WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Justice League Dark #5 by Jame Tynion IV, Daniel Sampere, Juan Albarran and Adriano Lucas, in stores now.
There has always been a magical superhero team to defend the DC Universe, but what if the world actually had two? Before the Justice League Dark was introduced as the DCU's preeminent supernatural super team, there were many groups before it. We've had The Leymen, the Sentinels of Magic, the Seven Soldiers and Shadowpact. Though the JLD currently holds the role, it has now been hinted that another magic team could be coming back.
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In Justice League Dark #5, we finally see Nightmaster's funeral following his demise in Dark Nights: Metal. James Tynion IV and Daniel Sampere bring the entire magical community of the DCU together in order to say goodbye to this hero. With the guests that attend, and everything that happens after, it appears that the superhero team known as the Shadowpact is back.
Old Friends Return to Say Goodbye
Following the end of "The Witching Hour" crossover, we get a look back to when Detective Chimp first inherited the Sword of Night and the Oblivion Bar from Nightmaster. Jim Rook had died saving the world, and now his legacy has been left in the hands of the person (or chimpanzee) least fitting of that honor. Bobo doesn't know what else to do but drink, but that doesn't mean his friends can't do the right thing.
A torrent of magical characters come in to say their goodbyes, and an outpouring of familiar faces can be seen in the crowd. Deadman, Phantom Stranger, Azrael and Doctor Occult trickle in, but of greater note is the prominence of Enchantress, Ragman, Nightshade and Blue Devil in these scenes. They have one connection to Nightmaster: They are all former members of the magical superhero team known as Shadowpact.
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Shadowpact was DC's last superhero team before the New 52 relaunch in 2011. Created by Bill Willingham in 2005, the group consisted of Nightmaster, Detective Chimp, Blue Devil, Enchantress, Ragman and Nightshade. Though the book only lasted 25 issues, the group was a prominent fixture of the DCU through the mid-to-late aughts. Unfortunately, the end of DC continuity made it unlikely that Shadowpact would ever be seen again.
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Now here they are again, for the first time in Rebirth continuity, and they are sitting closest to the casket, signifying a strong connection to the deceased. No mention is made of who they are and how they know one another, but DC still makes it happen. Ragman now looks like a demonic mummy, and Enchantress is more evil than she has been in a long time (and she's apparently dead), but still this group comes together to mourn one of their own. If you needed more evidence that Shadowpact is coming back, look no further than the story arc's name on the last page.
The Shadow Pact Returns
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Tasked with protecting the world of Myrra, it appears that Detective Chimp may have actually destroyed the mystical shadow lands instead of helping to defend them. When the Justice League Dark enters the dimension, they are faced with an undead army and a former friend who has a literal axe to grind. Despite having barely appeared over the last few years, Blue Devil seems to have history with Bobo, and things are not good between the two.
At some point following Nightmaster's memorial service, Detective Chimp made a terrible decision that ruined the world he was supposed to protect. In his stead, Dan Cassidy has apparently been protecting what little remains, so you can be sure that he's not happy when the supposed Nightmaster shows up unexpectedly. It appears that the two once had some sort of pact before everything went wrong, and Bobo has broken it. Now the two former friends are enemies, so the future of this reemerging team is already in doubt.
While it is unclear if Shadowpact is still in continuity, there are enough hints and references to suggest that there is some kind of shared history between these characters. After all the changes these characters have undergone, it would have been too easy to ignore their shared history, but the creators still went out of their way to include them.
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It should be noted that no one actually says the team's name out loud, or even suggests that there was a team at some point. However, Tynion and company had to know that fans would recognize these subtle connections. Also, naming this story arc "The Shadow Pact" is a little too on the nose to suggest all of this is coincidence. What is the future of Shadowpact? Hopefully the answer will be in Justice League Dark #6.