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REVIEW: No one can stop Darth Vader in ‘Star Wars: Vader Down’

 
Star Wars Vader Down TP
Star Wars Vader Down TP
Star Wars Vader Down TP

 
Overview
 

Story by: Jason Aaron and Kieron Gillen
 
Art by: Mike Deodato Jr. and Salvador Larroca
 
Colors by: Frank Martin Jr. and Edgar Delgado
 
Cover by: Mark Brooks
 
Publisher:
 
FG RATING
 
 
 
 
 
4.5/ 5


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To sum it all up..

How do you bring down one of the most powerful villains in pop culture history? And this baddie is no other than the former “chosen one” and supposed messiah, Darth Vader. That is the question that taken heads on by comic writers Jason Aaron and Kieron Gillen in the first ever Star Wars crossover main […]

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Posted April 20, 2016 by

 
FULL REVIEW
 
 

Star Wars Vader Down TPHow do you bring down one of the most powerful villains in pop culture history? And this baddie is no other than the former “chosen one” and supposed messiah, Darth Vader. That is the question that taken heads on by comic writers Jason Aaron and Kieron Gillen in the first ever Star Wars crossover main event — STAR WARS: VADER DOWN.  It contains six issues of the said event, Star Wars: Vader Down #1, Star Wars #13-#14, and Star Wars: Darth Vader #13-#15. With Aaron as the lead writer; while artists extraordinaire Mike Deodato Jr. and Salvador Larroca lead the assaults of illustrating our beloved Star Wars characters ever, particularly the Sith Lord himself!

As the title suggests – Star Wars: Vader Down really revolves on how to arrest Darth Vader by having him literally go “down” to the proverbial snake pit. Although nothing novel on this premise at all, what is paramount for these two creative teams is to make this first crossover more entertaining, intelligently read, and most importantly, proving once again why Darth Vader is anything but mediocre even in the midst of total annihilation. Even non-Star Wars fans but lovers of the classic “one-man army” stories can actually give this book a shot or a stab because they would witness the true sheer awesomeness of this supreme galactic enforcer.

Aaron and Gillen’s writing styles actually synchronize and even mesh almost perfectly. Aaron concerned on how the Rebels, particularly with the main iconic Star Wars characters: Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker, greatly underestimated the true capabilities of the Emperor’s Hand, and even nearly destroyed by this collective hubris. While Gillen focused on the Vader’s absolute resolved of completing his objectives even though he’s being under the pressure and suspicions by the Empire itself. Two grand perspectives rolled into one hell rollicking tale of deception, deceit, destruction, and delineation of raw power of the Dark Side and the Force as well, as they portray Vader as intelligent, cunning, strategic and manipulative. Additionally, they made sure there were rooms for the supporting casts to shine as well, most particularly the evil versions of R2D2, C3PO and Chewbacca, particularly in the last two chapters.

Star Wars Vader Down 02 feat

Mike Deodato Jr. and Salvador Larroca have different artistic approaches and very distinctive from each other, but seriously in this mini-event, their artwork worked so well that I personally didn’t notice the glaring inconsistencies that often marred in many comic crossovers. However, I prefer more on Larroca’s take on the Sith Lord. The attention to details are even so remarkable, particularly the rebel and imperial jets and ships. Their paneling were actually in-synced with one another, making the visual narrative as cohesively superb. Further enhancing the artists’ respective work were colorists Frank Martin Jr. and Edgar Delgado, whose colors truly captured the dynamism of the visual storytelling and paneling, and atmospheric feel of the overall message of this story, most particularly on how they colored Darth Vader were almost perfect!

There are some very minor disturbances in this Force-filled event. The most prominent was the distinctive artistic illustrations of some characters. Again, both Salvador and Mike have their own unique visual styles, which arbitrarily depend on the readers’ aesthetic taste. Another is that this edition is printed in a trade paperback form and not in a hardcover?

Star Wars: Vader Down accomplished something worthy to the new Star Wars canon — this first Star Wars major crossover demonstrated on how two different creative forces, whose artistic and narrative styles vary significantly, synchronized so fluidly well that almost no glitches were to be surfaced at all. And, it showed once and for all why Darth Vader is simply unstoppable.

Star Wars Vader Down 03

 


Paul Ramos

 


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