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A review by verkisto
Star Wars: Darth Vader, Vol. 3: The Shu-Torun War by Kaare Kyle Andrews, Edgar Delgado, Jason Keith, Kieron Gillen, Leinil Francis Yu, Joe Caramagna, Gerry Alanguilan, Salvador Larroca
3.0
The Darth Vader comic series hasn't impressed me much so far. The stories don't feel memorable, the art feels too static, and the backstory it's supposed to fill doesn't feel significant. It's supposed to bridge the time between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, showing us how Vader comes to find Luke is his son, but it focuses a lot on other things, including two murderous versions of C-3PO and R2-D2. People seem to love those two droids, but they get on my nerves. They're trying too hard to be the complete opposite of those two characters, and still maintain that same sort of charm. It's terrible.
The Shu-Torun War, though, is a different sort of story. It avoids the whole Luke subplot all together, instead telling us of a civil war on Shu-Torun, a mining planet that's crucial for the Empire to control to build its ships and Death Stars. Vader steps in to control that civil war, only to find himself immersed in the culture and politics of the planet. Once he's in control of the planet, he still has to control the situation, and that's where the heart of the story lies.
Aside from the story showing how the civil war develops (and ends), this collection also shows how dangerous Vader is. Gillen captures the character well, showing him as ruthless, unsentimental, cool, and in control, without showing him as emotionless. The Shu-Torun War gives the character a focus outside of trying to find Luke or rule the galaxy; it's a microcosmic story that has its own arc within the world of Star Wars without the baggage of being a part of the larger story.
I'm still not wild about the art in the series, though it's detailed and fine. I just wish it managed to convey a sense of action better. There's a scene near the start of the book where a shuttle crashes into a building, right above Vader's head, and it looks like a movie still instead of showing any real sense of danger or action. It just is, and it's disappointing. I don't know enough about the art of writing comics to know how other writers and artists do it, but this series is the first time I've noticed it.
If I were to recommend any single story arc out of the Darth Vader series, this would be it. I think readers could get by with reading just this collection and not lose too much (Doctor Aphra goes missing during the events of Vader Down, so she doesn't need to be explained, and the two murderous droids aren't as present in the story), though they may be tempted to read the rest just to get the rest of the story. I don't recommend it, but I can see readers wanting to do it.
The Shu-Torun War, though, is a different sort of story. It avoids the whole Luke subplot all together, instead telling us of a civil war on Shu-Torun, a mining planet that's crucial for the Empire to control to build its ships and Death Stars. Vader steps in to control that civil war, only to find himself immersed in the culture and politics of the planet. Once he's in control of the planet, he still has to control the situation, and that's where the heart of the story lies.
Aside from the story showing how the civil war develops (and ends), this collection also shows how dangerous Vader is. Gillen captures the character well, showing him as ruthless, unsentimental, cool, and in control, without showing him as emotionless. The Shu-Torun War gives the character a focus outside of trying to find Luke or rule the galaxy; it's a microcosmic story that has its own arc within the world of Star Wars without the baggage of being a part of the larger story.
I'm still not wild about the art in the series, though it's detailed and fine. I just wish it managed to convey a sense of action better. There's a scene near the start of the book where a shuttle crashes into a building, right above Vader's head, and it looks like a movie still instead of showing any real sense of danger or action. It just is, and it's disappointing. I don't know enough about the art of writing comics to know how other writers and artists do it, but this series is the first time I've noticed it.
If I were to recommend any single story arc out of the Darth Vader series, this would be it. I think readers could get by with reading just this collection and not lose too much (Doctor Aphra goes missing during the events of Vader Down, so she doesn't need to be explained, and the two murderous droids aren't as present in the story), though they may be tempted to read the rest just to get the rest of the story. I don't recommend it, but I can see readers wanting to do it.