Major DC Villain Gets Retcon Inspired by a Surprising TV Show

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Occasionally, characters or alterations introduced in comic book adaptations can become part of the original storyline. However, it’s even less common for changes made in an adaptation to be accepted as official canon in the comics. Nevertheless, The Flash: Bad Moon Rising Special #1 has managed to do just that with one of DC Comics’ strongest villains.

This unique story, penned by Alex Paknadel and illustrated by Daniel Bayliss, primarily focuses on the character of The Shade. Initially portrayed as an adversary to The Flash, Shade didn’t have a past until the 1994 Starman series. In this series, he was reimagined as the Victorian thief Richard Swift, who gained shadow abilities and eternal life following a failed ritual.

Throughout the storyline of Starman, The Shade underwent some changes and started a romantic relationship with police detective Hope O’Dare. This historical fact remains valid, as confirmed in The Flash: Bad Moon Rising Special #1. Yet, it is also revealed that Hope is battling an unidentified long-term illness.

As Hope’s life hangs in the balance, The Shade feels driven to explore the origins of the Shadowlands, hoping to find a way to save her. Known as a realm of darkness and negative emotions, the Shadowlands is responsible for granting powers to various DC characters, including The Shade himself. Yet, The Shade was not anticipating the sinister secrets hidden within the power source of the Shadowlands.

DC’s Shadowlands is the realm of Eclipso

It was uncovered by The Shade that the Shadowlands originated from the cosmic antagonist known as Eclipso. Initially an angel of retribution, Eclipso chose to exploit mortals by leading them towards sin through deceitful influence. However, he had certain limitations; he could only exert his power when possessing a host or with the aid of magic.

The notion that DC’s Shadowlands are linked to Eclipso is a clever retcon with several points in its favor. Both entities share a connection to negative feelings, and many heroes associated with the Shadowlands who wield power from those realms have experienced temporary lapses into villainy. These instances might suggest that Eclipso has been subtly influencing these heroes during their moments of vulnerability. Nevertheless, this isn’t the first time Eclipso and the Shadowlands have been associated in a comic; they’ve been tied together before.

Stargirl established Eclipso/Shadowlands link first

In Stargirl Season 2, the central plot revolved around the resurrection of the villainous character, Eclipso. This season also unveiled the concept of the Shadowlands, a realm birthed from the darkness within human nature. Importantly, it was revealed in this series that Eclipso originated in the Shadowlands, as depicted in the Arrowverse. Although this portrayal deviates slightly from the backstory provided in The Flash: Bad Moon Rising Special #1 comic book, it represents the first instance where Eclipso is connected to the Shadowlands across any medium.

The Flash: Bad Moon Rising Special #1 is now available at comic shops everywhere.

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2025-07-24 20:06