The Darklings are back, and they’re ready to party … henchmen-style.
The Darkness #78
Publisher: Top Cow
Writer: Phil Hester
Artist: Nelson Blake II
Cover: Michael Avon Oeming
Summary: For months Jackie Estacado, bearer of The Darkness, has been separated from his power and manipulated by the mysterious Sovereign. But every man has his breaking point and a team of The Sovereign’s mercenaries are about to find out what happens when Jackie reaches his limit.
Review: Not a lot happens plot-wise in this upcoming, July 8th issue of The Darkness, but that doesn’t mean Phil Hester thinks he can slack off and use the Fourth of July to cover up a lack of effort. Quite the contrary, in fact.
Nelson Blake II takes over Michael Broussard’s usual pencil work this time around, and the crisp splashes of color and fresh art style renew the comic’s vigor just as Jackie Estacado himself intends to head in a different direction. Ever since the Foreigner clued Jackie in on the reality of his powers and control over his soul—despite the lies the Sovereign fed him—”Mr. S” has beefed up his forces in order to take Jackie out like the trash. However, Jackie doesn’t plan on standing on the sidelines and letting the Sovereign grind him down like, ahem, stone. At first the cleverly implemented narration, which heavily bolsters the issue, gives the impression that Jackie plans on going home and being a good, anti-evil Dad. Maybe even cook family meals with Sara and volunteer for parent-teacher meetings at the local school … right? Wrong. By the end of the issue, the reader learns that Jackie wasn’t even the one narrating it. Hester certainly had me fooled for awhile!
Although the Sovereign tried to defeat Jackie with some tricks of the light, the Darkness bearer unleashed new moves of his own on his foe’s many statue vessels. Estacado’s rallying his own troops to fight back—and they’re not all Darklings.
The pace of the last couple issues of The Darkness might have slowed down a bit, but Phil Hester continues to rock (literally) The Darkness with master storytelling. And as far as I’m concerned, Nelson Blake II can stay as long as he likes.
July 3rd, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Sounds like a solid read with sparkly pictures. I always loved the design of the Darkness.