History ComicBook / Darkhawk

** As mentioned above, Dargin Bokk was the original commisioner of the suits and wore a version himself,[[SpikesOfVillainy complete with plenty of spikes]].

[[Characters/MarvelComicsDarkhawk Chris Powell]] was a young teenager who, after witnessing his father accepting a bribe from a local mob boss Phillipe Bazin, ran away to an abandoned amusement park where he found a mysterious amulet. The amulet allowed Chris to change into the form of a powerful android he nicknamed "Darkhawk." While Chris controlled Darkhawk, though, his own body stayed in a place called "Null-Space."

!Tropes in the 1991 ''Darkhawk'' series:

A SequelSeries was [[https://www.ign.com/articles/marvel-darkhawk-relaunch-connor-young-kyle-higgins announced in 2021]] to be written by Kyle Higgens and art by Juanan Ramirez, with a new character design by Pepe Larraz. It will feature a [[LegacyCharacter new person]] controlling the Darkhawk armor.

To see the Character, see [[Characters/MarvelComicsHeroes here]].

''Darkhawk'' is a Franchise/MarvelComics {{superhero}} comic book published from 1991 to 1995, with an extra bonus issue published in 2017. It lasted fifty issues, with all issues (aside from the 2017 one) written by Marvel writer and editor Danny Fingeroth, although the character was created by Marvel writer and editor Creator/TomDeFalco and artist Mike Manley.

The book ended at issue #50, with a bonus ComicBook/MarvelLegacy issue #51 in 2017, written by Chris Sims and Chad Bowers. In it, the later retcons done in ''ComicBook/WarOfKings'' are incorporated into Darkhawk's backstory, where the amulet is actually an artifact from the Fraternity of Raptors, an ancient race of space pirates, and Chris must stop two of them from invading Earth.

[[Characters/MarvelComicsDarkhawk Chris Powell]] is a young teenager who, after witnessing his father accepting a bribe from a local mob boss Phillipe Bazin, runs away to an abandoned amusement park where he finds a mysterious amulet. The amulet allows Chris to change forms into the powerful android he nicknames "Darkhawk." While Chris controls Darkhawk, though, his own body stays in a place called "Null-Space."

[[Characters/MarvelComicsDarkhawk Chris Powell]] is a young teenager who, after witnessing his father accepting a bribe from a local mob boss, runs away to an abandoned amusement park where he finds a mysterious amulet. The amulet allows Chris to change forms into the powerful android he nicknames "Darkhawk." While Chris controls Darkhawk, though, his own body stays in a place called "Null-Space."

Chris Powell is a young teenager who, after witnessing his father accepting a bribe from a local mob boss, runs away to an abandoned amusement park where he finds a mysterious amulet. The amulet allows Chris to change forms into the powerful android he nicknames "Darkhawk." While Chris controls Darkhawk, though, his own body stays in a place called "Null-Space."

In 2021, a special one-shot, ''Darkhawk: Heart of the Hawk'', was released with three stories, one from Danny Fingeroth showing Chris during his early days as Darkhawk, one from Creator/DanAbnett from Chris's days fighting in the War of Kings, and one from Creator/KyleHiggens reminiscing about his future [[spoiler:before his death.]]

The book ended at issue #50, with a bonus ComicBook/MarvelLegacy issue #51 in 2017, written by Chris Sims and Chad Bowers. In it, the later retcons done in ''ComicBook/WarOfTheKings'' are incorporated into Darkhawk's backstory, where the amulet is actually an artifact from the Fraternity of Raptors, an ancient race of space pirates, and Chris must stop two of them from invading Earth.

[[redirect:Characters/MarvelComicsDarkhawk]]

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/darkhawk.jpg]]

In TheNineties, Creator/MarvelComics wanted to create a batch of fresh, hip superheroes to ring in the new decade. More often than not, this resulted in [[NinetiesAntiHero 90's anti-heroes]]. This included heroes such as [[ComicBook/SleepWalker Sleepwalker]], ComicBook/{{Cable}}, and more. Darkhawk was part of this batch and while his costume and name might suggest an AntiHero, his personality was more down to Earth, bringing a lot of realism to his character.

