"Dark Reign"
Cover to Secret Invasion: Dark Reign. Art by Alex Maleev.
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Publication date	February 2009
Genre	Superhero Crossover
Title(s) Dark Reign Files Dark Reign: New Nation Dark Reign: The Goblin Legacy Marvel Spotlight: Dark Reign Secret Invasion: Dark Reign See also: Issues section
Main character(s)	New Avengers Iron Man Norman Osborn Dark Avengers The Cabal Thunderbolts The Hood's Crime Syndicate Dormammu
Creative team
Writer(s)	Brian Michael Bendis Jonathan Hickman Matt Fraction Rick Remender Kieron Gillen Peter Milligan Andy Diggle Greg Pak Jason Aaron Dan Slott
Artist(s)	Alex Maleev

Dark Reign is a 2008 to 2009 comic book branding used by Marvel Comics. It deals with the aftermath of the "Secret Invasion" storyline, which leads to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn.^[1][2][3] The title refers to Osborn's rise to national power and the ramifications thereof.^[4] Joe Quesada, then-editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, stated that "Dark Reign is not really an event, it's what's happening in the Marvel Universe." He believes that "Dark Reign leads to an interesting place in the Marvel Universe. I think you'll see a pulling back at the end of Dark Reign, but you'll understand at the end of it what we were trying to get to."^[4]

Publication history

The story-line begins with the release of Secret Invasion: Dark Reign, a one-shot Brian Michael Bendis (writer) and Alex Maleev (art), in December 2008. It continued in standalone mini-series and some individual issues of ongoing Marvel Comics titles throughout 2009. Selected ongoing Marvel titles were temporarily renamed to highlight their involvement in the story-line.^[5]

Initial promotional images for the story-line included a series of "We Lost, They Won" images showing: a severed robotic head of Iron Man, Emma Frost holding Cyclops's blood-covered visor, the new Captain America bowing to Norman Osborn's Iron Patriot form, Daken's Wolverine form looking down, Thor motionless on Loki's female form, Venom's Spider-Man appearance defeating Spider-Man, Henry Pym's Wasp alias (with Wasp's picture in the background), and the Green Goblin (which quotes that "He won").

There is no core limited series as there was in the preceding Secret Invasion event. Instead, the story-line is made up of one-shots that help fill in the gaps, limited series exploring the effect of the event on teams and individuals, as well as tie-ins with other ongoing series. The main story-line led into the 2010 "Siege" crossover event, although some plot elements are ongoing.

Plot

Following the Skrull invasion of Earth during Secret Invasion, Norman Osborn leverages his success in defeating the Skrulls to replace Tony Stark as director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Deadpool plays a large part in this, as he is supposed to send the information on how to kill the Skrull Queen Veranke to Nick Fury. An error occurs during the process and the information goes to Osborn instead. Osborn shoots Veranke in the head and becomes the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., which he replaces with H.A.M.M.E.R.^[6] Osborn simultaneously forms an alliance called the Cabal with Doctor Doom, Emma Frost, Namor, Loki, and the Hood. He uses H.A.M.M.E.R. to carry out his agenda and, at times, the Cabal's. However, Osborn's actions and his reputation influence a number of heroes and villains to attempt to resist Osborn's rule and remove him from power by force, if necessary.^[7]

Main characters

• Norman Osborn is the former Green Goblin and central focus of Dark Reign. He is featured in most of the ongoing series and mini-series linked to the Dark Reign story-line. Brian Bendis noted that "people know he's a bastard, but ignore it as long he gives them safety."^[8] The character is shown as willing to destroy anything that threatens his public hero status. Writer Matt Fraction commented that as the Iron Patriot, he is a "showman in armor". Osborn keeps the more volatile members of the Cabal in line with a "secret weapon" which is revealed to be the Void.^[9] Across multiple titles, the character is shown with ongoing mental instability from his days as the Goblin.^[10][11][12]
• The Hood is featured heavily during the Dark Reign story-line in both New Avengers and Punisher.^{[citation needed]} In the first, Bendis explores the character's relationship with Dormammu and his quest to become the new Sorcerer Supreme.^{[citation needed]} Rick Remender, writer of Punisher, focuses more on his activities as a gangster and criminal.^{[citation needed]} During the event, the character also features in the Dark Reign: The Hood mini-series, written by Jeff Parker, and has a major role in Marvel Zombies 4.^{[citation needed]} Writer Fred Van Lente explained that,

