A different Shade
I think that I have discovered a really interesting character. Which is usually turns out to be expensive. Of course I am talking about Shade.
Originally, I believe, he was a Flash villain. Of Jay's no less. Then he became a bit less villainous and more...interesting. Then in Starman, he really started to blossem forth as an unnusual and intriguing character. I don't really know that much about him, except that apparently he is a Victorian gentleman who used to hang out with Charles Dickens and Oscar Wilde, and somehow gained...powers. Really cool shadowy powers. He's witty, erudite, and totally ruthless, which is fun. For some reason, I enjoy a dollop of moral ambiguity in characters.
And isn't this lovely?
Anybody know some good Shade stories? I'm really starting off as a neophyte here, and I am about to start plunging into the back issue boxes. Plus, he wears a tophat. How can you not like a man who wears a hat?
posted by SallyP @ 10:04 AM
7 Comments:
Well you expose one hole in my comic knowledge I knew I have, I have seen references to
1 Starman which to my shame I did'nt manage to read yet but it seems that it's a very good story
2 Shade but I think this Shade is another one; I was thinking of Shade the changing man by Milligan who I think is different, but anyway I 've never read either of them.
I totally love moral ambiguity in characters too, but I prefer ambiguity better, and I tried to apply it whith my personal characters... (A good fleshed antagonist is a true bliss too, I think...)
Ps : dear Sally, I am quite surprised you don't write a word on the GL28 preview... take a look on ragnell's written world (entry of 3rd of march)... The location of the scene, on the first page... (and as I am quite a neophite for pre-rebirth GL eras I might appreciate some explanation of you ^^ because it certainly seems John wants to play whith a lot of passed GL events)
n.
If you liked his appearances in Starman, you should look for his very own spin-off mini-series.
I don't think they've done anything more with Shade since his appearances in Starman, so that and his miniseries are about all you're going to get. I myself was a bit dismayed when he appeared in the Justice League cartoon as pretty much the same character as fought the Flash all those years ago, with no nuance and no sense of style.
I really REALLY ought to proofread before hitting that little ol' button. Sorry for the first sentence, and for misspelling "blossom".
I'm going to start looking for the mini-series as soon as I go and pick up my new Books on Wednesday. And, probably start picking through the Starman books as well.
Nico, I do have a bunch of the Vertigo, Shade the Changing Man books, but as you say, they are a completely different character. A GOOD character, but not the same.
And I'll do a review of Green Lantern 28 when I actually have it in my fevered clutches. I try not to read the previews ahead of time.
thanks you for the info on the vertigo's Shade, and hopefully I kept my tongue on GL28 (but I think you'll be pleased...)
JSA #48-49 has some cool appearance by Shade. But I believe he was best in Starman ...
Starman is where he was reinvented from a silly silver age villain with a shadow cane into the victorian Sleuth he is today.
He also had his own short (4 issues I think) miniseries that Robinson penned as well.
And as a tidbit, he was the villain in that first story where Barry and Jay cross earths and meet for the first time. The one with the cover where they are on different sides of the brick wall.
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