Spirit of the Shadows #1
Written by: Nick Cagnetti and Daniel Ziegler
Illustrated by: Nick Cagnetti
Oni Press
2026
Spoilers..
EMBRACE YOUR FEAR . . . THE SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS DRAWS NEAR! From the darkest recesses within acclaimed cartoonist Nick Cagnetti (Pink Lemonade, XINO) and co-creator Daniel Ziegler (Elodie) comes the most visually stunning, outrageously otherworldly, and hauntingly heartfelt superhero-horror hit of 2026!
Once, Erik Leroux was a mortal musician, selflessly devoted to his music and his true love, Katrina . . . until his sudden death plunged his soul into the carnival-like torments of the Spirit World beyond our own. Now, reborn as a phantom with fleeting memories of his life among the living, and forever cursed to bear the arcane costume his corpse wore to the grave, Erik will claw his way back from the infernal planes to uncover the mysteries of his own life . . . and avenge the dark sins that transformed him into the SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS!
Spirit of the Shadows #1 wears its gothic heart on its sleeve, and that’s very much a compliment. From the opening pages, it’s clear this is a story about love that refuses to die — and the damage that kind of love can leave behind. Fans of James O’Barr’s The Crow will feel immediately at home, not because the stories mirror each other beat for beat, but because they’re driven by the same emotional ache.
Erik Leroux wakes up dead, confused, and separated from Katrina, the woman he loved above all else. The afterlife he finds himself in isn’t heroic or comforting — it’s cold, procedural, and unforgiving. Souls are judged by the lives they lived, recorded in a single book. Erik’s problem is terrifyingly simple: his book has been torn apart, and without it, his only chance of reuniting with Katrina may be gone.
Like The Crow, the story treats love as something powerful enough to defy death. But where The Crow turns grief outward into rage and vengeance, Spirit of the Shadows turns inward. Erik isn’t seeking revenge — he’s clinging to the belief that love alone should absolve him. As fragments of his life replay, the comic slowly forces both Erik and the reader to confront the uncomfortable truth that devotion and obsession aren’t always far apart.
The art does a huge amount of storytelling work here. Visually, the book feels like a striking blend of Jack Kirby’s bold, cosmic weight, Mike Allred’s clean, retro-modern clarity, and Tradd Moore’s wild, emotional energy. The spirit realm feels vast and mythic, while the flashbacks remain intimate and painful, giving the book a look that feels timeless but unpredictable — exactly what the story calls for.
There’s also a subtle but effective moral undercurrent that may remind readers of DC’s Ragman. Much like Ragman’s suit is stitched together from trapped souls and unresolved guilt, Erik’s torn book represents the weight of the lives he’s touched and the damage he’s caused. Judgment isn’t something he can fight — it’s something he has to face, whether he wants to or not.
Elizabeth, another lost soul, brings warmth and humanity to the journey. Her kindness contrasts sharply with Erik’s narrowing focus, and her presence makes the final reveal hit harder, reframing Erik not as a tragic hero, but as a deeply flawed man haunted by the consequences of his choices.
Spirit of the Shadows #1 is a strong, moody debut that should resonate with readers who love gothic romance, tragic antiheroes, and stories that aren’t afraid to sit in moral discomfort. If The Crow stayed with you because it hurt, and Ragman intrigued you because guilt was never invisible, this book feels cut from that same cloth — quiet, haunted, and unwilling to offer easy forgiveness.
Exploring the Haunted Afterlife of Spirit of the Shadows #1
Spirit of the Shadows #1 follows Erik Leroux, a man who awakens in the afterlife desperate to reunite with the woman he loved.
Beam Me Up Scotty
Born and raised in the city of Miami. Lifelong pro wrestling fan. Been deep in the 'zine scene since ’84, interviewing locals, Hardcore, Punk, and Metal bands. Spent 26 years in the comic book biz and still obsessed with all things pop culture—Mego, Micronauts, Shogun Warriors, Die-Cast Metal Super Robots, you name it. I can go on about comic books and bad movies all day.
