The Darkness Issues 1 and 2 Review
- Luis Godoy II
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
Publisher: Top Cow/Image Comics
Writer: Marc Silvestri
Artists:
Issue 1 - Ed Benes, John Livesay, Matt Banning, Arif, Prianto, Sal Regla
Issue 2 - Raymond Gay, Arif Prianto
Where to Buy: Image Direct or your Local Comic Shop (LCS)
Solicits
Issue 1-
In a world consumed by shadows...one man becomes The Darkness. Jackie Estacado is back! Thrust into a supernatural war between the dark and the light in a no-holds-barred adventure where the edge of our reality grinds against supernatural forces grappling for control over each other and the waking world.
Mafia Hitman Jackie Estacado was both blessed and cursed on his 21st birthday when he became the bearer of The Darkness, an elemental force that allows those who wield it access to an otherworldly dimension and control over the demons who dwell there. Forces in the world rise up to face Jackie and the evil his gift represents. There is one small problem in this story…evil is good.
From co-creator Marc Silvestri (The Darkness, Cyber Force, Batman and the Joker: The Deadly Duo) with the universe-shattering first issue art by Ed Benes (Birds of Prey, Superman, Justice League of America), followed in issue #2 with ongoing series artist Raymond Gay (Gunsligner Spawn, Bloodletter, TMNT, Medieval Spawn), comes an explosive new era of The Darkness!
Issue 2-
The brutal conflict between the Franchettis and the Russians escalates into a full-on gang war, as Jackie Estacado struggles to make sense of his inheritance—the chaotic power known as the Darkness! But Kalashnikov-toting gangsters are the least of Jackie's worries. The Angelus has set her sights on him, and her warriors will stop at nothing to destroy the Darkness once and for all...
REVIEW
If you aren't aware from the solicits above, The Darkness is a relauched character with three previous volumes that were published between 1996 and 2013, which also mostly coincides with my gap in comic reading, so its safe to say I did not read any of the previous volumes but I have passing knowledge of the character. I was aware that it was a dark character with ties to mob activity. I also know the character was tied to Witchblade, and the Darkness had a video game I remember my cousin talked about and he enjoyed. So, very little going into this series.
The main character Jackie Estacado is a guy who does not give an F who gets in his way, or who he needs to take out per his marching orders from the mob leaders. He will not think twice about who he needs to take out. Unbeknownst to Jackie, a mysterious group led by a man name Sonatine is performing a ritual that passes on the Darkness to Jackie while Jackie busy with a horizontal meeting with a woman he just met. Jackie starts leaking black liquid out of his facial orificies and is attacked by a group of Angels.
The art is great. Really good character designs, lots of details. Tons of texture. There is not a wasted line in either book. If you like the comic art made famous at Image in the 90s, you will feel right at home here. If anything, its that style but with modern sensibilities and coloring.
The story is interesting. I do want to see where it goes. My only gripe is the dialog. The words flow and it feels like natural speech except for it being self-censored but it shouldn't be. It should be a R-Rated story but it feels written for PG or PG-13 . Its the story of a mob hitman with a battle between the Darkness and Angels with guns and swords. A guy gets thrown off a building and goes splat but there's not a need for censored words like this.
I don't know if the original did the same or not but it pulls me out of the story as I try to figure out what word they are intending to use. I would recommend people to check out The Darkness if you love gansters, anti-heros and violent comics.
Thanks again, this was Luis from Comic Book Yeti, don't forget to heart the article it really helps tell us what type of articles you like. Thanks again, signing off with more picks from the Yeti Cave. Be good, do good, and read comics! Find me on the CBY discord or BlueSky @luisgodoyii.bsky.social.
