American Gods – Shadows
Story and Words: Neil Gaiman
Script and Layouts: P. Craig Russel
Artwork: Scott Hampton
Letters: Rick Parker
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
To say that American Gods has been an influential work of fiction would be a bit of an understatement. Originally a novel written by Neil Gaiman, the story follows Shadow Moon as he is released from jail only to find his wife dead. Defeated, broke, and unsure where to go Shadow is then thrust into a deadly world where ghosts come back from the dead and a god war is imminent. American Gods: Shadows collects the first nine issues of the comic adaptation of this supernatural American road trip fantasy. With story and words by Neil Gaiman, script and layouts by P. Craig Russell, art by Scott Hampton, and letters by Rick Parker, American Gods – Shadows introduces readers to the fantastical world of gods vying for belief and a man planted in the middle of their struggle.
The story starts with Shadow still in prison, counting down the days to his release. Readers are automatically given a clear understanding of Shadow’s character. What he did to end up in prison, how he feels about it, his outlook on life, and what matters to him moving forward, are all put in clear perspective. It creates an instant connection with him for the reader and provides a central pillar for the narrative to rest on. Regardless of what Shadow did in the past, the reader becomes invested in seeing him go up from here.
Shadow finds all his hope dashed when just before his release his wife dies. Left directionless, the mysterious Mr. Wednesday inserts himself into Shadow’s life. Hiring Shadow as a bodyguard, Mr. Wednesday pulls Shadow into a world of unreality as they road trip across the country. The first few issues of this volume do an excellent job of presenting things at face value and not elaborating on them. There’s a level of confusion present for Shadow, and that translates to the reader as long as the book remains ambiguous on what exactly is and isn’t real.
As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the gods are real, both ancient and new. The ancient, such as Mr. Wednesday – revealed to be Odin – find themselves nearing extinction due to a lack of belief, while new gods representing modern ideals gorge themselves on worship. Odin is on a mission to unite the ancient gods in a final stand against their apparent replacements and Shadow has been recruited to the cause. While this premise carries gigantic implications the story always feels incredibly intimate.
Shadow and his emotions are always put at the forefront of the narrative. What Shadow thinks of everything he’s encountering, and how it changes and evolves his outlook on life is the backbone of the story. The cast of characters that Odin and Shadow come across populate the issues with vibrant personalities. Each feels unique and the chemistry they bring in their interactions keeps the book feeling fresh. Every chapter and situation presents Shadow with a new perspective or challenge and it’s engaging to see how he grows.
The idea of belief is central to American Gods and is consistently explored in varying degrees. What belief means and how it impacts the believer and what’s being believed are fascinating questions this book grapples with. Personality is tied to belief, and the examination of one leads to the investigation of the other. This book very directly wants to have a conversation about the idea of America, what its beliefs as a country are, and how that reflects its populace.
The art here works excellently with the story. It’s not perfectly clean-cut, adding a sense of incongruity to the events depicted on the page. This creates an atmosphere that matches the unreality of what Shadow is seeing and experiencing at times. Layouts vary from straightforward to eccentric, spiraling images that spill across the page. The magic of the gods is depicted here in a unique way, it doesn’t feel like someone using superpowers, but rather the nature of experience changes around them.
The character work done throughout is especially impressive. Nailing the supernatural visuals of the story helps bring the world at large to life, but perfectly executing nuanced body language and expression makes it feel lived in. Most of this book develops through conversation, and the subtle reactions and stances exhibited by characters are critical to the story working. Without those subtleties, so much character and narrative development would be lost.
American Gods has been lauded for years for good reason. The story is simple in direction and layered in execution. It’s a story bursting with things to say but presented in a quiet, contemplative manner. For those who have read the novel or seen the television series, this adaptation is worth checking out to experience Shadow’s story in a different, unique medium. For those who haven’t been exposed to American Gods before this volume presents a new avenue to experience an all-time great tale. With American Gods – Shadows Gaiman, Russell, and the rest of the creative team deliver an adaptation worth believing in.
American Gods – Shadows is available to order now.
