Darkchylde

Darkchylde
Ariel Chylde pictured on the cover of Darkchylde issue #1
Publication information
Publisher	Maximum Press Homage Comics (Wildstorm/Image Comics) Darkchylde Entertainment
First appearance	Glory/Angela: Angels in Hell #1 (April 1996)
Created by	Randy Queen
In-story information
Full name	Ariel Chylde

Darkchylde is an American comic book character created in 1996 by Randy Queen. It was originally published by Maximum Press, and later by Image Comics, through Homage Comics, a publishing imprint of Wildstorm. Subsequent projects would by published by Darkchylde Entertainment, through Wowio.

Darkchylde is the story of Ariel Chylde, a cursed teen who can become the creatures from her many nightmares, and then must save her small town from the forces of darkness she's set free.

Darkchylde was launched as a comic book property to immediate success in the summer of 1996. The book shot to the #1 hottest comics spot in Wizard, where it stayed for nine months collectively in both Wizard and Combo magazines. The book outsold Spider-Man, the Hulk, Superman, and Batman in America, and quickly garnered an unusually large female following, in stark contrast to the traditionally male comic book market. The success of the books spawned a line of best-selling trading cards, action figures, skateboards, lunch-boxes, lithos, apparel, and mini-bust statues.

When the book was launched overseas to foreign audiences, it quickly became Panini Publishing's best selling title, overselling all of their classic superhero titles, including both Spider-Man and the X-Men.

Wizard magazine released Darkchylde #1/2, a mail order-only comic that outsold all of their previous mail order comics.

Creator Randy Queen created Darkchylde Entertainment with partner Sarah Oates and launched "Dreams of the Darkchylde" #1. It was the best-selling independent title offered that month in Previews, the magazine for comic distribution orders.