I really enjoyed this. When it first came on interlibrary loan I was a little confused, mainly b/c I had no memory of requesting it but I am glad that I did. The Shade is more of an anti hero then a hero. This volume goes back and forth between the current time period and the past. The stories from the past involve the Shade's interactions with various family members, related by blood and not. All of this leads to finding out how his family is connected to the current plot on his life.

I loved La Sangre and wish she had a book of her own. I would totally read it and yes that does have something to do with her operating in Spain but it also has to do with how selfless and tough she is. I would also read more about most of the other heroes that made an appearance like Montpelier. They seem so much more subtle and interesting then some of their American counterparts.

The historical tales that showed the Shade's interaction with his family were great. They showed a human side that the Shade's human side was never totally lost, and I loved them. ( )

I really enjoyed this. When it first came on interlibrary loan I was a little confused, mainly b/c I had no memory of requesting it but I am glad that I did. The Shade is more of an anti hero then a hero. This volume goes back and forth between the current time period and the past. The stories from the past involve the Shade's interactions with various family members, related by blood and not. All of this leads to finding out how his family is connected to the current plot on his life.

I loved La Sangre and wish she had a book of her own. I would totally read it and yes that does have something to do with her operating in Spain but it also has to do with how selfless and tough she is. I would also read more about most of the other heroes that made an appearance like Montpelier. They seem so much more subtle and interesting then some of their American counterparts.

The historical tales that showed the Shade's interaction with his family were great. They showed a human side that the Shade's human side was never totally lost, and I loved them. ( )

I really enjoyed this. When it first came on interlibrary loan I was a little confused, mainly b/c I had no memory of requesting it but I am glad that I did. The Shade is more of an anti hero then a hero. This volume goes back and forth between the current time period and the past. The stories from the past involve the Shade's interactions with various family members, related by blood and not. All of this leads to finding out how his family is connected to the current plot on his life.

I loved La Sangre and wish she had a book of her own. I would totally read it and yes that does have something to do with her operating in Spain but it also has to do with how selfless and tough she is. I would also read more about most of the other heroes that made an appearance like Montpelier. They seem so much more subtle and interesting then some of their American counterparts.

The historical tales that showed the Shade's interaction with his family were great. They showed a human side that the Shade's human side was never totally lost, and I loved them. ( )

I really enjoyed this. When it first came on interlibrary loan I was a little confused, mainly b/c I had no memory of requesting it but I am glad that I did. The Shade is more of an anti hero then a hero. This volume goes back and forth between the current time period and the past. The stories from the past involve the Shade's interactions with various family members, related by blood and not. All of this leads to finding out how his family is connected to the current plot on his life.

I loved La Sangre and wish she had a book of her own. I would totally read it and yes that does have something to do with her operating in Spain but it also has to do with how selfless and tough she is. I would also read more about most of the other heroes that made an appearance like Montpelier. They seem so much more subtle and interesting then some of their American counterparts.

The historical tales that showed the Shade's interaction with his family were great. They showed a human side that the Shade's human side was never totally lost, and I loved them. ( )

After ten years away, James Robinson returns to Opal City and his greatest "creation"-- now clearly(?) set within the confines of the "New 52." Mikaal Thomas is Starman (again), and the series references the events of Cry for Justice but studiously avoids doing anything to indicate that superpowered beings existed in America prior to Superman. But it doesn't say they didn't, either, so you can interpret this story as taking place in the New 52 or the old continuity just fine. Now there's a masterclass. Anyway, speaking of Cry for Justice, I think it's awesome how all the cover blurbs basically boil down to "Maybe James Robinson still is a good writer."

Anyway, this is indeed pretty good. I think the post-reform Shade loses some of his spark, but Robinson otherwise delivers with a globe-trotting adventure, and that's what's cool here: we get to see Australia, Spain, and London, among other places, and I especially liked Robinson's invented superheroes of Spain, as well as the way this story draws into a perfect conclusion. The bits of backstory Robinson sprinkles in also work very well, as did his "Times Past" back in the Starman days.

The biggest kudos must go to Robinson's artistic collaborators. Darwyn Cooke, Jill Thompson, and Gene Ha each do a single issue, and each is great, of course, but Cully Hamner, Javier Pulido, and Frazer Irving each tackle a third of the main story, each taking a distinctive slice. Pulido takes the three issues in Spain, and his art is the definite highlight of the book, with thin lines, wonderful character design, and some cool layouts. Frazer Irving's use of lighting and color in the final part is perfect for a story so much about darkness and light, too. I wasn't familiar with the work of these three before, but I hope to see more in the future.