The Darkness returns to comic book shops this week with a brand new #1 issue as Marc Silvestri returns to the series to reinvent it. One of the most successful Top Cow comics, the series aims to “turn everything up to eleven,” likely to bring in new and younger readers unfamiliar with the character. It’s not the first time a character has gotten a reboot, but can it elevate its narrative in a newer and modern era with different kinds of readers?
The Darkness opens on a man having sex with a woman as voices in his head scream for him to stop. The door soon breaks down with soldiers, and a man in a black suit is surprised to find the man wither and turn into a corpse. For readers not in the know, all will be revealed by the end of the issue, but longtime readers will know once the wielder of the Darkness has a baby at conception, their time on Earth is done.
From there, we meet a young boy named Jackie who grows up in an orphanage. He has a tough life getting bullied, but is ready to fight to protect a girl named Jenny. The story flashes forward fairly quickly from there as we learn a gangster adopted him and is now a hitman. Jackie isn’t the best guy in the world, sleeping around constantly and killing without batting an eye. He’s rather cold, though he has befriended Jenny, who is now a bartender. He’s also turning 21, which means, unbeknownst to him, the Darkness will soon be his.
For first issues, this extra-sized kickoff offers up everything you need to know, from Jackie being somewhat kind, but also no hero, to the battle between heaven and hell Jackie is about to enter. The adult themes, particularly sex, are quite strong, and for all intents and purposes, this feels like a comic straight out of the early ’90s. For better or worse, the story leaps off the page when Jackie becomes the Darkness and has to fight angels or die trying.
Practice safe sex, kids.
Credit: Top Cow
The ’90s vibes are strong thanks to Ed Benes’ hyper-detailed art style. The designs of the angel characters, Darkness, and his demon beasts are great. The scenes with folks in street clothes aren’t quite as strong, though there’s a Jim Lee level of quality to it all. Generally, the visuals have a ’90s feel thanks to the lustful rendering of women, be it in bed with Jackie, or a cop named Sara who has a shirt way too tight and seems to stand in ways to show off her ample bosom.
Fans of the Darkness will like the new costume design, which is explained well with sketches in the back of the issue. Given that the best scenes involve Darkness and the angels, it is a testament to Silvestri’s designs.
Speaking of the best scenes, there’s a lot of talking in this issue. An early scene where Jackie proves to Jenny he’s a horn dog feels overly long and verbose, or later, when two mysterious figures are talking to Jackie, it may lose you for how dry the art is as he listens on. It’s early yet, but by the end of the issue, Jackie isn’t that complex, with his relationship to Jenny being the only saving grace. It’s quite clear this series is strongest when Jackie is in Darkness mode.
The Darkness #1 is a loud, unapologetic reboot that proudly embraces its ’90s DNA while attempting to reintroduce the character for a new generation. Marc Silvestri and Ed Benes deliver a visually explosive supernatural battle between heaven and hell, even if the quieter character moments struggle to carry the same weight. While Jackie Estacado isn’t yet deeply nuanced, the mythology, brutal power fantasy, and striking redesign of the Darkness prove that the series still has real life in it. Especially when it fully unleashes its demonic side.
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