The saga of Shadowman shifts direction completely with the ‘everything you knew is a lie’ approach. Jack Bonice, the son of the previous Shadowman, appeared to be the best possible host for the Shadow Loa, picking up the mantle from the man who sacrificed everything to save the world. Jack even managed to kill his dad’s greatest foe – the seemingly unkillable Master Darque! But it looks like Josiah Boniface may not have been the great hero everyone thought he was. And neither is Jack…
SCROLL DOWN to the bottom for the KEY COLLECTED EDITIONS for this event!
Crossover: An additional X issue introduces this arc which all wraps up in its own mini-series.
Must Reads: Story arcs marked with a ✔are must-read stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- ✔ Shadowman #13X
- ✔ Shadowman #13-16
- ✔ Shadowman: End Times #1-3
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| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Shadowman #13X The senior Abettors meet in secret to discuss Jack Boniface’s progress since becoming Shadowman. Due to his outbursts of uncontrolled rage, they decide he’s unfit for the role… 1st appearance: Charles Copeland, Abettor Earlene, Abettor Henry |
| ✔ | Shadowman #13 Senior Abettors Earlene and Henry check in with Alyssa Myles to relay their findings on Jack’s history of random violence and blackout rages. Alyssa goes against her orders to kill Jack and instead steers him toward the mystic Punk Mambo in the Bayou. When the Shadow Loa talks to Jack, Punk Mambo tries to burn him alive! But he emerges as Shadowman. She tells him the Loa is an exiled spirit and he needs to find the one person who can remove it from him forever… 1st appearance: Punk Mambo/Victoria Greaves-Trott |
| ✔ | Shadowman #14 Some of Jack’s ancestors have overcome the evil sway of the Shadow Loa. Others struggled and, ultimately, were lost to its influence. Alyssa tries to get Jack to fall in love with her so he can regain control, but he wants to get himself together, first. The Shadow Loa tracks down the Tremble Loa, who’s taken the form of a drug-dealer. The Abettors find out Alyssa has been trying to help Jack. Dox’s spirit asks Alyssa to avenge his death by killing Jack Boniface… 1st appearance: Tremble Loa |
| ✔ | Shadowman #15 Tremble tries to recruit another exiled loa, Makoot, to kill the Shadow Loa while it’s distracted. Against her better judgement, Alyssa asks Jack to meet him, only for Earlene and Henry to emerge in her place. They try to kill Jack and bring a new host, Reverend Charity, for the Shadow Loa to leap to. But Shadowman fights back. Alyssa realises Dox’s ghost wasn’t real and rushes to find Shadowman… |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Shadowman #16 Alyssa stops Earlene from killing Shadowman with the Screaming Whip. Tremble spreads fear through New Orleans and Shadowman is needed to stop him. After confronting his past actions with the guy who bullied him as a kid, Jack becomes Shadowman and transports Tremble to the Deadside. Tremble’s fear of facing his own fear kills him. Jack returns to Earth and kisses Alyssa. Elsewhere, Jack’s father, Josiah Boniface, is alive! |
| ✔ | Shadowman: End Times #1 Contrary to Jack Boniface’s beliefs, his father did struggle to control the Shadowman Loa. Jack and Alyssa have moved in together, but the Loa is making him hunt the exiled Loas in New Orleans. When Shadowman kills Makoot, Jack tries to end his life by running out in front of a truck. But the Loa won’t let him die. It reveals to him that his father is still alive… |
| ✔ | Shadowman: End Times #2 The Abettors steer Shadowman toward Punk Mambo for information on his father’s location. Josiah contacts Jack via a representation of himself, warning Jack not to find him. So Jack sacrifices his relationship with Alyssa to Leggy, the Keeper of the Crossroads. Leggy takes Shadowman to the Voodoo Lands where Master Darque is bound and permanently near death… |
| ✔ | Shadowman: End Times #3 Shadowman resurrects Master Darque who creates a compass fuelled by Jack’s blood that helps him find his father. Josiah explains that he left his family and faked his death using magic energies stolen from Master Darque to keep them safe. Jack is reunited with the spirit of his mother, Helena LeBrereton. Jack’s anger prevents him from seeing that he literally just did the same to Alyssa. Josiah offers to take the Shadow Loa from Jack, but he violently refuses it. Shadowman kills Josiah Boniface, causing Helena’s spirit to crumble away to nothing. Broken after murdering his parents, Jack accepts Master Darque’s offer to serve him… |
| Must Reads | Issue & Fallout | Event/Crossover |
| ✔ | Punk Mambo #0 (2014) Punk Mambo’s origins are explored. | |
| ✔ | Ninjak #10-13 (2015-2016) Punk Mambo and Ninjak head into the Deadside to find out what happened to Shadowman and free him from Master Darque’s control but leaving him in the Deadside. | |
| ✔ | Book of Death #1-4 (2015) Master Darque initiaties his plans for the Earth without Shadowman by his side; Darque’s efforts to manipulate the new Geomancer. | BOOK OF DEATH |
| ✔ | Ninjak/Shadowman: Rapture #3-4 (2017) The truth about Shadowman is finally revealed, along with the fate of Josiah Boniface. | |
| ✔ | Shadowman #1-3 (2018) Shadowman escapes the Deadside and, with help from Alyssa Myles, searches for a way to free himself from the Shadow Loa. | |
| ✔ | Shadowman #8-11 (2018-2019) Abettors Earlene and Henry meet their fate in the fight against the Bretheren; Jack frees himself from the Boniface lineage. | |
| Shadowman #8 (2022) Alyssa Myles is merged with Erzuile Dantor, turning her against Shadowman. | BOOK OF SHADOWS | |
| ✔ | Book of Shadows #1-4 (2022-2023) Punk Mambo joins forces with Shadowman again – as well as Doctor Mirage and the Eternal Warrior – to combat Exarch Fane and his vampire army. |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| Shadowman vol.4: Fear, Blood and Shadows | Shadowman #13-16 |
| Shadowman: End Times | Shadowman: End Times #1-3 |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| Shadowman – Deluxe Edition vol.2 | Punk Mambo #0 Shadowman #13, 13-16 Shadowman: End Times #1-3 |
Reading Order ©OmniverseComicsGuide 2023
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