I’ve got nothing terribly profound to discuss this week, so I wanted to take some time to showcase something that I think has been underserved in the comics community.
Earlier this week, I was pleasantly surprised by the conclusion of Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison, the latest mini-series from Dark Horse Comics to spotlight the beloved Sith Lord in all of his glory. There are tons of Star Wars comics on the market these days, but Ghost Prison is the first in quite some time that captures everything I adore about the franchise. I wouldn’t hesitate to say that the comic did more to push the boundaries of the series than any of the sequels/prequels, save Empire Strikes Back.
Check our reviews for Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison!
Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison is set months after Episode III as the Empire has taken hold of the galaxy and have begun to expand radically, training recruits at a rapid pace. The story centers around an Imperial cadet named Tohm that finds himself in the midst of rebellion and soon, fighting by Vader’s side. The story that ensues is not the typical Star Wars tale of black-and-white morality but instead a complex and tragic exploration of an average man’s loyalty to his leaders.
And though Tohm is in the spotlight, this series serves to underscore the ruthlessness of Darth Vader that we really only ever hear about in the films. By the story’s conclusion, we’re given a new appreciation for the coldness of Vader’s character that, after decades of exposure and perhaps even overuse, we have started to forget.
While I’m a fan of the prequels, they don’t do much in the way of showcasing Vader’s assistance in constructing the Empire. By the time we get to Vader in A New Hope, he’s more or less Tarkin’s lackey. And when Return of the Jedi rolls around, the series has shifted to portray Vader as a far more sympathetic character. Only in Empire do we see Vader as a true villain that transcends his cool look and becomes something terrifying. But most of his horrible past deeds are done off screen.
I’ve never really found myself reading licensed comics for anything other than continuing the adventures of some favorite characters. For the most part, they exist not to progress or expand these characters but rather to simply let them keep on living. In fact, the licensed comics that directly involve characters from the movies or TV shows (as opposed to peripheral characters or new characters set in the same universe) are essentially locked into the established continuity. In some cases where the comics are continuing a story – like the Buffy or Smallville comics – continuity is less restricting because it only needs to adhere to the past.
In the case of Star Wars, Vader’s tales need to adhere to the past and the future, which you’d think would be limiting. Instead, the Ghost Prison mini-series takes full advantage of our knowledge of where Vader’s been and where he’s going, and instead uses it to flesh out this character. Because of this story, I’ll never look at Vader’s relationships with the other Imperials in A New Hope the same ever again.
Alongside things like The Force Unleashed, I have a greater appreciation for the power of Vader’s character than ever before, most notably his power of manipulation. You know when Admiral Motti steps to Vader in that Death Star roundtable scene? The tension is retroactively even greater because I know what Vader is capable of doing to his allies to benefit his own cause.
I guess what I’m saying is, licensed comics should dare to do more with the characters, and those who license them should encourage it. Ghost Prison proves that there is plenty of room for growth and exploration within even the most confined spaces of continuity. In the meantime, I urge you to give this book a try – no matter how jaded about Star Wars you’ve become.
And if you’re jaded, stop. Star Wars still rules.
Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He will love Star Wars until the end of his days.
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