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aceinit's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve been a huge fan of The Darkness since its earliest issues. It’s my favorite Top Cow property, and one of the few ongoing series I still eagerly await the newest issue of. Since Top Cow has recently rebooted their universe with the Artifacts and “Rebirth” arcs, I figured now was a good time for a re-read from the beginning.
There was a period when The Darkness lost its way (Jackie as a South American drug lord, anyone?) and became too depressing for its own good (quite a few of the post-drug lord arcs), but the opening volume of the series, collecting the first six issues, is filled with dark humor, college humor, sex, guns, good old-fashioned horror. (And the above-average offering of scantily clad women that seems to be a Top Cow staple, but that's besides the point.)
It is, in short, what made The Darkness fun, and great, and instantly addictive. Writer Garth Ennis (of Preacher fame, another of my favorites) and artist Marc Silvestri team up for a dynamic opening arc, introducing us to mafia hitman Jackie Estacado and a vast and varied cast of characters who will shape his life and destiny for years to come. The story, in which Jackie is introduced to the Darkness, a supernatural power that is rooted in, well, darkness, runs the gauntlet from sexy (the Angelus and Jackie’s harem of nameless bimbos), to crassly funny (the darklings in all their frat boy glory…especially Darkus) to morbidly funny (Jackie bringing a woman home for the night only to find Butcher Joyce in his bathroom, messily disposing of the remains of some celestial warriors…and warning Jackie to stay out of the bedroom due to the body count), to lots and lots of gore (ripping someone’s skeleton out of their body, to name one), to melodrama (Jackie’s multi-page angst-fest when confronted with a lifetime of celibacy), to heartbreaking (Jenny saying goodbye to Jackie, her unrequited love since childhood, in the closing pages). Reading Jackie and Jenny’s origins, especially given how Jackie has altered his reality for the “Rebirth” arc that has just kicked off, is especially poignant.
Ennis’s words and Silvestri’s art are perfect compliments to one another, and I would really love to see these two reteam in the future. Though there has been a lot of fun and interesting storytelling in the past 100 issues, the original creative team will always be my favorite.
Going back and starting from the beginning, it’s interesting to see how The Darkness mythos has evolved over the past 100 issues. Jackie has definitely grown and matured, and the Darkness itself has become a darker, more malevolent entity with a will of it’s own. But reading this arc really reminded me how much I missed that cocky twenty-one year old kid from New York, and how much I miss the humor that seems to have largely faded from the series of late.
There was a period when The Darkness lost its way (Jackie as a South American drug lord, anyone?) and became too depressing for its own good (quite a few of the post-drug lord arcs), but the opening volume of the series, collecting the first six issues, is filled with dark humor, college humor, sex, guns, good old-fashioned horror. (And the above-average offering of scantily clad women that seems to be a Top Cow staple, but that's besides the point.)
It is, in short, what made The Darkness fun, and great, and instantly addictive. Writer Garth Ennis (of Preacher fame, another of my favorites) and artist Marc Silvestri team up for a dynamic opening arc, introducing us to mafia hitman Jackie Estacado and a vast and varied cast of characters who will shape his life and destiny for years to come. The story, in which Jackie is introduced to the Darkness, a supernatural power that is rooted in, well, darkness, runs the gauntlet from sexy (the Angelus and Jackie’s harem of nameless bimbos), to crassly funny (the darklings in all their frat boy glory…especially Darkus) to morbidly funny (Jackie bringing a woman home for the night only to find Butcher Joyce in his bathroom, messily disposing of the remains of some celestial warriors…and warning Jackie to stay out of the bedroom due to the body count), to lots and lots of gore (ripping someone’s skeleton out of their body, to name one), to melodrama (Jackie’s multi-page angst-fest when confronted with a lifetime of celibacy), to heartbreaking (Jenny saying goodbye to Jackie, her unrequited love since childhood, in the closing pages). Reading Jackie and Jenny’s origins, especially given how Jackie has altered his reality for the “Rebirth” arc that has just kicked off, is especially poignant.
