Posted in: Comics | Tagged: comic, dynamite, entertainment, justice inc, michael moreci, the shadow

"I Even Re-watched The Shadow Alec Baldwin Movie" – Michael Moreci On Writing The Shadow

Another special spinning out of Justice Inc will be a one-shot for The Shadow written by Michael Moreci. The writer has plans on doing a very different and unique Shadow story and Byron Brewer got to ask him about it.

BYRON BREWER: Michael, the Shadow is really one of Dynamite's signature characters. He certainly has a lot of print projects during this 10th anniversary of the company. What makes this 48-page special stand out, in your mind (besides you wrote it, lol).

MICHAEL MORECI: I can't remember any story—and maybe I'm wrong—that didn't center around The Shadow. Which makes sense—he is the star of his universe. But, he also has a rich world that he inhabits with a ton of colorful characters to play with and mythology to explore, sort of like Batman. That's what makes this story a little different; it has all the elements you'd expect from a Shadow story—pulpy fun, mystery, suspense, adventure—but executed through the supporting characters. If you're a fan of the history, this will be a really cool issue to check out.

BB: The spotlight is on the agents here. I like that. Who will we see? Margo, Cliff, Jericho? Who else?

MM: We've got Miles in there as well! Jericho and Cliff make a fun duo to write, and it was a blast being able to pair Miles and Margo.

BB: So, no Shadow at all?

MM: Oh, he's in there, I couldn't resist. I may or may not ever be able to write Shadow again (which has been a dream of mine, along with Doc Savage), so I had to at least include him a little bit. He does play a role, but it's his agents' story.

BB: Tell us a little about the story.

MM: Without giving any spoilers, the story centers on a mysterious crime syndicate that has the city in a death grip. No one, not even The Shadow, knows who is behind this crime ring. Circumstances give the Shadow's trusted agents the opportunity to step up and play a leading role rather than follow the Shadow. With the syndicate plotting a major heist and its villainous leader plotting his final move to take over the city, the agents have to use all their skills to keep the city—and the world—safe. It has humor, action, crime, everything you'd expect.

BB: Any special inspiration from former Shadow tales or other media inspire this tale?

MM: Nothing specific, no. When I got the assignment, I went and re-read a bunch of classic Shadow stories, in comics and prose (including Ennis's awesome story from Dynamite), and I even re-watched The Shadow Alec Baldwin movie—which I still thing is pretty great. I'm really glad I did, because it help me capture that Shadow feel, mixing the pulp noir and pulp adventure traditions. I think the latter, the adventure part, has gotten lost at times in favor of straight crime. It was good to be reminded of how much fun The Shadow can be, especially his supporting cast.

BB: I take it this will be one of those great globe-trotting tales. Where are you taking us?

MM: Well, of course we'll be hitting the mean streets of New York, but our characters will also find adventure in a mysterious mountain in China…

BB: How successful was Anthony Marques in translating your story to the comic book page?

MM: Anthony is terrific; we've been wanting to team up on a project for awhile now, and it's been a blast to collaborate with him. He shares my passion for this universe, and it shows on the page; his work is loose and fun and really nailing the look and feel I had hoped for. I think Shadow fans are going to love what he's bringing to the table.

BB: What is it about pulp characters like the Shadow that makes them so enjoyable to write for today's comics scribes?

MM: You know, I'm not sure. There's a lot of reasons, and I'm sure every creator who works on these characters can cite something different. For one thing, personally, I grew up on the pulps. They were always around, so I have a deep-seeded fondness for the worlds of The Shadow, Doc Savage, Phantom, etc. And those worlds are the foundations for so much of what exists in comics today, without question.

What it comes down to, for me—regardless of nostalgia—is the strength of these characters. There's a reason they've last this long—they're amazing. They are so rich and fun and thrilling, so smart and heroic and cool. Being able to contribute to this tradition is a unique pleasure, and I can't wait for readers to check out this story!

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