Writer: Charles Soule
Pencils: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Inks: Cam Smith
Colorist: David Curiel
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Darth Vader receives a new creative team for this new run. Charles Soule is the only name I’m really familiar with, but I know Giuseppe Camuncoli has done some work for Marvel previously. Following up the run from Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larocca is a tough task, but it looks as though they are up for it. This first issue is a great start for the new team.
The first page is a series of panels with just one word, “No.” And right after there’s a splash page showing Vader emphatically saying no as he tosses Palpatine into the wall with the force. The comics takes us to the moment where Palpatine informs Vader that Padme died. It’s a brutal moment between Vader and Palpatine, but it shows just how Vader became as ruthless as he is.
The art from Camuncoli, Smith, and Curiel is outstanding. The comic looks great and it helps bolster the story Soule is telling. Even though we never see Vader’s face, the art portrays exactly how he’s feeling at any given moment just from his body language. Soule also does a nice job with the writing. Star Wars fans everywhere know how Darth Vader came to be, but he’s still making the story interesting. I can’t wait to see where they take it from here.
At the end of the issue, there’s an extra little comic from Chris Eliopoulos and Jordie Bellaire called “No Good Deed…” that takes on a very different style from the main comic. It’s a nice little edition at the end and provides some comedy, even though Vader continues his ruthless streak. This team works well together and it’ll be great to see what they continue to do with these mini comics at the end.
Verdict: Buy. Star Wars fans should definitely pick this one up. The previous Darth Vader run was great and it looks like this one plans to continue that. It’s a new story, but still worth reading.