Ennis’s words and Silvestri’s art are perfect compliments to one another, and I would really love to see these two reteam in the future. Though there has been a lot of fun and interesting storytelling in the past 100 issues, the original creative team will always be my favorite.
Going back and starting from the beginning, it’s interesting to see how The Darkness mythos has evolved over the past 100 issues. Jackie has definitely grown and matured, and the Darkness itself has become a darker, more malevolent entity with a will of it’s own. But reading this arc really reminded me how much I missed that cocky twenty-one year old kid from New York, and how much I miss the humor that seems to have largely faded from the series of late.
helpfulsnowman's review against another edition
2.0
Fun, blast from the past, and the art is pretty cool. It's got a very 90's look to it, but if you've got a love of the 90's, this is your jam.
Although it's not too bad in this one, there are touches of a trope that I'm really tired of: Hitman with a Heart of Gold.
This HAS to be one of the stupidest tropes ever. If you watch any of that true crime shit, rarely is a hitman this suave dude in an expensive suit who's an expert. Usually it's some guy hired to whack some lady's husband for a couple thousand bucks. And it seems like they get caught an awful lot. And they usually aren't even wearing a proper shirt, let alone Armani.
Killing people for money, doing that as a career rather than, I dunno, just about any other job, precludes you having a heart of gold. Where's the Arby's Worker with a Heart of Gold? Cart Pusher at Wal-Mart with a Heart of Gold?
Although it's not too bad in this one, there are touches of a trope that I'm really tired of: Hitman with a Heart of Gold.
This HAS to be one of the stupidest tropes ever. If you watch any of that true crime shit, rarely is a hitman this suave dude in an expensive suit who's an expert. Usually it's some guy hired to whack some lady's husband for a couple thousand bucks. And it seems like they get caught an awful lot. And they usually aren't even wearing a proper shirt, let alone Armani.
Killing people for money, doing that as a career rather than, I dunno, just about any other job, precludes you having a heart of gold. Where's the Arby's Worker with a Heart of Gold? Cart Pusher at Wal-Mart with a Heart of Gold?
vigneswara_prabhu's review against another edition
2.0
Rating: 2 out of 5| Grade D+; Been there, Done that, with Demons
First of all, let me say that this is definitely not one of Garth Ennis' better work. Sure, it works at some level, as a 90s era, action heavy crime fantasy, with a overpowered man's man protagonist, the type that you'd see step out of some Micheal Bay movie.
There is a whole bunch of gratuitous violence, action, horror that really doesn't scare you, rising actions which lead nowhere; and you know, female characters, the type who you hate to see leave, but love to see them walking away. Plenty of wish fulfillment for inner teenager in you.
But other than that, plot, world building, character development are all non-existent. Jackie Estacado is not a likeable, empathetic character, and at no point do we feel like connecting with him. He's got a whole bunch of super cool demonic powers, no moral compass to guide him, and is an all right toxic mofo, and that doesn't change all that much.
Yet before you start delving on how shallow and paper thin these characters are, here are a whole new bunch of scantily clad, sculpted otherworldly supermodels, who are sure to light some fires in your mind.
By the time you've had your passions under control, you come to realize the whole story has come to pass, with little else to speak of it, but a few decent supernatural cosmic tidbits to chew on, and a few loose plot threads to connect to the sister publications of Witchblade & Angelus.
If you like wish fulfillment, power fantasy & scantily clad women you'll like this series. Otherwise...
First of all, let me say that this is definitely not one of Garth Ennis' better work. Sure, it works at some level, as a 90s era, action heavy crime fantasy, with a overpowered man's man protagonist, the type that you'd see step out of some Micheal Bay movie.
There is a whole bunch of gratuitous violence, action, horror that really doesn't scare you, rising actions which lead nowhere; and you know, female characters, the type who you hate to see leave, but love to see them walking away. Plenty of wish fulfillment for inner teenager in you.
But other than that, plot, world building, character development are all non-existent. Jackie Estacado is not a likeable, empathetic character, and at no point do we feel like connecting with him. He's got a whole bunch of super cool demonic powers, no moral compass to guide him, and is an all right toxic mofo, and that doesn't change all that much.
