Looking back at the animated series that USED to be on the television compared to what is on it NOW, I have realized how good Darkwing Duck actually was. It had everything series today lack: A funky song during the introduction, Likeable characters with personalities that grow throughout the series yet always seem in-character, clever humor, and slick animation.

Sure it wasn't as "pretty" as the faux-anime style that plagues animation today, but it had soul to it. And the villians were evil enough to be interesting, yet not so evil as to be over-dramatic or even scary to small children. And the hero was a normal guy who didn't make a big deal out having secret powers. It was a show that everybody could watch together and not one single member of the family would be completely disgusted by it's immaturity or bored by it's over-maturity. Maybe not 100 perfect, but close enough to warrant being remembered as one of the high points among television series.

This is a good one. I'd say that the three superheros that spawned my love of the superhero genre were Batman, Silver Surfer and Darkwing Duck. "DW," as Launchpad always calls him, is always incredibly vain, goofy, and just downright cool. A lot of thought was put into the design and personalities of the other characters in the series, too. Most kids who grew up watching this show (I raise my hand) developed a favorite villain...mine was probably MegaVolt, but all of them are likeable.

This is one of the rare TV series that has successfully depicted a struggling superhero trying to be the city's one true crime-fighter, but often getting one-upped by other wannabe-heroes, i.e. Gizmoduck. Darkwing also struggles with his home life (his daughter Gosalyn), his love life (Morgana), and his social life (Launchpad and others), but since everything more or less works out by the end of the episode, it makes for a pretty funny and all-around enjoyable show. The morals and lessons learned, combined with the superhero-vs.-supervillain setting, make this an ideal show for kids. However, much of the humor can be appreciated by adults, too. I'll close this review with one of DW's many quotes:

"I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the plot twist in the second reel!"

Daring duck of mystery. . . Okay I'll admit it. Everytime I see or somebody mentions this cartoon, I hear the theme song and then it gets stuck in my head. Not only does it have one infectiously catchy theme song, but Darkwing Duck is hands down one of Disney's most successful and celebrated cartoons ever. The humor is wildly hilarious and in your face. Every character is a sure-fire winner, especially the villains. Darkwing also strikes a very bold personality. He's still a hero, yet a very egotistical one. He's obviously a spoof of Batman and some leftover hero cliches as well. The comic book appeal of the situations and scenes and his whole routines only adds to the flavor. Launchpad is obviously better suited here than in Duck Tales and watch out for cameos from Gizmo Duck. It's a shame Toon Disney has saw fit to butcher their own creations.