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This page covers the Top Cow comicbook hero The Darkness also known as El Ocaso . If this is not the page you were looking for check here.
Jackie Estacado is the current wielder of the Darkness, an ancient power belonging to the triad of power encompassing the Darkness, the Witchblade, and the Angelus.
Origin
Like all male members of his lineage, Jackie's father, Danny Estacado, was the wielder of The Darkness power before Jackie. The Darkness is passed on from father to son at the moment of contraception, killing the father instantly. Despite this fatal drawback, the Darkness allows the wielder to create anything they imagine as long as they are not exposed to light. Danny was a hitman who used the Darkness power to make a name for himself in the criminal underworld. He used the Darkness power for personal gain, and wielded the power he possessed to kill his enemies in savage and brutal ways. When Danny impregnated a prostitute the Darkness was transferred along with his seed to son Jackie. Danny died during intercourse.
Shortly after being born, Jackie was enrolled in Saint Gerald's orphanage. He was enrolled on the same hour of the same day as another orphan, Jenny. Jenny's mother died when she was two months old due to a batch of bad heroin. Jackie developed a sibling-like fondness for Jenny, believing that she was the only good thing in his life. Growing up in Saint Gerald's was brutal for the orphans. The monks would frequently beat the children in their care. Acting as Jenny's protector, Jackie would violently attack anyone that laid a hand her, hospitalizing anyone including the monks when they hurt her.
One day Frank Franchetti, an on-the-rise mob boss came to saint Gerald's to take Jackie away claiming to be his uncle by marriage. Jackie wanted him to take Jenny as well, but Franchetti refused. Jackie promised Jenny to continue looking in on her, a promise that he stayed true to. Growing up under Franchetti's wing, Jackie was able to nurture his darker side. Making his first kill for Frank at the age of 16, Jackie became a hit-man for the Franchetti family. Jackie was ruthless, knowing exactly who to hit and how hard to hit them to get the job done.
Jackie would live his life in the fast lane, indulging himself with expensive clothes, fast cars, and beautiful women. Despite his lifestyle, Jackie continued to look in on Jenny, acting as her protector until she was old enough to leave. After she left, Jackie provided Jenny with a job as a bartender at a club he frequented and continued to provide her protection and assistance. Over the years Jackie continued to feel for Jenny as a sort of younger sister, completely oblivious to the love an affection she harbored for him.
The Beginning
Enter: The Darkness
At midnight on his 21st birthday Jackie's powers first manifested. Jackie was in his bedroom when he began hearing a voice in his head, hinting at his potential and urging him to let the darkness inside himself out. As the darkness began to well from within Jackie's body, a heavily armed team burst into Jackie's apartment telling him that they were there to help him by getting him out. Before they could evacuate Jackie a group of six glowing, winged warriors showed up and began battling the others. While blood was being spilled around him, the voice inside Jackie urged him to let it out, telling Jackie that he could create anything that he imagined. As a black aura surrounded Jackie, demon-like creatures poured out from around him and destroyed both groups of unknown assailants. As one of them lay dying he told Jackie that he needed to get to Liberty. As Jackie stood up he was greeted by a rival hit-man that told him his uncle was already hit by the Marchianni family. Jackie used his new found powers to slay his would be killer, and then went off to take out the head of the Marchianni family as well.
The next day Jackie woke up in the dumpster behind the club Jenny worked at. As Jenny helped Jackie regain his footing the memories of the previous night came flooding back, including one word in particular, "Liberty." Knowing of only one liberty, the Statue of Liberty, Jackie set out to Ellis Island to if he could figure out what was happening. It was there he met with a magician named Sonatine. Sonatine explained to Jackie that he was the leader of a group called the Brotherhood of the Darkness, a cult that followed the Darkness Power. He explained that the Brotherhood of the Darkness was formed centuries ago by Miguel Estacado, a prior wielder of the Darkness. Miguel envisioned of a world where he ruled using the Darkness power. He formed the Brotherhood out of his followers to rule under him. It was here that Jackie would also learn of the two powers linked to the Darkness--the Witchblade and the Angelus. While the Witchblade was a warriors weapon, the Angelus was the opposite of the Darkness, a power based of light.
The Darklings
Choosing to be no one's pawn, Jackie used his new powers to leave the island. Knowing that the small fraction of the Darkness that Sonatine wields was no match for the full power of the Darkness Jackie was allowed to leave. Jackie would go on to do his favorite nighttime activity--pick up a woman at the club. This woman turned out to be one of the Angelus' warriors in mortal form meant to seduce Jackie. Angelus planned to allow Jackie to die when he conceived his new child, and then kill the new host of the Darkness, ending the lineage of the Darkness permanently. Sonatine was able to stop Jackie before he made a fatal mistake, and Jackie killed the warrior sent by the Angelus. In order to get Jackie to cooperate, Sonatine had also taken Jenny hostage.
With Jenny as leverage, Sonatine convinced Jackie to come with him in order to gain a better understanding of the powers which he possessed. Sonatine took Jackie out into the country during the middle of the day, to a place where Jackie would not have access to his powers. Jackie was enraged at the trickery, but had little time to react as Angelus showed up with several of her warriors. Angelus had been keeping tabs on Sonatine, and watched him play Jackie right into her hands--to a place where he was powerless to stop her from destroying him. Jackie grabbed a gun from one of Sonatine's henchmen and asked whether she was bulletproof. Sonatine replied that her warriors would be unharmed by gunfire, and Angelus herself even more protected, however the warrior closest to her appeared mortal and was most likely her companion or confidant. Jackie fired upon her, clipping her wings and bringing her down. With a knife at the fallen angel's throat Jackie and Sonatine were able to get back into the limo with their new hostage and make a hasty retreat for Liberty.
