Udon Comics' Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors Issue 1 was written by Ken Siu-Chong with artwork by Joe Vriens and Eric Vedder. The first issue continues off of the last comic in the six part Darkstalkers series and starts off with Donovan Baine and Anita. The side story done by Joe Ng features a several new characters and includes a Soul Bee from Q-Bee's tribe.
The comic was released on February 1st, 2010 and featured two covers. One cover featured Q-Bee, drawn by Emily Warren and another cover drawn by Alvin Lee which would later become the middle of a three part panorama.
Publisher synopsis[]
- "The ghoulish monsters and sexy seductresses known as the Darkstalkers are back! Morrigan, Demitri, Bishamon, and Donovan are joined by newcomers like Huitzil, Anakaris, and Q-Bee. It’s man VS demon, robot VS mummy, succubus VS vampire and more, as the creatures of the night battle for control of the darkness!"
- –Udon Entertainment
Issue Synopsis[]
Donovan Baine and Anita are walking through woods on the trail of Bishamon when a Darkstalker appears, trying to avenge his comrades Donovan had slain. After slaying the Darkstalker, Donovan notes that Anita still feels nothing and tells her that once they destroy Bishamon, she will regain her emotions. He states that she possesses a greater power that gives her greater vision than he and sees into her mind. He receives visions of Bishamon, Morrigan Aensland, Demitri Maximoff, and Pyron, not knowing whether the visions are past, present, or future. Anita says she doesn’t know what she sees and asks if he would stay with her. He says he will until he brought her humanity back to her.
In Romania, a train has reached its destination and train attendants are knocking on a door. They open it to find desiccated men. Unknown to them, smoke drifts out the room and train and goes into an alley, manifesting into Morrigan, who is grateful for the “in-cabin meal.” She can sense Demitri’s presence in the country and, aided by the memories of the vampire painter, flies toward his castle, saying that she would not be as merciful as her father was.
In multiple places around the world, Huitzil units emerge from their hiding places, heading to their rendezvous point with Pyron. In Egypt, the Huitzil unit unwittingly awakes Anakaris, who binds it with his bandages and questions it. It identifies him as a threat and attacks, burying Anakaris within a pyramid. He starts to remove the rubble, but finds the task strenuous. He returns to his sarcophagus to rest, thinking a century or two should be suffice to regain his strength.
At the rendezvous in space, Pyron observes that Earth has aged well, producing many lifeforms and asks the Huitzil which beings would provide him the greatest challenge, and they show him Morrigan and Demitri.
In Romania, Morrigan arrives at the location of Demitri’s castle, confused it’s not there. She lands on top of a church, and spots a man leading a group of amulet-bearing women and notes they are vampires from their scent. When they go through an archway and do not emerge from the other side, Morrigan realizes it’s a portal, with the amulets acting as a key. Morrigan kills one woman and disguises herself as her and takes her amulet. She goes through the archway and sees Demitri’s castle.
Elsewhere, Donovan and Anita arrive at a ruined town, and Donovan realizes that the town is his former home. Bishamon appears, saying that he had been waiting for him, and allowed Donovan to track him there. Donovan and Bishamon prepare for battle.
Side story[]
Somewhere in Makai, the demons Professor Varvle and his assistant Thornton are in the woods shooting a nature show. Hearing buzzing, Varvle tells Thornton to start shooting. Varvle narrates about a Soul Bee searching for food when she comes upon a demon flytrap, which distracts its prey with hallucinogenic pheromones. While they are enamored, it strikes, which it does with the Soul Bee. However, the Soul Bee manages to escape the demon fly’s jaws and flies away.
As Varvle continues narrating the events, he notices that Thornton is gone. He suddenly finds a beautiful demoness and becomes enamored, not knowing she is a hallucination of a demon flytrap.
Characters[]
- Donovan Baine
- Anita
- Bishamon
- Morrigan Aensland
- Demitri Maximoff (refeared to as Demitri Maximov in previous issues)
- Huitzil units
- Anakaris
- Bishamon
Minor[]
- Pyron
- Dr. Varvle (also referred to as Professor, in the video games canon he is called Varvle Mattlayer)
- Thornton (new to the series and non-canon to the main series)
- A Soul Bee
- Diabolus Dionaea muscipula or Demon Flytrap (new to the series and non-canon)
Cameos[]
Notes[]
- Donovan is referred to as the "Night Warrior" by an unnamed darkstalker.
- Belial, Morrigan's father is mentioned.
- Unlike Darkstalkers, the Night Warriors comic series does not include any "Darkstalkers Minis."
Credits[]
Story: | Ken Siu-Chong |
Pencils: |
Eric Vedder, Joe Vriens |
Inks: | Crystal Reid |
Colors: | Espen Grundetjern |
Letters: | Marshall Dillon |
Bonus story pencils: | Joe Ng |
Trivia[]
- Diabolus is Latin for Devil and Dionaea muscipula is the scientific name for the Venus Flytrap, which is also Latin.
- In the background at the end of Donovan, Anita and Bishamon's story arc in this issue is a sign that may read Lyons Tea. This may refer to a brand of tea from Ireland known as Lyon's Tea.