Comics Review: Disney's "DARKWING DUCK #4" and the Villain Team-Up

DARKWING DUCK VOLUME 2 #4

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Daniel Kibblesmith

ART: Ted Brandt & Ro Stein

COLORS: Dearbhla Kelly

LETTERS: Jeff Eckleberry

EDITOR: Nate Cosby

COVER: Tad Stones

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Mark Bagley; Ted Brandt & Ro Stein; Nicoletta Baldari; Ciro Cangialosi

32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (May 2025)

Rated “All Ages”

“Year One” Part Four of Twelve: “Small Time Kooks!”

“Darkwing Duck” was an animated superhero comedy television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation.  It originally aired for three seasons (for a total of 91 episodes) from 1991 to 1992, both as part of the syndicated programming block, “The Disney Afternoon,” and as part of ABC's Saturday morning lineup.  “Darkwing Duck” focused on a suburban duck, Drake Mallard of St. Canard, and his superhero alter-ego, “Darkwing Duck.”  The character was a parody of the pulp fiction vigilante character, The Shadow, and his alter-ego, Kent Allard.

A little over two years ago, Dynamite Entertainment launched a new Darkwing Duck comic book series.  Now, it has recently relaunched the series with Darkwing Duck Volume 2.  It is written by Daniel Kibblesmith; drawn by Ted Brandt & Ro Stein; and colored by Dearbhla Kelly; and lettered by Jeff Eckleberry.  The new series revisits Darkwing Duck's first year as a superhero with Launchpad McQuack at his side and a newly-adopted daughter, Gosalyn, to keep out of trouble.

Darkwing Duck Volume 2 #4 (“Small Time Kooks!”) opens on an island off the coast of St. Canard.  That's where Darkwing Duck (“DW”) and Launchpad take on the the villain, Steelbeak.  Later, at the home of Drake Mallard, our hero and his daughter squabble over this evening's plan.  Gosalyn wants to go to “Jack and Quacker's Family Fun Arcade.”  DW wants to attend a three-hour lecture about the “History of Fingerprint Analysis.”  Fate, however, brings DW, Launchpad, and Gosalyn to the arcade.

What the family doesn't know is that the arcade is actually a front for the lair of two kooky villains, the jester-like Quackerjack and Lillyput Gooney, who talks to and controls ants and who also has a shrink-ray gun.  Quackerjack and Lillyput need to kidnap an ordinary family to use as bait in their trap to capture Darkwing Duck, and they think they've found the perfect family...

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Darkwing Duck Volume 2, Issue #4, one of a few Darkwing Duck comic books that I have ever read.

In a series that has been very sharp during its short run, Darkwing Duck #4 is the sharpest of all, so far.  Writer Daniel Kibblesmith unleashes a pleasurable torrent of witty asides that kept me laughing.  Also, with this story, he has written what may be among the best examples of shrinking in Disney storytelling since the film, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989).

The art team of illustrators Ted Brandt & Ro Stein and colorist Dearbhla Kelly once again offer a spry chapter of storytelling that sparks on the page with adventure and humor.  Brandt & Stein continue to capture the Disney graphical aesthetic that is both traditional and fresh.  Kelly's coloring is the final element that makes me believe that I am reading not just a Disney comic book, but a classic Disney comic book.  Letterer Jeff Eckleberry always strikes the right tone for the story with his wonderful sound effects, captions, and word balloons.

I hope that Dynamite can find continued success with its Darkwing Duck comic books.  There is an audience for this title, and it could be you, dear readers.  It is pure comic book fun.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Darkwing Duck will want to try Dynamite's new Darkwing Duck Volume 2 comic book series.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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