By C.E. Moore
GENRE: COMIC BOOKS
WRITER: PHIL HESTER
ARTIST: JORGE LUCAS
PUBLISHER: TOP COW
PUBLICATION DATE: JANUARY 26, 2009
There’s a very good reason that The Darkness is a Top Cow Comics character and not a Marvel or DC property. This character would be sanitized otherwise. And I mean that in the most literal sense. In this final issue before the 75th issue (Issue #11 in the current series) hits newsstands, Jackie Estacado goes to town on some small-town methheads with an axe…while covered in turkey crap. Yeah, that’s not happening at Marvel or DC.
Anyhow, The Darkness #10 finds Jackie still working as the Sovereign’s lackey, taking out various shady characters who have broken ranks. This time around, Jackie is sent to find a man who is running a meth lab out in Nebraska. Did I mention that the guy also happens to be immortal?
Jackie shows up in town feigning a desire to set up meth labs out west. He’s led into a trap, where he is summarily beaten within an inch of his life…or death, depending on how you interpret Jackie’s current state. He’s taken to see Raymer, the immortal with whom the Sovereign has a problem with. It seems that, upon learning that he could not die, Raymer’s moral compass went askew. What began with a deal with the devil to spend more time with the family actually ends in their brutal executions.
Let’s just say, the Sovereign has picked a very good enforcer in Jackie. Taking Raymer’s sins personally, Jackie makes pretty quick work of the man.
This particular storyline has been a bit darker than I am used to from this series. It is entirely appropriate, but the direction continues to muddy the waters for poor Jackie Estacado. As this title continues to show that this is ultimately a redemption tale, one is forced to question whether Jackie will he ever find it. Only time will tell.
