The Shade's Journal
I can't remember exactly what day it was, but it was sometime in 1943 that I first met the Shadow. He was a very interesting individual. He wasn't like the other costumed adventurers that I've encountered. He was not a righteous man. He was a creature of the night. He understood the darkness better than anyone I have ever met. He was as cold as ice and yet had a fiery passion for justice. He felt that the ends justify the means. I agree with him.
I believe that it was a warm spring day. No, I lie. It was a warm spring night.
New York City, 1943
'Brooklyn' Ironwood was making a formidable reputation for himself as a thief. He had previously worked for both the Deacon and for Lady Coffin. However, both of those powerful employers were taken down by the Shadow. This fact made Brooklyn dislike the Shadow very much, because they both paid extremely well. So Brooklyn had decided to strike back at the Shadow by humiliating him. He left graffiti clues to his next heist at the sight of every robbery. He also added the words, "Shadow, try and catch me!"
So far, the Shadow hadn't caught him. He didn't expect the Shadow to show up at this site either. He planned to rob the estate of the Hearst family. He was confident that this would be just another easy heist. He was wrong.
No sooner did Brooklyn sneak inside then he spotted someone standing near the safe he was here to crack. Brooklyn was furious. No one was supposed to be home. Once he disabled the guards, it should have been smooth sailing. Who was this jerk?
The man in question was a thin, dark-haired man, dressed in the style of Victorian England. He smiled at Brooklyn. "Ahh, a competitor," the Englishman said. "I wasn't expecting you. You'd be Brooklyn Ironwood, I imagine. You've been ransacking this area quite heavily over the past fortnight. And in case you aren't clever enough to figure out who I am—Which I see as a strong possibility judging by the very befuddled look on your face — I am known in most quarters as the Shade!"
"The Shade!" Brooklyn repeated in alarm. The last thing he wanted was to mess with a supervillain, especially one as experienced and powerful as the Shade. "Hey, look fella, I'm not looking for trouble. You take what you want. I'll be going!"
"A wise decision, my boy. A very wise decision, indeed. You're quite clever for one of your generation. You'll go far. Start now!"
Brooklyn rapidly vacated the premises. But his surprises for the evening weren't over yet. As he retreated across the lawn, he encountered another visitor to this grand estate . . . the Shadow!
"Brooklyn Ironwood!" the frightening voice called from the darkness. "You have escaped justice for too long. Now, the Shadow will teach you the meaning of punishment!"
"Not another one!" Brooklyn yelled, after which an unseen fist crashed into his jaw. The Shadow revealed himself to the frightened thief, striking him again. Brooklyn fell. The Shadow kicked him a few times. He noticed that someone was moving in the mansion. Brooklyn had said something about 'Another one'. Who else was in there?
The Shadow tied Brooklyn up and headed into the mansion.
The Shade had opened a small portal into the Shadow realm. He selected carefully what he wanted to steal and tossed it into the entrance to the Shadow realm. He would collect it all after he was finished. He took one last look around to see if he had missed anything good.
The Shadow entered, trying to use his powers to cloud the mind of the fancy dressed man he was sneaking up on. He failed. The Shade saw him. "Another visitor? This is quite a popular place. A newspaper stand would clean up here."
The Shadow was surprised that this man could see him. Then the Shadow studied the man's garb, as well as his accent and his manner. The dark 'hole' in the air helped make identification very simple.
"The Shade," the Shadow said. "I've been wanting to meet you. Welcome to New York."
"Thank you most kindly, good sir," Shade replied. "You'd be the enigmatic Shadow, wouldn't you? I'm honored by your attention. Although I expect it wasn't me you came looking for. I image that you are here to detain Brooklyn, who was foolish enough to leave you clues as to his next job."
"Quite correct, Shade. But as long as I'm here, I'll deal with you as well."
"Yes, I knew you'd say that," the Shade commented. "But I must tell you that you are stepping somewhat out of your depth in this case, Shadow."
"We'll see."
"Really, Shadow, if the Flash couldn't stop me, what chance do you think you have?"
The Shadow pulled out his twin guns. "Better than average!"
The Shadow fired. The bullets hit the Shade, but he still stood. The Shadow could see the bullet holes in his body. Some sort of blackness started to float out of the bullet holes. The holes quickly closed, as if they had never been. The Shade just smiled.
"I hope that this isn't the limit of your attack," the Shade said.
The Shadow gritted his teeth. This wasn't going well. He raised his ring. "Look into my ring, my girasol. Feel you mind melting away. Your thoughts . . . "
"Oh please!" the Shade exclaimed. "I'm disappointed. Trying to hypnotize me? I am an immortal who sees into the dark realm of the Shadow verse. And you try to hypnotize me with an opal? I think we should end this."
Suddenly, dark matter started to materialize and attack the Shadow. Silhouetted objects of various shapes and sizes flew at the Shadow, ramming him. He was battered to near unconsciousness. He fell, dazed and senseless.
"Cheerio, Shadow," the Shade said. "It's been an education. For you."
The Shade vanished into the Shadow realm. The Shadow struggled to his feet, humiliated.
"I least I got Ironwood."
The Shade's Journal
I didn't think I'd see the Shadow again anytime soon. But fate had other plans. It was less than a month later that we crossed paths again. This time, it was due to a mutual enemy.
May 1943 . . .
Lamont Cranston was out on a date with Margo Lane. When he saw her standing outside her door, he was surprised at how excited he was to see her again. She stood there in the moonlight, in front of a mansion. Like she was the reason it was all there. Lamont smiled.
His limo stopped. He got out and held the door for her. "Going my way, lovely lady?"
