Darkman Vs. Army of Darkness is a four issue limited series published by Dynamite Entertainment in 2006. The plot involves two Sam Raimi created characters, Ash Williams and Darkman, teaming-up to stop a Deadite army from taking over the world.
The Story[]
Some time has passed since Darkman III, and Peyton Westlake (AKA Darkman), now watching over his former love Julie as she has started going out with a new man called Tony. When returning to work, Julie and her assistant Brynne Kelly investigate a box full of occult related items for cataloging. Among the items is the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, which Brynne has managed to partially translate. As Julie begins to read it, she becomes possessed while the city's citizens as well as the deceased at the morgue begin to change into Deadites. As Darkman realizes what is happening, he spots Julie and Brynne been attacked and fights off the Deadites around them - only for Julie to reveal she has also been turned into a Deadite, referred to by the others as "The Queen of Darkness". Unable to free Julie from the possession, Darkman rescues Brynne (who still has the book) and flees with her to the library, barricading them both inside as the Deadites pursue them. Brynne recognizes Darkman as Peyton Westlake, while Darkman reveals he knows her as well before she reveals what happened at the office. When asked about reversing the spell, Brynne reveals she partly translated a later passage - speaking of "a legendary hero who can be called forth in time of great need".
Seeing the situation as suitable, Darkman and Brynne chant the spell before a vortex opens - with Ash Williams (along with his Boomstick, Chainsaw, and car) arriving through the portal. A brief conversation between the trio is cut short as the deadites break in, with both Ash and Darkman fighting against them. When the Queen of Darkness arrives, Ash tries to shoot her but is stopped by Darkman - with a brawl breaking out between them while one of the deadites seemingly grabs the Necronomicon from Brynne and leaves with the others. Brynne -after stopping Ash and Darkman from fighting - reveals that she has taken the cover from the Necronomicon and wrapped it around another book, hiding the pages in Ash's car. After a discussion between the three as to what to do, Ash and Darkman agree to split up to cover more ground (with Darkman putting a tracer device in Ash's car as well as warning him not to kill Julie as the book may have a way to restore her to normal).
The Queen is furious as only the Necronomicon's cover is authentic, with her using it like a wand but commanding the deadites to find the pages from within it. As Darkman introduces Brynne to his hidden laboratory and home, Brynne begins to scan the book pages into the computer to try and find a reversal spell while Darkman follows the signal for a tracer he planted on one of the deadites during the earlier fight. Meanwhile, Ash manages to sneak into a deadite-infested S-Mart and get some supplies and weapons - as well as stealing a Riot-Control Bazooka from a SWAT van - before setting off after overhearing that the deadites are gathering in Neeson Park. At Neeson Park, Ash intervenes during the Queen's speech - killing several deadites before aiming the Bazooka at the Queen. Unfortunately, she is pushed out of the way and escapes by flying, ordering her minions to attack Ash. Fortunately, one of the deadites - the same one who pushed the Queen out of the way - begins to attack the others, revealing himself as Darkman to Ash. The pair escape as Darkman apologizes for ruining Ash's shot, fearing he was going to kill Julie. In the city's graveyard, the Queen raises up more deadites from the grave before raising and restoring Darkman's former enemy - Robert G. Durant - as her lieutenant, offering him the chance to kill Darkman, Ash and Brynne as well as to help "forge an empire beyond his wildest dreams". Durant accepts, promising the death of the trio and to lead the Deadite army as the Queen 'constructs her temple'.
While driving around, Ash and Darkman find that the deadites are setting fires all around the city, with Darkman revealing that the only good thing about it is that it's prolonging his disguise. As the pair are contacted by Brynne, they learn from a news-stream that Durant has been resurrected and is commanding the deadite army. Heading into the subway system, Darkman kills several deadites in their way with his personal subway car before he and Ash ride it to the TV Station. Ash battles the deadites while Darkman confronts Durant, but they are unable to kill him due to his enhanced strength and regenerative power, with the pair been forced to flee to Darkman's lair. With the Mayor and media under deadite control, the trio see that the Queen is building her temple on the bay, with Brynne finding the temple building spells in the book as well as 'reversal rites' that could change Julie back to normal. This puts Ash into a depression with the knowledge he may have been able to save his girlfriend Linda when she became a deadite. After later been reassured by Brynne that the spells Linda and Julie read were different, with no way to save her (as well as words of encouragement from Darkman), Ash snaps out of his depression as the trio set off to save Julie and stop the deadites. With a plan in place to each read a part of the reversal spell, the pair head into the temple.
Fighting their way past several deadites, the trio place a decoy by trapping three deadites and disguising them for the others to find. As the Queen and Durant realize the truth, Brynne begins the spell as Ash battles the deadites and Darkman again clashes with Durant. As the Queen tries to attack, Brynne repels her with the taser Darkman gave her before the trio complete the reversal spell. Those who were possessed return to normal while Durant and those who were raised from the grave turn to dust. As Darkman catches Julie - who is unconscious - the trio lead the rest of the population out of the temple as it collapses. As the media tries to explain what happened, Julia is taken to hospital and reunites with Tony, while Brynne and a disguised Darkman leave the scene. As Ash congratulates the pair and shares a kiss with Brynne, he fades away as the spell that brought him also wears off. As Darkman watches over Julie, he states in his thoughts that his choice to save Julie meant others perished - something he will have to live with as he says "I can't save everyone. I'm no 'Super' man, I'm Darkman. I'll just have to live with that too".
Alternate Covers[]
Trivia[]
- After leaving Darkman and Brynne in the library, Ash stops at a restaurant named Shemp Eats The Moon. This is the name of a early Super-8 film by Sam Raimi starring Bruce Campbell and Ellen Sandweiss.
- The Deadites army gathers in Neeson Park, which is a reference to actor Liam Neeson who played Darkman in the first film.