Disney LongBox Reviews : Disney Darkwing Duck #4

Now that the first arc of Disney Darkwing Duck has finished, will our favourite masked mallard get a well deserved break ? Its a superhero comic, what do you expect ?

This time, the menace is a new character called Gnatmare ( Think Zipper with Juggernaut’s outfit) who is on a rampage stealing money from one of St.Canard’s banks as Darkwing swiftly arrives but quickly gets outsmarted by the pesky bug who drops a safe on him and whooshes his gas gun away leaving his arsenal useless. The defeated hero returns home as Gosalyn tries to encourage him and figures out a way to defeat Gnatmare.

Gosalyn and Honker soon sneak into her father’s lair and steals the Bugmaster’s original helmet triggering Darkwing’s security system as he immitately figures out what she was up to. She uses the helmet to try and control Gnatmare which proves to be a dire mistake as she receives a shocking blow which shows her how Gnatmare came to be. He was a small fly forced to be a shoeshiner for a bat goon ( with a glaring resemblance to Great Mouse Detective’s Fidget) as he smells the hoagie Steelback had lying around to tempt the Eggmen to try out his newest invention, a beam that gives superpowers. The fly flies into it by accident while escaping Steelbeak’s newspaper, transforming himself into Gnatmare.

Gnatmare soon locks on onto their position and crashes through the Quackworks building to go swat the kids. Darkwing and the ThunderQuack soon arrive to try and fight Gnatmare once again as he once again pummels Darkwing and flings him towards the St.Canard Tower. He then gets the idea of teaming up with one of his most cunning foes ? Who will it be ? You will have to read the issue for yourself

FINAL THOUGHTS: This issue of Disney Darkwing Duck showcases more of the brilliant humour and art that James and Aaron brought to the Disney Comics universe for the last 6 years. This issue also marks the return of James’ tradition of hiding Disney references in the background or as side characters.

While regular colourist Andrew Dalhouse is on break, Lisa Moore will be taking on colouring duties as she once did in the Boom run. Be sure to read the issue until the very end for the return of one of Disney’s most famous comic strip villains. Villian portfolios on QuackerJack, Dr.Fossil and One Shot are also included in this issue for those wishing to know more about those characters.