James Robinson’s THE SHADE is a go!

As announced on CBR, it's time to take a trip back to Opal, with a 12 issue series focused on the Shade starting on October 12. If you read Starman, you know what a great character the Shade can be, and in creator James Robinson's hands? That's just a recipe for fun.

The first artist in the series will be Cully Hamner, and later we'll see artwork from Darwyn Cooke, Javier Pulido, Jill Thompson, Frazer Irving, and Gene Ha, with covers by Tony Harris himself.

I'm going to need just a moment here. Oh yeah, that's the good stuff right there.

There are some who say you can't go home again, but then, sometimes you just have to try. Starman has lived on for a long time, and they've wisely been smart enough to just let it be, and not have Jack Knight running around the DCU being written in ways that just aren't quite right. But with the original creator, Robinson, taking the helm, and having a clear affection for these characters, I'm completely on board for what comes next.

It looks like we're starting to see even more new material out of DC Comics appearing after the initial 52 #1 issues in September. How much can we take?!

For more on Starman, and Shade, check out our recent video show on the series:

Comments

  1. I love this because people were whining about James Robinson. “Where’s James Robinson? Why isn’t he apart of this reboot?”. Well now we know, of course no one will do it, that we need to be PATIENCE and see what’s gonna happen in October.

    Of course we all know I’m not a fan of Robinson, but I might get this. At least wait for trade just to see the amazing pool of artists they got for this. Also, now we know Irving has a role in the reboot (even if it’s minor too)

    PATIENCE! 

  2. Cool!

  3. The one off he did awhile back that featured the Shade was really good so I’m definitely looking foward to this one. 

  4. Best news ever!
    Those are some of my favorite artists listed on this. That Cooke issue is going to be the drug of choice when it hits.

  5. Avatar photo Jeff Reid (@JeffRReid) says:

    Here’s hoping they release this as an slightly oversized hardcover so it’ll look right sitting beside the Starman Omnibuses. I’m looking forward to this one.

  6. @RolandofGilead  – I can’t wait to take a hit off of that Darwynn Cooke issue either.

  7. any idea if this will be day & date digital?
    also which DCU will this take place in?

  8. Robinson’s Shade is one my favorite characters, he really comes off as an amoral character as opposed to an anti-hero. Can’t wait for this, especially with those artists. And yes, please make this match the Starman Omnibi 

  9. About the only bad thing from this relaunch so far is the amount of money it’s going to cost me.

  10. Excellent news — and some great artists lined up. We’ve gotten info on a couple these post-Relaunch additions (Huntress, Batman/Penguin), but this is the first one that really holds any interest for me. Looking forward to it.

  11. This is excellent news.  The Shade is a great character and Robinson proved he can still write the hell out of him with his Blackest Night issue he did a couple years ago.  I’m totally on board for this one.

  12. …little patience, mm yeah, ooh yeah, 
    Need a little patience, yeah
    Just a little patience, yeah
    Some more pati… (ence, yeah)
    I’ve been walking these streets at night 
    Just trying to get it right (Need some patience, yeah)
    It’s hard to see with so many around
    You know I don’t like being stuck in a crowd (Could use some patience, yeah)

  13. YESSSSS! I just finished the series a weeks ago and i must say the shade stole the show

  14. That whole “You can’t go home again” thing is a myth. Peter David went back to X-Factor, and he was better the 2nd time!

  15. @JeffR  ditto!

  16. Jill Thompson. Jill F’ing Thompson. I was already going to buy the book, but that made me so much more excited for it.

  17. @mrfrost  I do love me some Jill Thompson. My favorite thing about her? My 16 month old baby daughter likes her art, too 🙂

  18. @JohnVFerrigno  Did you read Mark Waid’s return to Flash a couple of years ago?

  19. Oh look at this on CBR. A man by the name of Jordi Bernet is on a book called All-Star Western…..

    PATIENCE PEOPLE!!! 

  20. yeah, you can’t go home. I give it 12 issues

  21. @Bluestreak  was that meant to be sarcastic? the series is slated as a 12 issue “mini”

  22. Shada, Shade, SHADE! Starman is one of the best (if not the best) super-hero series ever written. The fact that we won’t read any more about Jack Knight still gives me a feeling of emptiness sometimes. How can one not be amazed by the possibility to read more of this quality? Of course, JDR has let fans of his writing down in the past years. But this is a moment of hope, not of pessimism.

  23. so is this not taking place in the new dc universe?

    also either way i am beyond excited about this. love the shade.

  24. Awesome. Can’t wait.

  25. @josh  Yes, I did. But i hardly call a 4 issue run that was a time killer before a relaunch of the book really counts as a return. Believe me, i understand there are some bad returns. But the idea that nobody can have a good run on a book then come back later and have another good run is ridiculous.

  26. This should be readable and understandable without prior Starman knowledge, right?
    I’m planning on reading Starman, just don’t know if thats going to happen before October…

  27. @ragcage The Shade was an old time villian from the Justice Society days. By the end of Starman the Shade is considered less a villain and more of a… free agent. I dare say that’s all you’ll need to know.

  28. CBR has an interview. James brakes the story down in 3 arcs and 3 Times Past one-shots:

    1-3 Hamner
    4 Cooke
    5-7 Pulido
    8 Thompson
    9-11 Irving
    12 Ha!

    Is it October yet?

  29. Did anyone read Robinson and Hamner’s Firearm for Malibu Comics back in the 90s?
    It only lasted about 18 issues but it was a real treat. Think: superhero crime noir.

  30. @Smasher  Yup, I not only read THAT series, but I shelled out for the VHS cassette of the (bad) movie they made to go with it. 🙂 But, yeah, the series itself was good stuff.

  31. @Smasher  I’ll have to find this.

  32. It’s like they read my mind and threw all my favorite artists there.

  33. @JohnVFerrigno  
    have you read the Little Endless storybooks from Vertigo?

  34. I love the Shade character and have complete faith in Robinson doing a solid job with his character.  I admit I haven’t been looking forward to many of the up-coming DCU reboots and new titles, but this looks like one I can safely add to my ‘pull list’.

  35. @mrfrost  Yes! That’s the one I showed my daughter and she clapped her hands and got all happy. I have the first Scary Godmother book, too!

  36. They forgot to tell us about the 52 mini series they have planned for this fall I guess