Valiant Beyond’s Tales of the Shadowman: Legacy of Leroi
A Classic '90s Hero Rises
Valiant Beyond's Michael LeRoi/Shadowman design by Andrés Ponce.
Series writer AJ Ampadu and artist Sergio Monjes pit a returning Michael LeRoi against current Shadowman Jack Boniface in a battle for the Deadside.
An icon from an acclaimed era of Valiant history returns to challenge for Shadowman’s throne this March in TALES OF THE SHADOWMAN: LEGACY OF LEROI #1 by Alien Books and Valiant Comics. Spearheaded by the fan-favorite team of rising star AJ Ampadu and artist Sergio Monjes, this new story arc introduces a new version of Michael LeRoi, originally created by writer Garth Ennis and artist Ashley Wood, and best known for his starring role in the SHADOWMAN video game series released by Acclaim in the 1990s.
"When Garth Ennis reimagined Michael LeRoi as Shadowman for Acclaim in 1997, it completely blew me away,” explains series writer AJ Ampadu. “It was a darker, more mature take on the character, yet it stayed true to his roots in black magic and voodoo.
“The Valiant Beyond iteration of Michael LeRoi comes with a new beginning that does not rely on prior knowledge of the canon or lore,” continues Ampadu. “It’s one where we combine the best elements from past versions to create something fresh and exciting while still honoring the character’s legacy."
The Valiant Beyond universe, a new-reader friendly iteration of the classic comics franchise, launched earlier this year and features short story-arcs allowing for readers to jump easily into the ongoing series every few months. LEGACY OF LEROI will kick off the third arc of TALES OF THE SHADOWMAN this March and is designed to bring readers up to speed while rewarding long-time fans for their dedication.
“We briefly teased Michael’s return in the RESURGENCE OF THE VALIANT UNIVERSE FINALE issue back in January,” explains Alien Books Director/Editor-in-Chief Matias Timarchi. “AJ has been wanting to bring back Michael for a long time, and we knew it was something that the Valiant fans would appreciate. We’re very pleased to be able to do an entire arc focused on this amazing character and he’s in very good hands with AJ and Sergio.”
VALIANT BEYOND: TALES OF THE SHADOWMAN - LEGACY OF LEROI #1 goes on sale April 1, 2026 and features covers by Aaron Lopresti and Federico Mele. Final orders are due with comic shops on February 23. Current issues of VALIANT BEYOND: TALES OF THE SHADOWMAN are on sale now. For more information, please refer to IDW Publishing’s February catalog or the Penguin Random House website.
Tales of the Shadowman: Legacy of Leroi #2
Cover by Nathan Birr
Tales of the Shadowman: Legacy of Leroi #1
Cover Art by Aaron Lopresti, Colors by Walter Pereyra
Posted on November 20, 2025.
