Bondage cover!
Through a little narrative sleight of hand, Chuck Dixon introduces Cloak as the threat for this arc. The splash page has someone describing a man who “likes the dark streets” and is “drawn to the bad parts of the city,” over a picture of Punisher shooting his weapon.
But after two pages of killing thugs, the narrator names the man being discussed…
It’s Cloak. And he’s facing down Punisher in an alley.
The narrator is Dagger, who is explaining to Doctor Strange that Cloak is out of control, pursuing criminals with a violent vengeance she has never seen before.
Cloak’s darkness cloak swallows up Marvel Knights, one by one. Punisher. Daredevil. Widow. Moon Knight. Once inside, they find an army of armed criminals also inside the cloak, and have to fight for their lives. Punisher enjoys it a bit too much.
Doctor Strange figures out that Cloak is being driven mad by Nightmare, and we get this amazing cover by Trent Kaniuga.
Kaniuga did not do very much art for Marvel. Damn shame.
Ultimately, Dagger herself must fire her light into Cloak and then kiss him to make it better. Seriously. This is what happens:
I do not like that resolution because she could have done that from the start, without taking four issues.
But in the end, her light actually seems to cure Cloak and his darkeness is gone!
Or is it?
Yeah, don’t really love that “gotcha” ending, either.