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galax003's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
katyhilbs's review against another edition
5.0
This series is a must-read for any Star Wars fan. It gives more detail to what Vader is struggling with after learning of Luke, and goes more into his relationship with Palpatine. It also gives the reader a better idea of the kind of person Vader is and highlights his power, ruthlessness, and cunning not shown in such detail in the films.
lilmatt050's review against another edition
5.0
To check out my reviews: https://dancinginth3dark.wordpress.com/2017/07/06/darth-vader-omnibus-vol-2/
Originally I was sad to say goodbye to this series but now that I have been able to distance myself I can understand why and I believe in the future there is major potential to create a show, film, or a book dealing with a whole other adventure with Vader as he progresses to the events of Episode V: Empire Strikes Back.
This graphic novel begins with the first major Star Wars crossover called Vader Down One reason why I suggest that everyone should check out the Star Wars comic by Jason Aaron is if you do not read it then you will have no clue what the hell is going on and why Vader is destroying everything in his sight. From the aftermath of the first volume, Vader has made the connection that Luke Skywalker is his biological son and everything that the Emperor has told him is one big fat lie meaning the Emperor cannot be trusted (Gee what a shocker on that one! :P). Vader in his anger state makes the connection if he is able to find Skywalker, he can train him to become his apprentice and together they can overthrow the Empire and destroy the rebels once and for all.
Doctor Aphra who has become his mini assistant finds the details of Skywalker's location in Vrogas Vas. Unfortunately Vader finds out that yes the information is accurate but the planet is completely bombarded by rebels and quickly it becomes World War III up in here. Every rebel ship is off to races to destroy Vader but they haven't made the connection that Vader and his use of the force makes him quite unbeatable until Luke comes into battle and crashes his ship with Vader. Both of them land on Vrogas Vas and now the pursuit is on for Vader and Luke. Luke came to Vrogas Vas because he found information about a Jedi Temple and he found it when he crashed landed into the planet but Kenobi through his ghost witchcraft told him its too soon to be here which makes no sense because if Luke cannot get the information he needs he is basically screwed since I have a hunch that Vader will destroy any last remnants of the Jedi Order.
Besides that ordeal the other plot sequence of the narrative deals with Vader and the Emperor's apprentices. In the Sith Order, only two people (master and his apprentice) can gear control of the Sith. After his failure of the Death Star, Vader is the sole survivor of the incident and the Emperor wants him to sweat for wasting 20 years of building the Death Star only for it to crash and burn 3 seconds after completion. The Emperor has hired this scientist named Cylo who has created abominations of force users. By using robotics and other technological advances, he has created human cyborgs programmed to be the best lightsaber users but lacking the skills of the force. Vader is outraged by it all because they are no match for him and seeks every opportunity to kill each one separately.
Cylo believes he's major hot sh@t and can manipulate both Vader and Palpatine but he makes the grand mistake of how powerful Vader truly is under that suit and it leads to a major war between the two which concludes the whole series. I do not want to give anymore information because it spoils the whole comic book experience and trust me I am only touching the tip of the surface. This omnibus is massive and by the time you reach the end it feels like I've just sat through 3 separate Star Wars films. The continuous motion of drama and war that engulfs this omnibus makes it incredible how all of this happened in a span of two years before Empire Strikes Back.
The illustrations are phenomenal and consistent throughout this epic saga and I have to congrats Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca, and Edgar Delgado for their contribution to this series and making it feel like I was watching a movie instead of reading a graphic novel. I believe throughout this series there was definitely room for improvement and parts that could have ended quickly or eliminated all together like Doctor Aphra. I have no issues of introducing a major new character who clearly is getting her own spin-off but for her to take away a good 40% of the drama made the flow of the story feel awkward at times. I kid you not there was certain moments where I thought to myself, is this a Vader comic or Doctor Aphra? Overall this is not the end for our characters because I have no double Vader will make another appearance in Star Wars and Doctor Aphra after the events that took place between these two lovable characters.
Originally I was sad to say goodbye to this series but now that I have been able to distance myself I can understand why and I believe in the future there is major potential to create a show, film, or a book dealing with a whole other adventure with Vader as he progresses to the events of Episode V: Empire Strikes Back.