Yet before you start delving on how shallow and paper thin these characters are, here are a whole new bunch of scantily clad, sculpted otherworldly supermodels, who are sure to light some fires in your mind.
By the time you've had your passions under control, you come to realize the whole story has come to pass, with little else to speak of it, but a few decent supernatural cosmic tidbits to chew on, and a few loose plot threads to connect to the sister publications of Witchblade & Angelus.
If you like wish fulfillment, power fantasy & scantily clad women you'll like this series. Otherwise...
anastasiaadamov's review against another edition
5.0
Funny in all the inappropriate moments. Deliciously dark and emo at the same time. Characters are easy to understand. There were but a few holes in the plot but overall it is a good story and I liked it a lot! Centerfold graphic solutions were a nice suprise.
mjthomas43's review against another edition
5.0
Jackie Estacado learns that he has inherited an almost limitless power called "The Darkness" from his father and it has become active now that he's turned 21. This puts a damper on his pastime of having fun with women but has helped him immeasurably in his job as mafia hit man. And by the end of this work, he has gained several new enemies and lost the one true friend and good influence he had.
Great story, artwork and concept. Just the right balance of darkness and light. Absolutely loved it. Now I need to read the later volumes.
Great story, artwork and concept. Just the right balance of darkness and light. Absolutely loved it. Now I need to read the later volumes.
pam_sartain's review against another edition
4.0
I've seen the video game played, and so I have an idea in my head of what the Darkness is like, which makes reading this quite fun! it was a good beginning
ashestoasher77's review against another edition
4.0
The whole comic gives off vibes very similar to Samurai Champloo, and I really like it.
duhnae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
leighanneslit's review against another edition
4.0
Jackie Estacado is your average 20 year old. You know, women and fast cars. Oh, and he's also an assassin for a crime family. You know, totally normal. On the eve of his 21st birthday, Jackie discovers that he has a gift that allows him to control demons from another deminsions, The Darkness. And of course, there are people that don't want Jackie to wield this gift and set out to destroy him.
These two volumes take you through the beginning of Jackie's time with this 'gift' and explains how he comes by it. The first volume is the one that really goes through who Jackie is, how he came to be who he is, how he came to be an assassin and it introduces you to the gift and the people that actually want the gift. Some of the people that appear in this volume are the same people that appear in the second video game. The artwork in this volume was fantastic, that was something that I really enjoyed.
Cover of The Darkness Origins Volume 2 by Garth Ennis
In the second volume, the artwork was just as good, but this was about the best thing about the volume. It started out where the other volume left off, but you get three issues into this volume and then suddenly you go from I think issue #9 to issue #17. So there have been all these things that have happened between that time and you have new characters and something called a Witchblade and you're like "What the hell is going on here?" Maybe if you're a seasoned comic book reader, you would have an idea of what that way, but I had no idea and it made me like that volume a lot less.
Overall though, I really liked the artwork, I enjoyed the story when I could follow it, and I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys comic books of that nature.
These two volumes take you through the beginning of Jackie's time with this 'gift' and explains how he comes by it. The first volume is the one that really goes through who Jackie is, how he came to be who he is, how he came to be an assassin and it introduces you to the gift and the people that actually want the gift. Some of the people that appear in this volume are the same people that appear in the second video game. The artwork in this volume was fantastic, that was something that I really enjoyed.
Cover of The Darkness Origins Volume 2 by Garth Ennis
In the second volume, the artwork was just as good, but this was about the best thing about the volume. It started out where the other volume left off, but you get three issues into this volume and then suddenly you go from I think issue #9 to issue #17. So there have been all these things that have happened between that time and you have new characters and something called a Witchblade and you're like "What the hell is going on here?" Maybe if you're a seasoned comic book reader, you would have an idea of what that way, but I had no idea and it made me like that volume a lot less.
Overall though, I really liked the artwork, I enjoyed the story when I could follow it, and I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys comic books of that nature.