MAJOR STORY ARCS

COMING OF AGE (The Darkness Vol. 1 #1 - #6)

Jackie Estacado was a mafia hitman whose life was turned inside out when at the age of 21 he manifested the ancinet power of the Darkness (The Darkness Vol. 1). He is immediately assaulted by a host of Angelus warriors (see Enemies of the Darkness) who attempt to catch him in a vulnerable state in order to destroy the Darkness forever.

It is at this time that Jackie first meets the nefarious leader of the Brotherhood of Darkness, Sonatine (see Enemies of the Darkness). Sonatine informs Jackie of his heritage. The last in a line of powerful beings who wield the Darkness power (The Darkness Vol. 1 #2). In order to bend Jackie to his will, Sonatine kidnaps Jenny Romano (The Darkness Vol. 1, #3). Captured and en route, Jackie comes face to face with the Angelus herself (see Enemies of the Darkness). Jackie learns about his father, Danny Estacado from his adoptive father, Don Franchetti (The Darkness Vol.1 #5)

Jackie, with Sonatine and his foppish assistant Wenders, lays a trap for the Angelus at the Statue of Liberty. By forcing the Angelus to exhaust her powers fighting Jackie, he is able to destroy the current bearer of the Angelus and sends its energy into the world to seek a new host. Jackie saves Jenny and they both escape Sonatine's influence. Seeking peace, Jenny reluctantly leaves New York, Jackie and the Darkness behind her.

THE ANGELUS (The Darkness Vol. 1 #11 - #14)

First appearance of Appolonia Franchetti, returned from overseas schooling, Appolonia secretly attempts to bring down her adoptive brother, Jackie, as well as her father, Don Franchetti. After abducting Wenders, Appolonia learns about the Darkness' mortal enemy, the Angelus, and resolves to harness its power to destroy the Franchetti men. (The Darkness Vol. 1 #11). We also meet Lauren Franchetti, the catatonic wife of the Don, driven into near comatose state after witnessing her husband brutally mutilate her adulterous lover (The Darkness Vol. 1 #12). With the help of Sonatine, Appolonia begins to put her plan into motion.

The unthinkable happens when the power of the Angelus instead chooses to manifest within the catatonic matriarch of the Franchetti family, Lauren Franchetti (The Darkness Vol. 1 #13). In a fierce battle, Jackie is able to temporarily defeat the newly born Angelus until their next encounter. Appolonia is left in a coma from the ordeal.

THE YAKUZA (The Darkness Vol. 1 #7 - #8)

The Yakuza storyline introduces us to the mafia underworld that Jackie has existed in. But now, armed with the power of the Darkness, what Jackie learns is that even though the bad guys are no match for the Darkness, the consequences of an attack on the Yakuza means the start of a gang war Don Franchetti has worked to avoid.

FAMILY TIES CROSSOVER WITH WITCHBLADE (The Darkness Vol 1 #9 and #10)

In an attempt by third parties to wrest the power of the Darkness from the newly born Darkness bearer, both the powers of the Darkness and the Witchblade are transferred into the body of a single human being, the assassin, Ian Nottingham. Unable to control the energies unleashed by these two forces held by the same bearer Ian releases the Darkness back to Jackie. However, the relationship between the Witchblade and the Darkness is revealed to be symbiotic.

THE MAGDALENA (The Darkness Vol. 1 #15 - #18)

We are introduced to the Magdalena (see Enemies of the Darkness), the descendents of Mary Magdalene, and agents of the Church. We also learn of an ancient artifact known as the Spear of Destiny, (The Darkness Vol. 1 #15) a holy relic said to be the spear that pierced the side of Christ while on the Crucifix. This generation's Magdalena is sent to New York City in order to destroy the manifestation of ultimate Darkness, Jackie Estacado. For the first time Jackie is faced with a tough opponent, however, this generation's Magdalena lacks the experience to face as vicious an adversary as Jackie. During the battle, Jackie breaks the Spear of Destiny and kills the Magdalena. A fragment of the spear makes its way into the hospital bed of Appolonia Franchetti where it begins to bring her back to the waking world. (The Darkness Vol. 1 #18)

DECEMBER 21st (The Darkness Vol 1 #19 - #20)

Every hitman in New York is given an open contract on Jackie. Later he learns that his grandmother, Adrienne Estacado, initiated the contract in order to slay her grandson and attempt to capture the Darkness for her own ends. The ritual can only take place on one day of the year (guess which!).

WYRMWOOD (The Darkness Vol 1 #21 - #22)

Jackie gets a call from Jenny who has been captured in a place known only as "Wyrmwood." With the help of a Voodoo mystic named Mandolin, Jackie discovers that Wyrmwood is the product of a previous Darkness bearer named Antonio Estacado. The town appears and disappears at will, capturing the unsuspecting and using them as fodder for its own existence. Jackie destroys the town and rescues Jenny, where they once again face a bitter farewell.

