Series: Vader Down
Written by: Jason Aaron
Art by: Mike Deodato
Publisher: Marvel
Summary from Comixology: “When Darth Vader accidentally finds himself facing off against the Rebel Fleet on his own, the rebels will learn the true strength of the Dark Side of the Force! Once Vader crashes on a nearby planet, the Rebellion is willing to risk everything for this once-in-a-lifetime chance to take out one of their biggest enemies! Luke! Vader! Leia! Aphra! Han! Chewie! And all manner of Droid, good and evil!”
Vader Down is a crossover event I can get behind. Star Wars and Darth Vader have both been spectacular thus far, and Vader Down, written by Star Wars scribe Jason Aaron, is no exception. This book fires on both ion engines and goes from zero to TIE Fighter shrieking in no time at all. The fight between Vader and the X-Wing squadron was enthralling the entire time. It’s neat to see Vader’s piloting skills from his Anakin Skywalker days come back in full force (unless you are a Rebel pilot), and when they finally confront him on the planet of Vrogas Vos, Vader throws out one of the most badass one-liners in the Star Wars franchise. This book sets out to prove that Vader is not to be trifled with even if you have an army at your back.
Jason Aaron is one of the best writers in comics, and Vader Down proves it. All of the different comics have been fantastic so far, but this might be the single greatest book of the new Disney/Star Wars era. The story, from beginning to end, was a page-turning, edge-of-your-seat showdown featuring a woefully outnumbered Vader who unleashes hell on his would-be captors. The dialogue felt genuine, and I loved all the comm chatter between the X-Wing squadron. It felt exactly like the A New Hope Death Star attack.
Equally as impressive (most impressive) was Mike Deodato’s art. There were several pages that made my jaw drop from sheer amazement. When Vader enters the Vrogas Vos system there is a full page spread (shown above) that is some of the coolest Star Wars art I’ve ever seen anywhere this side of the Ralph McQuarrie concept art for the original films. The book costs $4.99 and even if the amazing story wasn’t there it would still be worth it.
Do your inner Star Wars nerd a favor and get this book. Everything about it was fun and engaging. If you want to see Vader unleash on a group of Rebels, it’s time to buckle up and enjoy the drive.
Music Pairing –
Well, you know…