Star Wars: Darth Vader (2015)

Star Wars: Darth Vader, a comic book series within the larger Star Wars universe, was crafted by the writer Kieron Gillen and brought to life with artwork by Salvador Larroca. Marvel Comics initiated the publication of this comic series on February 11, 2015, and it reached its conclusion with the release of its twenty-fifth issue in October of 2016. The narrative is focused on Darth Vader's experiences set between the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.

Development

Sometime around 2014, Marvel Comics editor Jordan D. White presented Kieron Gillen with an opportunity to author a Star Wars comic. Initially hesitant, Gillen nearly declined the offer. Ultimately, he accepted the assignment, even stepping away from writing Iron Man to dedicate himself to the project. Gillen recognized that among Marvel's current writers, his expertise in exploring the themes of evil and villainy made him a suitable candidate for Darth Vader. Despite initial reservations about being the best fit, he acknowledged his experience in this area. He compared it to when he declined an interview with William Gibson due to not reading his latest books at the time.

Moreover, the 1980 movie Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back marked his first cinematic experience, leading him to state, "Now I get the chance to tell Darth Vader's story from the end of the first Star Wars film to the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back! This is a significant narrative. It's not solely about my desire to write Darth Vader. It's about the opportunity to craft this tale of Darth Vader, and it's all considered canon. According to Lucasfilm, this is the authentic account of what transpired." This comic was among the initial Star Wars comics produced after the Expanded Universe was rebranded as Star Wars Legends. While Gillen didn't view this decision entirely negatively for the fandom, as not all Star Wars explored the galaxy beyond the films, he collaborated with the newly established Lucasfilm Story Group for guidance on permissible events between the first two films of the Star Wars original trilogy. For example, they discussed whether Boba Fett's meeting with Darth Vader in the first issue could be their first canonical encounter to avoid contradicting their encounter in The Empire Strikes Back. Gillen found this process intriguing, as it contrasted with his writing approach for the Marvel Universe. Pablo Hidalgo from the Story Group suggested using Cassio Tagge after confirming which Imperial generals from the original film could have plausibly survived when Gillen wanted to give Vader an Imperial adversary.

To prepare for his writing responsibilities, Gillen rewatched the Star Wars films and identified pivotal details. He noted that viewers do not witness Vader discovering he has a son or that the Emperor had deceived him. He also observed that Vader begins The Empire Strikes Back in a stronger position, despite his partial responsibility for the destruction of the Death Star due to losing the plans in the original film. Gillen believed his role was to enrich and shape the narrative. He chose to explore Vader's discovery of Luke's parentage and his realization of Darth Sidious's long-term deception since the 2005 film Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. Despite his personal dislike for the Star Wars prequel trilogy, Gillen acknowledged its importance as a backdrop that underscored the characters' psychology, emotions, and motivations.

Gillen drew inspiration from Martin Lisemore's TV series I, Claudius, Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 film The Godfather, and the television adaptations of Michael Dobbs' 1989 novel House of Cards (both the British adaptation and its Netflix American remake) to depict the internal workings of the Empire. Another House of Cards comparison stems from the influence of Francis Urquhart/Frank Underwood on Vader, as both works portray powerful figures resorting to unconventional tactics against those who confine them to subservient roles. Gillen's need for a military adversary for Vader led to the return of Cassio Tage as a Grand Admiral. While Jason Aaron's concurrent Star Wars comic depicts Vader on "a Tuesday," Gillen's series portrays the mundane politics he navigates during the rest of the week. He noted that Vader's adversaries include military officials who lack belief in the Force.

To avoid a potentially monotonous comic set in the Empire's corridors of power, Gillen chose to highlight the galaxy's underworld. He explained that Vader's summoning of bounty hunters in The Empire Strikes Back demonstrated the character's "micro-managerial" nature and personal knowledge of these individuals. Therefore, he wrote Vader's journey into the galaxy's less reputable areas through associations with bounty hunters to explain his knowledge of them in Episode V, ensuring it didn't diminish Vader's "grandeur."

Gillen described writing Vader as challenging because providing him with an internal monologue would detract from his "looming, threatening monolith[ic]" presence. However, the comic also explored Vader's emotional journey, necessitating a "[sold] visually" approach. He likened writing Vader to writing a The Punisher comic, where humor can arise from a terrifying protagonist acting as the straight man. Gillen found it easy to account for characters' involvement in the movies, resolving any potential issues by suggesting that his characters could be elsewhere in the vast galaxy during the original trilogy. Instead, he opted to use minor characters from the original films.

Gillen also aimed to remind readers of Vader's droid-building skills in the prequel trilogy, showcasing "the passion of Anakin shining through." He acknowledged that both Salvador Larroca and Adi Granov were Iron Man veterans, stating, "They both possess extensive knowledge of hardware. They both come from a photo realist tradition, while also being capable of drawing convincing machines. These talents are valuable when creating a book that is A) cinematic and B) technical." Larroca, a Star Wars enthusiast, was brought into the project by Gillen due to his availability and reliability in completing his drawing assignments on time, similar to Jack Kirby.

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