Review by Frank Plowright

Hellboy’s presence on Shadow of the Golden Crane’s cover is understandable from a marketing viewpoint, but he’s very much a passing character inside. Instead the focus is Bureau of Paranormal Research and Development agent Susan Xiang, seen in 1963 accompanying Hellboy and Victor Koestler on a mission to prevent a form of dragon terrorising Portland.

Susan has glimpses of the paranormal, sometimes very brief visions of the future, and sometimes an understanding of the past. The past is key. She has one of her own, and the Golden Crane organisation’s activities protecting Chinese people from mystical threats predominantly occurred in the past and stretch back centuries.

Chris Roberson’s story is episodic. Key to the Golden Crane’s activities is at first acquiring mystical objects posing threats, then confining and curating them. However, those threats are manifesting again in 1963, and we see them being dealt with in both the past and present day, while along the way Roberson introduces several fascinating new characters and establishes the places they occupied in during their historical lives. There’s a fair amount of world building here, and although the stories are brief, they’re thoughtful and compelling.

Of course, artist Michael Avon Oeming brings his storytelling expertise to the project, and he manages the difficult combination of clarity amid supernatural chaos on several occasions. His characters aren’t greatly distinctive, but they don’t have to be as the visual priority is the assorted threats, and Oeming delivers suitably other-worldly presences. Chris O’ Halloran’s colouring doesn’t draw attention, but there are places where it really shifts into focus, such as the subtlety applied when a group of undead appear.

The final chapter connects the pieces of information dropped in passing and reveals Susan’s place in continuing a dynasty. Shadow of the Golden Crane is an excellent set-up, and we want more.