"The Hood, of course, may not be acting of his own volition, since he has an unholy alliance with the Dread Dormammu, who may want the zombies and the virus that creates them for his own nefarious purposes. Plus, the Hood doesn't just bring any group of villains with him on this jaunt. He brings a very horror-oriented group of villains with him."^[13] (This group is the Night Shift.^[13])

• Doctor Doom hopes to use the Cabal to conquer the world and, aided by his ally Namor, seize power when Osborn implodes, preferring to consider the Cabal as an association rather than as partners.^{[citation needed]} A short story written by Jonathan Hickman^[14] reveals that he plans to kill or enslave his Cabal allies in the near future. Doom is shown almost killing the Black Panther when the latter rejects a chair in the Cabal.^[15] Doom also uses Latveria to house the Asgardians as part of an agreement with Loki, which allows them to get rid of Thor, then exiled from Asgard.^{[citation needed]} However, Doom makes it clear that he trusts neither Loki^[16] nor Namor,^[17] but merely finds them useful. In Siege: The Cabal, Doom leaves the Cabal after one of his Doombot duplicates he sent in his place is attacked by Osborn's secret weapon.^[18]
• Loki is often shown as a manipulator. He uses Osborn's help to make Thor kill Bor (Odin's father), and cause Thor's banishment.^[19] Then, with Doom's help, Loki realizes his plan of taking the throne of Asgard. However, during Chthon's attack on Earth, Loki, disguised as the Scarlet Witch, gathers a new Mighty Avengers team, which defeats the evil god.^[20] Loki then subtly manipulates them to disturb Osborn's mental state and quicken his fall.^[11]
• Namor has possibly the smallest role in the Cabal, appearing mostly in titles written by Matt Fraction.^{[citation needed]} Fraction shows him as a warrior with great pride, and builds a sexual relationship between him and Emma Frost.^{[citation needed]} Namor becomes one of the leaders of the Dark X-Men, as shown in Fraction's Uncanny X-Men as well as their own Dark Reign tie-in series.^{[citation needed]} Namor was written as a loyal member of the Cabal until "Utopia", where he and Emma Frost betray Osborn and help the X-Men create their own island.^{[citation needed]}
• Emma Frost wants the mutant community to have a position of power in Osborn's new world order.^{[citation needed]} Multiple stories indicate that her relationship with Cyclops suffers because of secrets they keep from each other.^{[citation needed]} Frost and Namor become the leaders of the Dark X-Men.^{[citation needed]} She helps lead the Dark X-Men until the regular X-Men are captured.^{[citation needed]} She and Namor turn against Osborn and help establish the Utopia island.^{[citation needed]} During a battle with the Dark Avengers, Frost uses her telepathy to defeat the Sentry by taking part of the Void into herself and frightening him away.^{[citation needed]} She had to remain in her diamond form in order to keep the Void trapped.^{[citation needed]}
• Victoria Hand is a former S.H.I.E.L.D. Business Affairs Operative.^{[citation needed]} She is now Osborn's Deputy Director of H.A.M.M.E.R.^{[citation needed]} Osborn has given her a list of jobs for building "a new world peacekeeping task force from scratch," including, but not limited to: creating an acronym for H.A.M.M.E.R., writing a full report on the Fifty State Initiative, and stripping down and rebuilding Camp Hammond.^{[citation needed]} Osborn calls her "my eyes and ears and mouth," and names her his second-in-command over his team of Avengers.^{[citation needed]} She is sent by Osborn himself to take on Bruce Banner and his son, Skaar, where she shows great battle skills.^{[citation needed]}

One-shots

One-shots help the transition from Secret Invasion and fill in other details behind the main story-line.

