New Attire For A Seasoned Shadowman

by Vince Brusio

Her name is Alyssa Miles, and she hasn’t seen Jack “Shadowman” Boniface in years. It is through Alyssa’s eyes that we will now learn what has happened to Jack. How he’s been through Hell. How his absence has affected her. And how Jack’s new West African appearance means change is on the horizon, and Andy Diggle is just getting started as the new writer for the ongoing book from Valiant Entertainment. In this PREVIEWSworld Exclusive interview, we talk to Andy about Shadowman #1 (JAN182001), the character's makeover, and the soul-crushing drama that hits a comic shop near you March 28.

Shadowman #1 (JAN182001) is in comic shops March 28.

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Vince Brusio: What was the inspiration for your take on the character of Shadowman? How did you go about envisioning his new look?

Andy Diggle: In terms of his character, I’m building on what went before and, in some ways, rationalizing some of the more contradictory elements. When we first met Jack Boniface, he was a very easygoing guy, but in later issues we saw that he had an angry, violent streak that made him hard to like. He did some things that are hard to forgive. He’s been through hell. So in some ways, I see him almost as a traumatized veteran, trying to find positive ways to move forward rather than remaining embittered and trapped in the past.

In terms of visuals, Shadowman’s most recent incarnation was the Magpie – a role he took on when he was controlled by his arch-enemy, Nicodemo Darque. We wanted to find a more classic Shadowman “look” to signify that he’d put that part of his life behind him. We also wanted a design that wouldn’t quickly become dated. 

Originally, I’d considered a look that harkened back to the loa’s West African origins. In the end, we decided that the skull mask and chest logo were the truly iconic visual elements. Beyond that, Shadowman could simply be wearing whatever Jack Boniface was wearing – and that decision was cemented as soon as we saw Greg Smallwood’s beautiful designs. It means we can freshen up Shadowman’s look whenever we want, and he still remains instantly recognizable.

Vince Brusio: The history behind the character is formidable. How have you deviated from past continuity? Or is this a “rebirth,” and you’re updating Shadowman so that he’s more 21st century?

Andy Diggle: This version of Shadowman has only been around since 2012 and spent much of the intervening time out of the spotlight, so his continuity is far less convoluted and contradictory than characters who’ve been around for decades. Our first issue is both an introduction to, and a continuation of, Jack’s story. It’s a jumping-on point – accessible to new readers, while fans who’ve been along for the duration will have a deeper understanding of what he’s been through. Everything you need to know is explained in the first issue – Jack Boniface is a regular guy who was bound to the shadow loa, a dangerous voodoo spirit. It gives him great power, though it’s hard to control, and enables him to travel to the Deadside, the supernatural realm of the dead. 

Vince Brusio: How long have you been working on this book? What ideas were scrapped, and which were expanded?

Andy Diggle: Warren Simons first pitched me the book in May 2017. He hooked me in pretty much straight away – I could see a ton of untapped potential in the character. My initial urge was to just jump right in and continue on from Jack’s most recent appearances (in the pages of Ninjak and Rapture). When we last saw Shadowman, he was a guest/captive of MI6, and it might have been fun having him escape. But that felt a bit too continuity-heavy, dropping new readers in at the deep end. Instead, I chose to approach the first issue from the point of view of Alyssa Miles, who hasn’t seen Jack in years. So we learn what happened to him through her eyes, and what his absence has meant to her.

Vince Brusio: Tell us about the supporting characters. Who’s crucial? Who’s expendable? Who bears further watching because their motives are questionable?

Andy Diggle: Alyssa is central. She’s very grounded, despite being a powerful mambo, and she helps keep the supernatural craziness anchored in the real world. Jack dumped her and now he needs her help, so that’s kind of awkward. Baron Samedi’s more slippery – Jack assumes he’s a straight-up villain, lewd and crude, but his true motives are more subtle. He’s a manipulator. And we’ll be learning more about the motives of the major loa of the Voodoo pantheon, and their history with the shadow loa bound to Jack. We’ll also be seeing the Abettors and their rich and powerful arch-enemies, the Brethren.
 
Vince Brusio: Describe the collaboration you have with artist Stephen Segovia. How do you two communicate? What’s said in that communication? How do you two work so that both of you stay on the same page as you move forward on the series?

Andy Diggle: I’ve always found that communication is the key to making great comics, especially when the team is spread across different continents – Valiant editorial in the States, me in the UK, and Stephen in the Philippines. Working with Stephen is a real pleasure – he’s very collaborative. He emails us rough thumbnail layouts, we give notes, and I rewrite the dialogue to mesh with the final art. Stephen’s art has a wonderful dynamism to it, so the action sequences really pop. Ulises Arreola is doing amazing things with the coloring, and Simon Bowland is one of my favorite letterers to work with. It’s a great team.

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Vince Brusio writes about comics, and writes comics. He is the long-serving Editor of PREVIEWSworld.com, the creator of PUSSYCATS, and encourages everyone to keep the faith...and keep reading comics.