Written billions of years ago by the Elder god Chthon or ‘the Other’, the Darkhold is one of the most powerful Grimoires in the Marvel Universe. Also known as the ‘Book of Sins’ or the ‘Shiatra Book of the Damned,’ the Darkhold forms part of the tomes of Eldritch Knowledge.
Basically, this is a book of dark magic and it is Marvel’s version of the Necronomicon written about by H.P Lovecraft in his Cthulu stories in the 1920s and 30s. In the Marvel Universe, Chthon originally composes the Darkhold as a collection of all the evil spells he knows, which get written down on indestructible parchment (the kind we comic book collectors wish our rare key issues were printed on).
Chthon left the earth but the Darkhold scrolls remained and the first human contact with them occurs in the Hyborean Age. Before the sinking of the Lost Civilization of Atlantis, the Dark Sorcerer Thulsa Doom found the Darkhold scrolls and organized a cult (the Darkholders) around them. The Darkholders would end up using the scrolls to create the first Marvel Vampire: Varnae.
With its strong connection to all sorts of supernatural beings such as Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies, this fictional tome has a history connecting it to multiple Marvel horror and supernatural titles. In this sense, the Darkhold is the evil complement to the Book of the Vishanti used by Doctor Strange. Although it has great power, for example using the Darkhold will allow one to utter the Montesi Formula, a powerful incantation for destroying all Vampires; unfortunately its prolonged use effects the user with the dark corrupting power of Cthon. Its black magic is so strong that few can actually use it and retain their souls. For the average person, use of the Darkhold, leads to possession by Chthon.
In modern Marvel horror, the Darkhold is a staple Grimoire and it has appeared in many Marvel comics, including a short lived 1990s monthly series (Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sin) as well as in popular culture, for example on the television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D in the fourth season (which is, arguably, the best season of that program so far).
Marvel Spotlight #4 (June, 1972) – First appearance of the Darkhold
Although mentioned in Marvel Spotlight #3, the first appearance of the Darkhold is actually in this issue. Jack Russell travels to his birth father’s Castle which has been transplanted from the Baltic's to a small island on the California coast. The Castle is now owned by a mad scientist called Miles Blackgar who uses it as a grounds for evil experiments on human beings. Russell takes hold of the book only to see his hands overgrow with hair as the Werewolf curse takes effect. Blackgar’s daughter, a mutant with a petrifying gaze, turns Jack to stone. The story continues in Werewolf by Night #1. This issue is nowhere near as popular (or as expensive) as Marvel Spotlight #2, which is the first appearance of Jack Russell the Werewolf or Werewolf by Night #1 the first issue of his own series. High grade copies in 9.4 can be found for just over $100.00, and for much less in raw form.
Marvel Chillers #1 (October, 1975) – First Modred the Mystic
After Thulsa Doom was killed by Kull the Conqueror, the Darkhold (minus some scrolls buried under the Flaming Mountains of Khorasha) travelled east. From there it made its way to Europe where, in the Middle Ages, Morgan LeFay and the Darkholders attempted to bring back Chthon. The demon god proves himself much too powerful to be controlled and his spirit is magically trapped under Wundagore Mountain. Morgan LeFay then binds all the known Darkhold Scrolls into a book. This book ends up in Darkhold Tower on the Isle of Wight, where it is buried and searched for in this comic by Janet Lyton and Grant Whittacker. This is also the first appearance of Modred the Mystic. The Darkhold appears in flashback scenes. This is not really on the radar of collectors, even though it is a number one issue and a first appearance. If Modred the Mystic ever shows up in the Marvel movies, you’ll be glad you picked this up while it was still so affordable. Best returns have been on 8.5 graded copies which currently sell for under $40.00. A nice affordable key.
Excalibur #37 (May, 1991) – Doctor Doom uses the Darkhold
In the under-rated Uncanny X-Men spin off title Excalibur, Doctor Doom uses a Darkhold spell in order to enter Limbo, the domain of the demon Belasco. This, like most issues from this title, is a dollar-bin book. You can probably get it for even much less than a dollar, simply do a search for lots of the old Excalibur comics on Ebay.