The character first appeared in ''Darkhawk'' #1 (March, 1991), created by Creator/TomDeFalco and Mike Manley. Chris Powell was an ordinary high school student who found a mysterious amulet which turned him into an armored hero. Darkhawk was original for its time in that the nature of his origin was planned out ahead of time but was kept secret until well into the series, resulting in a very gradual storyarc that lasted for years. The armor (as well as others just like it) were created by a [[SpacePirates space pirate]] named Dargin Bokk. The alien scientists who created the technology turned on Bokk and sent one of the last amulets to Earth to keep it out of the wrong hands. Chris found the amulet in an abandoned AmusementPark moments after finding out his father was a DirtyCop. It transported Chris' body to a dimension called Null Space and replaced it with an android body which used the amulet as a sort of GemHeart. Years later, Chris found that there were many more users of this technology and was separated from the Darkhawk armor.

Darkhawk's series lasted for 50 issues (March, 1991- April, 1995), most of them written by Danny Fingeroth. During this time, Darkhawk joined the ComicBook/NewWarriors and ComicBook/TheAvengers. Despite his early popularity, once his series was cancelled, he languished in ComicBookLimbo for years. He returned in various books including ''The Loners'' (a spinoff of a team that appeared in the pages of ComicBook/{{Runaways}}), [[CrossOver Marvel events]] such as ''ComicBook/SecretInvasion'' and more prominently ''ComicBook/WarOfKings''. He most recently appeared in ''Comicbook/AvengersArena'' and ''ComicBook/InfinityCountdown'' tie-in.

Not to be confused with Creator/ImageComics' ''ComicBook/{{Shadowhawk}}'', which had a similar nature and motif, but was an actual NinetiesAntihero.

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!! Darkhawk provides examples of:

