Major Spoilers
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Twitch Discord RSS
    Major Spoilers
    • Home
    • Reviews
      • Random Access Memory
      • Retro Review
      • So You Want to Read Comics
    • Podcasts
      • Critical Hit
        • Critical Hit House Rules
        • Critical Hit World Building
      • Dueling Review
      • Finally Friday
      • Geek History Lesson
      • The Legion Clubhouse
      • Major Spoilers Podcast
        • MSP TPB for 2019
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2013
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2012
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2011
      • Munchkin Land
      • Top Five
      • Wayne’s Comics
      • Zach on Film
    • Features
      • Casual 60
      • Comic Casting Couch
      • Comics Portal
      • Did You Hear?
      • Editorials
      • Features
      • Gamer’s Corner
      • Hero Histories
      • Let’s Get Nerdy
      • Major Spoilers Adventures
      • Random Access Memory
      • So You Want to Read Comics
    • Movies
      • Did You Hear
      • Movies
      • Television
    • Comic Previews
    • Patreon
      • Patreon
      • Store
    Major Spoilers
    Shadecraft #4 Review
    Review

    Shadecraft #4 Review

    Ingrid Lind-JahnBy Ingrid Lind-JahnJune 26, 20215 Mins Read

    Zadie realizes she has power over shadows and, with Angela’s help, starts to learn to control them. But is Shadow-Ricky really her brother, or just one of shadows? Find out in Shadecraft #4 from Image Comics!

    Shadecraft #4 Review
    You can purchase this issue via the comiXology affiliate link

    SHADECRAFT #4

    Writer: Joe Henderson
    Artist: Lee Garbett
    Colorist: Antonio Fabela
    Letterer: Simon Bowland
    Editor: Rick Lopez, Jr.
    Publisher: Image Comics
    Cover Price: $3.99
    Release Date: June 23, 2021

    Previously in Shadecraft: Angela Owens, the school counselor, reveals that she is a government agent, and she has been looking for people like Zadie. She knows about the shadows, and knows Zadie creates them, and that she has trouble controlling them. She works with Zadie to create and control them. Josh talks to Zadie, and he thinks he has seen things in the shadows. Ricky insists it is not he. Zadie decides to meet up with Josh and arrives at his house just as he is leaving for the carnival with Carla – Zadie’s bully. Ricky and Zadie follow them, and Zadie feels like she is finally getting to know her brother. Then they see a shadow monster sneaking up on Carla and Josh. Zadie puts her new practicing to work and dispatches it. But when she talks to Angela about it, Angela tells her it’s not the only monster around – shadow Ricky is not really her brother.

    DIDN’T SEE THAT ONE COMING!

    Shadecraft #4 opens with Zadie’s reaction to Angela’s pronouncement. To no one’s surprise, Zadie insists that Ricky is real and is her brother. The only reason Angela thinks otherwise is that she hasn’t seen powers quite like Zadie’s before, so this must be something new. But Ricky steps up and says he can’t live a life where he isn’t really living and asks her to disperse him. She won’t do it.

    Angela then offers to take Ricky with her. She knows where there are more people with shadecraft, and maybe they can help him. Ricky steps away, saying this is Zadie’s chance to have a normal life.

    Zadie arrives home to find her parents waiting for her. She isn’t in trouble; in fact, her parents say that she was right about something. She was right that keeping Ricky at home in the vain hope that he would miraculously wake up was too much, and they have moved him to another facility. On top of losing Ricky as a shadow, this is too much for Zadie.

    The following evening at dinner, Zadie asks her parents why they gave up on Ricky. Considering that this is a one-eighty for her, her mother calls her out on it. This has been rough on her too, and now she feels like she cannot win with her daughter. As they argue, shadows start to build around them and it is Zadie’s father (Stephen) who gets their attention and points out that they were both doing it. Her mother tries to wave it off, but Zadie asks if she can do shadecraft too. This is a marvelous twist, and it isn’t even halfway through the book.

    It turns out that Zadie’s mom was recruited by Angela Owens years ago. She worked for her for several years, and then found out they would not let her leave, so she ran from the Agency. She has been trying to lead a normal life ever since and trying to stay hidden. I think it is very sweet that her husband knows about her shadows even though he is just a normal guy.

    The family goes to the nursing home where Ricky is, or rather, where he was supposed to be. They have no record of him. Angela must have taken him. As they wonder why, Zadie tells them about Ricky’s appearance as a shadow. What if Ricky is a shadow because he, too, has this ability? They decide to try to find him. This takes them to a nearby government base, where they have a delightful three-way argument about who gets to go in and who has to stay in the car.

    ADDING A NEW DIMENSION

    Shadecraft #4 really hits some emotions hard, and the art backs this up beautifully. The whole opening sequence where Zadie has to say good-bye to Ricky (something she has probably been dreading and avoiding for the past year already) is heart-wrenching. What you see on her face is echoed by the outline of his shadow, for he is a two-dimensional shadow here. And after she arrives home, there is a poignant panel of her in Ricky’s now empty room. The viewpoint is from above so we see the entire room and how devoid it is of any trace of him anymore.

    The other sequence I particularly love is at dinner. Zadie and her mother are at opposite ends of the table, and Stephen is in the middle. The view of the table is static over several panels. Zadie hunches over her food with her hair falling to hide her face. Her parents are trying, as parents do, to act normally. As the argument heats up, we see the corners and then the sides of the panel darken more and more. The two women are so focused on each other that they don’t see what they are doing, and it takes Stephen, the neutral referee, to point it out.

    BOTTOM LINE: A COMPLETE CHANGE IN FOCUS

    Shadecraft #4 takes the original set up, which has already had a couple twists along the way, and throws it into an exciting new direction. It adds so much to the story that it is about the entire family, not just Zadie, and now I am really dying to see where this goes next!


    Dear Spoilerite,

    At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.

    Shadecraft #4

    97%
    97%
    Dying to see what happens next

    Zadie gains some control over her shadows, but her life is falling apart.

    • Writing
      10
    • Art
      9
    • Coloring
      10
    • User Ratings (0 Votes)
      0
    Antonio Fabela Image Comics joe henderson lee garbett Review Rick Lopez Jr. Shadecraft Simon ZBowland
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleFIRST LOOK: Save Yourself #2
    Next Article Stray Dogs #5 Review
    Ingrid Lind-Jahn

    By day, she’s a mild-mannered bureaucrat and Ms. Know-It-All. By night, she’s a dance teacher and RPG player (although admittedly not on the same nights). On the weekends, she may be found judging Magic, playing Guild Wars 2 (badly), or following other creative pursuits. Holy Lack of Copious Free Time, Batman! While she’s always wished she had teleportation as her superpower, she suspects that super-speed would be much more practical because then she’d have time to finish up those steampunk costumes she’s also working on.

    Related Posts

    Critical Hit #790 – Graduation Day (MWS01-E01)

    Read More

    Legion Clubhouse #190: The Validus Plague

    Read More

    Dune: Messiah Casts Paul Atreides’ Children – week of Friday, June 19th, 2025

    Read More

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    AMAZON AFFILIATE

    Support this site by making a purchase through our Amazon affiliate links

    Reviews
    8.0
    June 20, 2025

    Jeff the Land Shark #1 Review

    4.0
    June 20, 2025

    Toxie Team-Up #1 Review

    8.3
    June 17, 2025

    Giant-Size Dark Phoenix Saga #1 Review

    7.7
    June 17, 2025

    Supergirl #2 Review

    6.0
    June 16, 2025

    Runaways #1 Review

    Patreon Support
    Major Spoilers Store
    Recent Comments
    • Derrigable on COMICS PORTAL: Where Is All The Cool Merchandise?
    • ZackaryTobias on COMICS PORTAL: Where Is All The Cool Merchandise?
    • Nathan on Wayne’s Comics Podcast #696: Interview with Creators from Concrete Arcanum
    • Austin Cowboy on FIRST LOOK: Conan the Barbarian #21
    • Frank on COMICS PORTAL: Batman Meets… Deadpool!?
    Subscribe to the Major Spoilers E-Mail List
    Sponsor

    ComiXology Home Page

    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Twitch
    Major Spoilers Patreon
    • About
      • Major Spoilers Terms of Use
      • Major Spoilers Frequently Asked Questions
      • Major Spoilers Privacy Policy Statement
      • Major Spoilers Podcast Gear
    • Contact
    • Cookie Policy (EU)
    Major Spoilers is copyright 2006-2025 by Major Spoilers Entertainment, LLC

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    SAVE & ACCEPT