Dark Reign: Files

Dark Reign: The Cabal

Written by Rick Remender, Jonathan Hickman, Matt Fraction, Kieron Gillen, and Peter Milligan, this one-shot features five vignettes that provide further information about the motivations of the members of the Cabal.^{[citation needed]}

It is reprinted in the Siege Prelude trade paperback.^{[citation needed]}

Dark Reign: Made Men

Written by Frank Tieri, this one-shot features vignettes that explore the impact of Osborn's rise, such as Attuma's resurrection, the appearance of the new Enforcer, the return of the original Spymaster, and the appearance of a new Jack O'Lantern.^[21]

Dark Reign: New Nation

This kicks off ongoing series Secret Warriors, Agents of Atlas and War Machine and limited series Skrull Kill Krew and New Avengers: The Reunion.^{[citation needed]}

Dark Reign: Goblin Legacy

The comic sees Victoria Hand collecting info about Norman Osborn's past.^{[citation needed]}

Marvel Spotlight: Dark Reign

M.O.D.O.K.: Reign Delay

This story was written and drawn by Ryan Dunlavey and shows M.O.D.O.K.'s attempt to take over his home town Erie, Pennsylvania. It was serialized on Marvel Digital Comics before appearing as a one-shot.^[22]

Other one-shots

• Captain America Who Will Wield the Shield
• Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Exodus
• Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia
• Dark X-Men: The Confession
• Secret Invasion Dark Reign
• Secret Invasion Requiem
• Free Comic Book Day Avengers
• Planet Skaar
• Thor Defining Moments
• Uncanny X-Men Annual 2

Ongoing titles

Dark Reign has been used as a springboard to launch these ongoing series.

Agents of Atlas

The Agents of Atlas are shown opposing Osborn's agenda by taking on the role of "super-villains". Their first act is to attack Fort Knox and steal the gold reserve, which Osborn planned on using to finance a secret weapons system.^[23]

Black Panther

Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, attempts to recruit T'Challa for the Cabal, a secret council of super-villains. Attacked by the forces of fellow Cabal member Doctor Doom, T'Challa is left comatose. His sister Shuri is trained as the next Panther, with the mantle passing onto her officially after T'Challa awakens from his coma and attempts to recover from his injuries. This then leads to Doomwar.

Dark Avengers

Written by Bendis, the series chronicles the aftermath of the U.S. government's disbanding of the federally sanctioned superhero team, the Avengers, and its reconstruction under Osborn's control. Their first mission is to save Doctor Doom and Latveria from Morgan le Fay.

Punisher

Marvel relaunched The Punisher War Journal in 2009 as simply Punisher, with a thematic link to the events of the Dark Reign story-line. It sees Punisher attempting to kill Osborn, but Goblin sends his cabal member Hood against Punisher. Punisher then goes against Hood's gang.

Secret Warriors

This series, co-plotted by Bendis with Jonathan Hickman writing,^[24][25][26] was launched as part of the Dark Reign story-line.^[27] Following their introduction in the Secret Invasion tie-in issues of The Mighty Avengers, Fury and the Secret Warriors discover that S.H.I.E.L.D. has been controlled by HYDRA since its creation, and set out to defeat both HYDRA and Norman Osborn's H.A.M.M.E.R.

Spider Woman

After Veranke's actions leave her feeling mistreated, Jessica joins S.W.O.R.D. after she is recruited by Abigail Brand. Her first mission takes her to Madripoor where she takes on a Skrull posing as Spider-Man. After run-ins with HYDRA, another Skrull, and the new Thunderbolts, Jessica eventually finds a wayward Skrull and she takes it down with the help of her teammates in the New Avengers. After the mission, Brand offers her different, new opportunities within S.W.O.R.D

S.W.O.R.D

Henry Peter Gyrich is assigned as S.W.O.R.D. co-commander alongside Brand. Gyrich is able to persuade the heads of S.W.O.R.D. to pass legislation to have all aliens deported from Earth while Brand was distracted with another mission. He manages to take several notable aliens into custody including Noh-Varr, Adam X, Beta Ray Bill, Jazinda, Karolina Dean, and Hepzibah.

Vengeance of Moon Knight

Moon Knight returns to New York after faking his death with Jake Lockley as his dominant personality, but still struggles against his violent nature and is hounded by Khonshu in the form of a small imaginary tormentor resembling a man in the Moon Knight costume with a bird skull who goads him to kill.

War Machine

The Amazing Spider-Man

The Amazing Spider-Man #595–599

Avengers The Initiative

Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=Dark_Reign_(comics)
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