Jackie Estacado is back in action, as Top Cow will bring back The Darkness for a new, ongoing series from writer Marc Silvestri and artist Ed Benes (for the first issue) and Raymond Gay (starting with issue #2).
“The Darkness has always been one of my favorite characters, and I’ve wanted to come back to it for a long time,” said Silvestri via press release. “Fans have been asking for years when Jackie would return, and now we get to deliver something truly special. This is going to feel familiar, but it’s going to take you places you’ve never been before.”
Like the recent, successful Witchblade reboot before it, this isn’t a continuation of the three-decade-old property; it’s a reinvention that takes it back to the beginning. In it, you’ll meet Estacado, a, per PR, “mafia hitman who inherits a terrifying gift on his 21st birthday: an elemental force known as The Darkness, which grants him dominion over creatures from another realm. As supernatural forces wage war over reality itself, Jackie must navigate a brutal conflict where good and evil are anything but clear.”
Added Silvestri, “This isn’t just a nostalgia trip—it’s a reinvention. We’re going back to what made The Darkness such a hit: its grit, its danger, its sense that power always comes with a price. But this time, we’re turning everything up to eleven. Jackie’s world is going to expand in ways readers never expected.”
What isn’t known at this time (or at least shared in the press release) is whether this is spinning out of the character’s appearance in the new Witchblade, or is its own thing entirely. We’ve reached out to Image Comics for comment, and will update if and when we hear back.
Alongside Benes on pencils, The Darkness #1 will feature inks from Matt “Batt!” Banning, Sal Regla, and John Livesay, colors by Arif Prianto, and letters by Troy Peteri.
And of course, it’ll have a slew of covers as well. You can check out the full lineup below, as well as penciled pages. The Darkness #1 hits stores on December 10, 2025.
- Cover A by Silvestri & Prianto
- Cover B by Benes & Prianto
- Cover C by Mack
- Cover D Sketch Cover
- Cover E 1:10 copy incentive by Benes & Prianto
- Cover F 1:25 copy incentive by Mack
- Cover G 1:50 copy incentive by Silvestri & Prianto
- Cover H 1:100 copy incentive by Benes
- Cover I 1:250 copy incentive B&W virgin Silvestri
- Cover J 1:500 copy incentive B&W signed virgin Silvestri
- Cover K 1:1,000 copy incentive Silvestri original art sketch
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