* AlienBlood: Darkhawk's is green.
* AncientConspiracy: The origin of the amulet is that it belongs to the Fraternity of Raptors, who were this for the Shi'ar Empire, until they were sealed away sixty-one thousand years ago, until the events of ''ComicBook/WarOfKings'' started to wake them up.
* AnimalThemedSuperbeing: He fits under the ''Animal Alias'' type since there isn't a lot of hawklike things about him.
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Chris's little twin brothers, Jason and Jon, are sometimes this to him, [[DownplayedTrope though in general they tend to get along more-or-less decently]], when Chris isn't being an AloofBigBrother to them.
* AppropriatedAppellation: Darkhawk got his name from a nearby hobo since he liked the name a lot better than his attempt at naming himself (Edge Man).
* ArtifactOfDoom: The amulets that give the users armor.
* BroughtDownToNormal: When we catch up to Chris in ''Darkhawk'' #51, his amulet no longer worked due to the events of ''War of Kings''. He kept the amulet, but decided to become a cop like his dad.
* CanonDiscontinuity: In his final issues, Darkhawk acquired a new suit of armor and new powers (including finally being able to fly on his own). The series was cancelled, Darkhawk disappeared for a few years and when he came back, he was back to his older design with none of his fancy new powers. Also, ''ComicBook/WarOfKings'' sheds a new light as to the nature of Darkhawk's origins. [[spoiler:However, knowing that Talon was simply manipulating Chris now makes the canon even ''more'' uncertain than it was before.]]
* CanonWelding: Done in the ''Infinity Countdown'' tie-in with the original ''ComicBook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy''. It's revealed that the Raptors were styled after Ratha'kon, a god with a similar appearance to the Hawk God that empowered Starhawk.
* CerebusRetcon: Not that Darkhawk was ever light and fluffy, but the revelation that Evilhawk--and by implication, Overhawk--were the armor taking temporary control for a brief period casts a darker pall over the appearances of both.
* ChestBlaster: He can fire forcefields and from his ChestInsignia.
* ClothesMakeTheSuperman: Darkhawk is different from typical armored heroes in that his entire body is replaced by an android that is connected to the armor.
* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: Each member of the Fraternity has a differently coloured visor, to help tell them apart.
* DarkIsEvil: The Fraternity.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Darkhawk's costume and name invokes this.
* DisappearedDad: Mike Powell disappeared the night Chris found the amulet, apparently out of shame for taking a bribe.
* DontTellMama: The night Chris found the amulet was also the night that he witnessed his police officer father [[DirtyCop taking a bribe from mob bosses]]. He tried to keep this information from his mother for years.
* EvilCounterpart: Since many suits were made, Darkhawk has encountered a few evil armor-users.
** As mentioned above, Dargin Bokk was the original commisioner of the suits and wore a version himself,[[SpikesOfVillainy complete with plenty of spikes]].
** There was a dimension-hopping mutant named Portal who used the destroyed remains of a suit of armor. Since the suit was in pieces, he couldn't use any of its powers but it didn't stop him from looking like an evil Darkhawk.
** [[spoiler:As revealed in ''War of Kings'', the ''entire'' Fraternity of Raptors is this to Chris. Given that their numbers rank in the ''thousands'', let's hope they don't all wake up at once.]]
* TheFaceless: Darkhawk himself. He once took off his helmet to see what his android body looked like. It was pretty traumatic for him although the reader was spared. This scene turned into a mild NothingIsScarier moment. [[spoiler:When he does this again in the ''ComicBook/MarvelLegacy'' one-shot, he can only muster an annoyed "Damn". We still don't get to see what he sees.]]
** In ''War of Kings'', it is stated that taking off his helmet and looking at what was beneath was his first step into the suit-induced insanity.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: Chris has a nasty scar on his chest, most likely from where Chase ripped the amulet out during ''ComicBook/AvengersArena''.
* GoodThingYouCanHeal: Chris later found out that if he was wounded as Darkhawk, all he had to do was change back to his human form and the next time he used the armor, he was healed. This came in handy when the villain Tombstone [[BeatStillMyHeart tore his amulet/heart from his chest]].
* GrapplingHookGun: His suit came equipped with a grappling hook launcher, allowing him to send himself into the air and [[NotQuiteFlight glide with his wings]]. He later gained the ability to fly.
* HeroWithBadPublicity: Chris, thanks to the events of ''War of Kings'', is believed to be responsible for the assassination of Empress Lilandra.
* HowDoIShotWeb: Early issues centered around Darkhawk trying to discover how his suit worked. By the time of ''ComicBook/WarOfKings'', he has a general idea of how to work it. Then he meets [[TricksterMentor Talon]].
* HumansAreSpecial: [[spoiler: In ''ComicBook/WarOfKings'', it is revealed that Chris's anger issues and psychotic episodes were the result of his suit. Because the humans are a young race, none of the suits can effectively integrate with them. Talon says this is a weakness, but a Skrull, stuck in the same position as Chris, says that it makes him special, allowing him not only to permanently resist the control of the Darkhawk armor, but to use the suit in ways Talon and Razor never could.]]
