Spirit of the Shadows #1 Review
Spirit of the Shadows #1 Review
By Nolan P. Smith
Editor | Pastrami Nation
The afterlife is one of humanity’s greatest mysteries—where do we go when it’s all said and done? For Erik Leroux, the answer is complicated. On one hand, he’s reunited with the love of his life, Katrina. On the other, he wakes up dressed like a surreal hero-villain hybrid, with no real memory of who he was or how he died. Spirit of the Shadows #1 from Oni Press launches readers into a psychedelic, emotional, and visually striking journey through a truly unique vision of the afterlife.
Created by Nick Cagnetti and Daniel Ziegler, with artwork by Cagnetti, this debut issue immediately stands out for both its concept and execution. Erik exists in the afterlife as a phantom-like figure, dressed in the clothes he wore at the moment of his death. His memories are fragmented—he knows he loved Katrina, and he knows he was a musician in the living world, but everything else is a blur. He’s given a book that holds the story of his life, a guide to recovering who he truly was… but the afterlife isn’t safe, and that book doesn’t stay in his possession for long.
What follows is a strange, dangerous, and emotionally layered journey through a surreal world where identity, memory, and purpose are constantly in question. Along the way, Erik encounters a mysterious young woman whose connection to his past threatens to unravel what little emotional stability he has left—even in death.
Cagnetti and Ziegler deliver a powerful opening issue that feels both accessible and deceptively deep. The story is clean and straightforward on the surface, but there’s a strong emotional undercurrent that gives it weight. Visually, the book is stunning—Spirit of the Shadows looks like a fever dream of the afterlife, filled with bold colors, expressive designs, and a visual energy that perfectly matches its tone. The art style is vibrant, strange, and unforgettable, making every page feel alive.
If you’re looking for something fresh, weird, emotional, and completely different from standard genre fare, Spirit of the Shadows #1 is a must-read. It’s a bold, confident debut and an early contender for one of the standout new series of 2026.
Rating: FIVE Pastrami Nations out of FIVE
