Disney references galore can be found in BOOM! Studios’ “Darkwing Duck” comic books

Jim Hill

13 years ago

There are lots of reasons to like BOOM! Studios "Darkwing Duck" comic book series …

… which – FYI – will be releasing its first-ever oversized annual next month.

The folks at BOOM! Studios have done a brilliant job of taking this much-beloved Disney Afternoon series and then uisng this world & its characters as the jumping-off point for a consistently entertaining modern comic book. But for Disneyana fans, the main reason you should probably start picking up copies of the "Darkwing Duck" comic books is all of those witty nods to other Disney TV shows, movies and characters that series artist James Silvani manages to slip into many panels.

Oh, sure. There's the stuff that you might expect. Like the character crossovers from other popular Disney Afternoon shows like DuckTales …

… and Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers …

Silvani even managed to work a tip-of-the-hat to Disney's TaleSpin into Issue 6 of "Darkwing Duck." If you look closely at the image below …

… you'll see Baloo AKA Papa Bear looking up at NegaDuck out of that apartment building to the lower left.

James even manages to work references to some of the less-popular Disney Afternoon series. If you'll check out the signs that this angry mob is carrying …

… toward the very back you'll see one that reads "Bring Back Bonkers." Which references that much-troubled animated series which joined the Disney Afternoon line-up in September of 1993.

But it's the references to Disney's classic animated features that Silvani has deliberately hidden in various panels of the "Darkwing Duck" comic books that will most delight Disneyana fans. Be it that set of Seven Dwarf figurines …

… that one of Drake Mallard's co-workers at Quackwerks uses to decorate his cubicle.

Or – better yet – the evil Queen's Heart Box from "Snow White" …

… which Darkwing seems to have on display in his living room.

Some of these Disney references aren't exactly subtle. Take – for instance – that Pinocchio-shaped topiary that one St. Canard resident has in their front yard.

While other references tend to be a lot subtler. Take – for example – the artwork that's on display in the back of Gosalyn Mallard's chemistry class.

If you look closely (going clockwise here) those are drawings of Monstro from "Pinocchio," Colonel Haiti from "The Jungle Book," King Leonidas from "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" and Meeko from "Pocahontas."

Which brings me to some of the contemporary Disney films that James has references in recent issues of BOOM! Studios ' "Darkwing Duck" comic. Like that Simba (from "The Lion King") lookalike statue …

… that sits outside of the St. Canard Natural History museum.

Or – better yet – that carpet in Drake Mallard's living room …

… which is obviously drawn to look like the flying carpet from "Aladdin."

And look who popped up on a monitor that Darkwing Duck accessed after hours at Quackwerks. It's Flounder from "The Little Mermaid."

And it's not just Disney films that Silvani likes to reference. If you're paying attention, there are lots of Pixar in-jokes to be found in these "Darkwing Duck" comics. Like that "Incredibles" lunchbox …

… that Gosalyn likes to carry her GizmoDuck gear around in.

Or better yet, Maury Thwackstein, Drake Mallard's co-worker at Quackwerks. Who is clearly modeled after Carl Fredricksen from "Up."

Even Disney's stop-motion productions get referenced to in James' "Darkwing Dark" artwork. Check out that source absorber that Magica De Spell is wielding in the panel below …

… which clearly has Jack Skellington & Oogie Boogie from Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" on it.

Mind you, the ultimate mix-and-match may be found on the last page of Issue No. 7 of the "Darkwing Duck" comic book series …

Which – if you'll carefully scope out the artwork surrounding the villainous Paddywhack, you'll see Cleo from "Pinocchio" …

… Sebastian from "The Little Mermaid" …

… and Dory from "Finding Nemo."

Yes, BOOM! Studio's new "Darkwing Duck" comic book series is well worth checking out if you're a Disneyana fan who loves in-jokes and hidden references. And I'm not just saying that because Darkwing Duck appears to be a JHM reader …

Special thanks to James Silvani for creating the above Get-A-Sketch cover for my daughter Alice when she dropped by the BOOM! Studios' booth at Long Beach Comic Con back in October.

"Darkwing Duck" series artist Jim Silvani.
Photo by Shelly Valladolid

By the way, if you're interested in catching up on this acclaimed new series and/or getting a closer look at all these greatDisney references / in-jokes for yourself … Well, earlier this month, BOOM! Studios released "Darkwing Duck: Duck Knight Returns." And this 112-page trade paperback (which collects Issues No. 1 – 4 of their "Darkwing Duck" comic book series) would be a great way to get started.

For further information on the ongoing "Darkwing Duck" comic book series as well as all of the other Disney, Pixar and Muppet-related titles that BOOM! Studios produces, why not click on over to the official BOOM! Studios website?

Beyond that … Do you folks have any thoughts / suggestions about any other Disney and/or Pixar characters that you might like to see making cameo appearances in the "Darkwing Duck" comic book series universe?

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