The Shadow

The Shadow  is the name of a collection of serialized dramas, originally in 1930s pulp novels, and then in a wide variety of Shadow media.  One of the most famous adventure heroes of 20th century North America, the Shadow has been featured on the radio, in a long-running pulp magazine series, in American comic books, comic strips, television, serials, video games, and at least five feature films.  Originally a mysterious radio show narrator, The Shadow was developed into a distinctive literary character in 1931, later to become a pop culture icon, by writer Walter B. Gibson.  The character has been cited as a major influence on the subsequent evolution of comic book superheroes, particularly Batman.  The introduction from The Shadow radio program “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?  The Shadow knows!”, spoken by actor Frank Readick Jr., has earned a place in the American idiom.  

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