Forces collide around the “Demon” as tensions emerge in the start of the ‘Shadow War’ event!
Written by Joshua WilliamsonCover by Jonboy Meyers
Illustrated by Viktor Bogdanovic
Inked by Daniel Henriques
Colored by Mike Spicer
Lettered by Troy PeteriWhen Deathstroke assassinates Ra’s al Ghul, Talia al Ghul demands revenge and sends her League of Shadows to kill Deathstroke and Deathstroke Inc.! Batman and Robin must team up to track down Deathstroke and bring him to justice…but do they? Expect over-the-top fights, action, mystery, and betrayal as this crossover event creates a major impact on the DCU!
The action continues in April with Batman #122!
From the beginning of this one-shot, readers may believe they will know the end. Ra’s al Ghul defeated by Deathstroke, Talia declaring her intention of revenge, and Batman caught in the middle? It all feels rather rote on the surface, worryingly so, and barely worth the effort to look into beyond wonder of why Slade Wilson might try such a thing. However, Joshua Williamson has proven through various stories in the DC Universe that he is by no means a writer simply going according to precisely what would be expected. Can his capabilities as a storyteller overcome the issues that seemingly would plague a tale like the emergent ‘Shadow War’ arc?
In a word, yes. Williamson’s use of the al Ghuls, especially Ra’s, is very interesting. It seems as though the international villain has finally turned over a new leaf, and the presentation of him as genuinely trying to help the world in a new way, rather than killing enormous amounts of people, is a shock. Readers, much like the heroes, will likely find his change of heart hard to believe, and it makes the events all the more intriguing as the al Ghul family, and by extension the League of Assassins itself, seems to change its tune. However, Williamson is not in a mind to ignore history. Various events crop up to remind the audience of how unlikely this change is, as well as how far Ra’s would have to go to make amends even if he is not playing some trick. Facets brought up include the obvious (the Batman family), recent history (the Outsiders), and even larger events (specifically the events of ‘Event Leviathan’), all showing that while the League of Assassins and Leviathan may focus on Batman and his allies, they have enemies far and wide.
The characterizations are on point, and truly make “Shadow War Alpha” #1 into something special. In spite of those many enemies, Ra’s al Ghul manages the near-impossible under Williamson’s pen: he appears to be human and in a sense worthy of pathos. From his actions alone in recognition of his existence an old man to his more stoic public face, he seems to be of two minds, and Williamson plays up his internal torment without ignoring his, to massively understate, sordid past. On the other hand, we have the reactions of others to the event that kicks off the eponymous war of this story. From Robin’s anguish and grief to Talia’s unrelenting rage to the disbelieving uproar of the rest of Deathstroke Incorporated, everyone reacts in their own way. Meanwhile, Batman’s stoicism proves to be only surface level, and he gives his own method of comforting those who have lost family that feels right for him while not being overly emotional.
Even beyond all of that, one last element remains: mystery. Williamson stretches out the “why” of this story in a way that helps keep everyone from being too unsympathetic, making something interesting out of what would otherwise appear to be far too simple. What was done is easy to tell, but why it was done, and who will pay for it in the long run, is what will likely keep readers coming.
Viktor Bogdanovic’s illustrations, worked through ink alongside fellow inker Daniel Henriques, truly bring this murder mystery to life. Every piece of the panels is wrought with emotion dependent upon the tone needed. Close-ups of anguish of a family member or of a man who is just too tired to keep going fill the pages, and the action at work is very fast paced when it has to be, whether it be a training session or the actual event of the public assassination itself. The moment of the shot is shown in silhouette, giving even more depth and shock to the event despite the lack of outright definition, and also showcasing the gunshot while keeping the rating on it from being too high. The inks truly bring this already stellar artwork to life in a way not entirely removed from Bogdanovic’s previous work on “The Silencer.” In general, the events of “Shadow War Alpha” #1 are already wonderfully written, but it is the artwork that really makes it stand out, making readers actually feel for Ra’s al Ghul and the family he leaves behind.
Mike Spicer’s colors are bright and at times violent, not unlike the ones he previously provided for “The Silencer” alongside Bogdanovic. The violence is not overpowering, but the bright lights seem almost alien to Gotham City, the use of light instead of darkness making the al Ghuls and Batman seem out of their element, and thereby making the event that changes everything all the more possible to believe.
Final Verdict: 7.5– Pathos surprisingly comes for a horrific criminal due to fantastic writing and artwork.