Not wanting to see her most beautiful creation harmed, Angelus allowed them to escape for fear of any harm coming to her lover. Now that Sonatine had the leverage he needed to remain protected from Angelus, Jackie convinced him to give him twenty-four hours to set his affairs in order and afterward he would do whatever they wanted in order to create their new world. Sonatine reluctantly agreed, allowing Jackie to go. First Jackie sought out the Eastwoods, a pair of hit-men who had been revealed to have made the attempt on Uncle Frankie. He tortured information out of the Eastwoods before killing them, and then killed Vinnie--a member of Frank's crew who was responsible for setting up the hit.
After Vinnie was killed Frank came out of the coma he had slipped into. Knowing for the first time in his life that what Frank had told him about his parents was a lie, Jackie asked his Uncle who his father really was. For the first time Frank came clean explaining that he was not actually related to Jackie by marriage. He said that Jackie's father, Danny, was well known in the criminal underworld. He explained to Jackie Danny's particular brand of ruthlessness and pension for leaving his hits more than simply dead. It was for this reason that Frank had not done business with Danny. It was after Danny's death that on his balcony that Frank was approached by a strange man that Jackie realized fit Sonatine's description. Sonatine explained to Frank that Danny had a son located at the orphanage, and that if Sonatine were to bring Jackie into their crew he would mean big things for Frank. Frank would not see Sonatine again, however Jackie's involvement pushed Frank into a position of importance.
Meanwhile Angelus, insane with rage, sent all of her warriors out over the city to destroy Jackie and reclaim her love, who had just escaped her prison on Liberty. She contacted Angelus mentally, and attempted to head to shore. Receiving a call from Sonatine Jackie was able to head her off at the docks. Seeing Jackie she turned around and attempted to fly away but her wings were too wet. She plummeted into the water and was drawn into the propeller of a nearby boat, killing her. Angelus arrived to find her love dead, and Jackie standing on the docks. She battled Jackie, but was pushed back and retreated, swearing threats on Jackie's life.
Jackie told Sonatine's henchman Wenders what had transpired who shouted at Jackie up upon hearing the news. His rant gave Jackie an idea, and Jackie created a sentient creature from the Darkness he called Darkus, and told Wenders that the foul-mouthed imp would take up residence in the darkness of Wenders' pants. There Darkus would remain safe from the light, and through a connection to Jackie would reveal exactly what Wenders would do and say. He warned Wenders if he didn't follow Jackie's instructions precisely that he would know, and he would have Darkus take a bite.
When Jackie was finished it was twilight. Angelus was perched on the top of a building and Jackie approached her from the shadows. When she tried to attack Jackie revealed that he was not actually there, but was only learning to control his power better creating a construct of himself with which to talk to her. He invited her to finally end the war between darkness and light at the foot of the Statue of Liberty. He had instructed Wenders to inform Sonatine that they would all meet that morning too, and that Jenny was to be present, but did not inform either of his intention to invite Angelus.
The following morning Jackie met with the Brotherhood of the Darkness at the foot of Liberty. Sonatine believed Jackie to be completely powerless in the morning light, but Jackie informed him that he brought company as Angelus arrived. Angelus also believed Jackie to be at a disadvantage, and both groups were taken by suprise as Wenders apologetically hurled a smoke grenade at Jackie and Angelus giving Jackie enough cover from the daylight to pull Angelus into the darkness of the Brotherhood's lair below liberty. Here Angelus spent all of her remaining power trying to destroy Jackie. Jackie knew his power wouldn't be able to match Angelus' power and experience, but as his power was rooted in darkness and the Angelus power was rooted in light he assumed that without contact with the light for a long enough period Angelus' power would fade. Losing energy, Angelus rotted away before Jackie's feet. A bird of flame rose out of the ashes and flew out of the island into the city, possibly to its new host. Sonatine had escaped, but Jackie was safe for now, and he had Jenny.
The next morning Jackie had to watch as Jenny boarded a train headed away from the city. She knew that she could never be with Jackie in the way she truly desired, and that with his new power he would be lost to her in a world she did not want to be a part of. Jackie could only stand and watch as what he perceived as the only good thing in his life departed.
Powers
The Darkness Unleashed
Jackie is highly intelligent and is a ruthless killer. His life before 21 consisted of being Frankie "Kill the Children too" Franchetti's top hit-man. Because of this he is a skilled fighter, is experienced with a variety of weapons, and is an expert marksman. Jackie's upbringing by the mob was hand selected by the Brotherhood of the Darkness to make him an ideal weapon for wielding the Darkness power.
As wielder of the Darkness, Jackie possesses a number of supernatural abilities. The Darkness power allows the wielder to create anything they desire. This includes everything from solid constructs such as armor and weaponry to living, sentient beings controlled by the Darkness. One of the most common manifestations of the darkness includes darkness armor around Jackie as well as demon-like creatures to do his bidding. A primary weakness of the Darkness is that it only functions in the absence of light. When light hits anything created of the Darkness it vanishes, and Jackie cannot access his power in the light. This leaves Jackie particularly vulnerable to attack during the day.
Jackie, and all wielders of the Darkness, pass on the Darkness to their heirs through sex. Upon the conception of their child they die, so males in Jackie's family generally die during intercourse. This is quite the burden on Jackie, who lost his virginity at 14 to a female police officer on the interrogation desk.
For more information see also: The Darkness.
The Darkness Appears in These Volumes
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