This is the start of something special, with Shadow War Alpha #1 DC has the potential to change one corner of the DC Universe forever. Read Full Review

For a first issue in an event, this book is off to a great start, especially impressive is the lack of any real need to read Robin or Deathstroke to get caught up. However, you must be at least partly familiar with City of Bane in order to recognise one particular stumbling block! Read Full Review

Williamson sets up Shadow War as a must-read crossover for fans of Batman, Deathstroke and Robin. Hopefully the rest of the series will be this engaging. Read Full Review

Bogdanovics art is absolutely stunning. There are brilliantly detailed panels on every page of this issue. The visuals are thrilling and the art serves the tone and mood of the story perfectly. Read Full Review

If you're a Batman fan or someone who's been itching for more from the League of Assassins, this is an issue you'll want to pick up. And with Williamson writing all three titles involved in this event, this is in position to be a very fluid story. Read Full Review

Someone, somewhere, has upset Talia al Ghul, Deathstroke, and Batman. I hope they know what they are doing. Read Full Review

This issue is packed with deep-cut DC lore, including a cameo from a fan-favorite obscure Bat-villain. This story will be playing out in a mostly weekly fashion over the next few months, with Williamson writing the entire thing, and it seems set up to be a top-tier DC crossover. Read Full Review

Shadow War Alpha #1 is an explosive and enthralling start to the next three months worth of stories! Blood will be spilled in spades and who else will be due a date with the undertaker? I cannot wait to find out. When Batman-oriented crossovers are this tightly plotted to begin with, then we can allow ourselves to get excited. Read Full Review

This is a great opening chapter to the story. It grips the reader in action and mystery, and it looks like the status quo is being changed! Read Full Review

Shadow War: Alpha hits every beat necessary to be an early contender for best of 2022. Sick of crossovers and event comics? Get over yourself and read this anyway. You won't be sorry. Read Full Review

SHADOW WAR ALPHA #1 is a pretty good start that quickly pushes the story beats forward and carries so much weight across multiple titles. It was well balanced with action and dialogue while also complimenting the narrative with just enough background information to entice DC COMIC fans to hop on board. Truthfully, Williamson creates a story that almost anyone with any reasonable knowledge of the current DC COMICS landscape could jump right in. However, with the incredibly minor plot holes and character beats, as well as Williamson's recent BATMAN #121 issue not quite sticking the landing, I enter SHADOW WAR cautiously optimistic. Read Full Review

Shadow War Alpha #1 sets up a showdown between an unleashed Damian in a case of misunderstanding that could mean more bloodshed. As a one-shot, there's a major death that readers will want to snatch this up for and there are key pieces that'll get you ready for the biggest crossover event of spring. Read Full Review

Shadow War Alpha #1 kicks off the Shadow War crossover event with some big moments that will shock a few readers.  While some of the characterizations felt off, the art was great, and Joshua Williamson makes everything feel significant.  Even if you aren't reading all the books involved, this one is easy to recommend to most DC Comics fans. Read Full Review

Shadow War Alpha #1is an action movie in comic book form, tying together various plot threads from Batman,Robin, andDeathstroke Inc. Whether you love any of these characters or have been following Williamson's work in the DC Universe, this is worth a read. Read Full Review

Shadow War Alpha #1 probably functions best for readers who have invested time in Robin and Deathstroke, Inc., the two series this crossover spins most directly out of. But its still a strong, action-heavy and fast-paced read regardless of whether you know the deeper context or not. Read Full Review

Pathos surprisingly comes for a horrific criminal due to fantastic writing and artwork. Read Full Review

Overall, Joshua Williamson accomplished what was needed to be done to sell readers of the Batman, Robin, and Deathstroke Inc titles on the Shadow War crossover. The motivations for all the characters involved are made clear with the stakes already set at a high level. Where things go from where Shadow War: Alpha #1 leaves off will drive a lot of excitement for the rest of this crossover event. Read Full Review

The arc, which will move through various Batman titles before finishing up in Shadow War: Omega #1, will focus on solving the motives and identity of the killer. But to have any chance at the truth, first Batman will have to save Deathstroke from the army descending on him (which probably won't earn him any points with his son). Read Full Review

The key character, Ra's, isn't written authentically at all, and since I don't buy the book's premise, everything else feels forced, right down to the conflict between Bruce and Damian. While I didn't quite enjoy reading this, at least it does an effective job setting up the crossover's main plot. Still, I don't really recommend buying this as a single issue. Maybe wait for the eventual trade so you can pick it up with a nice discount if you really want to read this, but even then I recommend checking out reviews of the upcoming issues before buying anything related to this crossover. Read Full Review

Very good start but Bogdanovic's drawing ruined everything.

Surprisingly good. Great art. Good story

This was a fantastic start to the shadow war event. Ra’s al ghul’s conversion from ecoterrorist to seeing the value of all lives was quite unexpected and intriguing and I wonder if we’ll get to explore what led to his change in heart. In addition to Ra’s’s sudden urge to do the right thing, we see the human element of characters that aren’t humanized very often including Ra’s, Damien, Bruce, and even Slade, who is bonding with his newfound son. The only downside to the issue was the inconsistent art, which was at some points brilliant (BANG) and others confusing (Batman hugging Damien with the exact same image of Batman hugging Damien in the background). I’m definitely excited to see where this is all going.

