This is one whackadoodle miniseries. I mean don’t get me wrong, I am thoroughly enjoying it – there are few character/author relationships as close and cozy as the one The Shade’s got goin on with James Robinson – and as herky jerky as the art’s been over six issues, it’s been a surprising treat to see The Shade’s escapades through the eyes of three unique and talented artists. This comic book is a nutty ride to who knows where. And God bless DC for making it happen!

As Richard Swift himself often notes with coy charm, the driving, over-arching story here is somewhat… nebulous. Sometimes, even he forgets what he’s supposed to be focusing on as he jumps from adventure to adventure. The truth is, it really doesn’t matter so much. What matters is how much fun we have in the moment; how crazy it is to find The Shade challenging a giant lizard god in Australia, then battling the Axis powers in 1944, then (in this current arc) helping out a heroic vampiress in Barcelona – while teaming up with a Bangladeshi dude who dresses up like a snake. Yup. I just wrote that. Or rather, Robinson did – and I cannot wait to see what he comes up with for issues #7-12.

I realize this review is more all-encompassing of the miniseries versus specifically about issue #6. But the truth is, Robinson’s writing here is as entertaining as it’s been from the get-go… and though I admit to liking Hamner’s art and that of masterful Darwyn Cooke more than Javier Pulido’s work, I must say Pulido fits the current (Spanish) setting best, so it’s a welcome change nonetheless.