• The Last Shadowhawk #1 cover
    The Last Shadowhawk #1
    Writer:
    Philip Tan, Brian Haberlin
    Artist:
    Philip Tan, Daniel Henriques
    Letterer:
    Todd Tochioka
    Cover Artist:
    Philip Tan, Daniel Henriques
    Publisher:
    Image Comics
    Price:
    $3.99
    Release Date:
    2022-08-17
    Colorist:
    Federico Blee

To celebrate the 30-year anniversary of Shadowhawk #1, Jim Valentino's Shadowhawk returns for a one-shot adventure from Image Comics. The Last Shadowhawk #1 features a story and pencils by Philip Tan, a script written by Valentino and Brian Haberlin, inks by Daniel Henriques, colors by Federico Blee, and letters by Todd Tochioka, along with 13 variant covers from a multitude of artists including Rob Liefeld and Bill Sienkiewicz.

The issue is one gigantic battle between Shadowhawk and Rache. Interspersed between their conflict is a summary of their troubled past, as well as a quick recap of who Shadowhawk is and why he is important. While there aren't many twists and turns here, the issue uses its pages to set the stage and catch the readers up on events they might have missed if they weren't familiar with Shadowhawk before. More importantly, it tells a full story that perfectly celebrates the classic character.

RELATED: REVIEW: AfterShock Comics' Samurai Doggy #1

The Last Shadowhawk Alternative Cover

The Last Shadowhawk #1 is overflowing with nostalgia, with Valentino and Haberlin penning a script that harkens back to an earlier era. Even Tan's story feels like it's straight out of the '90s. Think lots of exposition and sprawling two-page spreads that show off historic battles. Ultimately, the reception towards this approach largely depends on how the reader feels about comics from the era. It's either a reminder of a glorious time or one where the story was secondary to the art and cool poses.

Tan's pencils and Henriques' inks are dipped in the same magic sauce as the original Image Comics lineup. This is the sort of issue that will inspire young artists to practice and hone their craft as they fall in love with the detail and grandeur of every page. The Last Shadowhawk #1 is a superhero comic drawn in the way many fans expect superhero books to look. Nothing about it is small or subtle, as the book chooses to be bold and in everyone's face.

RELATED: REVIEW: Dark Horse Comics' The Ward #3

The Last Shadowhawk Double-Page Spread

Blee's colors are as bombastic as Tan's art. Every page is lively and bursting with powerful colors that bring this world to life on a grand scale. This is a loud book, and the colors amplify it. Tochioka's letters prove vitally important here, as the letterer utilizes different approaches for the speech bubbles of Shadowhawk, Rache, and the Egyptian pantheon. With all the carnage on the pages, it would be difficult to determine who said or thought what if it weren't for Tochioka.

From its over-the-top story to its dramatic art, The Last Shadowhawk #1 is a love letter to Image Comics' boom of the early '90s. Even a casual flip through the book is sure to inspire a sense of excitement among new readers and longtime Shadowhawk fans. It's impossible to shake, as this issue acts as a wonderful reminder of why so many readers fell in love with the comics medium in the first place.