DARKWING DUCK #1, from Dynamite Comics on January 25th, 2023, brings the most dangerous duck back to the comics scenes with a rousing adventure when Megavolt disrupts a statue unveiling.
The Details
- Written by: Amanda Deibert
- Art by: Carlo Lauro
- Colors by: Carlo Lauro
- Letters by: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover art by: David Nakayama (cover A)
- Comic Rating: All Ages
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: January 25, 2023
Is It Good?
Indeed, let’s get dangerous. DARKWING DUCK #1 marks the return of the popular Disney cartoon character to comic form (try saying that five times fast), and Amanda Deibert sticks the landing. Completely absent are the currently common tropes of “updated for a modern audience” or “subverting expectations.” DARKWING DUCK #1 is a straight-as-an-arrow, tried and true, classic Darkwing Duck adventure that’s fit and fun for the whole family.
That said, this comic is appropriately written for an elementary school-aged audience. If you pick up this issue and try to read it through the lens of a typical Dynamite Comic, you’re quacking up the wrong tree. The characterizations are consistent with the source material, the adventure is lightly goofy in a Golden Age comic kind of way, and the villain (Megavolt) is the very definition of over-the-top. In short, DARKWING DUCK #1 is the original Disney cartoon brought to (comic) life.
You may be wondering why Dynamite picked up the license rights to Darkwing Duck (and Gargoyles) in the first place when the publisher has a reputation for mature, pulpy comics. Well, this is pure speculation, but Darkwing Duck is the kid version of pulp adventures. It’s thematically consistent with Dynamite’s strengths as the de facto publisher of pulp comics but targeted at a younger age range. If you take a broader look at the potential of this license, it’s an easy hop to go from Darkwing Duck to the Shadow or Green Hornet, so this acquisition makes perfect sense. So far, Dynamite is off to a good start if that’s the long-term strategy.
A quick word about the art. There must be serving some kind of “accuracy juice” over at Dynamite because Carlo Lauro nails the art. The settings, the characters, and the actions (and reactions) are spot-on. As with the writing, the art looks like the original Disney cartoon come to (comic) life. Kudos!
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with Darkwing Duck waxing poetic as he looks over his beloved city. His waxing, however, is taking too long, and he risks being late to a statue unveiling in his honor. Darkwing makes it to the ceremony barely in time to hear stories from citizens about his exploits.
Suddenly, the cellphone-wielding citizens receive a massive shock when Megavolt arrives. The jolt of electricity renders anyone holding a cell phone under Megavolt’s control, and the citizens begin attacking as a mindless mob. Darkwing barely escapes thanks to Launchpad, and the two race off to capture Megavolot before the mind-control wave spreads.
We conclude the issue with daring flights of fancy, an impromptu rock concert, and a move that lights up the city.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
DARKWING DUCK #1 gives OG Darkwing Duck fans and new readers plenty of good things to quack about. The writing and art nail the original cartoon’s look and feel with a fun, family-friendly adventure sure to put a smile on your beak… err, bill…err, face.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.