LOS ANGELES, CA — September 17, 2025— Top Cow Productions and Image Comics are set
to relaunch one of their most iconic titles this December as The Darkness returns in an all-new
ongoing series from original co-creator Marc Silvestri (Cyber Force, Batman and the Joker: The
Deadly Duo). The new series kicks off with The Darkness (2025) #1, featuring artwork from
celebrated artist Ed Benes and a new era for Jackie Estacado, the anti-hero who helped define
Top Cow’s universe.
This new series marks Silvestri’s highly anticipated return to the franchise he helped create in
1996. For longtime fans, the relaunch promises a bold expansion of the mythology that made
The Darkness a cult phenomenon while introducing fresh twists designed to surprise even its
most devoted readers. “The Darkness has always been one of my favorite characters, and I’ve
wanted to come back to it for a long time,” says Silvestri. “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.”
The Darkness (2025) #1 will feature pencils by Ed Benes (Birds of Prey, Justice League of
America) with inks from Matt “Batt!” Banning, Sal Regla, and John Livesay, colors by Arif
Prianto, and letters by Troy Peteri. Benes will handle the first issue, while fan-favorite Raymond
Gay (Gunslinger Spawn, TMNT) will join the series starting with issue #2.
Originally launched nearly three decades ago, The Darkness quickly became one of Top Cow’s
most popular properties, spawning spin-off series, crossovers, and two acclaimed video game
adaptations. The title built a loyal following among fans of supernatural thrillers and morally
complex anti-heroes, standing alongside genre heavyweights. The new series aims to capture
that same energy while pushing its narrative into even darker, more unpredictable territory.
“This isn’t just a nostalgia trip—it’s a reinvention,” Silvestri adds. “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.”
The story once again follows Jackie Estacado, a 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.
The Darkness (2025) #1 arrives in comic shops on December 10, 2025, with final order cutoff
on November 10, 2025. The issue will launch with an extensive lineup of variant covers from
Silvestri, Benes, and acclaimed artist David Mack, along with blank sketch options, high-ratio
incentives, and ultra-rare signed and original art editions for collectors.
This new era of The Darkness is more than a comeback—it’s a statement. Whether you’re a
longtime fan or discovering Jackie Estacado for the first time, this is the moment to step into the shadows.
Preorders are open now at comic retailers everywhere. The Darkness series will
also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and
Google Play. Visit TopCow.com for more information.
THE DARKNESS (2025) #1
Writer: Marc Silvestri
Penciler: Ed Benes
Inks: Matt “Batt!” Banning, Sal Regla, John Livesay
Colors: Arif Prianto
Letters: Troy Peteri
On Sale: December 10, 2025
Final Order Cutoff: November 10, 2025
In a world consumed by shadows…one man becomes The Darkness. Jackie Estacado is back!
Thrust into a supernatural war between the dark and the light in a no-holds-barred adventure where the edge of our reality grinds against supernatural forces grappling for control over each other and the waking world.
Mafia Hitman Jackie Estacado was both blessed and cursed on his 21st birthday when he became the bearer of The Darkness, an elemental force that allows those who wield it access to an otherworldly dimension and control over the demons who dwell there. Forces in the world rise up to face Jackie and the evil his gift represents. There is one small problem in this story…evil is good.
From co-creator Marc Silvestri (The Darkness, Cyber Force, Batman and the Joker: The Deadly
Duo) with the universe-shattering first issue art by Ed Benes (Birds of Prey, Superman, Justice
League of America), followed in issue #2 with ongoing series artist Raymond Gay (Gunsligner
Spawn, Bloodletter, TMNT, Medieval Spawn), comes an explosive new era of The Darkness!
Covers:
● Cover A: Marc Silvestri & Arif Prianto
● Cover B: Ed Benes & Arif Prianto
● Cover C: David Mack
● Cover D: Blank Sketch Cover
Incentives:
● 1:10, 1:25, 1:50, 1:100, 1:250 ratios including B&W line art and color virgin variants.
● Ultra-rare 1:500 and 1:1000 ratios include signed and original art sketch covers by
Marc Silvestri
Top Cow
Top Cow Productions, Inc., a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, was founded in
December of 1992 by artist Marc Silvestri, who also co-founded Image Comics earlier that same year. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two
decades.
The Darkness
First published by Top Cow Productions in 1996, The Darkness follows mafia hitman Jackie
Estacado, who inherits an ancient and malevolent force on his 21st birthday. Known as “The
Darkness”, this elemental power grants control over a shadow dimension and its demonic
inhabitants—at a terrible cost. Blending crime noir, supernatural horror, and action, The
Darkness has sold millions of copies worldwide, spawned multiple spin-offs and crossovers, and inspired two critically acclaimed video games. With its morally complex anti-hero and gothic tone, The Darkness remains one of the most influential titles in modern comics.
