Dynamite Comics is running a Kickstarter featuring three Darkwing Duck collections of comics. Darkly Dawns the Duck collects the classic 1991 DW debut comic 4 part series as well as the Darkwing Duck stories from Marvel Comics The Disney Afternoon 10 issue series. Cowl and Fowl collects the 10 comic Darkwing Duck series from Dynamite Comics written by Amanda Deibert and illustrated by Carlo Lauro. Heroes and Villains collects both of the Dynamite Comics Darkwing Duck spin-off series respectively Justice Ducks written by Roger Langridge and illustrated by Carlo Lauro and Negaduck.written by Jeff Parker and illustrated by Ciro Cangialosi. These books would have a dangerous place in any Darkwing Duck fan’s library. You can check out these books as well as other Darkwing Duck collectible offerings at the link below.

Dynamite Comics Darkwing Duck Novel Kickstarter

Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing the writer of the Dynamite Comics Darkwing Duck (2023) comic series…Amanda Deibert.

Hey Amanda! Thanks for doing this interview with us.

DuckTalks: What are some of your fandoms?

Let me tell you, being allowed to be a part of the Darkwing fandom has been incredible. I was a fan of the show as a kid, but I had no idea the fandom went so hard or was so incredible. It’s been such a fun experience to see how enthusiastic this fandom is!

Amanda: I’m a fan of so many things. I love Wonder Woman and Batman and the X-Men and Star Wars and so many shows and films. One of my favorite things as a writer is that I get to delve deeply into worlds that I love and it only makes my love for it grow.

DuckTalks: You binged watch the Darkwing Duck series in preparation for your Darkwing writing assignment. Do you have a favorite episode? Who is your favorite character?

Amanda: Okay, this is difficult because I love a lot of episodes for different reasons.” Just Us Justice Ducks Part 1& 2” might be my fav overall episode. I also super love “Dry Hard” because there is something about the Liquidator that I just adore and Monsters R Us, because I can never get enough Morgana.  “Darkly Dawns the Duck parts 1&2” are so dear to my heart as you can probably tell since Drake’s relationship with Gosalyn is at the center of my own run. At this point I should stop because that’s a lot of “a favorite episode”

My favorite character is Darkwing himself, which his ego would enjoy… and then probably Morgana. 

DuckTalks: Do you have a favorite “I am the Terror….” line?

Amanda: This is the most fun thing on earth to write. I had soooo much fun with these. 

My favorite that I wrote from an alliteration standpoint is: 

“I am the terror that flaps in the night, I am the scrupulous sculptor, who chisels justice from the surface of sinister stones. I am Darkwing Duck!”

And my favorite from an annoying items standpoint is either:

“I am gym class on the day you forgot to wear deodorant.” Or “I am the toy that slips through the fingers of the pronged claw machine in the arcade of villainy.”

DuckTalks: After writing for Darkwing, do you find yourself saying LET’S GET DANGEROUS more or the same amount in your daily life?

Amanda: Oh, for sure more… so much more.

DuckTalks: When writing new adventures for a popular and well established beloved fan favorite from the nineties, there is a wide range of audience demographics to try and write for (All Ages Kids, New Fans, Casual Fans, and Die Hards). Did you have a target audience in mind? and how do you try to balance between the different audiences?

Amanda: This is probably where it is helpful that I am 90s audience but I am also the mom of a kid. Honestly, instead of focusing on a particular audience I focused on making each issue feel like an episode of the 90s show with modernizations that made it feel like they take place in our current time. (ie. Cell phones). 

DuckTalks: Do you have a favorite issue from your 10 issue run of Darkwing Duck?

Amanda: Issue 4 when Drake and Morgana attempt to be normies. That was something I wanted to do so much. They are both so good-hearted and in-love, but they also are both extraordinary and weird and it’s their weird that matches and makes them great together… and is also why they can never survive as normies.

DuckTalks: As a writer, what is the feeling like when you get to finally see the finished product in your hand? In the case of Darkwing Duck, it was Carlo Lauro illustrating your script.

Amanda: It is magic. Every time. Carlo does beautiful work and he adds so much humor and so many Easter eggs. So much about what makes this comic great is him. 

