Skip to main content

Archie's Most Spellbinding Hero DARKLING Returns in Thrilling One-Shot

 The classic superhero stars in a magic-shrouded "dark academia" thriller written by Sarah Kuhn this November!


Darla Lang, a.k.a. the magical superhero DARKLING, returns to Archie Comics after a decades-long absence in a new "dark academia" thriller this November! The new one-shot, written by noted YA author Sarah Kuhn (Heroine Complex) with art by Carola Borelli (Gambit & Rogue), explores the character's origins and her mysterious powers of teleportation in the sinister halls of Ivy Hollow University.

"Sarah Kuhn's impressive work on Shadow of the Batgirl and Girl Taking Over: A Lois Lane Story made her a perfect choice to tell the story of Darla Lang," said Archie Comics Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante. "This one-shot explores more of her life, demystifying the character who was once defined by being cloaked in shadows. And we're excited to work once again with artist Carola Borelli, who has a wonderful grasp of character designs and setting the right mood to tell a story."


Darkling first appeared in 1983's MIGHTY CRUSADERS #4, as part of Archie's "Red Circle" line of superhero comics. She fought alongside heroes like The Web and The Shield and stood out for her unique design and unusual power set: teleporting evildoers to another dimension through her cloak. The character has recently reappeared in new issues of Archie's digest comic magazines in the "classic" Archie style. The new DARKLING one-shot will be her first solo adventure for older readers since the '80s and sets her alongside other dark academia stalwarts like the Netflix series Wednesday and Lev Grossman's The Magicians book series.

"Darkling's been popping up recently in some of our classic-style titles as Riverdale's resident goth queen—who just so happens to have powers that often put her at odds with supernatural entities and monsters. We wanted to take that energy and bring it to a new audience," Rotante added. 

DARKLING, with a cover by Maria Sanapo, an open-to-order variant cover by David Mack, colors by Ellie Wright, and lettering by Jack Morelli, releases November 22 in comic shops nationwide and will be available for pre-order in comics shops starting Friday, August 18. 


Visit the official Archie Comics website for more information, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for the latest news and updates!

DARKLING (ONE-SHOT)

From the outside, Darla Lang looks like a normal college student—save for the peculiar voluminous black cloak she wears everywhere. Her peers and professors chalk this up to Darla’s eccentric, introverted, slightly creepy persona, but Darla is a young woman with a secret… and a mission. Darla’s cloak is actually a mystical artifact that she can use as a melee weapon, trapping her enemies inside and teleporting them away. Darla’s power and connection to the supernatural world have always been a curse, and now she’s enrolled in Ivy Hollow University which harbors some dark secrets of its own. Will Darla find within its hallowed halls the answers to the questions about herself and her powers that she’s been seeking? Darkling mixes super-heroics with dark academia from writer Sarah Kuhn (Shadow of the Batgirl, Girl Taking Over: A Lois Lane Story) and artist Carola Borelli (Spider-Woman).  

Script: Sarah Kuhn
Art: Carola Borelli
Colors: Ellie Wright
Letters: Jack Morelli
Cover: Maria Sanapo
Variant Cover: David Mack
On Sale Date: 11/22
32-page, full-color comic
$3.99 U.S.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

REVIEW: 'Little Monsters' #1 by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen

  LITTLE MONSTERS #1 Writer: Jeff Lemire Artist: Dustin Nguyen Publisher: Image Comics Release Date: March 9, 2022 Cover Price: $3.99 They are the last children on Earth... who also happen to be vampires. For longer than they can remember, these child vampires have lived a life of eternal wonder amongst the ruins of humanity. But shocking events fracture the group and set them on a path of discovery that will shatter their innocence forever. Score: ★★★★1/2 (4.5/5) There are certain comic book creators whose books I'll pick up without hesitation. One of those creators is Jeff Lemire. He instills confidence knowing that his stories will be thoughtful and engaging. You add a talented artist like Dustin Nguyen on another collaborative effort and well, 'Little Monsters,' is a must-buy. I know, shocking.   They team up again with an intriguing post-apocalyptic vampire tale featuring "the last children on Earth" who've been left to their own devices among the ruin...

PREVIEW: 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Omnibus, Vol. 1

Explore never-before-seen adventures of the hit Paramount+ show in this graphic novel omnibus! Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Omnibus, Vol. 1 Writers: Mike Johnson, Kristen Beyer, Ryan Parrot Artists: Megan Levens, Angel Hernandez Publisher: IDW Publishing Trade Paperback: August 20, 2025, $24.99 First, in The Illyrian Enigma, set between seasons one and two, Una is accused of unlawful genetic modification by Starfleet and Captain Pike sets out in search of evidence that could prove her innocence. But when Captain Pike and the crew of the Enterprise get caught in the Pryllia colony, home to the elusive Illyrians, the mission objective quickly shifts from gathering evidence to exonerate Una to…breaking out. Then, in The Scorpius Run, set course with Captain Pike and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise to the Scorpius Constellation as they become the first Federation vessel to explore this uncharted region of space! In this romp across the stars, the Enterprise crew learn what i...

PREVIEW: THE ART OF INVINCIBLE SEASON ONE Companion Hardcover Offers a Behind the Scenes Look at the Hit Series

  Today Skybound debuted an all-new look at  The Art of Invincible Season One,  the behind-the-scenes companion to Prime Video’s hit animated series,  Invincible.  This hardcover marks the first animation artbook produced by Skybound Entertainment for the landmark franchise’s jump to television and will be available everywhere books are sold on March 27, 2024.     The Art of Invincible Season One  features never-before-seen production art, and exclusive commentary on the hit Prime Video series from key creatives, including  Invincible  comic co-creators Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker. Superfans of the hit animated series will be happy to find exclusive characters, backgrounds, vehicle designs, key art, and more inside this volume!    The critically acclaimed adult animated superhero series is currently airing the first half of its eight-episode second season on Prime Video, with new episodes airing weekly on #...