Shadow Man (character)

The Shadow Man is Michael LeRoi's alter ego — the undead Walker-between-the-Worlds. The Shadow Men of ancient times were African warriors blessed by the gods with supernatural powers to protect their native tribes emanating from the spiritual plane known as The Deadside. With the advent of slavery the lineage of the Shadow Men was broken and almost died out.

In the eighteenth century, the powerful voodoo priestess Mama Nettie crafted the Mask of Shadows, enlisting the reluctant aid of the New World Gods (Les Mysteres) to empower the wearer of the Mask to access the supernatural might of the Shadow Men of the past. From then on, there would only be one Shadow Man in existence at any given time, but the united powers within the Mask would make him the mightiest voodoo champion ever seen in this world and the next. Certainly powerful enough to keep the forces of Deadside at bay.

There have been only three previous bearers of the Mask: Maxim St. James, Cole Cardinaux and Jack Boniface. However, where the previous owners wore the Mask on their faces to access its powers, Mike LeRoi has the mask implanted within his chest, making him truly a slave to it (and Mama Nettie.) At night and in Deadside, the Mask emerges glowing from within his chest turning Mike into the Shadow Man - the Immortal Voodoo Warrior, the Walker-between-the-Worlds, Zombi Astral, Taker of Souls....Lord of Deadside.

Extra info differences & similarities

• Physical Abilities: The Shadow Man can perform all of the same physical actions that Mike can, but better. In conjunction with certain magical objects he can perform additional special actions.
• Mortality: Shadow Man cannot drown -he's already dead, so he doesn't breathe and therefore has not need for an air supply. He can survive falls of any distance (as well as the sudden stop at the bottom,) and with the appropritate magical abilities (protective tattoos known as the Gad) he can also make himself immune to the effects of fire.
• Weaponry: Shadow Man is armed with the ShadowGun, the Deadside representation of Mike's handgun . Although similar in appearance, the difference lies in the fact that Shadow Man has the power to channel the power of the Mask through it. Rather than firing normal bullets, the Shadowgun literally focuses the power of Death itself from the Mask and unleashes spectacular destruction in the form of shrieking wraiths, ripping through its victims to leave their souls behind.