The second arc of “Star Wars: Darth Vader” sees Vader having to balance official Empire businesses with his own motivations, and Aphra getting a lesson or two in learning to be a leader. Never thought I would find business lessons in my comics, but here we are.
Cover by Adi GranovWritten by Kieron Gillen
Illustrated by Salvador Larocca
Colored by Edgar Delgado
Lettered by VC’s Joe CaramangaCollects Darth Vader (2015) #7-12.
Bounty Hunters on the attack–against the Empire! Vader has a new mission to do for the Empire. Unfortunately, it’s completely at odds with his own mission. What’s a Dark Lord to do? Plus: Who is Tagge’s mysterious new agent?
Balance is the name of the game of the opening half of this second arc. Vader has to find time for competing priorities from the Empire with his own personal mission to find one Luke Skywalker, and with a new assistant following him around, it’s going to be hard to keep things that need to be under the table there. And Aphra’s off on her own mission on orders from Vader, but she also has the task of a keeping her rebellious crew of Triple Zero and Black Krrsantan in line. Two parallel missions, but facing the same concerns.
While there’s a good bit of action in these issues, the focus is on table setting, particularly in issues 8 and 9, which gives us an idea of how far Vader has fallen in the eyes of the Empire. Punishment comes in the form of less desirable work assignments and a new assistant named Inspector Thanoth who seems quite keen to be an Imperial teacher’s pet. If this is the Imperial equivalent of a Performance Improvement Plan, it’s quite sucky. As a result of all this table setting, these issues are quite dialogue heavy. For the moment, it’s okay and necessary to set up the series’s overarching conflict. But if this continues into the back half of the arc I will have some questions about proper pacing of our script.
Of all the characters Kieron Gillen writes here, you can tell he’s having the most fun with Triple Zero. He nails a perfectly sarcastic but occasionally innocent tone, a C3PO in need of quite the attitude adjustment. Perhaps it’s memories of the first season of Doom Patrol but I can’t help hear all of Triple Zero’s dialogue in the voice of Mr. Nobody himself, Alan Tudyk. I wish we were learning more about Aphra at this point though. I know she’s not the star of the series (it’s not her name on the cover), but I don’t want her character development rushed either.
The artwork itself has some highs and lows. On one hand, the colors of the opening scene of issue #7 really draw you eye to Vader and the presence his shape cuts across the landscape. This scene sees us on Tatooine at the Lars moisture farm, abandoned at twilight. The peaceful, calming blues and purples of the early night make Vader in all black quite the contrast on the landscape, drawing your eye immediately to him. And moments where translation was required, such as a conversation between Vader and a Hutt render easier to read. Salvador Larocca and Edgar Delgado’s cover for issue #9 is brilliant in its introspection, emphasizing this is a Lord Vader caught between devotion to duty and desire for self. And this Firefly fan loved how Inspector Thanoth looked quite a bit like Shepherd Derrial book himself, the late Ron Glass.
But the penciling and inks stumble. I love the commitment to detail that Salvador Larocca brings to his work. But detail also has to serve the scene properly. Too much of it and it distracts from important plot elements, which we see in a conversation between Vader and a Hutt in issue #7. There’s so much detail on the Hutt and in the surrounding forest your eye ends up focusing there instead of on the conversation taking place. Adding to the clutter is that this entire sequence takes place in small panels, making everything feel crowded. A few pages later, we’re on Son-Tuul in a cantina, where the art has more room to breathe and show off that attention to fine detail beautifully. Action shots are still more static that fluid, but in looking at the action that takes place here it’s quick action, not drawn out battles. Brief flashes of combat moments emphasize that these go by quick. And there’s some inconsistencies with Aphra’s face shape that I can’t write off totally to scene lighting.
Continued belowDarth Vader is rather intelligent, but he’s not going to be able to keep up this balancing act forever. And Aphra will have to learn to work with Triple Zero and Black Krrsantan to achieve everyone’s ends. Our principals are going to find themselves on the wrong side of some very powerful enemies if they are not careful.
Next week we’ll wrap up ‘Shadows and Secrets,’ looking at issues #10-12.
If you want to read along with me this summer, you can pick up the single issues or trades of “Star Wars: Darth Vader” at your local comic shop (be sure to wear your mask and social distance while you’re there!), or digitally on Marvel Unlimited or Comixology Unlimited. All single issues and trades of the series are available on Marvel Unlimited and Comixology Unlimited. If you’re a trade reader, don’t forget to check your local library’s print and digital catalogues for these books!
