As the biggest (self proclaimed) DH fan, I gotta admit… Yes, even more than Ron… I got a little scared about the direction Cebulski and DnA were taking the character–especially since part of his new direction makes his past continuity void–or at least most of it–due to brain trauma from dealing with the android suit’s integration process, yadda, yadda, etc.

This final book did set up an actual catalyst for Chris’s actions going forward with a clear motivation that creates the type of creative framework that can support a focused series–aka dealing with the other unhatched amulets.

The fact that the changing costume continuity got worked into the new direction, even though it was a marketing choice from Marvel that set that whole design blunder into motion in the mid-90s, it was nonetheless made to fit going forward.

In a way I find it unfortunate that the “street level” aspect of Darkhawk that I was so fond of will undoubtedly be lost. The focus will now go towards the more cosmic roots present later in his first series run before it got cancelled. Now, of course, NONE of that actually happened as most/all of it was “in his mind”, but still, that’s part of the character’s history, disillusion-based or not.

I was gone from comics (or at least single issues) for over 13 years. While listening to iFanboy and hearing that Darkhawk appeared in an issue of Nova got me racing off to the comic store and jumping onto War of Kings immediately (an re-reading all 50 DH issues AND every appearance of his to date all over again).

I have been enjoying Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy so much–and Abnett and Lanning for that matter–that I only got more and more giddy about them taking on DH. I am now looking forward to an ongoing and excited to see the next iteration of the character in the Marvel Universe!