take the air when seeking out a lair."

"8 triple A," the salesmen say, and Beau Brummel's tastes are mine.  But forty ways I look, and for forty persons am mistook."

"Twenty years ago, for me, precocious youth 'B. A.,' and let those form any clime converse near by, and their secrets will be mine."

"Low doorways please me not, and in college I stroked my crew."

"Many have I brought to durance vile, and made to sit where chained lightning strikes."

Master of Darkness

If you read my brief profile, you will see that I bill myself as an artist. I just played around with some Sharpies and Photoshop and this is what I came up with. Could work into something fun.

Comic covers

DC and Dark Horse have kept the Shadow alive in recent years. The new stories may not be seen as canon but I really appreciate his occasional appearance seemingly from nowhere, emerging from the shadows to strike and then merging once again with the inky blackness of the night.

What drew me to The Shadow

My formative years were the Seventies, a great time to grow up. I found Mr. Cranston via the airwaves on Thursdays while sitting in my room at 3030 Nettie. Butte, Montana USA. I'm not sure if I was listening to the originals or not but I was fascinated. I would also put myself to sleep listening to "Radio Mystery Theatre". But I digress.
I used to visit my grandparents in Libby and the same summer that I discovered the radio Shadow I came across the 60's reprint "The Living Shadow". Wow, an eye opener. There was no internet to research my newfound hero so I had no idea he was anything more than a radio character (since that is how my mom and dad remembered him). This book was quickly followed by a coloring book which led me to the DC comic book. I was in heaven. Or so I thought. It got better when the Pyramid books started being published. I proudly wore my t-shirt with the transfer of Steranko's homage cover painting of the Shadow (his graced the new Living Shadow and the original was on The Black Hush). However, it all ended when the books ceased to be published. It hurt but I consoled myself with what I had and kind of held onto that special feeling I had that I thought no one else did. Over time I came across many items (two of which are original pulps) and now there are the double issue reprints which showcase the original illustrations. Again, I am in heaven.

Who knew...

... that one day I could share my love of that greatest of all pulp characters with so many. Perhaps the Shadow did. I will start making the site look the way I want over the coming days. Just wanted to get up and running. The logo will change.