The Valiant Universe is an expansive universe full of characters as exciting and diverse as any other superhero universe. One character in particular though inhabits a strange corner of the universe, protecting the universe from the Deadside and supernatural threats from that otherworldly realm. This week, comic superstar Andy Diggle brought Jack Boniface, Shadowman, back into his own series with an exciting new #1, an issue that’s already sold out and been sent to a second printing! We got to sit down with Andy for six questions about the series and his work on it!
The book is already sold out at the distributor level! What do you think about that news?
ANDY DIGGLE: It’s a thrill! I’m so grateful to see our book being embraced by the fans. It’s a testament to the talent and hard work of Stephen Segovia and the whole Valiant team.
You’ve had the opportunity to write with most major comic companies. How did you get involved with Valiant?
DIGGLE: We’d been talking about it for years, but the logistics never quite synced up until now. SHADOWMAN was the right book at the right time. I’ve raised eyebrows in the past by turning down other high-profile books, but SHADOWMAN’s mix of action and horror felt like a perfect fit for me.
The Valiant universe has a lot of great characters. What drew you to Jack Boniface?
DIGGLE: He has a very unique place in the Valiant universe, bringing an element of moody horror and soul-searching to the larger-than-life action. A big part of it was me wanting to redeem Jack for the missteps he’d taken in the past. I felt bad for the guy! Plus it was an opportunity to really dig into the voodoo element, which is what makes him such a unique character.
What was your introduction to Shadowman?
DIGGLE: The 2012 series by Justin Jordan and Pat Zircher was a lot of fun. The original ‘90s series had passed me by at the time, but I’m tapping into it to bring back some elements that feel like they belong, like Jack’s love of jazz. A lot of cool toys have been left lying around, and I want to pick ‘em up and play with ‘em!
Jack has been through a lot since the Valiant universe relaunched. Where is he at the beginning of the series?
DIGGLE: He’s been through the wringer! The short version is that the Shadow Loa – the angry voodoo spirit that inhabits Jack – had been getting harder to control. Jack went off the rails and, in a moment of weakness, fell under the control of his arch nemesis, the sorcerer Master Darque. Jack was transformed into a supernatural killing machine known as The Magpie. This is the version of Shadowman we saw in Rapture. Darque sent him on a reign of terror through the Deadside – the supernatural realm of the dead. Now Jack’s finally back in control, and he’s desperate to make amends. But it won’t be easy, for reasons that become apparent in SHADOWMAN #1.
What are three things you can tease we’re going to see in your run?
DIGGLE: Man, I hate spoilers, so I’ll have to be cryptic… OK: the House of Many Doors. The real first Shadowman. And all-out global supernatural war.
We can’t wait! Thanks Andy!
Final orders cut-off for the second printing of SHADOWMAN #1 and the first printing of #2 is on Monday (on sale 4/25). SHADOWMAN #1 is on sale in stores (if they have any copies left available) and digitally now!
Tony Thornley is a Mormon geek dad, blogger, Spider-Man and Superman aficionado, amateur novelist and all around awesome guy. He was born and raised in Utah and has been reading comics since age five. His first comic series was GI Joe and he was doomed from there. You can follow him on Twitter @brawl2099.
