I am the terror that flaps in the night...

Here is a general overview of the characters and phenomenon of Darkwing Duck. It's not the best, it's may get better-I hope not worse-and if you want a more factual newbie try another site

After and initial run on the Disney Channel, Darkwing Duck aired in 1991 as part of the Disney Afternoon with newer episodes airing on Saturday Mornings, there were 81-91 eps. After a long run in syndication Darkwing headed to the new 'toon Disney cable channel.
Darkwing has also had a rather well lived comic career, unlike The Adventures of Superbunny, including a 4 comic self titled series, headlining the 10 issue Disney Afternoon comics and numerous comics in Disney Adventures.

Darkwing Duck/Drake Mallard

Height~4'-4'8"
Weight~don't ask ( he's kinda touchy about it)
Age~somewhere between 27-35 at the beginning of the series

"Drake Mallard is not Darkwing Duck, but he is an all around nice guy and you should never pick on him." Well Drake is a nice guy but, yes, he is Darkwing Duck. Sleepy suburbanite and parent by day/ winged scourge by night, DW is dashing, daring, and most other good words that start with D. The origins of DW aren't clear in the series--there is the alien theory, the "I beat up an Elvis wannabe" theory, the high school prom reality(?), with Goose Lee and a bunch of yogis popping up every once in a while. For the most part the real reason DM became DW is best left up to fan speculation. Darkwing is a freelance crimefighter but also gets paid by SHUSH.

Gosalyn Waddlemyer Mallard

Height~3'-3'8"
Age~8

Gosalyn is Drake's adopted daughter, not niece. Gosalyn's parents died(?) when she was little and then Tarus Bulba had her grandfather, Prof. Waddlemyer, killed. Gosalyn then went to live in the St. Canard orphanage where she was overlooked by numerous perspective parents. Gosalyn was rescued from Tarus by DW who took a shining to the spirited tyke. Maybe it was too much time alone, maybe it was a convenient plot line for Tad Stones, but Drake adopted Gosalyn, found a house on Avian Way and LP moved in. Instant family. Gosalyn loves her dad although she thinks he's overprotective. She's a tomboy, did I mention she has spirit? Gosalyn is also the heroine Quiverwing Quack.

Launchpad McQuack

Height~5'10"-6'0" yeah he's a little tall but that general in Heavy Mental was 5'10"--his wallet said so--and LP minus the giant noggin was just as tall if not taller
Age~well lets say he was 21 in Ducktales so between 25-32

Launchpad, LP, is Darkwing's biggest fan. Sorry he's the sidekick. This is an interesting role for him. In DT he was a sidekick but he was also the hero actually thinking his way out of situations he crashed into. In DW he seemed to loose as much wattage as he gained in bulk (my that boy filled out nicely). He's not a homeowner but does enjoy bowling, the ladies, being DW's sidekick and he has a clone who is King of the Universe. LP's favorite comic book character is Frankie Ferret, he loves working on the Thunderquack and although he considers himself a gourmet, never eat his cooking-unless you enjoy Cajun style brownies

Honker (Herbert Jr.) Muddlefoot

Age~ 8
IQ~ Probably near Madonna's level 150+

Honker is Gos' best friend and youngest son of the Muddlefoots-or would that be Muddlefeet in the plural-Honker is a boy genius and is kind of timid compared to Gos' take the world attitude. Maybe its because his older brother Tank is wailing on him all the time? Maybe it has to do with neurotransmitter receptors. As the series progresses he does develop more of a backbone and he's not wussy all of the time. He's also been seen following Quiverwing as the Arrow Kid. Many fans speculate that Honker and Gosalyn will one day marry much to the chagrin of Drake who kind of likes Honker but can't stand his parents.

Herb Muddlefoot

Height~Taller than LP
Age~Mid 30's
Occupation~Quackerware salesman Extraordanire

"Like the hundred legs on a centipede we move forward in a great stampede. Even the other guys must concede Quackerware salesmen are a special breed." And Herb is the most special of them all. Often seen bumbling around in the back yard , Herb is the more kind hearted, less witted Homer of St. Canard. Until the premiere of the 2nd Saturday season we had no idea he even worked. Herb loves his lawn, bowling, and his entertainment center. He hates to exercise and the fact that he's loosing his hair. Herb actually has an arch nemesis Weasel Lowman a Quackerware salesman who used the plastic products for evil not good. He also seems to be descended form the ancient king of Canardia which makes no sense since the peasant wench he married looked like Binkie which means that he's related to Binkie somewhere down the genetic tree, but then again St. Canard is in the United States somewhere so there shouldn't be a medieval Canardia anyway.

Binkie Muddlefoot

Ocupation~Homemaker extraordanire

Binkie is Herb's ever adoring wife. She manages to keep the house rather nice despite the fact that it's been blown up twice-once because Herb put tin foil in the microwave. Binkie has a hidden alter ego the Canardian Guardian champion of safety. She's also a hottie when she looses the Donna Reed outfit and dons a sleek black skirt. Binkie is featherbrained but she's a loving mother, and tries to ad a feminine edge to Gosalyn's life when she can-much to Gosalyn's protests.

