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Darkwing Duck JoeBooks 1 textless cover art

Textless artwork for the cover to the first issue.

Darkwing Duck is the third comic book series based on the television cartoon of the same name, published by Joe Books. Written by Aaron Sparrow and illustrated by James Silvani, it continues from where issue #16 of the preceding series left off. It began publication on April 27, 2016, notably just under a month after the 25th anniversary of the show's original premiere.

History[]

Artist James Silvani announced on his Twitter account in October 2014 that a new ongoing Darkwing Duck would begin publication in 2015. Silvani said in his Tumblr post that "Aaron and I have already begun and will give more details as soon as possible."[1][2]

In July 2015, it was stated that the comic was being delayed for the time being in consideration of other "duck projects."[3] In November, Aaron Sparrow confirmed that production had resumed and the series would be debuting in the spring of 2016. It was officially announced on January 18, 2016, that the new series will begin in April 2016.[4][5]

Aaron Sparrow stated that, unlike the previous series, the new comic would not be required to have every story be a four-issue arc. The trade paperbacks were planned to collect six issues each,[6] but instead, like the previous comic, each trade paperback collected four issues each. Sparrow also stated that the new comic would contain a new crossover with DuckTales[7] (replacing the non-canon "Dangerous Currency" arc).

Unfortunately, despite positive reception from critics and fans, Disney never promoted the comic or allowed the creators to do interviews about it,[8][9] resulting in poor sales and cancellation after only eight issues were published. While a new Darkwing Duck comic was eventually released by Dynamite Entertainment in 2023, it does not continue from where this series left off[10] and is instead written by Amanda Deibert and drawn by Carlo Lauro. As a result, many of the plot threads in this series will never, ever be resolved.

Issue guide[]

Cover Issue # Published
Darkwing Duck JoeBooks 1 1 April 27, 2016
"Orange is the New Purple - Part 1"
Written by Aaron Sparrow
Art by James Silvani

When St. Canard unveils its new state-of-the-art prison, it’s touted as an escape-proof container for the criminally crafty! Will this fool-proof fortress of felons mean Darkwing Duck can hang up his crime fighting cape forever? Or will one of his greatest villains prove that confinement in this unconquerable cooler isn’t all it’s cracked up to be?

Darkwing Duck JoeBooks 2 2 May 25, 2016
"Orange is the New Purple - Part 2"
Written by Aaron Sparrow
Art by James Silvani

The Terror that Flaps in the Night is back in the second installment of the all-new ongoing comic series! Megavolt and Negaduck have unleashed the collective might of the inmates at the St. Canard Prison for the Criminally Conniving, and Darkwing is trapped inside alone - or is he? And who's really behind all this tomfoolery?

Darkwing Duck JoeBooks 3 cover 3 July 13, 2016
"Orange is the New Purple - Part 3"
Written by Aaron Sparrow
Art by James Silvani

Negaduck's pernicious prison plot is revealed as he prepares to wreak havoc on St. Canard! With Gosalyn caught by the baddies and Launchpad still locked outside, Darkwing Duck must conquer the great granite guesthouse filled with his most feared foes.

Darkwing Duck JoeBooks 4 cover 4 August 24, 2016
"A Midsummer Gnat's Spree"
Written by Aaron Sparrow
Art by James Silvani

Behold the smallest... er, we mean, the largest threat that St. Canard has ever faced! (Actually, they're both kind of accurate.) Darkwing Duck will have to pull every trick that he has out of his cape in order to defeat his most powerful foe yet, a villain that may well be unstoppable!

Darkwing Duck JoeBooks 5 cover 5 September 28, 2016
"The Kitty Cat Caper"
Written by Aaron Sparrow
Art by James Silvani

Take a dive into the Darkwing Files as D.W. and Launchpad McQuack recount the first time they met the fearsome feline foe we know as... Fluffy! True fans will remember Fluffy from comics of yesteryear, but in this story, our heroes can't quite agree on how the battle went down.

Darkwing Duck JoeBooks 6 cover 6 November 16, 2016
"St. Canard Comic Expo Fest-o-Rama (Now With Some Comics)"
Written by Aaron Sparrow
Art by James Silvani

Darkwing and Launchpad take Gosalyn and Honker to the St. Canard Expo-Con-Fest-O-Rama for a day of family fun. But little do they realize that a seemingly-deceased foe is about to rise from the ink to wreak havoc on the convention!

Darkwing Duck JoeBooks 7 cover 7 January 25, 2017
"Dawn of the Day of the Return of the Living Spud"
Written by Aaron Sparrow
Art by James Silvani

St. Canard is in a spook-tacular mess when the Bride of Bushroot makes her move on a dark and stormy night: law-abiding citizens have been turned into shambling mind-controlled maniacs! DW swings into action, but to avert the apocalypse, he'll need help from a certain youngster with hours of scary movies under her belt.

Darkwing Duck JoeBooks 8 cover 8 March 8, 2017
"Dawn of the Day of the Return of the Living Spud II: Army of Starchness"
Written by Aaron Sparrow
Art by James Silvani

In the midst of the attack of the zombie potatoes, Darkwing and Bushroot are forced to team up, and are in for a shock when they discover who's the mastermind behind it all!

Reprint collections[]

Trivia[]

  • Launchpad was forbidden from appearing on the covers to avoid brand confusion with the DuckTales reboot.[11]

References[]

External links[]

Disney Afternoon comic book issues
DuckTales
Gladstone 12345678910111213
Magazine Summer 1988 • Fall 1988 • Winter 1989 • Spring 1989 • Summer 1989 • Fall 1989 • Winter 1990 • Spring 1990 • Summer 1990 • Fall 1990
Disney Comics 123456789101112131415161718Junior Woodchucks: 1234
Boom! Studios 123456
Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers
Disney Comics 12345678910111213141516171819
Boom! Studios 12345678
Darkwing Duck
Disney Comics 1234
Boom! Studios 12345678Annual9101112131415161718
Joe Books 12345678
Dynamite 12345678910Negaduck: 12
Gargoyles
Marvel 12345678910
SLG 12345678Bad Guys: 123456
Dynamite 123456789Dark Ages: 1234Gargoyles Halloween Special
Miscellaneous titles
TaleSpin Mini-series: 1234 • "Ongoing" series: 1234567
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Disney Comic Hits! 256891314
Other comic books Disney's Colossal Comics Collection: 5Mickey Mouse: 258Uncle Scrooge: 270373392393394395396397398399Autumn Adventures 12Holiday Parade 1Spring Fever 1
Reprints and compilations
Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers: The Secret CasebookCartoon TalesDarkwing Duck ClassicsDarkwing Duck: The Definitively Dangerous EditionDuckTales ClassicsThe Disney Afternoon Adventures
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