What do you think?
Rate this book
The Darkness #1-6,40-46
The Darkness: Ultimate Collection
With the highly anticipated The Darkness video game from 2K just around the corner, Top Cow is releasing a collection of the best of The Darkness to bring fans of the video game into the fold. This video game collection reprints the essential Coming of Age origin story arc by Garth Ennis and Marc Silvestri, which introduced the world to Jackie Estacado, the terrible power and curse known as The Darkness as well as reprinting Resurrection, the critically acclaimed story arc by Paul Jenkins and Dale Keown. Also included in the volume is bonus material for The Darkness video game. The volume includes first appearances by Top Cow favorites such as The Angelus, The Brotherhood of the Darkness and more.
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2007
2 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,624 books3,170 followersEnnis began his comic-writing career in 1989 with the series Troubled Souls. Appearing in the short-lived but critically-acclaimed British anthology Crisis and illustrated by McCrea, it told the story of a young, apolitical Protestant man caught up by fate in the violence of the Irish 'Troubles'. It spawned a sequel, For a Few Troubles More, a broad Belfast-based comedy featuring two supporting characters from Troubled Souls, Dougie and Ivor, who would later get their own American comics series, Dicks, from Caliber in 1997, and several follow-ups from Avatar.
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 11, 2018
Amazing book, cant wait to read more and to read about the Witchblade series in the New Year. highly recomended for anyone who loves comics
July 9, 2008
Got drawn into this book after playing the video game which I really liked. The book and the video game tell radically different stories, with wholly similar superpowers and characters (even if the designs and roles - and even names - are tweaked a bit).
There are essentially two stories. The second far outclasses the first. The writing and art both improve greatly, and the motivations of the characters define themselves.
The basics are this: Jackie Estacado grew up an orphan until he was six, then was taken in by his uncle, Frankie Franchetti, a next gen mobster making a name for himself in NYC. He brings Jackie up to be his hitman and enforcerer, bringing him into a life of treachery and violence. Jackie however is also in possession of a hidden, evil curse. On his twenty-first birthday, it manifests and he is now the wielder of The Darkness, an elemental force of evil that exists only to slake it's thist for murder and death. The first story covers its origin within JAckie, while the second focuses itself around revenge for the death of Jackie's one true love.
The art is particularly eye catching when the stand-in artist is at work. While I like both styles present in the second story, the stand-in does a more painterly job of things, which is a refreshing change in a comic book.
The nagging thing about this book is that it seems they actually hold back on something. Oh, it's not what you'd expect. They're plenty graphic at Top Cow - there are showers of blood, gore, bits and parts of people flying everywhere. No internal organ goes unexplored and bared ofr inspection.
But for some reason, they're not OK with swearing. They actually use profanitype when dropping the f-bomb. It seems foolish. They'll depict gruesome acts of savagery, but four letter words can't be presented. Kind rankles my sensibilities. Cursing seems so much more acceptable than watching someone be impaled by living darkness.
There are essentially two stories. The second far outclasses the first. The writing and art both improve greatly, and the motivations of the characters define themselves.
The basics are this: Jackie Estacado grew up an orphan until he was six, then was taken in by his uncle, Frankie Franchetti, a next gen mobster making a name for himself in NYC. He brings Jackie up to be his hitman and enforcerer, bringing him into a life of treachery and violence. Jackie however is also in possession of a hidden, evil curse. On his twenty-first birthday, it manifests and he is now the wielder of The Darkness, an elemental force of evil that exists only to slake it's thist for murder and death. The first story covers its origin within JAckie, while the second focuses itself around revenge for the death of Jackie's one true love.
The art is particularly eye catching when the stand-in artist is at work. While I like both styles present in the second story, the stand-in does a more painterly job of things, which is a refreshing change in a comic book.
The nagging thing about this book is that it seems they actually hold back on something. Oh, it's not what you'd expect. They're plenty graphic at Top Cow - there are showers of blood, gore, bits and parts of people flying everywhere. No internal organ goes unexplored and bared ofr inspection.
But for some reason, they're not OK with swearing. They actually use profanitype when dropping the f-bomb. It seems foolish. They'll depict gruesome acts of savagery, but four letter words can't be presented. Kind rankles my sensibilities. Cursing seems so much more acceptable than watching someone be impaled by living darkness.
January 10, 2022
This was a pretty good graphic novel, about a mafia Hitman who on his 21st birthday, receives almost limitless power, called The Darkness. Pretty good story, and very good, and graphic art work.
April 30, 2009
This book started out pretty good. I really liked the first half of it, which was essentially the origin story. Then the trouble began. The second half of the collection, written by a different writer, seemed to undermine much of what had gone before. It seemed that carefully nurtured characters had their personalities twisted merely to provide fodder for the plot, and that other characters were spent cheaply when they could have been much more effective alive. There were also plot twists of convenience, which I didn't care much for.
The art and design of the book were outstanding, though.
The art and design of the book were outstanding, though.
December 29, 2014
I'd already read the first half of this large volume because it was written by Ennis, but the second still kept up with good writing. It certainly didn't hurt that it was illustrated by one of my favorite artists from 90's comics, and the artist that made me fall in love with Gambit so many years ago.
June 13, 2008
01/15/2008
February 15, 2009
This was a delightfully decadent and violent way to spend Valentine's Weekend...or at least 2 hours of it.
May 8, 2009
es un comic muy chido
August 22, 2011
This was definitely a hot-fire full-throttle action graphic novel. It had a lot of near naked women on the pages, but it was still good otherwise.
May 4, 2012
A friend of mine handed this to me as a suggested read and I must say...I totally dig it. :) the art is amazing and the story flows well. Now to find someone to play the game for me:P
May 16, 2015
The comic was good, but the collection jumps over some of the story.
January 3, 2017
has slow momemts but overall good
April 27, 2011
Grisly. Dark (duh). Grim. Good stuff!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews