Years ago, Chris Powell discovered a mysterious amulet that allowed him to transform into the spacefaring gladiator known as DARKHAWK. With his newfound edge against crime, he stood against some of the most extreme threats the Marvel Universe has to offer! Now, when two members of the Fraternity of Raptors descend on New York with designs on stealing the amulet and returning it to the stars, it’s not Darkhawk who has to rise to the challenge…it’s Chris Powell!
Writing/Story
This book was truly a joy. After two decades of seeing the character pop up in Marvel comics and be used sparingly it was a thrill to read Darkhawk #51 and enjoy a full issue dedicated to the character. Writers Chad Bowers and Chris Sims pack a lot into this issue. They had to, as it had to accomplish a lot of feets. This issue served as the direct sequel to where the original Darkhawk comic left off and tackled the insurmountable task of having to tie together all of the different threads which the character had been a part of since. This is harder than you think once everything is laid out.
Through different comics and storylines Darkhawk has been used to introduce the Fraternity of Raptors (which is now a major threat to the Guardians of the Galaxy), been connected to the Shi’ar as part of an anti-phoenix force weapon, and showed up in series like Avengers Academy. Now all these plots are pulled together while also explaining what Chris has been up to as he tried to move forward and have a real life. If you were ever a fan of this character at all you owe it to yourself to check it out.
Artwork
The art team made sure to make the comic there own. Key Walker really did some impressive work with the scenery and cosmic effects for the book. Though there are many points where the facial expressions are a bit off putting.
The color work by Jaya Tartaglia really steals the issue. It helps to showcasing some phenomenal graphic work which truly makes it feel like the series is from another planet.
The lettering by Travis Lanham feels appropriate and makes sure to distinguish Chris’ inner monologue from the regular speech. It would be great to see the entire team do more together in the future. Like more issues of Darkhawk.
Conclusion
This issue was good but the fans need more. At the end of the book they supplied an email address, mheroes@marvel.com with the instructions of “Mark your letter “Okay To Print.”” This will help them know what series to bring back. Personally, I could go for more adventures of Darkhark, a character who has become a pivotal part of the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe.