"Always," she answered, getting into the limo. "So, what are we going to do tonight?"
"You mean, what aren't we going to do?"
The car rolled on while Lamont and Margo made out in the back seat.
But suddenly, a dark portal opened in front of the limo. Before the driver could stop, the limo vanished into the portal.
Lamont, Margo, and the limo driver found themselves in a strange, foreboding realm. The ground was dark gray. The sky was black. The only light came from numerous little red lights in the sky, which could have been stars but may not have been. The formation of the land seemed like a nightmare by an abstract artist.
"My God!" Margo cried. "Where are we?"
"I can't even guess," Lamont answered.
The trio got out of the limo and looked around. Strange bird-like creature flew overhead. There were gnarled trees that swayed without wind and emitted a strange hum. Margo and the driver were terrified. Lamont was getting nervous as well.
"What should we do?" Margo asked.
"I'm thinking," Lamont answered.
Suddenly, a hulking, red creature appeared from over a hill. It was basically humanoid in shape but was over ten feet tall. It had no face, but instead had a sunken hole there. A small pointed object stuck outward from it.
Margo screamed when she saw it. The three humans backed up, keeping an eye on it.
"What is it?" Margo asked.
"I have no idea."
The creature emitted a laser ray from the pointed object. The ray just missed the three humans, but the explosion knocked them off their feet.
"I have a plan!" Lamont said, "Run!"
"Good plan!" Margo answered.
Margo and Lamont ran for cover, but the driver ran towards the limo.
"No, don't!" Lamont called. "It's too big a target!"
The warning was not heeded. The driver got into the limo and stated to drive away quickly. But the beast blasted the limo. The front half of the car, including the driver, were incinerated. The beast looked around. Lamont and Margo were hiding behind a rock. The creature couldn't see them. Being a mindless beast, the creature forgot about them and walked off. Once it was gone, Lamont and Margo checked on the limo driver. There was nothing left of him.
"Horrible!" Margo whispered.
Lamont noticed that the rear half of the limo was fairly intact. "I wonder . . . "
He opened the trunk. The contents were undamaged. "Good!"
Inside the truck was the garb of the Shadow. Lamont was about to pull out the costume, when someone appeared. The new arrival was a white-haired dwarf in a frock coat. He spoke in a cockney accent.
"Hello mate!" the dwarf said. "How do ye like me home?"
"Who are you?" Lamont asked.
"Not that it's any o' your beeswax, squire, but me name's Culp."
Lamont had heard of the villain called Culp. He had recently been a member of the Injustice Society who fought the JSA.
"What do you want with us, Culp?"
"You ain't to quick on the uptake, are ye Cranston?" Culp said. "Why else would a fella snatch two rich snobs?"
"Ransom?"
"Top o' the class, rich boy." Culp answered, "Your people will pay plenty 'o bucks ta get you two back, won't they? Eh?"
"I see. And you're going to keep us here until you get paid," Lamont said.
"You're smarter than I thought, Cranston," Culp said. "Ye got it all figured, don't ye?"
"Has it occurred to you that we might not survive in this Hell until you come back for us?" Lamont said.
"Don't worry, matey," Culp said. "I got yer back covered."
A large creature appeared. A large, moving silhouette. It stood near the two humans but did nothing.
"He'll keep an eye on ya, till I gets back, won't he?" Culp said, "Just be smart and stay here, and ye'll get home alive. Maybe. Depends on what kind o' mood I'm in when I gets back, doesn't it?"
Culp vanished. Lamont looked at the shadow monster. It didn't move. He walked slowly towards the car. The creature still didn't react. Lamont reached for his other outfit. Still no reaction from the monster.
Lamont changed clothes, while using ancient techniques to change the appearance of his face. Lamont Cranston was gone, and in his place was the Shadow! Margo suddenly felt more confident. The Shadow would get them out of this!
The Shadow faced the Shadow monster. He debated on the best course of action. His confrontation with the Shade weeks ago had shown him how dangerous these shadow beings could be. He didn't want a repeat of that unfortunate event.
"Look!" Margo yelled, pointing.
They saw a black cat walking toward them. The cat passed them and approached the shadow monster. They monster reacted, taking a step back and crouching into a defensive posture. The cat raised his hackles and hissed. The monster stepped back. There was a momentary standoff, as the dark opponents tried to intimidate the other. It finally ended when the monster retreated.
The cat walked over to the Shadow and Margo.
"Ummm . . . Thanks," Margo muttered.
"You are most welcome, my dear. Have no fear," the cat said.
Margo and the Shadow were surprised.
"You didn't expect me to give voice and communicate. Ahh, such is the bizarre hand of fate," the cat added.
"Thank you for your help," the Shadow said. "Can you tell me where we are?"
"You are, most appropriately, in the realm of shadow. It is a place where mortals fear to go. Still, you are the Shadow, no mortal man. You can survive here if any mortal can."
"Is there a way out?" Margo asked.
"I can lead you to an escape. I hope you survive the hostile landscape."
"Lead the way!" the Shadow said.
"Come then on a very strange journey," the cat said, "and be prepared for the things you will see."
The cat began to walk away.
"Are you sure we can trust it?" Margo asked.
"No," the Shadow said. "But it seems to be our best chance at the moment. Let's be careful. It could be a trap."
Margo and the Shadow followed the cat.
Elsewhere, watching all this, unseen, was the Shade. He smiled. He had his own plans for these pawns.
Next issue: The Shadow and Margo continue their journey through the Shadow realm, led by their mysterious guide. Can the cat be trusted? What is the Shade up to? What will happen when Culp returns? Find out next issue, as Dr. Mid-Nite guest stars, in The Shadow #14.