Visit BDG Comics for Full Review
9.3/10

A solid start to this crossover event

Escrito por Joshua Williamson e ilustrado por Viktor Bodganovic, la historia arranca con una narrativa de Ra's al ghul y su entrega voluntaria de si mismo y su hija a la policía.
Puntos buenos:
• Muy buen arte.
• Buena narrativa con misterios para el resto del evento.
• Excelente Introducción de Deathstroke como villano del arco.
Puntos malos:
• El cambio de mentalidad de Ra's al ghul no es muy lógico.
Para terminar este primer issue fue un excelente inicio de evento y una recomendación del club

This was a solid start to a crossover that I really had no interest in, going into it. Even the obligatory newscast exposition flowed well enough and kept me entertained. This isn't high art or anything, but it is better than I expected for a Batman event (if you could call it that). There are some odd art choices here that I'm not too sure about. That one full page splash where they just repeat the same image of Batman and Damian stood out. I feel like there was a miscommunication there, or it just wasn't executed well.

I haven't really been anticipating this story with much excitement, but it is off to a pretty good start. Williamson is still proving to be a better writer than the series has had in a good long while. Too bad it's going to be so brief.
I do question a couple of things here though. First, since When did Ra's ever speak in public? He was always one to keep to the shadows. It's what made him so dangerous. Even Batman couldn't keep track of everything he was up to. And second, Why waste time on another death for him? We know he'll be back. But till then it's going to be Talia going on and on with her vain, "I am the great blah blah blah." And to think I used to like her. As for Ra's I don't think for sure he's dead now. He probably faked it for some reason. He's sneaky that way.
By the way Bruce, great remark. Care to hurt your own son any more? Maybe a kick to the groin? Hm? I may despise Damian, but the kid is actually still only human. He's never been able to forgive himself for what happened to Alfred. And his dad just says "I could have saved him." Brilliant parenting Bruce. Why didn't you also say "It was all your fault"? Don't be surprised when you don't even receive a nomination for "Father of the Year" this year.
It looks like a promising crossover ahead. more

Very solid start to this crossover. I have no doubt been a Williamson critic for these last couple months, but this was so much fun. Bogdanovic's art is spectacular, and Williamson really gives you a lot out of this issue. The pacing was fantastic, and the continuity was on point with the rest of the DCU. Props to the team for a status quo shakeup done the right way.

Here we got some really nice character development with Ra's Al Ghul so the weight of his death. That's not a spoiler since DC has put this information in the synopsis for some upcoming comics. Big shame, this could have been surprising. Bruce and Damian's relationship is also explored, the best part of the whole comic in my opinion. Even Alfred's death still has some weight here. We end on a mystery, so, a very nice start overall for this crossover.

This thing is off to a good start.

Good start, now keep going.

Good starting point for shadow war, I liked the characterization of Ra's it was nice to see him close to death and pondering what he's become.

And I do believe it was another master plan of his to be evil. Just like when joker turned good in white knight ....... villains only turn to the good side for a well placed plan.

I did not like Bruce " I would have saved alfred" but it kind of fit the scene I just thought it made him look like an ass. Considering he was off on a beach and doing kinky things eith catwoman at the time.

But shadow war seems like it will be a fun time, can't wait for the rest.

Also I can't understand the hate for his art...... it's got some Greg capullo vibes to his Batman, and I never thought anyone would complain about that lol. more

Pretty good start here. Bogdanovic does his "Capullo light" thing pretty well and Williamson hits some good emotional beats, particularly when it comes to the Damian-Bruce relationship. DC has opted to return the pair to a more antagonistic state, and while that's not my personal favorite, Williamson handles it with aplomb here.

Didn't like the part with Ra's. it was kind of foolish for Ra's to act like that and do the whole information exposure in public. and art was bad for me. other than that it was solid.

The cover is cluttered and gives floating head poster vibes and the art isn't that great either, with very little plot relevance as well. .5/2 The art is hit or miss, with the backgrounds and a few characters looking good but other than that they look bland and stale. 1/2 The dialogue is pretty good until Batman tells Damian that he could've saved Alfred if he was there, which is awful and out of character. 1/2 The story is interesting and is building to a big event with many twists and turns. 2/2 The characters are mixed, Talia, Ra's, and Damian being really good, while Batman blames Damian for Alfred's death, so that went from really good to mixed real quick. 1.5/2

It accomplished what it needed to do (ie, set up an event), but did we really need 40 pages for that?

maybe the most edgelord-y cover I've ever seen

For a children's delivery it's fine, however the characterization that has been made of Talia and especially Ra's does not convince me at all, I feel very out of place and there are many things I could say about this story that they would not do so predictable of what comes next, I thought it would go better since it opens a whole arc which I think I will pass since it is not bad, however it is too childish for me.

Good points, Damian the non-Robin coming home. Maybe to the disaster made in Batman/Catwoman, now we will have a Batman/Talia (I'm honest I like this couple better)

+ Like • Comments (4)

• Likes (1)

• Mingthemerciless

Show all comments

Mingthemerciless - Mar 31, 2022

I agree I've never been a big fan of catwoman and Kings portrayal of her is especially unpalable. I much prefer the dynamic between Talia and Bruce and their son caught in the middle. Williamson started on Batman nicely but he seems to be losing focus a bit lately.

SenpaifenixJäger - Apr 2, 2022

In my opinion we should thank King, if he had not made such an iconic relationship as Bruce-Selina so toxic, it would not be being discarded.

SenpaifenixJäger - Apr 2, 2022

Another thing that seems out of focus to me is to put Ra's as someone nice, when he is a homicidal egomaniac with weak excuses for his cause, I understand that the objective is greater empathy towards Damian and Ra's but it feels false.

SenpaifenixJäger - Apr 2, 2022

And finally it would have been more interesting than Slade if he had killed Ra's, for whatever reason you like, a contract or something. But this insistence on making the villains good or boring ends up making the hero weak and boring.

Sign in to comment

Worst characterization of Bruce I've read in a while, imagine blaming Damian for Alfred's death while you were on a honeymoon. Garbage.