Comic Info
Comic Name: Star Wars: Darth Vader
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Leinil Yu/Salvador Larroca
# of Issues: 5
Release Date: 2016
Star Wars: Darth Vader #16
Reprints Star Wars: Darth Vader Annual #1 and Star Wars: Darth Vader #16-19 (February 2016-July 2016). Queen Trios finds herself given the crown of her home of Shu-Torun by Darth Vader’s hand. When the ore barons of Shu-Torun stage a rebellion, Darth Vader is called in to crush it for the Emperor. Unfortunately for Vader, there is a traitor in his midst and Cylo’s twins are also eyeing Vader’s position. Plus, Darth Vader tries to silence Doctor Aphra before Inspector Thanoth finds his real plans.
Written by Kieron Gillen, Star Wars: Darth Vader Volume 3: The Shu-Torun War follows the crossover event series Star Wars: Vader Down (which actually followed Star Wars: Darth Vader Volume 2: Shadows and Secrets). The collection features art by Leinil Yu (Star Wars: Darth Vader Annual #1) and Salvador Larroca (Star Wars: Darth Vader #16-19). The issues were also collected in Star Wars: Darth Vader—Volume 2.
The reclamation of Star Wars by Marvel was a good thing in my opinion. It wasn’t that Marvel always does a great job managing their properties, but I felt that Dark Horse’s approach to Star Wars had really fallen into a boring slump that was so expansive and so unmanageable that I didn’t particularly enjoy reading issues (if you even knew how to approach it). Both Star Wars and Star Wars: Darth Vader were strong entries though both kind of wobbled at points.
Star Wars: Darth Vader #19
Star Wars: Vader Down was a bit of a disappointment to me and the first strike against the series. Here, the Darth Vader series is back up to form with a more solid plotline and references to the Star Wars comic (in Vader’s plans for Doctor Aphra). It is this kind of cat and mouse games that made the first couple volumes of Darth Vader good.
What doesn’t necessarily work in this story is the basic plot of the comic book. I like the twin stuff (though they go out like chumps), and I like the espionage and plotting against the Empire, but I don’t care much about the rebellion on Shu-Torun. The whole story seems a little below Vader and the Empire’s personal attention and the destruction of the Rebellion feels like it should be the forefront (though they do need supplies to do this). The whole Queen Trios story is drawn out too long and left relatively unresolved unless there are definitive plans to bring her back soon. If you wait too long, her character won’t matter anymore since there are far better supporting characters.
Star Wars: Darth Vader continues to be a fun comic, but it feels like it needs more punch. With a lot of spinoff and limited series, Marvel threatens to dilute the material just like Dark Horse. With these comics being “official canon”, it would be nice for the movies to throw Marvel a bone and include aspects of the comic book story in one of the films…but you can’t ask for too much. Star Wars: Darth Vader 3: The Shu-Torun War was followed by the final volume of the series Star Wars: Darth Vader 4: End of Games.
Related Links:
Star Wars: Darth Vader 1: Vader
