Summary
Darkwing Duckhas made a strong comic comeback withDynamite Comics, creating a broad range of publications set in St. Canard. Screen Rant had the opportunity to speak with creator Tad Stones about the hero’s return, as well as his future. LikeGargoyles, this Disney Afternoon series could have a very promising future ahead with the continued support of fans.
Debuting in 1991 and spanning ninety-one episodes,Darkwing Duckwas a staple of the Disney Afternoon programming block. He made his comic debut in a 1991 adaptation of his animated pilot feud against Taurus Bulba. Since then, he has had a few comic adventures: a 2010 return with BOOM! Studios, 2016 with Joe Books, and now his latest stories published by Dynamite Comics.
This daring hero’s current adventures by Amanda Deibert, Carlo Lauro, and Jeff Eckleberry have proven so successful, two additional spin-off series have been spawned:Negaduck (2023)andJustice Ducks (2024). Now, fans ofDarkwing Duckcan support a Kickstarter and own new collected editions of the franchise’s older comics.
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The Lasting Legacy of Darkwing Duck
Screen Rant: The character’s reputation and legacy precede him now, but what stands out for you as the real inspiration behind Darkwing Duck’s creation?
Tad Stones: He started as “Double-O Duck,” a spy parody but one of the staff story editors, Duane Capizzi, looked at the early art and said the duck looked more like a pulp hero, like the Shadow or Green Hornet. That was the mental kick I needed which eventually led to me diving into the Silver Age comics of my childhood, when continuity was light and the stories outrageous.
SR: Why do you think Darkwing Duck has managed to stay so relevant thirty years after his debut, when so many others fail to have that staying power?
TS: I think there have been just enough fans that gradually got promoted in various comic companies and within Disney to get him off life support and reintroduce him to the public. It led to the astounding reactions of, ‘Oh yeah, THAT guy. I remember him.’ Every creator who has played with him gave him a slightly different treatment but all seem to have understood the core of the character which mixes zaniness and heart.
SR: What has the experience been like for you, as the creator, to see the return of these comics via the Kickstarter campaign?
TS: The surprise to me was that Dynamite not only published a Darkwing Duck series, but went ahead with two other books, Negaduck and Justice Ducks. Each of them has a slightly different vibe but I’m enjoying them all. I appreciate the small changes and tweaks they’ve made to his world. Jeff Parker brought more of Darkwing’s persona into Negaduck which makes him less of a one note villain. Amanda Diebert nailed Morgana Macawber to the extent that I would’ve hired her on the show (hoping for her own spin off comic series!). And Roger Langridge created a series that smacks of classic Donald and Uncle Scrooge comics.
SR: Since a whole new generation of readers are likely to be introduced to Darkwing, can you give us a little insight into the creation of the Justice Ducks, and how those characters took shape? (And do you have a favorite?)
Tad Stones: Since we were dealing with tropes of the Silver Age, a team of heroes was a natural idea to explore. Like the Justice League and the Justice Society before them, we looked for potential members from existing characters. Of course, we were also looking for strong comedy team ups. Darkwing and Gizmoduck were a natural pairing because, in the show, Darkwing never got any respect while Gizmoduck was lauded as hero. Morgana Macawber was our magic user, like a Doctor Fate. Neptunia, filled the Aquaman/Submariner role. We didn’t have a speedster, but Greg Weisman, who was our executive note giver at the time, felt that teams always needed ‘a big guy,’ a hero who was not only strong but physically big for those classic group shots. Stegmutt was our oversized dinosaur who was even more innocent than Captain Marvel.
I didn’t have a favorite and frankly, I think the Dynamite series has made some smart adjustments. By having Neptunia become the natural leader due to her personality, the Aquaman ‘problem’ of no purpose if there’s no water has been avoided. By having Darkwing achieve a bit of fame in St. Canard, they’re not locked into the constant ego fights between him and Gizmo but can sprinkle them in if needed. Apologies to those not familiar with all these characters, but I guess that’s what the Kickstarter is for.
The Future of Darkwing Duck
SR: The world of Darkwing Duck is so much bigger than just the animated series, but for those older Kickstarter supporters who may have only watched the show, what do they have to look forward to from the comic book expansions? (And what was your own experience like working on Darkwing Duck comics, compared to the show?)
TS: It’s like getting new episodes of the show. And there’s enough creative changes that comic and animation geeks can argue and debate until we’re all blue in the face. And isn’t that part of the joy of fandom?
Aside from some covers, I’ve only written a comic short story with James Silvani featuring Gosalyn. Like some of my favorite episodes of the series, we played with the format while exploring time travel paradoxes.
SR: The Kickstarter campaign is pulling together a lot of great history and reading, but is there a particular feature or collection that stands out to you, worth giving a spotlight of its own?
Tad Stones: I don’t know that it deserves a spotlight, but I didn’t even know the Marvel series existed until this Kickstarter. I was deep in Agrabah with the Aladdin TV series at the time. And I certainly didn’t know that three of the stories have Darkwing, Gosalyn and Launchpad living in a human world. I’m looking forward to that part of the collection with fascination and a touch of dread.
SR: Do you think it’s possible for fans to someday see a bit more into the origin stories, or solo adventures for those Justice Ducks who may have been seen a little less, like Neptunia?
Tad Stones: I guess that’s up to how popular the comics turn out to be. I’m not huge on origin stories, although we gave Darkwing about six, but I’d love to see each of them get a six issue limited series. Each would have a completely different flavor that would crush as stand alones.
SR: Fans have seen Darkwing Duck crossover with other Disney properties, like DuckTales in the past. If you could have Darkwing or the Justice Ducks get another team-up, who would be on your shortlist?
TS: Okay. Not my idea, BUT Nick Barrucci, owner of Dynamite Comics, in a fit of whimsy proposed a Darkwing Duck/Gargoyles crossover. It would almost have to be like a MAD magazine feature, but Greg Weisman knows Darkwing Duck from the inside out. If he was willing, I’d love to see him work with Roger Langridge to come up with a story outside of anyone’s continuity while having tons of fun with comic book and superhero movie cliches. Would Disney approve it?? Who knows, but it would sell a ****load of books!
SR: Any other Darkwing Duck news that we can bring to the fans, we would welcome it!
Tad Stones: Everyone asks me about a possible Darkwing Duck animated reboot. I haven’t been updated in more than a year and it’s gone through many permutations from what I’ve heard unofficially. But Point Grey Pictures is behind it and I think they did a brilliant job on the TMNT Mutant Mayhem movie and the trailers for the upcoming series look awesome too. I don’t know how they worked their magic but I’m hoping DW gets a generous helping of that Point Grey pixie dust.
Darkwing Duckis currently available to support onKickstarteruntil July 3, and new releases are available from Dynamite Comics.
