Shadow’s Daughter #1 (REVIEW)
Shadow’s Daughter from Super Serious Comics and Morgan Quaid, I’m currently two issues in and loving it so far…. The focus for this review however, is issue 1…
That’s where Summer comes in, a bounty hunter with her own set of super natural abilities, controlling shadows. In the first issue Summer is tasked by the mysterious Trent Hamlin with tracking down a nameless non-discript suspect, who hasn’t actually commited a crime….yet, when she does she’ll need to put a ability nuetralizing braclet on him, so ya’ know….easy! The only piece of this dangerous puzzle Summer Rain and the reader is given to go on is a photo of a tattoo of a snake eating it’s own tail. As the request comes from higher up the pay grade than Trent is privy to that’s all the info our girl gets. The rest of the issue highlights Summer’s detective skills as she uses her abilities and smarts to learn more about the wanted unsub, she’ll navigate her way into the under city and readers are introduced to a cast of colorful characters such as the deal making Chen, Su-Ling and Minky.
In this first issue Quaid’s writing does a LOT of the heavy lifting, to that point I found myself thinking that my tag line for this review would be ‘A comic that reads like a novel’, and obviously that’s far from an insult. Quaid lets you inside the head of series protagonist bounty hunter Summer Rain in a way that would have fallen flat with a lesser skilled writer.
I felt Summer was a character akin to Anita Blake and Gun Smith’s Cat’s “Rally” Vincent in that she’s extremely knowledgable and yet almost reluctant to perform the task and duties that she’s uniquely skilled at taking on. There were segments of the story where Summer is engaging with her roomate and the ‘Dirty Pair’ vibes were strong, but I’m a unabashed anime/manga lover so I MAY be reading a bit more into that, WHICH is why I was also assigned this book to review by the team! FYI: [If you’re asking why the vidya’ game gurl is reviewing a comic!]
The art is 100% manga influenced and to be fair is solid work from Rain Art Studios, this reviewers only gripe is that about 6 physical pages into chapter 2 the art appears to have been handed over to a different artist in one Virand, it isn’t bad or a deal breaker by any means to be clear, but the change was “jarring” and while I noticed it as a reviewer (I’m paid to look for these things) some readers may not.
All said, Quaid and team deliver a enteraining read that leaves you wanting to discover more about Summer and the world she inhabits. Pick this one up for a jolt of aventure and sci-fi action you’ll find yourself reading again just to revisit dynamic and infectious characters.
Order yourself a copy at the Super Serious Comics store HERE!
YOU can read Shadow’s Daughter right now in digital format on Webtoon, HERE!
Stay up to date with the creators on Facebook and Instagram at @shadowsdaughtercomic
TLDR: A MORE THAN SOLID READ.
