Like all male members of his lineage, Jackie's father, Danny Estacado, was the wielder of The Darkness power before Jackie. The Darkness is passed on from father to son at the moment of conception, killing the father instantly. Despite this fatal drawback, the Darkness allows the wielder to create anything they imagine as long as they are not exposed to light. Danny was a hitman who used the Darkness power to make a name for himself in the criminal underworld. He used the Darkness power for personal gain, and wielded the power he possessed to kill his enemies in savage and brutal ways. When Danny impregnated a prostitute the Darkness was transferred along with his seed to his son Jackie. Sometime after initial conception Danny died in an alley as he terrorized some gangsters. After the darkness left him the gangsters opened fire on his body leaving him a mangled mess.