Marvel celebrates 30 years of Darkhawk this April

Darkhawk, the hot character launch of 1991 (if you don’t count Sleepwalker), turns 30 years old this year, and Marvel’s celebrating with a new giant-sized anthology titled Darkhawk: Heart of the Hawk.

The anthology will feature three stories, including one by the character’s creators, writer Danny Fingeroth and artist Mike Manley.

“It’s an understatement to say that I’m thrilled to team up once again with the great Mike Manley to reveal an untold tale of Darkhawk’s earliest days,” Fingeroth said. “Hawkamaniacs are always asking me when we’ll be returning to the character we established, and I’m glad to have the opportunity to once again tap into the Darkhawk magic with Mike. Hope everybody enjoys this new tale of the high-flying, amulet-wielding hero!”

Darkhawk is Chris Powell, a teenager who found a mysterious amulet in an abandoned amusement park that swaps his consciousness into an armored body that he used to fight crime. While he started off as a more street-level hero and later joined the New Warriors, he eventually evolved into a cosmic hero as he became involved in the War of Kings storyline.

Dan Abnett, known for writing Darkhawk’s years as a cosmic adventurer during the War of Kings, will team with artist Andrea Di Vito for a story in the anthology.

“When I was asked to write a story celebrating Darkhawk’s thirtieth (!) anniversary, I was happy to oblige – especially as it was chance to revisit the cosmic part of his career when I put him out among the stars with the likes of Nova and the Guardians,” Abnett said. “And I enjoyed it more than I imagined — I had forgotten what a great, lonely, determined hero he was. I also love the fact that this special reflects the different ages of Darkhawk’s thirty-year odyssey, bringing back creators who created him and helped shape him through every stage of his adventures. He may be turning thirty, but it’s been quite a ride and, for Darkhawk, the future is just beginning…”

Rounding out the anthology will be a story by The Rise of Ultraman writer Kyle Higgins. “As someone slightly newer to Darkhawk — certainly compared to Danny, Mike and Dan — I’m incredibly honored and excited for the opportunity to build a story that both celebrates what Danny, Mike, Dan and so many other fantastic creators have built over the last thirty years… while also setting course for the future,” Higgins said.

The one-shot arrives in April.