Note-Only Honker has figured out that Drake is DW. I don't think Binkie and Herb figured it out even after they found out Morgana was dating Drake and Darkwing and she kept calling Drake Dark.

Tank (Tankard H) Muddlefoot

Occupation~Bully

Tank is a jerk. He's the Nelson of the crew and sometimes he can get along with the rest of the kids but most of the time he's too busy being a jerk. He likes collecting Jawbreakers and has a phobia about people pointing at him.

Morgana McCawber

Height~7 if you include the hair
Age~uncertain

Morgue is a one time criminal turned good witch of the East and DW's on and off girlfriend. The fan pool flows about equal when it comes to DW and Morgue getting married. There are rumors it was in the script for the third season but I just can't see being married to someone who I fight with constantly-oh wait, well at least he doesn't turn me into a yak or pudding every 5 min. Morgana is a witch and although her family has a Scottish surname they seem to live somewhere in the Balkan peninsula (maybe it's a summer castle or they got a good deal on it when Thames canceled Count Duckula and he went broke and had to foreclose). Morgana is a college grad (hey I might have to turn to crime to pay off my student loans too) and is working on a graduate dissertation on warts. She was an evil businesswoman, now she's just ruthless. She runs her own restaurant and taught Binkie how to incorporate insects into everyday cooking.

SHUSH

What~Secret organization so secret it can't even remember what SHUSH stands for.

For a secret organization it's strange that the headquarters are located in down town St. Canard with a big old SHUSH sign blazoned in front. SHUSH's main operative is to protect the world from FOWL and any other supercriminal organizations that may threaten world peace or Parcheesi games

Vladimir Grizlikov

who~SHUSH's top agent

Obviously a remnant of pre-paristroika USSR, Grizzy is a stickler for paperwork and the rules (I doubt that his family had many dancing bears in it). Can't you just tell that he's going to love working with Darkwing? Grizz may have a tougher than permafrost in the Siberian winter exterior but he has occasionally shown the heart of a teddy bear too. SHUSH is his live and love.

J. Gander Hooter

who~director of SHUSH

Ducktales had the DIA or something with J Gander Hoover. Darkwing has J Gander Hooter and the character resemblance to a certain head of the FBI who used to run around in women's clothing ends there. J. Gander has a soft spot for Darkwing and is always amazed by his methods (he's also used DW as a decoy once or twice).

Dr. Sara Bellum

who~S.H.U.S.H. hired brain

Inventor of the Norma Ray and expando whammo pie gun along with that disguise ray that gave DW the temporary ability to pull off Gos' double ricochet rocket bankshot. Funny enough Sara Bellum is the name of the secretary to the mayor of Townsville in PPG . It kind of seemed like LP had a crush on Dr. Bellum but she only loved him for his mind (this wont hurt a bit, just don't think).

Dr. Slug

what~Public enemy number 1

Dr. Slug is almost as much of an enigma as the fabulous Dr. Claw. Although he is public enemy number 1 (as seen in the episode Quiverwing Quack) he has not been featured in any episode and instead has been placed in cameos as in the photo in the Quiverwing Quack, a "thanks for letting me use your hideout" in Clash Reunion, and then the brief part in Inside Binkie's Brain (they so got my hopes up). There is also speculation that Dr. Slug played the part of the mutant slug in Comic Book Capers but that has not been verified yet

Tarus Bulba

what~cyber jerky

Tarus Bulba named after a very evil Vlad the Impailer type Russian figure was the original villain that started off the series. I hate him and just typing about him makes me cringe. I do love Tim Curry who provides Tarus' voice (could you see that bull in a corset singing Sweet Transvestite?). Tarus was not so lucky in escaping the explosion at Canard Towers and FOWL reformatted him with rather bulky cyber parts. The bull won't be ruled though and is now lurking somewhere in the shadows waiting to exact double revenge on DW and his daughter.

Negaduck

what~public enemy #2

Negaduck oh where do you hail from are you a distant cousin from an alien planet? Galvanized negatrons? Some jerk who crossed through a trans dimenstional birthday cake? I'm going with the second answer. Negaduck is another one of those kinda unresolved DW things that's best left to fan speculation. I happen to think that the whole Galvanization thing ripped a hole in the dimensional fabric alerting the malevolent mallard to this dimension and finding things here more fun to destroy he stayed. I think Negaduck could kick Darkwing's @ss...in a boxershort contest..."Did I say flowers...I meant skulls..yeah skulls for Negaduck!"

Megavolt

what~Darkwing's arch nemesis

Yup I think he says that in Duck Blind. DW's been fighting Megavolt since highschool so he's his oldest foe.

QuackerJack

Bushroot

Splatter Phoenix

Paddywhack

Lilliput

Beelzebub

Bugmaster

Cementhead

Moliarity

Steelbeak

Ammonia Pine

Ample Grime

FOWL