Marvel's Darth Vader #16

Great review, @LadyMusashi! What a great issue! I'm already a huge Queen Trios fan. I'm also happy that Vader is once again focused on a specific situation, but the balancing he will have to do to hide his own ambitions as well as dismantle the cyborg contingent who seem to be nipping at his heels.

It should be interesting to see how much this hunt for Aphra spills into the titular series.

 

Awesome review, @LadyMusashi. I personally agree with all you stated in your review. To me, this issue started a bit too fast, throwing us into an illusion of a battle, but it was nice seeing Queen Trios from the Annual play a large part in the story here. Vader has certainly continued his contending, but it seems more like now hes getting his feet under him, and is getting to be less of the most powerful enforcer, but more of a mastermind Sith lord, which plays so well into TESB. I also like seeings many of the hunters in TESB working together for the bounty on Aphra. Looks like this is the start of a very fun arc.

 

I also like Queen Trios (though I worry for her chances in outliving this arc...), and I'm glad to see the full complement of Cylo's creations back again (minus one of course).
By far though, the most interesting bit of this is Aphra and her plight. I like Vader's final proclamation, and I can't wait for the next issue of the main series to see what's up with her.
I feel like this is a strong set-up issue for the rest of the arc, and I have good feelings heading in.

 

Not much to say but simply a great issue.

 

Nice Job @LadyMusashi

This issue should be placed as "Vader's Down - Epilogue" because those first pages of Vader and the Emperor's Tribute are the best part of the entire book, and then is the Return to Planet of Vader's Annual and the SW Princesses and Queens but what i liked the most was the ending, with Vader hiring Dengar, Zuckuss and the other mercenaries to get Aphra because that seems really promissing. Either way does anyone else feels like Vader is just copy pasting Anakin chavalry runs for the Republic with the Empire? Were is the Bad Guy?

Guess it's time to make my Darth Vader comics considerations so far:

- First just to say that i love Kieron Gillen and "Uber" is amazing (his latest Marvel work that really impressed me - "Angela - Asgard's Assassin")
- The first 2-3 issues of Darth Vader were brutal, the first one was action packed and bring back Jabba the Hutt Palace (Two Thumbs Up, way Up)
- Darth Vader brought back so many great characters from the original Movies mainly Boba Fett and the Emperor Palpatine, keeping the reference for the young Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia and the Rebel Alliance, it even balanced well the introduction of the Droids from the Clone Wars. Perhaps some minor characters could make their way into the comic, like the Admiral's Piett and Ozzel, the spy Garindan or Lando Calrissian and the Cloud City, but overall the relation of the comic and the classic movies has been flawless, very good job here on connecting everything and delivering exactly what the fans wanted, spot on.
- Darth Vader also introduced some new characters to the mix, loved the dark wookie mercenary, but Aphra and the Triple Zero droid are a bit far off in my opinion and i think these Vader sidekicks are waaaay off character for the dark lord, instead of having a badass lord that dominates the galaxy through fear we now have a group of adventurers saving the galaxy, witch i think it's not the best way to go with Darth Vader. Guess the lonely inner suffering bad guy works so much better for Darth Vader than this troop commander.
- One of the great feats of Darth Vader is presenting us with space fighter battles that fell like the real deal from the original movies, and that is superbly well donne, It's good to have the Vader Tie back on the fighting skies.
- The best thing by far in the Darth Vader Comic is the relation betwen Vader and the Emperor and some brilliant dialogues betwen them. Is nice to see that both characters try to seize the other out, make him prove his strenght, just waitinig the right opportunity to take the other out,
- I consider this first 15 issues a single Run, maybe the Cylo Run or The General Karbin Run, being "Vader's Down" the Conclusion of the entire Run and "Vader's Down" delivers it big time to us all, Star Wars Fans, it has everything: Spaceship Battles, Empire versus Rebels, Luke Han and Leia saving the Galaxy, Emperor Palpatine lurking in the shadows, Darth Vader lightsabre slashing and force choking everybody,......, it's great, really good Star Wars moments.
- But i really miss the evilness in Darth Vader, i guess Vader should be Bad and he is being portraided as the good guy who's going to kill the Emperor. I want to see Darth Vader be really evil, kill innocents and slash his enemies, Vader MUST BE BAD. I would love to watch Vader hunt down and kill the remaining Jedi's in the Galaxy or thew new Force Sensitive ones. Please make Darth Vader Bad.

 

Great review @LadyMusashi !! Just read this issue and it was good!! Personally I liked how they tied the Darth Vader Annual # 1 with this by following up in the story of Shu-Torun and Queen Trios. I like that they are keeping certain continuity and in that way justifying the lapse of time between ANH and ESB - I mean, Vader has to take down this bunch of cyborgs evil-wannabes and keep his rise to glory!

Enjoyed the exchange between Queen Trios and Vader. This bit of dialogue especially:



And of course the initial exchange between Palpatine and Vader! That love/hate relationship Vader keeps with his master (somehow reminds me of young Anakin in AOTC whining about Obi-Wan... problems with authority?? Lol). Anyway, it sets the personality of Vader as evil Lord.

That end! I couldn't help but gasp - though it was to be expected - when he said he didn't care if they caught Dr. Aphra dead or alive. We know from previous issues how he regarded her as a expendable asset.

Anyhow, I couldn't help thinking about the similar scene in ESB when he calls on the bounty hunters and he remarks: "NO DISINTEGRATIONS".

 

I think so! Dr. Aphra as a character is endearing, it's one you love/hate lol. I found her sort of cool, though I was definitely cheering when Leia punched her lol.

 

@LadyMusashi great review! I always seemed to find myself intrigued by where the Vader series takes us, and this arc seems to shaping up to be no different. It is interesting that Vader did send the hit-order out on Aphra. This could either mean that A) there will be more crossover this arc with Star Wars, or B) the mercs might be the main enemies of this next Star Wars arc. This could mean the end of Aphra (which I personally hope not and slightly doubt due to her popularity) or maybe the beginning of a heel-face turn on her part (which usually in Star Wars ends in a Redemption Equals Death, so...). Either way, I'm excited to see where this series goes!

Yeah, same! I was surprised to see her at all. Personally, I kinda feel that they're shaping her up to be a sort of expy of Padme for the explicit purpose of showing what a Padme/Vader relationship would look like. They could take it a myriad of ways, but that's just the vibe I got out of it after one issue.

No, not my Aphra! Don't disintegrate my Aphra!

 

Hahaha I know. She's endearing and I liked how she interacts with Darth Vader. Sort of that cynical attitude like Deadpool lol (sorry just went to watch it hahaha).