SWNN Review: Marvel’s Darth Vader #10

Cover #10I feel I should preface this review by saying I’ve been rather lost with this second Darth Vader arc. The end of the first one was so good; that last frame of Vader, staring out into the cold vastness of space still haunts me. The scene last time we see Vader in Revenge of the Sith, walking solemnly across the bridge of the Star Destroyer while weeping cellos play in the background, is so subtle and melancholy it underscores how much Anakin Skywalker’s transformation is such a tragedy. I still get choked up when I watch those few seconds.

 

 

The prequel trilogy did little to make me care about Anakin. It wasn’t until I got into The Clone Wars that I felt attached and understood the redemption. Anakin was fiercely loyal to the ones he loved. With that type of ferocity, it’s dangerous grounds when said person with such strong emotions couples them to do whatever he can to protect them.

 

Darth Vader #10

#10 has brought me back into the fold. I’m going to get to the heart of this issue. When we last left Doctor Aphra, she was headed to Naboo to visit a mortician. I wasn’t exactly sure why. Maybe we were going to find out who Sheev’s parents were. No, something much more straightforward. Doctor Aphra and her two nasty droids get to work torturing Commodex Than, interested only in one of the cadavers Than worked on: Padme Amidala. Aphra talks about her own past, running from planet to planet. After a few minutes alone with the droids the mortician spills it. Padme had a son, taken by the Jedi and hidden.

 

Once Aphra relays this info to Vader we see the seeds of obsession grow. Vader knows he has a son, and he will need to find him.

 

Darth Vader #10

The more we learn about Vader the more we learn about his vulnerabilities and conflicts. I lobe that the Story Group have given us novels that add so much to a very clear cut villain.

 

This issue isn’t something you need to run out and get. It’s good, but you could wait until the race runs its course. There isn’t much to say about our inspector friend either. Vader departs from him letting him know he needs to wrap up whatever they are looking for (this is where I’m lost). I hope we will get answers in the next issue and I have faith Kieron Gillen will get us there.

 

 

Next

You can order a digital copy at Marvel.com or at Comixology.comor visit the nearest comic book store.

 

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Kyle Larson lives in Portland, Oregon. When he's not running trails, he's reading and writing.

Kyle Larson

Kyle Larson lives in Portland, Oregon. When he's not running trails, he's reading and writing.

10 thoughts on “SWNN Review: Marvel’s Darth Vader #10

  • October 8, 2015 at 4:33 pm
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    “The prequel trilogy did little to make me care about Anakin. It
    wasn’t until I got into The Clone Wars that I felt attached and
    understood the redemption.”

    Agreed. Now, after having watched TCW a couple of times, I have a much greater appreciation for the differences between AOTC Anakin and ROTS Anakin. The comics are just deepening this for me.

    • October 8, 2015 at 9:42 pm
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      Matt Lanter at his most lazy (which rarely happened) was better than Hayden Christensen at his best.

  • October 8, 2015 at 8:17 pm
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    I thought the part with the mortician was actually quite beautifully done. He’s determined not to talk and give Luke and Leia away, but he can’t withstand the torture and is forced to talk. Aphra, however, phrases her question clumsily, allowing the mortician to only give Luke away, and keep Leia secret. Great moment.

  • October 8, 2015 at 9:45 pm
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    I think a great deal of the failure of the PT lies squarely on Hayden’s shoulders. Granted Lucas had entered into creative senility by the 90’s and Jake Lloyd was just too young to have developed any real acting skills but HC had zero chemistry with Natalie and was completely unbelievable in every way as Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader. Had they gone with a real actor for II and III, I think they would have been a bit more interesting to watch.

    • October 8, 2015 at 9:45 pm
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      The fact that he’s vanished from Hollywood does little to dissuade that idea too.

      • October 9, 2015 at 1:16 am
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        I agree Grant. I’ve always thought Hayden was by far the weakest actor in II and III. But I always put a lot of the blame for his performance on bad dialogue and poor directing and the fact that he had to jump into the role in the middle of Anakins story. The bottom line though is that his acting just sucked IMHO. I just recently watched all 6 seasons of Clone Wars and Matt Lanters Anakin is light years better. Whenever I think of the character of Anakin Skywalker and his fall to the dark side, I think of Clone Wars Anakin.

        • October 9, 2015 at 3:59 am
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          All true, A truly great actor can transcend the material as well. Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing have been in many poor films over the decades but they always gave 100 percent and were usually the most interesting things about their movies, Lanter even looks more like Anakin than Hayden does, Especially compared with Sebastian Shaw.

  • October 9, 2015 at 3:38 pm
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    Vader and the inspector are essentially looking for Vader and Aphra… Not sure why you would be lost, it’s quite clever.

  • October 12, 2015 at 7:55 pm
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    cool. im gonna wait for the TPB

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