Darkwing Duck #1 - a different kind of DKR

For the last year or so, Boom! Studios has become a name I can trust for just about anything, be it a great super hero comic like "Irredeemable", a great original title like "The Anchor", or even a surprisingly solid licensed book like "Die Hard Year One" or "The Muppet Show". In fact, Boom's blown me away with just how incredibly strong their licensed books have been in the last year. "Die Hard Year One" was a title that I didn't think I'd love and I ate up each and every issue hungry for what it had in store for me next. Like wise, "The Muppet Show" and "The Incredibles" blew me away with their ability to emulate the feel and look of the original product so much while being from the Boom! Kids line that I finally knew that this company was destined for great things. Today I find myself once again blown away with just how good the product these guys put out that I have to share my view with the whole world. Even if a bunch of people have already beaten me to the punch on this one. That's right, if the title of this entry wasn't enough, I'm reviewing "Darkwing Duck" #1.

Much like like "The Muppet Show" before it, "Darkwing Duck" is a book that draws me in with nostalgia, as it was a show that came out when I was but a whee lad when the show first aired on television. And again, much like "The Muppet Show" Darkwing Duck is a title that did not disappoint. From the moment I opened the cover and glanced at the inside cover which displayed the title of the story "The Duck Knight Returns" to the moment my eyes glanced over to the page directly to the right, I knew that the team working on this book new what they were doing.

The story is simple enough, catching us up to what Darkwing and the gang are up to these days. St. Canard has gone crime free for long enough that we come in on the one year anniversary of Darkwing Duck's retirement. Darkwing is now working a desk job right next to Megavolt (at the very company that put them both out of their alter egos, no less) and we get to see what's become of his life, all the while being treated to flashbacks of adventures gone by. Gosalyn's going to a private school now, Launchpad is off on his own, and life has just become normal for our hero. Of course by the end of the issue The Duck Crusader is given a reason to take up the cape once more, to save a familiar face from being punished for a laughably minor offense. We're immediately brought up to speed all the while being entertained with one thing or another along the way.

Still, as good as the writing (provided by Ian Brill) is, it's the art by James Silvani that steals the show here. This book is gorgeous and cartoony. At no point does Darkwing look stiff or dull, instead looking wonderfully animated at any instant in the book. One example I loved is a three panel sequence where we find our hero climbing a flight of stairs to the 142nd floor. Each panel we find him looking more and more tired than the last. In fact, I found myself directing my voice as I read the panels based solely on how the character looked like they were reacting in that particular moment. Of course the art wouldn't look nearly as amazing without the masterful coloring by Mr. Andrew Dalhouse, whose coloring meshed so well with the art that I found myself feeling as if I was watching the Darkwing Duck cartoon. I really can't gush about this art enough, if you guys ever read this, keep it up because you rock!

One odd thing to note; I noticed that this book wasn't labeled as Boom! Kids, which has me wondering if it's not a part of that line or if the company just isn't putting it on the covers anymore. Not that this affects the comic itself, it's just a tiny tidbit that caught my eye.

If you can't already tell from the two paragraphs of pure love I just pumped out that I loved this comic, then you have very poor reading comprehension. If you love fun, love a good all ages comic, or even have a kid you want to introduce into the world of comics, or whatever reason, pick this book up. Hell, even if you have no reason, you have no reason to be missing out on this. And again, if you guys at Boom! Studios are reading this, keep it up guys!