Review: Darth Vader #1

Quick Summary

Pros: Never before seen moments dealing with the fall of the Jedi and the rise of Vader are shown here. Also, this issue starts to dig into some interesting Sith lore.

Cons: Interesting plot points are brushed past rather quickly. The Emperor’s face is drawn weirdly.

Overall: This is a fun and interesting start to the new Darth Vader series. It delivers heavily on its promise to provide answers to what happened after the Clone Wars ended in a way fans are sure to appreciate. It also seems to be going into the lore of the Dark Side more than previous titles, which could be a nice way to set this series apart. Overall, this is a good first issue that, if it continues to deliver on what it promises, will surly become great.

Story

Darth Vader #1 is the first issue in a brand new chapter of Darth Vader’s life. It delves into a part of the Star Wars saga that no one has ever experienced before. On top of that, it also seems to be delving into lore and Sith history more than most of the other Star Wars comics have done. All of this together is very tantalizing and gives readers plenty of reasons to return. With the only problem being a somewhat quickly progressing plotline, this is definitely a series to watch out for.

(spoilers start here)

This issue starts out at the conclusion of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. This makes the transition into the comic extremely easy for anyone who has already seen the movie. Here we see the very first moments when Vader is completely turned to the dark side. After all that has just happened to Vader, it is very interesting to see how the Emperor is able to convince him to join his side, especially since this is something that has never been shown in continuity before. It also helps to explain the dynamic between the two, as their power structure is established very early on.

From here, fans are teased and treated with two other brand new plot points, the Republic celebrating the end of the Jedi and Vader’s quest for a new lightsaber. Once again, these are things which have never been shown before and thus would be interesting to see even if they were poorly written, simply for the fact that we are seeing them for the first time. However, they are not poorly written, quite the opposite actually. They are interesting moments that provide a further depth to the universe as a whole and start to answer questions about the gap between movies.

The only problem with all of these moments is how quickly they progress. The book shows something that readers are interested in for a few pages and then is done with it. Obviously Vader’s quest for a lightsaber will be something that will continue, but the other portions of the plot will most likely not. It is a small gripe in the grand view of this issue but something that is worth mentioning anyway.

Besides the obvious positives the action in this issue bring, the story’s biggest positive is the way it starts to dig into Sith lore. The Emperor explains to Vader that his old lightsaber is no longer his own, it belongs to Anakin Skywalker, who is now “dead”. Thus, Vader needs to construct a new lightsaber, one worthy of a Sith lord. This hints at a grand plot dealing with Vader’s indoctrination into the Sith and is something I am extremely excited to see continue. Hopefully this story will keep laying down lore in this fashion as it would provide a distinct different from the previous Darth Vader series and would also just be fun to read about.

(spoilers end here)

Art

Giuseppe Camuncoli does the art throughout this issue. For the most part, everything looks very nice. The pages are detailed and crisp, with scenes of Vader alone looking particularly nice. In addition, there is a general sense of foreboding and evil which Giuseppe Camuncoli is able to convey. Perhaps it is the harshness of the details or David Curiel’s colors; either way something makes this book look evil, which is perfect for a Vader book.

The only problem with this artwork is how cartoonish the Emperor looks, especially in comparison to other characters. Something about the way his face is drawn looks simply bizarre. It may be that the Emperor simply does not translate well into the comic book world, as this same comment was our only complaint about the art in Darth Vader Vol. 1: Vader (Review).

Continuity

This issue starts at the very moment that Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith ends. This means one should at least have watched that movie before reading this comic.

Besides this, there are no other continuity connections with any other Star Wars property to be found in this issue