| Shade, the Changing Man | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Shade,_the_Changing_Man_1.jpg) Cover of Shade, the Changing Man #1 (July 1990) by Brendan McCarthy. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics (Vertigo) |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Genre | Superhero, horror |
| Publication date | July 1990 – April 1996 |
| No. of issues | 70 |
| Main character(s) | Shade, the Changing Man |
| Creative team | |
| Written by | Peter Milligan |
Shade, the Changing Man is an American superhero comic book featuring the character of the same name. The series was written by Peter Milligan and published by DC Comics; it lasted for 70 issues, from July 1990 to April 1996. The final 37 issues were published under the company's Vertigo imprint for mature readers. Shade, the Changing Man chronicles the adventures of Rac Shade, an alien from the planet Meta who becomes stuck in the body of Troy Grenzer, a convicted serial killer. The series' long-term story arc focuses on the relationship between Shade and Kathy George, a girl whose parents were killed by Grenzer.
The series explores the themes of identity and love triangles, while offering a critique of American culture. Milligan conceived Shade, the Changing Man after writing Skreemer, his first comic for DC. Editor Karen Berger asked Milligan to start working on a new series; Milligan chose to write about Shade, who had been created for a short-lived series by Steve Ditko in 1977. Milligan sought to differentiate his series from Ditko's: he only used elements of Shade he deemed necessary and took the character in a different direction. Numerous artists contributed to the series throughout its run; the most recurring was Chris Bachalo, who illustrated 38 issues.
Shade, the Changing Man has been called one of the most innovative comics ever published and one of Milligan's finest works. Reviewers found its take on the superhero genre bizarre and unconventional, and offered lavish praise for its originality and characters. Milligan considers it the series he is best known for, and has returned to write new stories about Shade on several occasions. The series was adapted as part of Cartoon Network's DC Nation Shorts in 2013. A spiritual successor, Shade, the Changing Girl, began in 2016, published under DC's Young Animal imprint.