Why The Vader Comics Don't Need To Be Adapted Into A Show
Image Source: Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith by Charles Soule (Marvel Comics)
We have seen the rise and fall of Darth Vader in the first six Star Wars movies. The prequels are about Anakin Skywalker and his fall to the dark side and his eventual transformation into Darth Vader. In the original trilogy, we see Darth Vader as the powerful Sith Lord we all know, and eventually, see his death at the end of Return of the Jedi. There is a bunch of time, however, that we do not see him on screen. We have no idea how he became the all-powerful sith lord we saw in A New Hope. After Episode III, we know he was working for Palpatine, and hunting down Jedi to end them once and for all, but you can't become an all-powerful sith lord without a bit of work. The Vader comics explore what he was doing between movies, and how he became his powerful self.
There are two Vader comic series that explore what Vader does off-screen. The first set is Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen, released in 2015. This series explores the events between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. We see Vader having to get back into Palpatine’s good graces, as his work for him has not been going well. This series also introduces the character of Doctor Aphra, and her Wookie companion, Krrsantan. Vader enlists her help to please the emperor finally.
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Image Source: Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen (Marvel Comics)
The next is Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith by Charles Soule released in 2017. It explores what happens immediately after Revenge of the Sith. Palpatine has Vader chase down the last remaining Jedi to end them once and for all. He stumbles a bit, as he is still new to being a Sith Lord, and confronts Jocasta Nu. She gets the last word however and blows up her ship before he can kill her. These comics are fantastic and give you great insight as to how Vader became the villain we all know.
With Star Wars exploring new stories and continuing ones of the characters we all know and love, I've seen talk about how the Vader comics should be adapted into a TV or movie medium. I disagree with this idea. The comics are perfect enough to explore Vader's story further, and we don't need to see it on screen. While I think the idea is cool, it is unneeded. Continuing a story in a reading medium should be acceptable, and fans should explore books as another medium for Star Wars content. Taking characters from these stories, like Krrsanstan, and putting them in live action is different. The moment Krrsantan was introduced in The Book of Boba Fett, was awesome, and I love that we can see these characters in other Star Wars shows and content, without messing up the story they originally came from. I hope we get to see Doctor Aphra on screen one day. These stories are just as good as the ones told on screen and deserve to be known by so many. These do not need to be changed in any way, to adapt to a visual medium.
Image Source: Wired
Both of these comics explore Vader's life at different stages. The one shows Vader immediately after him becoming Darth Vader and working to become the sith lord we know. The other, is in between movies, after we've already been introduced to him, and trying to appease Palpatine. Both stories are important to his story, and Star Wars as a whole. I recommend reading these comics to anyone who wants more Vader content because this storytelling is just as good as a show or a movie.
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