‘The Darkness: Hope’ One-Shot Comic Review

Written by Charlie Harmon; Art by: Daniel P. Dwyer; Coloring by Chris Northrop; Lettering by Troy Peteri; Cover by: Linda Sejic; Editing by Ryan Cady; Design by Tricia Ramos


The Darkness: Hope is a one-shot comic that can certainly be read without prior knowledge of series, but it may not seem as gripping. The comic begins in Hope Estacado’s apartment in a very mundane fashion, talking about Hope’s battle with mornings and the new day they bring. The mundane nature continues as Hope enters a coffee shop and her best friend, Leah Baptiste, accuses Hope of hooking up with her reporter counterpart, Jake Meer.

The commonplace nature of the comic suddenly takes a turn as a man shatters the front window of the coffee shop, ranting about the stars’ alignment. According to him, “the stars are wrong,” and he is not the only one to notice the phenomenon. In fact, that is what Hope and Jake are investigating together for the magazine, Science Times, and they plan on talking to Professor Patricia Mcnair about the matter.

The talk with Professor Patricia Mcnair proves to be another step away from the every day. The professor reveals her theory as to why the stars are no longer aligned in a familiar pattern: the world is 10,000 years “in the future.” Ms. Mcnair explains that while calendars claim it is the year 2036, the star patterns suggest it is actually closer to the year 14,000. The question of how her theory could even be possible is still unanswered, but Hope has an idea of who could provide answers: her father, Jackie Estacado.

The Darkness: The Stars are Wrong

Jackie Estacado is revered as a hero for fighting a darkness that tried to destroy the human race. Unfortunately, no one is quite sure what happened that day, and it just so happens that it was after that time that the stars’ alignment shifted. What was it about that great battle that changed the night sky? Hope is determined to find out, with or without her father’s help.

The Darkness: Hope has a strong beginning, and it certainly has an interesting problem to unravel; however, the transition between Hope’s searching for answers and her obtaining them happens quickly–and somewhat unsatisfactorily.

Later in the narrative it is clear that someone orchestrated clues for Hope to uncover, but the question as to why is never addressed. There is also the question of “Why now?” left unresolved. The resulting loose ends may leave some readers disappointed.

The Darkness: A Dark Moment

As mentioned, those who are not familiar with the comic series The Darkness, or even Witchblade, may not realize how shocking Hope’s discovery is. The revelation is still riveting and worth readers’ time, but some background regarding the family dynamic truly helps in understanding the significance of Hope’s sleuthing. This is especially so since this one-shot’s ending is reminiscent of an older storyline involving Hope as a young girl, which makes the story much more complex and entertaining overall.

Aside from familiarity of the series being advantageous, The Darkness: Hope truly entertains. The truth that is finally revealed will change perceptions of all of the characters for readers—a feat not easily done. The uneasy and chilling ending may leave an unsettling feeling for some, but it will also prompt two questions: is the ending showcasing a never-ending cycle, or could there be a new battle for Hope sometime in the future?

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