Shade, the Changing Man

Cover of Shade, the Changing Man #6 (original series) by Steve Ditko.

Rac Shade, a secret agent of the world in the Meta-Zone, a dimension near that of Earth, between which is the Zero-Zone, has been framed for treason and sentenced to death. Through various events, Shade spent some time on Earth trying to clear his name, using the retrieved M-Vest (the Miraco-Vest that had been stolen) in the process, but was met with resistance of the Meta-authorities at each point. His name was being cleared bit by bit, but he remained a wanted man, and Shade continued to use the M-Vest. Shade's former fiancée, Mellu Loron, wanted to kill him for some time for causing an explosion that crippled her parents. Her mother, operating a mechanical monster called the Supreme Decider (or Sude) had other plans.

The Metans have an outpost on Earth which is called the Occult Research Center (O.R.C). The center was run by Wizor, assisted by Leno. Mellu ran it for a time. The O.R.C. operates by telling the absolute truth about Meta, something the public tends to laugh off. When Mellu desires to kill Shade, the fact that other, more violent, criminals released in the freak accident during the prison riot that freed Shade become priority, annoys her greatly and causes her to leave the organization.

When Dr. Sagan shows Mellu videotape evidence that Shade has rescued her from a deadly part of the Zero-Zone called the Area of Madness (from which no one but Shade, thanks to the vest, has exited without expending all their bodily resources screaming), she changes her mind about Shade, in spite of having been the one who had ultimately captured him.

In the final issue, President Olon's hands are tied in regard to the treason charge. Even though he considers Shade innocent, until his death sentence is overturned in court, he is still under a death sentence as Col. Kross gathers evidence in his defense. With all of these on his side, he (Shade) leaps into the Zero-Zone and is swallowed by the Area of Madness.

Shade ends up living in the Area of Madness. The Suicide Squad, after leaving Nightshade's home dimension, ends up here and Shade is able to adjust his M-Vest so he can teleport himself and the Squad to Earth.

The O.R.C has been taken over by Doctor Z.Z. and a gang of Metan criminals. They hope to use the place as a base to conquer Earth and eventually Meta itself. Shade's plan to stop them is sidetracked by the Crisis On Infinite Earths and being stuck back in the Zero Zone. He is eventually rescued by the Squad.

Shade's second attempt at stopping Z.Z. is successful, though Metan authorities still wish to arrest him. Rick Flag pulls a gun and Shade is allowed to leave with the Squad.

Shade is offered technical help in returning to Meta in exchange for his help on missions. Shade cooperates, though he is not quite sure if Earth's technology is up to the task. Shade also spends time trying to help the ex-Squad member Mindboggler, who had died in issue #2, then became Ifrit, a digitized ally of the Onslaught.

Shade became increasingly doubtful of the wisdom of staying with the Squad. So when Lashina (in the disguise of Duchess) came to him with an offer to return him to his home dimension via a detour to Apokolips, Shade agrees, not knowing what was in store for him. He ends up being forced to kidnap Vixen as well as Captain Boomerang (although he had little regret over kidnapping the latter). Shade knew that his actions were wrong, but felt he had little choice.[4]

Lashina betrayed him as soon as possible on Apokolips. Several of Shade's friends, the pilot Briscoe, civilian Flo Crowley (part of the Task Force X support staff) and the villain Dr. Light soon die in the fight against Parademons and the Female Furies. Darkseid appears and settles the conflict, sending the Squad and its dead home. Shade, wracked with guilt, is sent back to his home dimension.[5]

His whereabouts since then have been unknown.

In Kingdom Come, Alex Ross created Shade III, a black adaptation. He is referred to as "more of the classic, heroic version", and is visually based more on the Steve Ditko Shade than the Peter Milligan Shade.

Another Elseworlds version of the classic Shade appeared in JLA: The Nail as a member of the Outsiders.

Shade, the Changing Man as seen in Flashpoint, art by Andy Kubert.

In 2011, Shade returned to the DC Universe in Flashpoint: Secret Seven, a limited series spin-off of the Flashpoint crossover event. The series is written by Peter Milligan and drawn by George Pérez. This version of Shade is visually based on the Vertigo incarnation, but draws elements from the original Steve Ditko iteration of the character as well.[8] In the series, history is altered accidentally by the Flash, resulting in a greatly altered timeline that reimagines many characters. Here, Shade is the leader of a band of heroes dubbed the Secret Seven, which includes the Enchantress and Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld. Shade and the others are recruited by Cyborg as part of an effort to stop an apocalyptic war between Atlantis and New Themyscira.[9]

In October 2016, DC debuted a new imprint: Young Animal. One of the initial titles is Shade, The Changing Girl, which features a female Metan named Loma who admires the late Rac Shade and his poetry. She steals the Madness Vest from a museum and takes over the body of a comatose teenage girl called Megan Boyer on Earth. The creative team behind this new version includes writer Cecil Castellucci and artist Marley Zarcone. Beginning in March 2018, the series changed names like many Young Animal titles. It is currently called Shade, The Changing Woman.[10] "Shade, the Changing Girl" ended its run during the events of "Milk Wars" and began again as "Shade, The Changing Woman" which went for six issues, ending in July.[11] After the name change, the tone of the book changed to a more introspective one, as Loma left her small town and traveled through several locations, while the book also shifted its focus onto the secondary characters introduced on the previous run. Exploring themes of dissociation, depression, xenophobia, destiny and being an outcast, Loma eventually meets Rac Shade and the story comes full circle to connect with the previous Vertigo incarnation.

Both titles also featured Loma's successor River Johnson. He was a normal teenage outcast in the small suburban town that Loma Shade was transported to after stealing the M-Vest. River, finding out that Loma was an alien in disguise, became her first friend on Earth and her confidant. Like Loma, River is also bisexual, and the first black person to use the alias Shade, the Changing Man, after being given the M-Vest.

• Shade, the Changing Man appears in one of the DC Nation Shorts on Cartoon Network,[12] voiced by Benjamin Diskin.

• Shade appeared in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox.