Graphic Novel Review: Young Shadow (A Double+ Adventure) by Ben Sears

Posted on December 2, 2021 at 6:34 am by Gene Ambaum

Young Shadow (A Double+ Adventure) by Ben Sears. Fantagraphics, 2021. 126pp. 9781683964124.

Young Shadow is a masked hero who patrols the futuristic Bolt City looking for crimes to thwart and the opportunity to help out. After he comes across a group of young people drinking in the park, he tries to free their mistreated dog. There’s a fight reminiscent of one of Daredevil’s, because YS fights with a club. Throughout much of the rest of the book YS tries to do right by the dog, first getting it the care it needs, then trying to find it a home. There’s a superheroic storyline as well, with YS dealing with corrupt cops. But he’s also the kind of hero who does deliveries for the food bank when he has time.

This book has a great tone, and Sears’ art feels very analog — the future he draws is lumpy, without any perfectly straight lines. And this book’s art is black and white and orange, with lots of “air brushed” spots for texture. It all adds to the everyday charm of Young Shadow as a hero at the center of a community of folks who look out for each other.

I’d put this in the YA section of the library for superhero comic fans to discover. The fact that it doesn’t read like a Marvel movie will surprise some of them in the best way possible.