This graphic novel begins with the first major Star Wars crossover called Vader Down One reason why I suggest that everyone should check out the Star Wars comic by Jason Aaron is if you do not read it then you will have no clue what the hell is going on and why Vader is destroying everything in his sight. From the aftermath of the first volume, Vader has made the connection that Luke Skywalker is his biological son and everything that the Emperor has told him is one big fat lie meaning the Emperor cannot be trusted (Gee what a shocker on that one! :P). Vader in his anger state makes the connection if he is able to find Skywalker, he can train him to become his apprentice and together they can overthrow the Empire and destroy the rebels once and for all.
Doctor Aphra who has become his mini assistant finds the details of Skywalker's location in Vrogas Vas. Unfortunately Vader finds out that yes the information is accurate but the planet is completely bombarded by rebels and quickly it becomes World War III up in here. Every rebel ship is off to races to destroy Vader but they haven't made the connection that Vader and his use of the force makes him quite unbeatable until Luke comes into battle and crashes his ship with Vader. Both of them land on Vrogas Vas and now the pursuit is on for Vader and Luke. Luke came to Vrogas Vas because he found information about a Jedi Temple and he found it when he crashed landed into the planet but Kenobi through his ghost witchcraft told him its too soon to be here which makes no sense because if Luke cannot get the information he needs he is basically screwed since I have a hunch that Vader will destroy any last remnants of the Jedi Order.
Besides that ordeal the other plot sequence of the narrative deals with Vader and the Emperor's apprentices. In the Sith Order, only two people (master and his apprentice) can gear control of the Sith. After his failure of the Death Star, Vader is the sole survivor of the incident and the Emperor wants him to sweat for wasting 20 years of building the Death Star only for it to crash and burn 3 seconds after completion. The Emperor has hired this scientist named Cylo who has created abominations of force users. By using robotics and other technological advances, he has created human cyborgs programmed to be the best lightsaber users but lacking the skills of the force. Vader is outraged by it all because they are no match for him and seeks every opportunity to kill each one separately.
Cylo believes he's major hot sh@t and can manipulate both Vader and Palpatine but he makes the grand mistake of how powerful Vader truly is under that suit and it leads to a major war between the two which concludes the whole series. I do not want to give anymore information because it spoils the whole comic book experience and trust me I am only touching the tip of the surface. This omnibus is massive and by the time you reach the end it feels like I've just sat through 3 separate Star Wars films. The continuous motion of drama and war that engulfs this omnibus makes it incredible how all of this happened in a span of two years before Empire Strikes Back.
The illustrations are phenomenal and consistent throughout this epic saga and I have to congrats Kieron Gillen, Salvador Larroca, and Edgar Delgado for their contribution to this series and making it feel like I was watching a movie instead of reading a graphic novel. I believe throughout this series there was definitely room for improvement and parts that could have ended quickly or eliminated all together like Doctor Aphra. I have no issues of introducing a major new character who clearly is getting her own spin-off but for her to take away a good 40% of the drama made the flow of the story feel awkward at times. I kid you not there was certain moments where I thought to myself, is this a Vader comic or Doctor Aphra? Overall this is not the end for our characters because I have no double Vader will make another appearance in Star Wars and Doctor Aphra after the events that took place between these two lovable characters.
books17's review against another edition
4.0
March 2020 reread:
Again, really enjoyed this. Gillen writes Vader perfectly, and the final arc in particular is excellent - as is the Sho-Torun War arc. I'm actually picking up the Doctor Aphra books now, as I never did back when I read Vader for the first time, so I look forward to seeing how they are! I also want to pick up the new Darth Vader comics, which are kind of the equivalent of this, but for Empire > Jedi rather than New Hope > Empire.
Original May 2017 review
Very enjoyable, Gillen has a writing style that I have always enjoyed from back when he wrote for Rock, Paper, Shotgun which translates surprisingly well to a fairly dark comic series about Darth Vader. Unlike a lot of expanded universe things dealing with pre or during the original trilogy, it actually expands on the universe rather than detracting from it, and I am very interested to read the Doctor Aphra run now.
Would recommend to anyone who was or is a fan of the older Star Wars films as it is a great fit for tone.
