Warning: potential spoilers for Darkhold: Blade, Darkhold: Iron Man and Darkhold: Black Bolt ahead
The Darkhold is one of the most powerful magical objects in the Marvel Universe, and to read from it is to fall under its evil spell. Black Bolt, the leader of the Inhumans, has been recruited by Scarlet Witch to help stop the evil book from destroying Earth, but Black Bolt has come under its influence, and fans can see this terrifying transformation in a gorgeous new cover by Martin Simmonds for Darkhold: Black Bolt, on sale in print and digital December 1st.
The Darkhold is a book of evil spells, written down by Chthon in prehistoric times. As one of the sources of dark magic in the Marvel Universe, the Darkhold has been responsible for the creation of vampires and other monsters, as well as corrupting countless innocents. The book had been lying dormant but was recently reawakened by Doctor Doom. Now, the Scarlet Witch has brought together an eclectic assortment of heroes, including Blade, the Wasp, Iron Man and Black Bolt, to stop the Darkhold from gaining a foothold in our reality. Anyone who reads from the Darkhold is driven mad—and the only way to truly combat the book is to read from it. Under the Darkhold’s influence, readers have been treated to a body-horror tinged vision of Iron Man, and a world where vampires have overrun the Earth. This December, readers will see what happens when Black Bolt reads from the Darkhold in Darkhold: Black Bolt, written by Mark Russell with art by David Cutler.
Last week, artist Martin Simmonds unveiled his cover for Darkhold: Black Bolt on his Twitter account. The cover shows Black Bolt in agony, screaming as his mind is clearly being ripped apart. His uniform is now black and red—the Darkhold has clearly corrupted him. The cover has proven to be a hit, garnering over a thousand likes and 150 retweets.
The possibilities Simmonds’ cover raises are horrifying. The merest whisper from Black Bolt can level a mountain—the destructive power of a loud scream is unfathomable, potentially able to destroy a planet. So far, every Darkhold special has given readers a glimpse into the darkest parts of Blade and Iron Man’s psyche—what horrible visions will Black Bolt witness? Will he be able to resist the Darkhold’s corrupting influence? Or will he fall under its sway? If the Darkhold takes Black Bolt, it will have a being of immense power at its disposal.
Martin Simmonds gorgeous cover for Darkhold: Black Bolt #1 acknowledges all these horrifying possibilities, giving readers a dark and twisted vision of the Inhumans’ king.
