Written by Matthew Sturges
Art by Doug Braithwaite; Pat Brosseau; & Mike Atiyeh
Cover Art by Doug Braithwaite & Alex Sinclair
SUMMARY:
Published by DC Comics for November 2007, “Protégés” begins the Darkness and Light storyline. As narrated by the Phantom Stranger & the Enchantress (June Moone), the Shadowpact faces demonic zombies in a Gotham City warehouse. The Enchantress suffocates the zombies’ master: Houngan. The reckless Warlock’s Daughter earns June’s scorn disintegrating already-neutralized zombies.
At Gotham’s Breed Building, the Sun King bloodily generates a new assistant servant from Dr. Gotham’s own forehead. His henchmen must provide a continuous supply of living female human flesh for the Sun King to consume.
Blue Devil battles the Homo Magi’s army. Intercepted in the Nightshade dimension, Ragman, Nightshade, and Nightmaster are confronted by three zombies. The Sun King’s suave henchman hypnotically causes a mesmerized blonde victim to commit a grisly suicide.
The unsympathetic Enchantress harshly pushes the teenage Warlock’s Daughter to re-evaluate her shallow self-worth. Back at the Oblivion Bar, June’s vulnerable new protégé is among the Sun King’s potential victims.
REVIEW:
This issue’s gore (i.e. the gruesome servant generation scene and the blonde’s implied bloody corkscrew death), hampers an otherwise solid read. It’s surprising that DC Comics didn’t issue a parental advisory re: these two horrific scenes. Still, per the stellar cover image, the artwork brings to life writer Matthew Sturges’ grim storyline.
Despite its gross-out sequences, Shadowpact # 17 is an intriguing lead-off to its Darkness and Light saga.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Assistant Editor Elisabeth Gehrlein pens the single-page “DC Nation” column, which hypes the release of several Countdown-related spin-offs. Cover reveals are made for Countdown to Mystery # 1; Black Canary/Green Arrow Wedding Special # 1; Countdown # 32; and Shadowpact # 18.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
