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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.
blackestclovers's review against another edition
4.0
Actually pretty goods didn't really it was all connected to WITCHBLADE either. Will definitely read more.
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