Darkwing Duck #1 Review (Dynamite)
It feels like yesterday when I wrote my first ever review on this site and it was on a Darkwing Duck comic…. Wait, it’s been how long…. And there’s a new Darkwing Duck comic out, well better grab a Powerlime bar and some Gummi Bears and get to reviewing this new title
Seems our friends over at Dynamite has acquired the Disney Comics liscence after IDW and Dark Horse both briefly had it and for the first time since 2009, a new writer and artist have been assigned to handle the escapades of a certain mallard in purple. A writer previously known for her work on DC properties for the youth market and an artist who has a passion for the Italian Disney comics, seems like a good recipe for success to me.
Our story starts with Darkwing being late to a dedication ceremony for a statue of himself attended by Mayor Owlson ( a character from the 2017 DuckTales universe that was brought to the classic universe) and by Herb Muddlefoot. The ceremony is interrupted when Megavolt unleashes a new power to hack phones to control their users directly and commands them to attack our beloved hero.
Gosalyn meanwhile hatches a scheme behind her father’s back to help save the day by distracting Megavolt with a rock and roll concert to combat his electromagnetic control over the city. It’s a good way to start off our new adventures in St-Canard.
PROS:
– The comic is full of references to past continuities of the Darkwing Duck franchise even down to the wrinkles Darkwing would have whenever he is upset or mad (usually at Launchpad)
– The art is colourful and vibrant , the designs beautifully capture the look of the characters
– Herb Muddlefoot’s green shirt has returned, the past comics always had him with differently coloured shirts and that always bugged me. I know, first world problems but hey green looks good on Herb
– Amanda Deibert is a worthy successor to Aaron Sparrow as she clearly did her homework and her passion for the series has shined through on interviews and podcasts. Maybe I might get to interview her in the future if I am lucky.
NEGATIVES:
– I do wish they would have saved Megavolt for later considering the first issue of the Boom comic and the Joe Books comic have both had Megavolt as the very first villian to be featured. Tuskernini would have suited this plot well since he is a bit of a glory hog.
– The sound effect text font is honestly very lackluster compared to some past Disney titles.
– Some of the character poses seem to be straight out of the Darkwing Duck model sheets, not a big pet peeve but it is noticeable if you studied the history and production art of Darkwing Duck for as long as I have.
– The story should have been longer or had a shorter second story to accompany it. 10 pages are wasted on previews for the Gargoyles comic and a gallery for all the variant covers. For a comic, every page matters, I am hoping that future issues fixes this issue.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Darkwing Duck is a very strong recommendation for me, it has been far too long since a Disney comic has hit comic book shelves here and this is worthy enough of the Disney name to be on your shelves. Amanda and Carlo have the potential to unleash much more Duck charm with the wealth of Villians and side characters at their disposal.
Dynamite is the best home for Darkwing Duck at the moment since he can soar in the air and delight us with his comedic adventures in a sea of serious and dark comic books. Really hoping that Dynamite gives it a long healthy run , there needs to be more Disney ducks on comic book shelves and this is a good start.
RATING:
9 out of 10
