The Darkness

Born from the creative energies of Brian Haberlin, Malachy Coney, Whilce Portacio, and Gilbert Monsanto, The Darkness stepped onto the Image Comics stage in 1998 with Tales of the Darkness #1, arriving at a moment when the publisher was pushing the boundaries of what superhero-adjacent comics could look and feel like. This Modern Age figure carved out a presence across their own dedicated series and even crossed into Marvel territory in The Darkness / The Incredible Hulk, sharing pages with heavy-hitters like Logan, Wolverine, Bruce Banner, and the Hulk — seriously impressive company for any character. With a publishing run stretching nearly a decade through 2007, The Darkness proved to be one of Image's more enduring creations, the kind of dark, atmospheric presence that collectors still seek out.