Again, really enjoyed this. Gillen writes Vader perfectly, and the final arc in particular is excellent - as is the Sho-Torun War arc. I'm actually picking up the Doctor Aphra books now, as I never did back when I read Vader for the first time, so I look forward to seeing how they are! I also want to pick up the new Darth Vader comics, which are kind of the equivalent of this, but for Empire > Jedi rather than New Hope > Empire.
Original May 2017 review
Very enjoyable, Gillen has a writing style that I have always enjoyed from back when he wrote for Rock, Paper, Shotgun which translates surprisingly well to a fairly dark comic series about Darth Vader. Unlike a lot of expanded universe things dealing with pre or during the original trilogy, it actually expands on the universe rather than detracting from it, and I am very interested to read the Doctor Aphra run now.
Would recommend to anyone who was or is a fan of the older Star Wars films as it is a great fit for tone.
caedo06's review against another edition
5.0
What a great continuation and conclusion, it really walks the line of "unstoppable killing machine fanfic" at times but, for me, never crossed it. The weird menagerie of "science replacements" for Vader each get their own moment to shine (and die); though I have to say I never knew the thing I wanted most in the world was Dr. Aphra meeting Palpatine, but turns out that was it.
The best highlight though? Vader's "I have experience killing children."
The best highlight though? Vader's "I have experience killing children."
michaeljohnhalseartistry's review against another edition
2.0
Let me preface this by saying I am a huge Star Wars fan. I definitely don’t mean to brag, but when it comes to Star Wars I know more than anyone else I’ve ever known. I’ve read comics, novels, I’ve spent too many hours on the Star Wars Wikipedia site, just reading articles about characters, creatures, history, planets, events. I am a huge Star Wars fan. I’ve mentioned this in other posts, but growing up there were three franchises that I obsessed over. The Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, and Star Wars. Those three franchises (albeit, I wasn’t AS into Star Trek as the other two until my teenage years) make up the building blocks of my imagination and creative self and so I hold them close to my heart.
That being said… I may not have enjoyed the Darth Vader comics as much as I was expecting to. Before other Star Wars fans go berserk, let me try and explain this. I grew up in the 90s, I was introduced to Star Wars when I was 7 or 8, when the remastered original saga was being re-released in theatres. In 1999, The Phantom Menace came out, and looking back on it now, yes it was a cheesy film, especially when compared to the original trilogy, but I was also 10 at the time, and for me, the prequels were the films that encompassed "Star Wars" as I grew up. Don’t get me wrong, I love the original movies, and while they do a better job in telling a small, character-driven story, the prequels took that tiny universe of the original trilogy and opened it up. I loved the Jedi Order, I loved the Senate, the Galactic Politics, the myriad of aliens, it made the small world of Star Wars something much larger, and for that, I could almost overlook the terrible acting and scripts. When it came to the character of Darth Vader, I was never really afraid of him, people talk about how terrifying of a villain he was, but for me the Anakin Skywalker of the prequels was a much more terrifying and disturbed villain. Darth Vader almost felt like the lukewarm leftovers (maybe he needs another lava-bath). Actually, it wasn’t until Rogue One that I finally felt a little fear for the Sith Lord.
As for the comics, I mentioned to an employee of Chapters one day that I was a Star Wars fan, and they told me that as a Star Wars, it was imperative that I read the new Darth Vader comics. Now… I’ve been shying away from anything “new” and Star Wars, because Disney took the expanded universe that I cherished SO much as a kid and teen and threw it in the trash without a second thought, or thinking about how angry it would make Star Wars fans. But I gave in, and thought I’d give them a read… and man was I bored.
Maybe the story was dull, maybe I just find Darth Vader a little dull, I don’t know what it was. However I do know that these comics lacked the beautiful artwork of the Star Wars comics I grew up with (the Star Wars: Republic comics… which are no longer canon, because Disney is a destroyer of all things) and the fast-paced, action-packed stories therein. The Darth Vader comics introduces us to a smattering of new characters, all of which lack any interesting character traits, and all Vader does is threaten his way through every scene to the point where it gets a little boring. I was hoping to see some humanity brought back into Vader, but instead all we see is more quiet, brooding, simmering anger.
