This is a series of comics which reprints newspaper adventures of the Shadow from the 1940's. The series is labeled “An Historical Collection,” but it does not include any historical information at all on the Shadow or the comic series. The first issue definitely should have had some historical written material talking about the Shadow and his appearances in pulps, on radio, the movies and in newspaper strips, but there's just the reprinted material itself and ads for other products.
This is an example of the reproduction artwork.
The story concerns some box sent by the mayor. The contents of the box has something to do with a local graft ring. The man behind the desk is Richard Whilton, a retired businessman, and the other man is James Belver, a reformer.
Apparently only four people actually known of the existence of the box. Belver leaves and Whilton returns to his study only to be killed by a crook who steals the box. The Shadow arrives shortly thereafter and the butler mistakes him for the killer. Whilton's daughter knows the Shadow did not do it, though, and they talk, the Shadow telling her he will find out who killed her father. The only clue he found in the room was a strange coin.
The next day Lamont Cranston meets with Belver, who suspects the attorney, but the attorney shows up. The Shadow finds a newspaper message about the missing coin and goes to the location listed in the ad.
It turns out to be a trap, and the Shadow gets chased by police, shot at, chased by crooks, drops down an elevator shaft and is unable to pursue the actual murderer.
Eunice, Whilton's daughter, uncovers the Shadow's real identity and poses as him to prevent Lamont being murdered. Lamont acts like he's going to leave the area, but he trails the lawyer as the Shadow.
The lawyer knows some woman named Theda and it's obvious she's a crook herself. Eunice's intended husband has walked into a trap and she tries to save him, and then the Shadow shows up. Theda and the would-be killer get away, and a bunch of other crooks are knocked out. Again the Shadow is chased by police, though, and this time he is hurt and captured by the crooks.
He is taken to the lawyer's house and locked up. Theda betrays the lawyer and gives the location of the box, and its combination, to Belver for $5000.
The Shadow overpowers his guard and finds a hidden note. Someone has weakened the bars of his room, and the Shadow's gun is nearby, so he makes his escape from the lawyer's home.
To be continued.
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