The Shadow Special #1

Specials and Annuals for ongoing series are always something of a mixed bag, especially (as in the case with The Shadow Special #1) the one-off issue isn't connected to the ongoing series or even written aor drawn by the current creative team.

"Veterans of a Foreign War" isn't a bad story, but it probably won't be of interest to anyone who isn't a big fan of the character. Lamont Cranston's past catches up with him when he reconnects with a soldier he helped train during the war. Knowing the kind of man Howard Griffin became (and the man Cranston was when he used the name "Kent Allard") Cranston keeps Griffin far away from Margo as The Shadow investigates the current activities of Griffin and some of his war cronies.

Much of the oversized issue deals with flashbacks of Allard and Griffin meaning the story limits the amount of time The Shadow appears, at least until the last few pages when Crantston takes his vengeance on men he once called brothers. It's a little pricey at $5, but fans should enjoy themselves with this glimpse into Cranston's past before he could look into the hearts of men. For fans.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $4.99]