Necromantic energy in VEI

[Oxmyx]

I guess this is going to be pretty telling about my personal reading journey with Valiant.

I just encountered my first mention of Necromantic Energy (NE) in VEI a week ago or so.

I was reading #2 of INCURSION which I found out somewhere for cheap.

I've read quite a bit of VH1 and the concept of "necromantic energy" seemed to be a heavily recurring theme.

Does anyone know where it was first mentioned in VH1? I am guessing a Shadowman comic maybe in connection with Master Darque.

But most of my VH1 reading started with the later issues of the VU like Chaos Effect where NE was pretty widespread in the various titles.

Fast forward to VEI. This is about 2014 when I'm first picking it up.

I started with A+A and went through the whole run and it didn't bring up NE that I can recall.

Then I picked up XO and most of the run through Armor Hunters and Exodus and all that and no NE.

These make sense for no NE because NE is more associated with the corner of the VU inhabited by Shadowman, Doctor Mirage, Punk Mambo, etc.

I'm just not that into those titles. Sorry Shadowfans.

Then The Valiant event. I don't recall in NE in that.
Then I followed XO to the Unity trades, and I read a few and despite having Eternal Warrior I didn't run into NE.

Now all this is before the event surrounding Master Darque so I'm sure that's a gamechanger for NE.

I picked up the Eternal Warrior TPB by Hairsine, I forget which one, and despite having a Death God I can't recall any NE

But then I read the Armor Hunters event stuff, and then the Quantum and W stuff, the whole run.

At this point I kinda have the feeling that the VU presented by VEI doesn't even have NE.

But I am aware at the same time that I'm not reading the titles most likely to have it....meaning Shadowman and Friends.

Then BOOM Incursion #2 and I'm like WHAAAAT GOTTA GET THIS TPB

[Sunlight on Snow]

1st -- Shadowman #8, alongside Master Darque's first full appearance.

Not sure if it is already named "Darque Power" though? Maybe that's in SM #12. I need to reread this!

[Oxmyx]

1st -- Shadowman #8, alongside Master Darque's first full appearance.

Not sure if it is already named "Darque Power" though? Maybe that's in SM #12. I need to reread this!

What'd you learn? Don't keep me on pins and needles!

And do you know in VEI?

[greg]

"DARQUE POWER" is mentioned in Rai #0 (November 1992).
Shadowman #7 (also November 1992) has Master Darque (unnamed, unseen) speaking from within his limousine on the final page.
Shadowman #8 (December 1992) is the first appearance of Master Darque, still unnamed, seen (mostly in the shadows) and speaking in panels, called "the dark figure" by the narration.
Shadowman #9 (January 1993) doesn't have any new Darque content.
Eternal Warrior #6 (January 1993) shows Master Darque clearly on the cover (and names him for the first time). Master Darque also introduces himself to Buck McHenry (Geomancer) as "Master Darque" within the story pages.
Shadowman #10 (February 1993) is the first appearance of Sandria Darque (Master Darque's sister), Master Darque explains that "some months ago, there was a great surge of energy in the earth..." Sandria only calls him "Brother" instead of using a (first) name.

It has been many years (decades?) since I read these books, but I seem to remember that Master Darque gained potentially unlimited power as a result of the necromantic energy of Solar destroying the universe (in April 1991, in the story) in Solar #10. Yes, Solar put everything back, but that "first universe" did die and Master Darque was able to tap into that (new) supply of necromantic energy.

Or at least, that's what I remember happened. Not sure if I'm exactly right on those details.

The Valiant Reader (1993) seems to be hinting at the power coming from the Solar event, but doesn't specify it. It does say "necromancer" - which might have been your question about a first mention of the word. When was the term "Necromantic Energy" used first? Hard to say, but I believe the Darque Power was always a necromantic energy whether the term was used in the comics earlier than the Valiant Reader or not. I wouldn't get too caught up on the first use of the term "necromantic energy" in Valiant, because it was there whether it was named or not. "Solar energy" (from the sun) is a few billion years older than any human language which would eventually officially give it the name "solar energy" for the first time.

masterdarque1993valiantreader.jpg

[Sunlight on Snow]

"DARQUE POWER" is mentioned in Rai #0 (November 1992).

Ah, yes, in the narrative when Geoff meets Bloodshot.

Good catch!

[Oxmyx]

"DARQUE POWER" is mentioned in Rai #0 (November 1992).
....
It has been many years (decades?) since I read these books, but I seem to remember that Master Darque gained potentially unlimited power as a result of the necromantic energy of Solar destroying the universe (in April 1991, in the story) in Solar #10. Yes, Solar put everything back, but that "first universe" did die and Master Darque was able to tap into that (new) supply of necromantic energy.

Or at least, that's what I remember happened. Not sure if I'm exactly right on those details.

The Valiant Reader (1993) seems to be hinting at the power coming from the Solar event, but doesn't specify it. It does say "necromancer" - which might have been your question about a first mention of the word. When was the term "Necromantic Energy" used first? Hard to say, but I believe the Darque Power was always a necromantic energy whether the term was used in the comics earlier than the Valiant Reader or not. I wouldn't get too caught up on the first use of the term "necromantic energy" in Valiant, because it was there whether it was named or not. "Solar energy" (from the sun) is a few billion years older than any human language which would eventually officially give it the name "solar energy" for the first time.

Wow Greg, you're awesome. And like Sunlight said, good catch! Actually great catch. And I hadn't realized before the "strongly hinted" connection between Master Darque's rise to power and Solar's universe killing, which basically is the very start of the VU.

I'd actually say Valiant as a publisher was a little too subtle about the origin of Darque Power because it adds a VERY unique world-building spin to everything. I would say that perhaps Shooter set that up in Rai #0 and after his involuntarily exit it was forgotten.

BUT we're all getting carried away with VHI but my bigger question was actually VEI and I'm thinking a VEI Shadowfan can answer this.

Does VEI Shadowman mention necromantic energy? As Greg says, mentioned or not, we can assume it to be there, but I'm still curious.

[Sunlight on Snow]

BUT we're all getting carried away with VHI but my bigger question was actually VEI and I'm thinking a VEI Shadowfan can answer this.

Does VEI Shadowman mention necromantic energy? As Greg says, mentioned or not, we can assume it to be there, but I'm still curious.

Oh, I thought you were more interested in the VH1 origin.

As for VEI, Dox explains the concept of "necromantic energy" and enchanted bullets at the beginning of Shadowman #2 from the 2012 run so it's right there from the start. It is never really called "Darque Power" throughout VEI but the most recent Rai series ended with the huge cliffhanger involving something Darque. No spoiler here. Dan Abnett's Fallen World + Rai is highly recommended.

And if you're really interested in VEI's origin of "Darque," you need to pick up and read Shadowman #0 and #10 from the 2012 run....feat. the phenomenal origin stories of both the Darque's and the 1st Shadowman. In fact, those are by far the 2 best issues from the otherwise rather lackluster 2012 run.

[Oxmyx]

BUT we're all getting carried away with VHI but my bigger question was actually VEI...

Does VEI Shadowman mention necromantic energy?.

Oh, I thought you were more interested in the VH1 origin.

As for VEI, Dox ... from the 2012 run so it's right there from the start.
...

Thanks Sunlight! While I WAS very curious about the VH1 origin it was VEI's INCURSION that set off my question.

I've learned a lot of interesting things from this thread, so I'm glad I asked