* {{Magitek}}: The true origin of the amulet and the armor. Technology powered by magic draining the life-force of anyone unfortunate enough to touch them.
* TheManBehindTheMan: A line in an issue of ComicBook/{{Nova}} implies the Fraternity of Raptors have one, but so far it hasn't been elaborated on.
* NinetiesAntiHero: He has the name and look of one, but not the personality.
** This is actually addressed a couple times. In his first issue, one of the gangsters who attacks him briefly after gaining his powers dies accidentally and terribly; Chris reflects on this a lot over the course of his series.
*** When he muses in a very early issue that he should have killed Hobgoblin, Spider-Man punches him in the face.
*** He finds his father's journal a while later, wherein he talks about the time he and his partner saw a woman struck by a hit-and-run driver, and he decides to pursue the driver rather than get the woman to medical care. He takes this to heart for a while, attempting to follow in his footsteps to capture and punish criminals above and beyond taking care of their victims. Roughly midway through the series, he finds the page was stuck together, conveniently hiding the conclusion of the story: Chris's father calmed down, and they called an ambulance to save the victim's life. They lost the driver, but saved her.
* OrganicTechnology: There is synthetic flesh under that suit, as well as blood. As mentioned, the amulet served as the android's heart as well.
* PoweredArmor: Savage Steel, The Seekers, and of course, Darkhawk himself.
* PowerUp: As Chris understood more about his armor, the more powers he discovered. As mentioned in the CanonDiscontinuity section above, these powers were quickly forgotten but the ''War of Kings'' gave him a different set of upgrades any way.
** Specifically, he gained the ability to switch between different armor modes, each of which had their own unique powers. And it's also hinted by both Talon and a Skrull that he hasn't even begun to unleash his full potential.
* RetCon: This happened HARD in ''War of Kings.'' While previously his armor had been the result of an alien crimelord's weapons development, ''War'' retconned pretty much everything about the Darkhawk amulet into being the result of his own mind's delusions wrestling with the mind control mechanisms in the amulet.
* RoguesGalleryTransplant: Mild examples. Both [[ComicBook/SpiderMan the Hobgoblin and Tombstone]] showed up in early issues as reoccurring villains. In fact, the Hobgoblin was the first super villain he faced. Later, [[ComicBook/XMen The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants]] showed up quite a bit despite editors for X-Men comics being very picky about that sort of thing. Even later, ComicBook/{{Venom}}, of all people, developed a recurring feud with Darkhawk. Ironically, Darkhawk typically tended to have an easier time against Venom than Spider-Man did, possibly because Darkhawk wasn't psyched out by Venom the way Spidey was.
* SelfMadeOrphan: Broderick Bozin killed his and Allegra's mother in his early days as a serial killer. Allegra never told her father what really happened, partially because her mother was abusive, and partially to protect her brother.
* SpacePirates: The original idea behind the armors.
* SuperheroesInSpace: Eventually, the action went to space.
* SuperStrength: Darkhawk was initially around as strong as guys like ComicBook/SpiderMan but has had a significant increase in power.
* TameHisAnger: Due to incompatibility, the armor increases Chris's rage, meaning he often has to struggle to control it.
* ThemeNaming: The Fraternity all have names related to birds (Talon, Gyre, etc.).
* TookALevelInBadass: The ''ComicBook/WarOfKings'' crossover showed Chris holding his own, without most of his armor powers, against the entire Starjammers crew, and a pissed off Gladiator.
* WhereItAllBegan: The ''ComicBook/MarvelLegacy'' one-shot has Chris return to the Happyland Amusement Park and regain control of his armor.
* VigilanteMan: The original idea behind Savage Steel, a vigilante in powered armor sponsored by The Cabal, a group of vigilante cops wanting to use lethal force against criminals. It didnt work out.
* WouldHurtAChild: Serial killer Brodreick Bozin kills anyone who catches his fancy, including a child in a BaitAndSwitch cliffhanger that implied he killed Chris's brother Jason (he didn't).
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!!Tropes:

The character first appeared in ''Darkhawk'' #1 (March, 1991), created by Creator/TomDeFalco and Mike Manley. Chris Powell was an ordinary high school student who found a mysterious amulet which turned him into an armored hero. Darkhawk was original for its time in that the nature of his origin was planned out ahead of time but was kept secret until well into the series, resulting in a very gradual storyarc that lasted for years. The armor (as well as others just like it) were created by a [[SpacePirates space pirate]] named Dargin Bokk . The alien scientists who created the technology turned on Bokk and sent one of the last amulets to Earth to keep it out of the wrong hands. Chris found the amulet in an abandoned AmusementPark moments after finding out his father was a DirtyCop. It transported Chris' body to a dimension called Null Space and replaced it with an android body which used the amulet as a sort of GemHeart. Years later, Chris found that there were many more users of this technology and was separated from the Darkhawk armor.