Darth Vader Gets A Steampunk Makeover
Darth Vader is one of the most feared villains in all of pop culture. He is such an icon for the Star Wars franchise. The overall look of him is recognizable across the globe. As such, one can make variations of the character's armor while still maintaining the overall shape, as it were, that would look familiar enough despite the act of remixing the look. I know of at least one person who has made a steampunk version of Darth Vader's armor and worn that around. It really does make for a good cosplay. Now, another steampunk Darth Vader will come about in the form of a statue that one can put on display on the shelf.
Kotobukiya, as part of the Star Wars Artist Series, will be including an Industrial Empire Darth Vader statue as part of their lineup. Steampunk designs tend to add some extra bits that one would find on machinery, such as gauges and gears. Here, Darth Vader's suit is still mostly black, but it has touches of gold on his lightsaber and armor that one may find on steampunk designs from other places. These touches may bring the beloved protocol droid C-3PO to mind, which is somewhat fitting given Anakin's connection to the droid. One could imagine these touches matching pretty well with the yellow cruiser and starfighters that Anakin is known to have driven and piloted throughout the prequel era. In a way, it almost feels like a bridge between the tastes of Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader. The bit of green on his chest may seem like an odd choice, but overall, the design looks pretty good.
Here is what the Industrial Empire print for the statue says:
"A new Star Wars project is here! Standing triumphantly, Darth Vader takes on a uniquely steampunk appearance in the work entitled 'Industrial Empire.' World-renowned artist Adi Granov created this exclusive illustration in collaboration with Lucasfilm just for Kotobukiya! Reimagined in this iconic style, the Dark Lord of the Sith appears in a forbidding pose, arm outstretched, and incased in a battle-worn suit embellished with metal plating, rivets, and various pressure gauges.
Masterfully recreated in 3D form, the sculptors at Kotobukiya have captured every nuance of this illustration down to the fine details of the lightsaber hilt and environmental base. As an added bonus, this release will include a print of "Industrial Empire", perfect for framing and displaying next to your statue. Make sure to add this limited production collectible to your collection. Made of PVC/ABS, this statue stands roughly 12 1/2-inches tall."
Right now, the statue is available to preorder from Entertainment Earth for $219.99. According to the listing, the estimated ship date for the statue is November 2021 (though this is subject to change). This find may end up being an prized item that you would want to add to your collection as eagerly as General Grievous would add lightsabers to his own collection.
Source(s): ComicBook.com