The Shadow 1941: Hilter’s Astrologer
Hardcover
Written by Denny O’Neil
Illustrated by Michael Kaluta
Colored by Mark Chiarello, Nick Jainschigg, John Wellington
Lettered by Phil Felix
Re-Mastered by Mike Kelleher
Cover by Michael Kaluta
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: December 10, 2013
Cover Price: $19.99

Re-mastered from a 1988 graphic novel, The Shadow 1941 finds The Shadow and his network of resources trying to save a young woman, and the world, from the malevolent Nazi threat! As the mystery of this woman’s connection to the Nazi war-machine unravels, Lamont Cranson must stop at nothing to save this woman, because doing so will also avert a cataclysmic turn in the war.

While the actual book was written in 1988, Michael Kaluta’s art feels like it came from the pulp-pages of a 1940s book. The tone of the art sets the mood for the noir-world of The Shadow. I don’t know how this is possible, but the artwork captures the same feel of the old-time Shadow radio program. Katula’s ability shines in these pages.

The Chronicles of King Conan, Vol. 6
Written by Alan Zelenetz and Don Kraar
Illustrated by Mark Silvestri, Geoff Isherwood, Mike Docherty, and Art Nichols
Rich Parker and Janice Chiang
Colored by George Roussos
Covers by Michael Kaluta
Dark Horse Comics
Release date: October 9, 2013
Cover Price: $19.99

The Chronicles of King Conan, Vol. 6, collects the Conan the King double-sized issues from 26-30, originally released in 1985, and long after Roy Thomas, John Buscema, and Ernie Chan had left the King Conan series, reprinted in The Chronicles of Conan volumes 1 and 2.

And unfortunately, this volume, as with the previous one, is nowhere near the quality of those Thomas/Buscema/Chan collections. It exhibits the signs of Marvel Comics flogging a waning franchise, employing B and C-list creators, and it’s most noticeable in the art dept.