Review - Darkwing Duck #2-3

Today we bring you more of the revival of the tales of heroes and villains from everyone’s favorite city, St. Canard! That’s right; Issues 2 and 3 of Darkwing Duck are out from BOOM! Studios and I’m going to share a few thoughts and maybe a minor spoiler or two in order to whet your appetite and plant the seed that forces you to head to your local store and pick up these books.

In the first issue we saw the return of Drake and Gosalyn Mallard and all our favorite supervillains from the Darkwing Duck show I remember so fondly from after school cartoons. The first issue showed us, however, that the town had changed. Darkwing Duck, Drake’s alter ego, hasn’t been needed in years. The Quackwerks Corporation has created a virtual monopoly in the town and their security bots have put crime out of business.

Something seems to be going wrong, and after a series of events four of the fearsome five supervillains in Megavolt, Bushroot, Quackerjack and The Liquidator have shown up. Add to that the imprisonment of Honker Muddlefoot, the Mallard’s neighbor, and it seems that there may be a need for the terror that flaps in the night to return. Read on for a quick look at these two issues that should continue what was an excellent first issue and an enjoyable return to the series.

I suppose we could best describe these two issues if we talked about them in themes. A couple of mysteries are figured out. In no particular order, we find out why Launchpad McQuack and Darkwing Duck had a falling out. Apparently Launchpad is pretty bad with secrets and it allowed an up until now unseen member of the Fearsome Five, Negaduck, to deduce Darkwing’s secret identity, thereby putting his family in danger. I suppose that WOULD be a valid reason for a falling out.

Next we learn why Quackerjack seems to be carrying a grudge against the former leader of the Fearsome Five. Let’s just say that Negaduck was a little insulting at their last parting when he was off to go pay Darkwing a visit. This has lead to Quackerjack looking to prove, rather explosively, that he is every bit the villain that Negaduck was.

Thrown in are some of the typical humorous moments along the way with puns and various gags the series is known and loved for. I didn’t find these two issues to be quite as funny as the first one but it definitely still has its moments. All the main characters have been accounted for at this point and things appear to be in full swing. The true villain of this arc is revealed, and it is a blast from the past that even I had to look up – thank you Wikipedia – to remember what relevance to the show he had. I’m not sure if I should have known, but given the length of time that has passed since I last watched the show I’m issuing myself a free pass.

Ian Brill writing, James Silvani on art and Andrew Dalhouse on colors continue to do an astonishing job carrying over the look and feel of the original series. Sometimes I miss the voice work from the cartoon, but I certainly can’t blame the talent here for that as comics just don’t have that capability. Maybe that will be the next major thing that digital comics allow, voice acting from frame to frame. Some of the initial joy I got from the first issue has worn off, but that doesn’t mean these two issues don’t continue to bring the goods – sorry about the double negative.

These are playful, fun, well drawn, interestingly written titles that the whole family can enjoy. If you were ever a fan of DW in cartoon form these books will not disappoint.