Am I biased towards these new comics? Yes. Am I bitter over Disney’s treatment of the Star Wars franchise? You know it. But I still went into the Darth Vader comics with an open mind, hoping to be shown something new and spectacular. These comics have received a number of great reviews, and I’m sure a lot of people and fans of the franchise love them, but they just weren’t for me… and that’s really all there is to it… I’ll stick with my Star Wars: Republic omnibuses… even though none of that matter anymore.
-----
FOR MORE BOOK REVIEWS, MY OWN NOVELS, AND PHOTOGRAPHY, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE:
michaeljohnhalse.wix.com/michaeljohnhalse
That being said… I may not have enjoyed the Darth Vader comics as much as I was expecting to. Before other Star Wars fans go berserk, let me try and explain this. I grew up in the 90s, I was introduced to Star Wars when I was 7 or 8, when the remastered original saga was being re-released in theatres. In 1999, The Phantom Menace came out, and looking back on it now, yes it was a cheesy film, especially when compared to the original trilogy, but I was also 10 at the time, and for me, the prequels were the films that encompassed "Star Wars" as I grew up. Don’t get me wrong, I love the original movies, and while they do a better job in telling a small, character-driven story, the prequels took that tiny universe of the original trilogy and opened it up. I loved the Jedi Order, I loved the Senate, the Galactic Politics, the myriad of aliens, it made the small world of Star Wars something much larger, and for that, I could almost overlook the terrible acting and scripts. When it came to the character of Darth Vader, I was never really afraid of him, people talk about how terrifying of a villain he was, but for me the Anakin Skywalker of the prequels was a much more terrifying and disturbed villain. Darth Vader almost felt like the lukewarm leftovers (maybe he needs another lava-bath). Actually, it wasn’t until Rogue One that I finally felt a little fear for the Sith Lord.
As for the comics, I mentioned to an employee of Chapters one day that I was a Star Wars fan, and they told me that as a Star Wars, it was imperative that I read the new Darth Vader comics. Now… I’ve been shying away from anything “new” and Star Wars, because Disney took the expanded universe that I cherished SO much as a kid and teen and threw it in the trash without a second thought, or thinking about how angry it would make Star Wars fans. But I gave in, and thought I’d give them a read… and man was I bored.
Maybe the story was dull, maybe I just find Darth Vader a little dull, I don’t know what it was. However I do know that these comics lacked the beautiful artwork of the Star Wars comics I grew up with (the Star Wars: Republic comics… which are no longer canon, because Disney is a destroyer of all things) and the fast-paced, action-packed stories therein. The Darth Vader comics introduces us to a smattering of new characters, all of which lack any interesting character traits, and all Vader does is threaten his way through every scene to the point where it gets a little boring. I was hoping to see some humanity brought back into Vader, but instead all we see is more quiet, brooding, simmering anger.
Am I biased towards these new comics? Yes. Am I bitter over Disney’s treatment of the Star Wars franchise? You know it. But I still went into the Darth Vader comics with an open mind, hoping to be shown something new and spectacular. These comics have received a number of great reviews, and I’m sure a lot of people and fans of the franchise love them, but they just weren’t for me… and that’s really all there is to it… I’ll stick with my Star Wars: Republic omnibuses… even though none of that matter anymore.
-----
FOR MORE BOOK REVIEWS, MY OWN NOVELS, AND PHOTOGRAPHY, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE:
michaeljohnhalse.wix.com/michaeljohnhalse
jojo_action's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
beorn_101's review against another edition
4.0
This was really good, I think the first half was stronger then the second half. I really enjoyed seeing Vader, Luke, and the other rebels interact in a scene not shown in the movies.
I didn't read this first volume of this, as I couldn't find it at my library, so I think some of the reveals and show downs in the second half of this volume were lost on me.
Overall, this is a perfect read if you are looking for some heavy Vader action, and a few interesting moments of insight into the deeper parts of the characters.
I didn't read this first volume of this, as I couldn't find it at my library, so I think some of the reveals and show downs in the second half of this volume were lost on me.
Overall, this is a perfect read if you are looking for some heavy Vader action, and a few interesting moments of insight into the deeper parts of the characters.
ananamauvais's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
elyse0988's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5