Writer: Daniel Kibblesmith
Art: Ted Brandt and Ro Stein with Dearbhla Kelly (colorist)
Publisher: Dynamite comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 5th, 2025
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Darkwing Duck #1 Review.
THE DISPATCH
The newest comic book adventures of Darkwing Duck are here! Unlike previous comic iterations of the Masked Mallard, this series is set in the early days of his crimefighting career, which means that many of these stories may be set before some of the televised episodes from the original show. Although there may be some contradictions, such as with Megavolt’s origin episode, “Clash Reunion”, Darkwing being established as an unreliable narrator makes the details of such flashbacks questionable at best.
Darkwing Duck #1 is fun and definitely captures the charm of the original show. The running gag of Darkwing trying to make Megavolt his archenemy while Megavolt doesn’t remember him is very reflective of the humor of the show. It’s safe to say that Darkwing has yet to encounter Negaduck at this point. The opening sequence is a nice homage to Batman: Year One and the dialogue is on point. It’s easy to imagine the likes of Jim Cummings, Dan Castellaneta, Christine Cavanaugh, and Terry McGovern speaking the lines for each of their respective characters.
ART
The art in Darkwing Duck #1 isn’t as close to the art style of the show as previous comic iterations, but the characters are still very recognizable. It’s an interesting choice to show a distinction between Darkwing’s fantasy and his real life, as there are a lot of shadows and shading his fantasy, while in his real life there are a lot of bright colors. Also, it’s worth noting that Darkwing’s signature smoke is mistakenly colored purple instead of blue. The panel of Darkwing getting zapped by Megavolt really pops off the page too. It was also creative that the archenemy in Darkwing’s fantasy is a mystery so much that he doesn’t even have a head, reflecting Darkwing’s quest for a worthy foe.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Darkwing Duck #1 is the start of a fun new series featuring the Terror that Flaps in the Night in some of his earliest adventures. Fans of the original Darkwing Duck show will love this series. It captures the humor and wit from the show very well, and the characters’ personalities align with how they acted in the show too. This comic brings a fresh new take on the stalwart guardian of St. Canard that fans are sure to love. What more adventures await the Masked Mallard? Keep reading to find out.