SINS OF THE PAST (The Darkness Vol. 1 #23 - #25)

1st Appearance of Agent Carla Denton. We find her in the process of freeing a dangerous criminal and enemy of the Darkness, Walter Cullowski, a Necrobi. (See Enemies of the Darkness). Meanwhile Jackie discovers that someone has planted an imposter, posing as him, within the Franchetti family. Jackie races to Las Vegas to save the Don and en route meets a mysterious woman who claims to be his twin sister. In a fierce showdown we find that Appolonia has come out of her coma, thanks to the Spear of Destiny, and that the Angelus is responsible for the doppleganger inthe Franchetti's midst. A battle erupts that leaves Sonatine on Death's door. In a desperate move, Sonatine switches his essence into the body of his assistant Wenders, leaving Wenders in the fatally damaged body of his master Sonatine.

DARKNESS / BATMAN CROSSOVER

When Don Franchetti decides to expand his horizons he turns his eyes towards Gotham City. While there, Jackie comes face to face with Gotham's Dark Knight: the Batman. In a brutal confrontation "the Bat" is able to get underneath Jackie's armor and show him that, although his soul may be tainted by darkness, he may yet seek redemption for his past. After his confrontation, Jackie decides to turn states evidence which leads to the arrest of his adoptive father; Don Franchetti.

WITNESS PROTECTION (The Darkness Vol. 1 #29 - #31)

While en route to Miami and witness protection, Jackie befriends a lovely flight attendant named Kamala. Her son, Jackie discovers, is somehow able to perceive Jackie's dark essence. The boy is kidnapped by his drug smuggling father. Jackie sets out to reclaim the child, his first step towards redemption.

CARLA'S STORY (The Darkness Vol 1 #26 - #28, as well as Witchblade / Darkness crossover, 4 parts)

We discover that Agent Carla Denton was actually the fiance of the man that Jackie killed on the day of his 21st birthday. Carla seeks revenge on Estacado and has found an ancient enemy of the Darkness, the Necrobi. Hoping to avenge her lover's death, Carla sets events in motion that bring both the Darkness and the Witchblade together to face the menance of Cull AKA Walter Cullowski. The Necrobi turn out to be an ancient race, born enemies to the Triarchy of the Witchblade, Angelus, and Darkness. Cull's aim becomes not just revenge, but the overthrow of the human race as the dominant species of this world. Together, Witchblade and Darkness face Cull and avert the Necrobi's tyranny. We also learn that the Darkness can manifest in sunlight, if called to the aid of the Witchblade.

CAPRIS (The Darkness Vol 1 #32 - #33)

We learn the story of Jackie's twin sister, Capris Castiglioni / Estacado. While still pregnant, Jackie's mother had pleaded with a priest named Father Brendan, to keep her child safe from their father, Danny Estacado. (Editorial Note: The same priest appears at both the school Capris was raised, and Jackie's orphange). We discover that Capris has also inherited a small aspect of the Darkness power. In her first dispaly she uses her power to expose a pron distribution pipeline whose members raped and killed her best friend, Blair Bray. Although not as powerful as Jackie, Capris displays a steady control over her abilities.

COMING TO TERMS (The Darkness Vol 1 #34 - #38)

Wandering in the obscurity of the witness protection program, Jackie, by fate, once again meets Jenny in a backwater bar. Jenny reveals that she is engaged to Cyberforce member Robert Bearclaw AKA Ripclaw. At first opposed to Jackies dark presence, Rip claw decides to help Jackie face the Darkness inside him. By taking him on a spiritual journey to face his inner demons. It is revealed that it was Ripclaw who taught his sister, Capris, how to master her own inner demons and control the Darkness insider her. Meanwhile enemies known as the "Cherubs Hostile" set events in motion that threaten to destroy the world by returning it to the heavens. The only thing standing in their way: the Darkness. While still on his inner quest, Jackie faces the mother he never knew. The encounter is a reenforcement of the promise Jennny had him make at the end of issue 6, "to do some good." Jackie leaves the dream world and comes back to the Waking One, ready to save the world from the forces of light. Don Franchetti is released from prison and sets out to settle the score with his adoptive son.

ROAD TO PERDITION (The Darkness Vol 1 #39 - #40)

Don Franchetti has Jenny Romano brutally killed and has a tape of the slaying sent to Jackie who is back in New York. Jackie, overwhelmed with grief, sets a trap for the don by Luring him into a warehouse filled with gasoline. In the blaze, Frankie and Jackie are both killed. Jackie goes to hell in search of his love, Jenny.

However... while in Hell, Jackie becomes overwhelmed in the Labrynthine paths and becomes a lost soul. It is with the help of the recently dispossessed devil, that Jackie is sent an unlikely boon through a former priest named Tom Judge. By using the arcane amulet known as "the Rapture," Tom releases Jackie's soul back to Earth where the Darkness hidden inside the only part of Jackie's body left behind (a tooth), rebuilds his body. His soul returns to the mortal plane...