Created by: Walter B. Gibson

Real Name: Lamont Cranston

Joined Mighty Crusaders: The Shadow is not a member of the Mighty Crusaders.

First Appearance: The Shadow Magazine, October 1931

Origin: Lamont Cranston is a secret agent and in the Orient

discovers he has the power to hypnotize, determining to use his powers for good,

he becomes the Super-hero known as the Shadow.

Note: this is a Super Hero reinterpretation of the Shadow, not the famous Pulp hero that inspired this interpretation.

History:

MLJ Comics:

The Shadow No. 1
August 1964
Cover: The Shadow vs. Shiwan Khan and his gang  //Paul Reinman
Story: “The Shadow Vs. the RXG Spymaster” (chapter 1; 10 pages)
Chapter 2: “The Shadow’s Doom” (10 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Robert Bernstein
Artist: John Roseberger
Feature Character: The Shadow (Lamont Cranston; first appearance; last chronological appearance in text story in issue #8)
Supporting Characters: Margo Lane, Shrevvy (Moe Shrevnitz), Weston (all of Earth-MLJ; first appearance for all)
Villains: Shiwan Khan (first appearance) and his gang (including X-1, X-2, X-3, X-4, and X-5; first and only appearance for all)
Comment: The Shadow who appears in this series, Lamont Cranston is a secret agent.   In the first two issues, the Shadow’s only costume is a cape and a business suit, and his hair is blonde.
Text stories in this and the next seven issues reveal something of the Shadow’s origin.
Synopsis: After losing the trail of Shiwan Khan in 1961, the Shadow finds him again three years later, in search of blueprints to a secret weapon, and renews the battle.

Story: “The Adventures of the Shadow”: Chapter 1 (1 page)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: unknown
Feature Character: The Shadow (first chronological appearance)
Comment: This is a text story, and continues in the next issue.
Synopsis: Bored with life, Lamont Cranston takes a trip to Egypt, and confronts a cruel hypnotist.

Story: “The Eyes of the Tiger” (5 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Robert Bernstein
Artist: John Rosenberger
Feature Character: The Shadow
Supporting Character: Shrevvy
Villains: Joe and his gang (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: A gang of crooks tries to kidnap Lamont Cranston to extort a million dollars from him, but don’t bargain on the presence of the Shadow.

The Shadow No. 2
September 1964
Cover: The Shadow and Margo Lane vs. Shiwan Khan and his gang //Paul Reinman
Story: “Shiwan Khan’s Murderous Master-Plan” (chapter 1; 10 pages)
Chapter 2: “The Triangle of Terror” (10 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Robert Bernstein
Artist:  John Rosenberger
Feature Character: The Shadow
Supporting Characters: Shrevvy, Weston
Intro: Tom, Bill (only appearance for both)
Villains: Shiwan Khan and his gang, Princess Lua and her spy ring (first appearance for both), Chinese Communists
Comment: The Shadow wears his “super-hero” costume for the first time on the cover of this issue, but not in the interior stories.
Synopsis: The Shadow goes to Red China to learn of Shiwan Khan’s latest threat to the free world–-a super-powerful nuclear bomb.

Story: “The Adventures of the Shadow”: Chapter 2 (1 page)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: unknown
Feature Character: The Shadow
Comment: This is a text story and continues in next issue.
Synopsis: Lamont Cranston discovers he has the power to out hypnotize a master hypnotist.

Story: “Margo Lane’s Honeymoon” (5 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Robert Bernstein
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shadow
Supporting Character: Margo Lane
Synopsis: Margo Lane dozes off at her typewriter and imagines what life would be like married to Lamont Cranston.

The Shadow No. 3
November 1964
Cover: The Shadow vs. Shiwan Khan and his gang //Paul Reinman
Story: “Shiwan Khan’s House of Horrors” (20 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shadow
Supporting Characters: Margo Lane, Weston, Shrevvy
Intro: Dina, Sen. Jones, Gov. Moore, Thomas Brown (only appearance for all)
Villains: Shiwan Khan and his gang, Hi Sing Wan (first and only appearance)
Comment: The Shadow begins wearing his “super-hero” costume in this story, and gains black hair.
Synopsis: Shiwan Khan lures the Shadow into a deathtrap with an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate.

Story: “The Adventures of the Shadow”: Chapter 3 (1 page)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: unknown
Feature Character: The Shadow (first chronological appearance)
Comment: This is a text story, and continues in the next issue.
Synopsis: Lamont Cranston, determining to use his powers for good, comes upon a mugging, creates a black cape, and saves the intended victim.

Story: “The ‘Princess of Death’” (5 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shadow
Villains: Princess Lua (last appearance), Iko, Karl, Ali (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: Princess Lua captures Lamont Cranston, hoping to use him as bait for the Shadow.

The Shadow No. 4
January 1965
Cover: The Shadow and Shiwan Khan vs. Dr. Demon //Paul Reinman
Story: “The Diabolical Dr. Demon” (20 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shadow
Supporting Character: Weston
Villains: Dr. Demon (first appearance; next appears in issue #8), Capt. Kreutzer, Heinrich, neo-Nazis (first and only appearance for all), Shiwan Khan and his gang
Synopsis: Dr. Demon, Hitler’s chief scientist, returns to attack both the Shadow and Shiwan Khan.

