“Yesterday’s” Comic> Darkhawk #26

I was going to make a “going out for pizza” joke but they actually get take-out in the story.

Darkhawk #26

Marvel (April, 1993)

Chris and Grace meet with the principal, who has opted for suspension instead of expulsion, but Chris can’t handle normal life anymore after all he’s been through as Darkhawk. He also rejects therapy and worries that his mom thinks he might be on drugs (which the teacher did theorize). He can’t even deal with hanging out with his normal friends. Seeking advice and not being able to catch Spider-Man, Darkhawk opts for the New Warriors (at the time Night Thrasher, Speedball, Namorita, Silhouette, Nova, and Firestar) looking to get their advice as to how to maintain a normal teenage life. The conversation gets interrupted by an attack by dead people connected to the turning points in their lives, including the mobster that accidentally electrocuted himself fighting Darkhawk in the first issue. It turns out to be a plot by Zarrko The Tomorrow Man, offering to help them rewrite their past mistakes…for a price.

What they got right: I was really getting into the conversation about how the New Warriors deal with normal lives and trying to help Darkhawk get through his situation. Darkhawk has worked with the New Warriors in the past (not a member yet according to BW’s New Warriors expert, CFerra) and they are the other teen superheroes in New York City. Chris was smart to go to them. He also considered asking Reed Richards for help understanding the full abilities of his Darkhawk body, which I wish he would have actually done, at least in the issues I own.

What they got wrong: I’m kind of disappointed that the Cabal short shows up, because those pages could have continued that conversation before Zarrko rudely interrupts. It’s not even all that interesting but I’ll get to that in a moment. The idea of heroes talking to each other about still connecting with their non-superpowered family and friends is one I wanted to see explored more. Also, another arc so soon after the last two? Is this going to be all story arcs now?

The Cabal story is short but if it wasn’t for the fact that in continues a distracting subplot from the last storyline I wouldn’t even give it its own paragraph. Apparently the Cabal tortured Vale to learn where other former members were (including Harry Lennox), currently under witness protection as part of the FBI going after the rogue cops and Savage Steel. As the Cabal breaks in with new weapons, Vale overpowers his guard and decides to make things right…but with which side? This might turn out to be an interesting back-up tale but I still wanted that space for the New Warrior’s discussion.

Recommendation: While I would have liked to have heard more of that conversation, a chance for Darkhawk and the New Warriors to revisit turning points in their lives is a good way to look into those characters and the events that helped form who they are. Hopefully this is a good arc, but it’s worth looking at. But can we be done with big events for a while after this? Or will holes in my collection affect that?