The Duck Knight Returns is a comic story written by Aaron Sparrow and Ian Brill and drawn by James Silvani. It features Darkwing Duck, his civilian identity Drake Mallard, Launchpad McQuack, Gosalyn Mallard, her superhero identity Gosmoduck, Honker Muddlefoot, Quackerjack, Megavolt, Bushroot, Liquidator, Negaduck, Taurus Bulba, Gizmoduck, Gyro Gearloose, Little Helper, Scrooge McDuck, Huey, Dewey, and Louie Duck, Mr Banana Brain, Magica De Spell, Sara Bellum, Gadget Hackwrench, and in their debuts, the Crimebots, a lookalike of Steelbeak, the HR-Bot, Doris, and Maury Thwackstein. Flounder appears on a computer screen, toy versions of Mickey Mouse, Fozzie Bear, Kermit the Frog, Dr Teeth, Camilla, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Mr Potato Head, Rex, Hamm, Bo Peep, Mrs Potts, Chip, and the Mayor of Halloween Town can be seen on the shelves of the Quackwerks Toy Warehouse and Clint Wacky's Wacky Wonders, and Donald Duck and Pluto appear in photographs. The Ice Beings, Monstrous Carrot, the World's Biggest Rabbit, and Kaa appear in Darkwing's daydreams.
Plot
It's been a year since Darkwing Duck last patrolled the streets of St. Canard, having decided that it was too dangerous after Negaduck managed to discover his secret identity and attack his house, and having realized that, with the rise of mega-corporation Quackwerks and their Crimebots, it wasn't necessary anyway. But when the masked hero is forced to come out of retirement (and reunite with a few old friends) following the resurgence of his old nemeses, the Fearsome Five, Darkwing discovers that Quackwerks isn't what it seems - and, what's more, that there's another, even older enemy of his behind the whole thing!
References
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Continuity
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Behind the scenes
The Duck Knight Returns was first printed in 2010 in four parts, in Darkwing Duck #1, Darkwing Duck #2, Darkwing Duck #3, and Darkwing Duck #4. It was reprinted in English in Darkwing Duck Trade Paperback #1 and Disney Afternoon Giant #5. Previews of the story were printed in Uncle Scrooge: DuckTales #1, Mickey Mouse and the Orbiting Nightmare #1, and Boom Free Comic Book Day #3. An altered version of the story was printed in Darkwing Duck - The Definitively Dangerous Edition #1.