Book review
Having just read all of Charles Soule and Giuseppe Camuncoli’s Darth Vader comic series on Marvel Unlimited, I have to say, “Impressive…Most impressive!”
In the original six movies, an argument could be made that Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader is more or less the main character of the story. Sure, Luke may be the protagonist in the Original Trilogy, but what we’re really seeing is the machine/man Anakin became as Darth Vader. This series showed that becoming Darth Vader was not simply a matter of killing younglings and being put in a robotic suit after a fight on Mustafar.
This series did an excellent job of not only showing the deeds of Darth Vader shortly following the events of Revenge of the Sith, but also showing the internal anguish and pain that informs the cunning monster we see by the time of A New Hope. I realize that not everybody likes backstories and prequels, but since I don’t mind knowing how it ends, I have to say that this was an exciting, if dark, journey that appropriately culminated with this final volume, in which Darth Vader conquers Mustafar to build his fortress and to show how he has mastered his pain in order to fuel his hateful power.
Another thing I greatly appreciate is that the comics do not provide an internal monologue for Vader. This emphasizes the power of Camuncoli’s amazing art, and also fits with the character, who is often reserved in speech (in this comic as well as the films) and internalizes virtually everything. Most of all, this combination of well-crafted dialogue and beautifully-drawn artwork makes this a truly rewarding comic experience that almost lets you empathize with a Dark Lord of the Sith!
- Goodreads rating – 4.36
- SUMMARY – Brian