Javier Pulido's simple but refined artwork almost steals the show here. His basic page layouts provide a nice underpinning to the subdued storytelling of Robinson's script, while relying heavily on colorist Hilary Sycamore to do the heavy lifting of establishing the atmosphere of any given panel. Similarly, the color dichotomy of our lead characters – the bright red of La Sangre, the dulled green of Montpellier, and of course the dark blues and blacks of Shade – makes for an interesting palette that leaves this issue as one of the more visually impressive offerings from The Shade thus far. The only shortcomings from the art come from the line work and definition on Montpellier, whose strange costume makes for many awkward positions throughout the book. Read Full Review

"The Shade" is a wonderful escape from the grind of superheroes, crossovers and disappointing stories. James Robinson has had the good fortune to work with a nice variety of artists on this series (with more to come) and plays the longer story to the strengths of each of those artists. The end result is a sprawling story touching corners of the DC Universe you never knew you wanted to know more about. Through it all, Robinson builds worlds, adds depth to the Shade's existence and consistently entertains in a manner that feels educational and fresh. Read Full Review

I can fill a book with all the things I'd like to say about this issue, nearly all of it praise, but I'll make do by telling you it is absolutely worth a read, a beautiful piece of work both in script and art. Read Full Review