Shadecraft #1: Dancing in the Dark

Shadecraft is the story of Zadie Lu, your normal everyday teen. She’s the younger awkward sister of the most popular kid in school, who is currently in a coma after a horrific car accident, and whose shadow now seems to be coming after her. Is she insane? Is there something more sinister going on? That’s what you’ll have to find out in this book by Joe Henderson and Lee Garbett.

I’m a couple years (snicker) out of high school, but Zadie is a character I can totally relate to. Totally reads signals wrong, never had a lot of friends to speak of due to events that were out of my control (I moved around a lot). I was quiet, reserved, and kept to myself most of the time, but still found a way to be targeted by bullies. This is something Joe excels at when depicting Zadie’s character here, and it immediately drew me into reading this. I could understand where she was coming from with all of these checks going against her.

The pacing on this is brisk yet ominous, but the danger the shadows represent is a tad bit awkward. Not enough to draw you out of the story, but just enough to make you think, “Huh?”  It’s also difficult to get a reading on any of the other characters in the book. Sure, Zadie is being fleshed out, but I still want to care for the other people who could make up her supporting cast. Still, the book is quite good, and since it’s just the first issue I’m more than willing to overlook these relatively minor quibbles.

Fortunately, the art is absolutely beautiful. Lee Garbett does it again. I’ve been a fan of his since his days as rotating artist on X-O Manowar from Valiant, and he just keeps perfecting his craft. The scenes are clean, and the lines not too heavy to draw you away from the details he gives you in the environment around the characters.

Fabela’s color palette is pitch perfect for the book. When the story calls for a mood, the colors compliment the art, and vice  versa.

If you’re interested in a fast, yet fun story about an awkward girl coming of age, yet having to deal with something ominously supernatural hook, this is the book for you.