Saturday, April 23, 2011

The Shadow




I love the pulps. That two-fisted, unashamed shock-horror aesthetic; lurid, thrilling, violent and dodgidly erotic - a real nightmare for the PC police. Which is always a good thing.

We got class acts that grew from those racks of semi-clad damsels tied to torture tables; Doc Savage, G-8, The Phantom Detective and Maxwell Grant's The Shadow.
The Shadow;
a no-messing mysterious midnight vigilante with billowing crimson-lined cape, slouch hat, spooky eyes, hawk-nose and blazing 45's.

As a teenager i was smitten at first sight. Still smitten.

I guess time and space would have to fold over and reshape before I'd ever be given the chance to draw my favorite 'Dark Avenger' in the funnybooks , but meantime doing this commission gave me just the right kinda fix i needed.

Sorry for the long wait, Mr. H.




4 comments:

paulhd said...

Shame time and space won't fold over really. Beautiful work, Sir!

Gary Crutchley said...

Oh my, that's really, really, REALLY rather good.
I can see you had fun and inspiration doing this Shane.
You would draw a crackin Shadow book, mate and I would love to see it. And, I bet I wouldn't be the only one.
Awesome. Alan must be well pleased.

Mark Buckingham said...

Looks wonderful, Shane!
Really nice design!

shane oakley said...

glad u dug. many thanx!