DuckTalks: As part of Dynamite’s Darkwing Duck Novel Kickstarter, your Darkwing Duck comic run is going to get a fancy Deluxe Oversized Hardcover edition. I got my pledge in and opted for a signed edition. Do you have a bookcase with trade paperbacks and hardcovers of all of the stories that you have written?

Amanda: I do! It’s in a back room and it is chaotic. My wife, Cat Staggs, is a comic illustrator, and she also has a back-room bookshelf. The rest of our house is filled with books we read. And our child also has an entire built in bookshelf wall, which does include her copies of some of my kid stuff. Our house is… dangerously full of books. 

DuckTalks: You were able to get Mayor Owlson who was a character from the DuckTales (2017) show into your Darkwing Duck comic. I love that you were able to make that happen. Were you a fan of DuckTales (2017)? Do you have a favorite episode?

Amanda: I loved doing that too! It was part of my “keep the vibes of the 90s show and also make it modern” thing I really committed to pulling off. I am absolutely a fan of the 2017 DuckTales show. If I have to choose, I really enjoy the emotional depth of The Last Crash of the Sunchaser!

DuckTalks: Were you told that anything from Darkwing Duck or DuckTales was off limits?

Amanda: Not really. I did have an idea for a run that would have gone into the Negaverse, but I was asked to hold off on that one because the Negaduck book was about to launch and having two over lapping Negaverse stories could have caused some issues which I very much get and that was a great book. 

DuckTalks: The main villain in your F.O.W.L. Play storyline from Darkwing Duck #1-6 turned out to be the leader of F.O.W.L., Dr. NoGood, from the classic DuckTales episode “Double-O-Duck”. I didn’t see that coming. Nobody had seen or heard anything about Dr. NoGood since that episode in 1987. He was thought to have been deceased. What gave you the clever idea to bring Dr. NoGood back from the dead as your star villain?

Amanda: I wanted a twist no one would see coming! I was hoping it would be a fun and surprising reveal for readers/fans. Also, I grew up on Bond films and couldn’t resist the 007 homage.

DuckTalks: Everybody loves a great villain and Darkwing definitely has a dynamic rogue gallery. Who is your favorite member of the Fearsome Five?

Amanda: Oh, I love them all so much. For a favorite, it’s a coin toss between Liquidator and Quakerjack. 

DuckTalks: The villain for your second story arc in Darkwing Duck issues 6-10 was Mer-duck. What was your inspiration behind choosing the Mer-duck as a Darkwing foe?

Amanda: I’d already done the classic villains, so I wanted to create something different for Darkwing to deal with and the idea of a villain who is a land and water creature kind of bridging the gap between Darkwing and Neptunia realms was appealing to me.

DuckTalks: Your talented wife, Cat Staggs, created covers for each of your Darkwing Duck issues. I bought her whole run of covers for my collection. I think my favorite cover of hers is Darkwing Duck #4 where Morgana is peeking out from behind a curtain and Darkwing’s shadow is visible. I know it is a tough decision, but what is your favorite Cat Staggs cover from your Darkwing run?

Amanda: Oh, this is super hard! I think my favorite is also #4, but to give some diversity I will say Number 9 where Morgana and Stegmutt are being caught by a flashlight with kind of “Scooby-Doo” vibes or Number one because it has such a great “The Shadow” feel. But I really, really love what she did with each cover.

DuckTalks: Dynamite produced a ton of variant covers for the Darkwing Duck comic series? Is there any one in particular that comes to mind that you loved?

Amanda: Cat’s, of course, and I also really loved Carlo’s action figure covers! They were so cool. 

DuckTalks: Who is your favorite member of the Justice Ducks?

Amanda: Morgana. But I love them all. 

DuckTalks: Were you a fan of any other Disney Afternoon shows from your childhood?

Amanda: Of course! All of them!

DuckTalks: Are there any other Disney Afternoon shows that you might want to work on a comic run in the future? I heard that you may have a tale to spin.

Amanda: There are so many I’d be happy to do. I hope I get that chance soon!

DuckTalks: Thanks for getting dangerous with us!

You can follow the work of Amanda Deibert on her Twitter/X. Give Amanda a follow!

The Dynamite Comics Darkwing Duck Novel Kickstarter runs through July 3rd at 3:00pm. Consider getting dangerous and pledging to the campaign to add some cool Darkwing Duck books to your library and collections.

Dynamite Comics Darkwing Duck Novel Kickstarter

Stay Dangerous!