And this time my revenge will be complete! This time I will plunge the Earth into Eternal Darkness! 
- — Eclipso
Eclipso: The Darkness Within #1 is an issue of the series Eclipso: The Darkness Within (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 1992.
Synopsis for "Part One: All Men Make Faults"
In a flashback to 1890, two explorers in Africa find the fabled lost Heart of Darkness, a gigantic priceless black diamond rumored to attract evil, left alone by the natives due to its surrounding superstition. One of the explorers kills the other one so he won't have to split the value, and then returns to London, England, so he can have it cut.
Back in the present, Lar Gand discovers a gigantic palace on the Moon, and upon investigation discovers it inhabited by Eclipso. Eclipso uses his abilities to manipulate Lar Gand's slight anger at him, and turns it into an uncontrollable rage. He then possesses Lar Gand's body, taking him on as a partial host. Eclipso realizes that while previously he had thought of superhumans as a powerful threat, they can actually be used as a massive positive resource for him.
He also receives an astral warning from the Phantom Stranger, although he obliterates it.
In Manhattan, Bruce Gordon uses a small fragment of the Black Diamond in his possession to try to discover its special properties, and figure out a way to destroy Eclipso. It's compass-like effects lead him to a Pawn Shop, where he finds an Eclipsed woman who has just murdered her husband. While he initially is confused as to how there can be a second Eclipso, he finds a second Black Diamond in her hand. He explains the issue to his wife, Mona, and announces intentions to go after Eclipso once and for all.
A week later, an eclipsed survivalist shows up at Jack Ryder's TV Station, gunning down anyone and everyone in sight, looking for the Creeper. When the Creeper finally does appear and begins battling the man, Eclipso tricks him into taking a Black Diamond, and possesses the Creeper before plunging the survivalist to his death. He stores the Creeper in his moon palace along with Lar Gand, and decides to next go after Superman.
Bruce and Mona track Eclipso down to a shopping mall in Metropolis. He finds another Black Diamond in possession of a child in a video game arcade, who spawns a gigantic game-inspired dark beast when the boy gets enraged at a man who makes him fail his high-score. Superman arrives on the scene, and battles the Eclipso Construct. Although the construct is seemingly able to defeat him, Bruce Gordon is able to disintegrate it using a beam of highly concentrated light.
On the Moon, Eclipso regroups and begins preparing himself for more campaigns against the denizens of Earth.
Appearing in "Part One: All Men Make Faults"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Mona Bennett
- Simon Bennett
- The Creeper (Jack Ryder) (Eclipsed)
- Superman
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Valor (Eclipsed)
- Eclipso's first victim (Appears only as a corpse) and his wife (Eclipsed)
- Solly, Jacob and Samuel (jewelers)
- WHAM staff
- Survivalist (Dies)
- The Phantom Stranger
- Perry White (Cameo)
- Henry Gordon (Flashback only)
- Metropolis Special Crimes Unit
Locations:
- The Moon
- Africa
- Upper Congo
- Stanley Falls
- Upper Congo
- England
- London
- The Moon Stone
- London
- Manhattan
- Bruce Gordon's apartment
- The Pawn
- 47th Street
- Massachusetts
- Boston
- WHAM-TV
- Boston
- Metropolis
- Metropolis Mall
- Daily Planet
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue gives special thanks to Bob Kahan and Frank Pittarese.
- Prior to this issue, Eclipso had been exclusively known as Bruce Gordon's evil half. This is the first time he is explained as a fundamentally evil possessing entity.
Trivia
- The title of this issue is a quote by William Shakespeare, from his 35th Sonnet. The full poem is:
- No more be grieved at that which thou hast done:
Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud:
Clouds and eclipses stain both moon and sun,
And loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud.
All men make faults, and even I in this,
Authorizing thy trespass with compare,
Myself corrupting, salving thy amiss,
Excusing thy sins more than thy sins are;
For to thy sensual fault I bring in sense,
Thy adverse party is thy advocate,
And 'gainst myself a lawful plea commence:
Such civil war is in my love and hate,
That I an accessory needs must be,
To that sweet thief which sourly robs from me.
See Also
- Cover gallery for the Eclipso: The Darkness Within series
- Images from Eclipso: The Darkness Within Vol 1 1
