Darkwing Duck #1 Is Everything You Love About the Original Disney Animated Series (Review)

Darkwing Duck is the crime-fighting hero of The Disney Afternoon block of animated programming, but he’s finding a new generation of fans in his brand-new comic book series. Whether you’re a longtime fan of Darkwing Duck or just getting familiar with the terror that flaps in the night, Darkwing Duck #1 is sure to leave a positive impression on you. Many of your favorite characters make an appearance in the debut issue that both offers a present-day adventure against a familiar foe, and also peels back the curtain on Darkwing Duck’s early days as a masked crime-fighter.

Everything from the writing to the art is reminiscent of the ’90s-era Darkwing Duck animated series, which is a testament to the entire creative team. Darkwing Duck #1 chooses to begin with our titular hero attempting to tell his adopted daughter, Gosalyn, one of his early adventures as a masked hero. Since Darkwing is the one telling the story, you have to keep in mind that he may not be the most accurate storyteller. Is there some embellishing taking place? Perhaps, but we don’t mind. The story doesn’t spend too long in the past, however, and it’s a wise choice. While it’s fun to see the lessons Darkwing Duck learned during his on-the-job training, what fans are really tuning in for is some classic Darkwing Duck heroics.

Luckily, we have Megavolt to thank for pushing our narrative along. Megavolt’s theft of a max-capacity super-battery turns Darkwing Duck #1 into a recreation of a weekday afternoon episode of Darkwing Duck. Gosalyn and Darkwing’s sidekick, Launchpad McQuack, also help stop Megavolt, though the duo gets wrapped up in Megavolt’s scheme. Writer Daniel Kibblesmith nails the voices for the entire Darkwing Duck cast and infuses the comic with comedic timing and hilarious bits. The art team of Ted Brandt, Ro Stein, Dearbhla Kelly, and Fabio Amelia bring each page and panel to life and aid in those comedic moments with facial expressions and exaggerated body poses. You really feel the frustration in Megavolt every time Darkwing Duck solicits the villain to be his arch-nemesis.

[RELATED: Darkwing Duck #1 Review: The Dark Duck Returns] 

There’s one particuarly funny moment after Megavolt gets away with the super-battery, and Darkwing Duck is left to try and use his detective skills to figure out where Megavolt would go to juice up the battery. While Darkwing Duck paces and talks to himself, the scientists in the background are chit-chatting about the big fair taking place, which is the perfect location for Megavolt to head to. Of course, the scientists figure it out long before Darkwing does, but it’s just an example of the subtle yet funny work that’s being done in Dynamite’s Darkwing Duck series.

Darkwing Duck #1 is a one-and-done story that should be easy for readers to pick up, read, and enjoy, while also leaving enough meat on the bone to pull them back in next month. The book gave me a lot of happy feelings after I finished reading it, so you can’t ask for more than that out of a superhero-adjacent comic book. To quote Darkwing Duck, “Let’s get dangerous.”

Rating: 5 out of 5

Published by Dynamite Entertainment

On March 5, 2025

Written by Daniel Kibblesmith

Art by Ted Brand and Ro Stein

Colors by Dearbhla Kelly

Letters by Fabio Amelia