And Then I Read: SHADE THE CHANGING GIRL #1

Image © DC Comics.

This new Young Animal imprint title is based on the DC/Vertigo version of SHADE THE CHANGING MAN (as opposed to the original Steve Ditko series) which I lettered, so I was curious to read it. Some basic elements are familiar: the world of Meta where Rac Shade came from, and the “magic” coat he used to reach Earth, now called the Madness Coat. The rest is mostly new except for the overall trippy, psychedelic and paranoic feel of the series and visuals in general. On Earth, a long comatose girl, Megan, has just awakened unexpectedly, and is freaking out everyone in her hospital. Her mind has been taken over by Loma, a birdlike female from Meta, who has used Rac Shade’s forbidden coat to get to Earth and Megan’s brain. Later, when Megan gets home, she throws up the coat.

In flashbacks we learn about the Earth girl Megan, who was popular and rather mean. In the present, everyone is trying to deal with the revived Megan, including her old friends and boyfriend, not to mention her parents. We also see how Loma got the coat through bad behavior herself, and what’s going on back on Meta. Are Loma and Megan a good match or will her two personalities clash? Are all the trippy visuals in her head, or can others see them? What part of the bad karma is going to fall on Megan/Loma first? These are questions that will have me reading further.

Recommended.