Darth Vader – Black, White & Red #1
STAR WARS
DARTH VADER
BLACK, WHITE & RED
When Anakin Skywalker turned to the dark side, he became Darth Vader, one of the most powerful Sith of all time.
In his service to the evil Galactic Empire, he has left a trail of destruction and terror, striking fear into the hearts of millions across the galaxy….
Writers: Jason Aaron, Peach Momoko, Torunn Grønbekk
Artists: Leonard Kirk, Peach Momoko, Klaus Janson
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Cover artist: Alex Maleev
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Publication date: April 26, 2023
In a similar style to the recent Return of the Jedi: Ewoks #1, Darth Vader – Black, White & Red #1 brings us three short stories all told in very different styles but with one constant – the red, white and black colour scheme that makes Marvel’s Black, White & Red issues so consistent. Here, the first of three tales is Hard Shutdown Part 1 by writer Jason Aaron (a name very familiar to long time Marvel Star Wars readers having written the main title upon its 2015 return) and artist Leonard Kirk (Who Star Trek fans will know from his 90’s work on Malibu’s Deep Space Nine series).
We’re in the Horox system as we see Lord Vader meet with an unnamed man, the dark lord looking for a Doctor Sendvall. The doctor is dead, the man is his son and as Vader ignites his lightsaber waiting for the inevitable ambush we’re treated to two pages of action as numerous gunmen appear, blasting at Vader as he faces the son of the doctor again and as he is about to dispatch him, the man – called Cyn – says the words ‘Padme, help me‘, which stops Vader in his tracks. Incapacitated by Cyn’s weapon, we roll out (remember, this is issue 1 of the series) and step into the realms of the second story, Inescapable, written and drawn by superstar cover artist Peach Momoko.
We open with what appears to be the edge of a desert, two moons high above and a hooded character scattering sand through their hands. However, it isn’t sand but skulls she is trickling through and in her blood-rimmed eyes a skull shaped like Vader’s helmet. We see her eyes, a vision of Vader and skeletal arms reaching for her and as she runs and looks behind her a ball of arms and hands, a giant black-gloved hand reaching out for her. She blasts it, blood oozing as she turns again and above her a giant skeletal vader, his lightsaber hilt facing down and he ignites it, broiling her as she disintegrates.
We next see her in an empty room, a window behind her showing the stars beyond, and as she opens her eyes we end this very disturbing entry with a TIE Fighter, its cockpit a huge, bloodshot eye. A tale that would be very much at home in UK Star Wars Monthly of the early 80’s, this tale screams Visions, albeit one that would be rated 18 on Disney Plus.
The third and longest entry of the debut issue is Dissolution of Hope, brought to us by writer Torunn Grønbekk and legendary artist Klaus Janson, who’s last Star Wars work for Marvel was 40 years ago in 1983’s Star Wars Annual #3. We open on Torku, a party underway as an Imperial officer hurridly races through the crowd. His wife is anticipating the presense of Lord Vader, but with work on the Imperial base behind schedule and a malfunction in the weapons system (nost likely caused by saboteurs) the soiree is the least of his concerns. As he steps outside and is questioned by awaiting woman we switch to a trio of rebels, watching a distant building as it explodes, and wait for the signal as we head back to the woman who now has a second and the Imperial who is sweating as he realises he is in deep trouble, He begs for his life as she grabs his security pass and hurls him down a liftshaft to his end as she meets with her fellow rebels.
Taking down another Imperial, they make note of the the fear Vader engenders and head onto a firefight with the Empire, protecting one of their number – brilliant scientist Davgar Llian, who now alone in a control room plans to turn the Empire’s weapon on the Imperial base. Vader is watching, and tears through the rebel ranks until they are all gone, finding Llian and using the Force to end him as well.
With Klaus Jansen on art duties, this really does have a rich, old school style that evokes tales from the past, and with Vader on the periphery of the story until its conclusion it highlights the fear and dread he evokes in his underlings, to say nothing of his enemies. A solid start to the Black, White & Red series, it seems clear that the goal of the title is not to focus on the stories but to intensify the fear Vader generates, how destabilising it is for his enemies and the massed ranks of the Empire.
Next issue will bring the next part of Hard Shutdown from Jason Aaron and Leonard Kirk and new takes from Victoria Yang, Marika Cresta, David Pepose and Alessandro Vitti. Let’s hope they strike fear in the way this debut issue did.
