Published: June 23, 2021
Rating: T
Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Raffaele Ienco
Colourist: Jason Keith
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramgna
Cover Artist: Aaron Kuder & Richard Isanove
The synopsis;
DARK LORD VS. DARK DROID! DARTH VADER and OCHI OF BESTOON embark upon a search for the carbonite-frozen body of HAN SOLO. Get ready for intrigue, betrayal and action in the heart of HUTT SPACE with the explosive reappearance of EVERYONE’S FAVORITE ASSASSIN DROID, IG-88! …And a shocking cliffhanger brings the shadows to life!
The review;
They say thirteen is an unlucky number but that definitely doesn’t apply to the covers for Darth Vader #13. Kuder’s direct cover is so dynamic, cracked earth, motion lines and rebounding blaster bolts creating a worthy fight scene between Vader and IG-88. The details on the assassin droid are particularly impressive, from IG-88’s pistons to connecting wires, along with his iconic weaponry. Meanwhile Kirby’s Pride month variant is absolutely beautiful, featuring a stern portrait of the mastermind Imperial Grand Admiral Sloane. Looking rather perplexed in Sprouse’s anniversary variant, Han and Chewie are trying to fix the Millennium Falcon (again) in the iconic scene from The Empire Strikes Back.
In his search for Corellian pilot Han Solo, Darth Vader and wily assassin Ochi of Bestoon make their way to the Outer Rim to enlist the aid of Bokku the Hutt. And by enlist, Vader means threaten into helping. After some coercion, the Hutt gangster reveals a droid contact who might know of Han’s location, so Vader leads Ochi to a droid pirate lair. It’s not run by friendly protocol droids though, and soon Vader finds himself duelling the deadly IG-88…
If having Darth Vader and IG-88 in the same comic wasn’t good enough, then Darth Vader and IG-88 battling in the same comic is perfection. Pak just keeps on delivering with these storylines. Seeing the legendary bounty hunter go up against the Sith Lord is so compelling to read – one is a machine with the intelligence of a man, the other is a man with the strength of a machine. Who will come out on top? Fans will find themselves quickly reading this issue as the suspense between IG-88 and Vader is incredible!
This isn’t just a fight though. Pak is suggesting things in this fight that are bound to have repercussions in future issues. It’s the typical villain monologues, as Vader and IG-88 try to out-talk one another and inadvertently end up revealing things. Ochi meanwhile is being a less than helpful sidekick, watching on as the two fight and throwing the odd curse or insult at the droid.
Being even less helpful is Bokku the Hutt, who simply stays in the safety of his sail-barge, which is similar in design to Jabba’s but this one is made for space travel. Ienco has done an amazing job of the design, incorporating the shape and sails that are so iconic to Jabba’s barge but then making it airtight for the vacuum of space.
All of Ienco’s artwork for this issue is just so action-packed, with each panel filled with details. Vader is a menacing form throughout, either fighting or threatening, his mask almost always highlighted by the red glow of his lightsaber. There’s also one dramatic panel of Vader boarding his shuttle that screams Episode V vibes. IG-88 is rendered in such detail, and there’s one full page of him just unleashing his blasters which is a real standout. Caramagna also deserves a shout-out as his lettering for the battle adds so much, possibly even taking some inspiration from IG-11 in The Mandalorian for the mix of metallic fighting noises.
After all the action the intrigue in the ending for Darth Vader #13 really feels like something from the Prequels. Hooded figures talking amongst themselves in a way that only makes sense to them, yet leaves readers itching to understand the context. It will be very interesting to see where Pak takes these threads in Darth Vader #14 where the Dark Lord must face down treachery from within the Imperial court!
Availability;
Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #13 was published on June 23, 2021 by Marvel Comics. This issue retails at $3.99 and is available via The Marvel App and from all good comic bookstores.