Story: “The Adventures of the Shadow”: Chapter 4 (1 page)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: unknown
Feature Character: The Shadow
Comment: This is a text story and continues in the next issue.
Synopsis: Lamont Cranston first gives himself the name of the Shadow and encounters Secret Service agent Weston.

Story: “The Human Bomb” (5 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shadow
Supporting Characters: Margo Lane, Shrevvy
Villain: Mr. TNT (first and only appearance)
Synopsis: When Margo and Shrevvy think they can handle a mad bomber on their own, the Shadow goes into action to show them they can’t.

The Shadow No. 5
March 1965
Cover: The Shadow vs. Shiwan Khan and Radiation Rogue //Paul Reinman
Story: “The Menace of Radiation Rogue” (part 1; 12 pages)
Chapter 2: “The Sinister Triumph of Shiwan Khan” (8 pages)
Chapter 3: “Doom Stalks the Shadow” (5 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shadow (also appears in flashback, probably to between issues #2 / 3)
Supporting Characters: Margo Lane, Shrevvy
Cameo appearance: Genghis Khan (in flashback)
Intro: CHIEF (Command Headquarters, International Espionage Forces; only appearance; in flashback)
Villains: Shiwan Khan and his gang, Yukal Torrg (first appearance), Bugs Burke (first and only appearance), Radiation Rogue (Hans Gerling; first appearance; next appears in issue #8)
Synopsis: A nuclear accident transforms an ex-Nazi scientist into Radiation Rogue, who, with only days to live, aids Shiwan Khan against the Shadow.

Story: “The Adventures of the Shadow”: Chapter 5 (1 page)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: unknown
Feature Character: The Shadow (first chronological appearance)
Comment: This is a text story, and continues in the next issue.
Synopsis: The Shadow rescues Weston and learns of the existence of CHIEF.

The Shadow No. 6
May 1965
Cover: The Shadow and Margo Lane vs. Shiwan Khan and Attila the Hunter //Paul Reinman
Story: “The Incredible Alliance of Shiwan Khan and Attila the Hunter” (chapter 1; 8 pages)
Chapter 2: “The Captive of Terror Island” (12 pages)
Chapter 3: “The Shadow Vs. the Shadow” (5 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shadow
Supporting Character: Margo Lane
Cameo appearances: Nero, Adolf Hitler, Genghis Khan, Herod, Attila the Hun (as wax dummies)
Villains: Shiwan Khan and his gang, Yukal Torrg (last appearance), Attila the Hunter (first appearance; next appears in issue #8), Lu Kwan, Al Falco (first and only appearance for all)
Synopsis: A descendant of Attila the Hun first battles Shiwan Khan, then teams up with him to destroy the Shadow.

Story: “The Adventures of the Shadow”: Chapter 6 (1 page)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: unknown
Feature Character: The Shadow (first chronological appearance)
Comment: This is a text story, and continues in the next issue.
Synopsis: The Shadow hypnotizes Weston’s assailants and learns for the first time the name of Shiwan Khan.

The Shadow No. 7
July 1965
Cover: The Shadow and scientists vs. the Brute //Paul Reinman
Story: “The Shadow Battles the Brute” (chapter 1; 8 pages)
Chapter 2: “The Shadow’s Amazing New Weapons” (12 pages)
Chapter 3: “The Showdown on Gargoyle Island” (5 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shadow
Supporting Characters: Margo Lane, Shrevvy
Intro: Cyrus Galloway (only appearance)
Cameo appearance: Attila the Hunter (in flashback)
Villains: Shiwan Khan and his gang (last appearance for all), the Brute (Victor Hess; first appearance; dies in this story), the Titan, Colosso (first and only appearance for both)
Synopsis: Shiwan Khan creates a super-villain called the Brute, who proves too much for the Shadow, but who has no loyalty for Khan.

Story: “The Adventures of the Shadow”: Chapter 7 (1 page)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: unknown
Feature Character: The Shadow
Comment: This is a text story, and continues in the next issue.
Synopsis: The Shadow discovers that he cannot make the two hirelings disclose any information about Shiwan Khan.

The Shadow No. 8
September 1965
Cover: The Shadow vs. Elasto //Paul Reinman
Story: “The Game of Death” (25 pages)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: Jerry Siegel
Artist: Paul Reinman
Feature Character: The Shadow (last appearance)
Villains: Peter Jordan, Miguel, Elasto, the Diabolical Dimensionoid (first and only appearance for all), Radiation Rogue (last appearance in issue #5; last appearance), Attila the Hunter (last appearance in issue #6; last appearance), Dr. Demon (last appearance in issue #4; last appearance)
Comment: This is the last issue of THE SHADOW and the final appearance of the Earth-MLJ Shadow.
Synopsis: A wealthy thrill-seeker captures the Shadow and sets a host of his enemies against him in a game of death.

Story: “The Adventures of the Shadow”: Chapter 8 (1 page)
Editor: Richard Goldwater
Writer: unknown
Feature Character: The Shadow (next chronological appearance in the first story in issue #1)
Comment: This is a text story, and continues from the last issue.  It remains unfinished.
Synopsis: The Shadow has his first encounter with Shiwan Khan.

Powers & Weapons:

The Shadow used twin .45 caliber automatic pistols, hypnosis, a private plane, shortwave radio, explosive dust, suction cup glove and boots

Checklist:
Archie Adventure Series
The Shadow 1 – 8

TEXT BY: DarkMark