SPOILER REVIEW: Marvel's Star Wars: Darth Vader #1

If you are not a comic book fan but consider yourself a Star Wars fan, I say now is about the time to suck it up and give these books a chance. They are cannon, they are legit, and they are the Star Wars bus leaving the station...so don't get left behind. By that, I mean that the writers and the Lucasfilm Story Group are adding nuance and detail to these characters you thought you knew so well. We have already seen it in the first two issues of the general Star Wars, and now we are seeing it with the beginning of the Darth Vader series. I have no doubt that all of these details are going to make the experience of The Force Awakens much richer. I will step off my soapbox now and tell you a little bit about issue number one of Darth Vader, but seriously, get yourself to a comic book store now and get going if you haven't already.

Right off the bat I'll say we have some SPOILERS. One thing this issue does is not only tell you how the arc from the Star Wars comics just released ends, it literally SHOWS you. I'm going to do my best to skirt around spoilers and plot specifics, but tread lightly if you want to read this for yourself unaware.









By now most of you have probably seen the opening pages of Vader entering Jabba's Palace to engage in "aggressive negotiations". It's a nice little ROTJ throwback, but overall served little to the story once you find out the reason for his visit. I enjoyed Vader putting Jabba in his place, but I could have done without that intro and had those pages devoted to something else. Never been a fan of fan service. Just sayin'.

We jump back one day in time to Coruscant and the Imperial Palace. Vader is reporting to the Emperor about what happened on Cymoon. If that name sounds familiar it's because that is the planet you were on last week in Star Wars comic land. I won't spoil it for you, but let's just say we can assume that story arc does not end well for Vader.

And the Emperor is not happy.



These pages were the most fascinating to me of the book. The Emperor basically talks down to Darth Vader in the tone of a condescending boss dealing with a menial employee. The Emperor blames him for the destruction of the Death Star and pretty much everything else wrong with the Empire. An interesting line of the Emperor's alludes to the Empire not being in that great of shape and that it could collapse at any moment. Perhaps down the line we are going to find out the Empire was much more vulnerable than we always assumed. The Emperor, despite his dressing down of Vader, seems like a grumpy tyrant who fears losing a little control will result in the loss of everything.

Then....there is the mystery man standing in the Emperor's chambers when he and Vader walk in. A good portion of the man's face is....cyborg. Other reviews online have mentioned a resemblance to Max Von Sydow. Possibly a TFA character? I'm on the fence, but see for yourself. Vader asks who the man is and the Emperor dismisses him and tells him it's not his concern. I do think this fella will pop up again, but I'm not ready to say he's Episode VII material.



The last pages are ones I'm not going to talk about in specifics, because you should be surprised when you read them. What I will say is that Keiron Gillen, the writer of this fine book, did was remind us there is still a little bit of Anakin Skywalker in that dark armor. You also get reunited with an old friend who now I'm really uncertain how this person gets a spin-off that takes place in this time period.

The art by Salvador Larroca is fantastic and evocative of both existing trilogies. Jabba is the Jabba we remember and not the CGI distortion of other incarnations, he is the Stewart Freeborn Jabba. Larroca seems to have some fun with the Emperor's appearance, giving us a variety of facial appearances we've seen from old Sheev in the past. Keiron Gillen gives us a perspective that is Imperial/Vader-centric, once again pointing out that the Empire is not as monolithic and chinked-free as the ones in power would like it to be.



I highly recommend this first issue, and I'm looking forward to where it takes us on Vader's new journey which eventually becomes his obsession. As I mentioned earlier, the Story Group is giving us a whole new way to look at these characters and events. The existing films will have a more depth, while TFA will have a streamlined and cohesive history to unfold upon.

 

Could be, but I'm guessing it's someone we haven't met before.

 

Thanks Mike! Never thought of putting the comic on my TV. I'm going to give that a shot. I usually read the comic first on a digital download then purchase one from my local shop later in the day for keepsake.

 

Thank you so much! I had no idea. That should save me some cash

 

Thank you! Whoops, thanks for catching that

I thought that too! There is something protruding from the back of his head attaching to the cyborg looking part. That's the only reason I didn't mention it. Glad I'm not alone.

 

I looked again. I couldn't find the little fella. You must have sharper eyes than me. It would be funny if he pops up in other media in the new cannon.

 

First chance I get, I'm going to do something I've not done before-buy a comic book!

This is a great review Kyle, and I am now a convert. This is worth having for the artwork alone, but I actually like the story too.