Posted on: June 16th, 2010 Comically Challenged: Darkwing Duck #1
Would you like to know how I decide which book from my pull list gets a review posted? Probably not, but I don’t care. I pick the book based on its impact on my mood. If I’m indifferent, I don’t review it. It seems like a fair measure of scale. So, the review may not be about the best book of the week-but it was the book that stood out from the rest. That being said…
I absolutely love Darkwing Duck. Well, too be fair, if you have any place in your heart for crime-fighting superheroes, you love Darkwing Duck. There I was, seven years old: sitting way too close to the tv, eating Cheerios, watching the awesomeness that was Darkwing Duck, Goof Troop and syndicated TaleSpin. Good times, good times.
All right, let’s say you were deprived as a child and were forced to see the world through books. Maybe you didn’t own a tv, you just had a box of crayons and imagination. Maybe you’re only twelve years old. That’s sad for you but here’s the low-down:
There was a time, not so long ago, that Disney made really great, funny tv shows-primarily animated. I know, I know-it’s hard to believe given the current state of The Disney Channel, but it did exist at one time. This was a Disney animated series that ran from 1991-1995. In a very cookie-cutter like setup, we find Drake Mallard-a very average citizen of St. Canard by day, and by night-the fedora-clad vigilante Darkwing Duck. He’s fighting crime with his sidekick Launchpad (originally from another great show, DuckTales) and trying to raise his adopted-daughter Gosalyn as a single parent. Now, the charm of this show stemmed from the tongue-in-cheek references to comic book characters and plot devices.
You had the child that wanted to fight crime on her own, reformed-villain-turned-girlfriend, the team of villains (The Fearsome Five), alternate realities, and the organization of evil (Fiendish Organization of World Larceny, aka F.O.W.L.)
You can buy the first 54 episodes on DVD box set now. I strongly suggest you do so. But wait, this is a comic book review so let’s get on with it.
Our friends at Boom! Studios released their new DW title this week. The book is written by Ian Brill, art by James Silvani with Andrew Dalhouse on colors. It’s been a year since we’ve seen the Duck Knight due to the fact that all crime-fighting efforts are being handled by robots. Now the super villains and the heroes have assimilated into the rolls of mundane time-clock-punchers. Everyone is tense. Now the crimebots are getting a little too heavy on crime and somebody is recruiting the former villains. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this is a job for Darkwing Duck.
As was the case with their work with The Muppets, Boom! has once again restored my childhood through sequential art and word balloons. If you liked the cartoon, you’re going to love the comic. James Silvani could have been lead animator on the cartoon from what you see on the panels. It looks EXACTLY the same. It reads the same as the dialogue in the cartoon; you get to have the super-touching father/daughter moments, the obvious over-explanation of plot points and even the funny one-liners. I draw your attention to Megavolt (the stereotypical electricity-themed villain) being kidnapped and yelling out. “Edison’s sake!” It’s comedy, kids. Accept it.
Do you have younger kids? Read this comic with them. Not really a read-with-your-kids kinda parent? (You’re a terrible person.) Go buy the DVD box sets and watch the cartoon with them. It’s brilliant. Want to relate to me and my obsessions? Go buy both and enjoy. Then we can laugh and talk about how great it was to be seven.
4 Responses to “Comically Challenged: Darkwing Duck #1”
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Ben Rankel Says:
June 16th, 2010 at 11:59 pmYou write well. I enjoy it.
Also I <3 DWD. And that Dark Knight homage cover is priceless.
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Auburn Says:
June 17th, 2010 at 10:55 amWell thank you, Ben. Who was your favorite villain?
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Ben Rankel Says:
June 18th, 2010 at 2:57 amNegaduck.
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steet Says:
June 20th, 2010 at 4:28 amGood article
I hope it does well, so that other DA series such as Tale Spin can get revived too!