The Shadow #1 "The Doom Puzzle" page 5

 

"Harry... you're wicked!"

The Shadow #1 "The Doom Puzzle" page 4

 

"To the Cobalt Club, Shrevvy!"

The Shadow #1 "The Doom Puzzle" page 3

 

"What are we waitin' for?  GUN 'IM!"

The Shadow #1 "The Doom Puzzle" page 2

 

"That laugh--! It's like... ice!"

The Shadow #1 "The Doom Puzzle" page 1

 

  Ah, the beauty that is old newsprint and four color printing.  Perfectly suited for The Shadow.  Over time I have come to appreciate M W Kaluta's art more and more.  It felt crude and less than stellar when I came across this 50+ years ago, but I was comparing it to superhero comics.  Aparo, Adams, Kane, Romita and Buscema.  I didn't appreciate the need for the period and the genre to have a different look and feel.  Kaluta was that look and feel.  There have been others who have tackled this historic character, but I don't know that any of them made it feel like they actually loved The Shadow and the world he inhabited.  Kaluta most definitely did!

Time to go back to where my comics ties to The Shadow began... The Shadow #1 "The Doom Puzzle"

I appreciate what Kaluta accomplished more as time goes by.  The detail he put into this book is astounding.  Especially at a time when reference was not available via a simple Google search and there was no easy fix with Photoshop.  All done with paper, pen, brush and ink.  All by hand.  Enjoy this trip back to the past that was already a trip back to the past.

What a collaboration!

 This would have been a great one shot comic story!  Kaluta!  Wrightson!  Dream team, for sure!

Some more of that sketchy Kaluta goodness

I like how MWK emphasizes the thin nature of The Shadow with the tight, monk-like coat but it doesn't seem practical.  I prefer this look from him (with an awesome ink job from Bernie Wrightson)...

Advertising The Shadow Comics

 

 

and one that never saw the light of day...

The Shadow gets in dutch

Always love it when The Shadow shows up internationally.  Since de Schim is Dutch, I'm guessing this is from the Netherlands (or Aruba, Suriname, Northern Belgium or Caribbean).  Sure, we've all seen this cover art (and done better) but it's a great thing to see our hero exacting justice wherever crime happens.

Posted before but...

...in my opinion it can't be posted enough.  One of the greatest representations The Shadow that I've ever seen.  The use of chiaroscuro is absolutely stunning.  Just awesome!

More great Kaluta/Wrightson images

Continuing with my love for this issue of The Shadow are some terrific poses of our hero.  The hand being illuminated with the match is brilliant.  Pure Gibson.  These are the ones that live in my mind's eye as I read the books or just when my mind wanders during the day.

One of my earliest recollections of The Shadow

I got spoiled right off the bat with the Kaluta/Wrightson team-up in issue #3.  I loved that extra oomph that Bernie gave to MWK's great pencils and layouts.  This issue is one I go back to all of the time.  Would love to own the last page of this one.

Those final three panels really captured my imagination and have really set in my mind how The Shadow should look in all comic adaptations.  Can even forgive the scarf...

"Death Sits Down" page 21

Hmmm,  that last panel looks extremely familiar...

heh heh heh...

Wrightson's turn with The Shadow

The ad that preceded DC's original run of The Shadow.

"The Kingdom of the Cobra" page 20

"The Kingdom of the Cobra" page 19

"The Kingdom of the Cobra" page 18

"The Kingdom of the Cobra" page 17

"The Kingdom of the Cobra" page 16