Published: February 10th, 2021
Rating: T
Writer: Greg Pak
Penciler: Raffaele Ienco
Colourist: Neeraj Menon
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Aaron Kuder
The synopsis;
THE RED HORROR! After passing the test of THE EYE OF WEBBISH BOGG, DARTH VADER has learned the route to the hidden location of THE EMPEROR’S greatest secrets! But in THE RED NEBULA along the way, can Vader survive the onslaught of the greatest predator in the galaxy? Especially if the monster’s most brutal attack transcends the physical? And what horrors await the Emperor if a transformed Vader makes it to his dark door?
The review;
“He’s more machine now than man”, is what comes to mind about Kuder’s direct cover. Darth Vader’s cybernetic limbs are visible through his shredded suit, and he seems completely inhuman. The red colours are bold, the lines are harsh, and you can feel Vader’s struggle just looking at it. Sprouse’s anniversary variant also uses bold colours but the line-art is beautifully understated to make the dueling characters the main focus.
In Darth Vader #10, the Dark Lord has followed the Sith wayfinder to the deadly edge of space surrounding the mysterious planet of Exegol. Before he can proceed though, he must survive the destructive tentacles of the predatory Endgame, which guards the path to the planet, along with another test from the Emperor, delivered in a swarm of TIE Fighters. With only an old Jedi Starfighter and Ochi of Bestoon reluctantly helping him, can Vader defeat these foes and reach the gates of Exegol?
Pak has gone big with this story. There’s the huge Endgame (no need to call the Avengers though), a space octopus that hunts with its mind as well as its body, and then there’s the release of dozens of TIE Fighters to hound Vader and stop him from reaching Exegol. In a way, Darth Vader #10 feels like the twelve labours of Hercules, as the Emperor keeps giving Vader seemingly impossible tasks in order for the Sith Lord to earn clemency. The Endgame is similar to the ninth labour, the abduction of the guard dog Cerberus, as both creatures guard a path to an important place.
Of course, Vader is a powerful Sith Lord, so he can’t truly be stopped. But Pak doesn’t make anything easy for him, putting Vader through both physical and mental challenges. It’s the latter half of the comic when the Endgame attacks Vader’s mind. Pak’s writing of this is incredible as he twists past and future, torturing Vader with what was and could have been. However, it’s all taken to the next level by Ienco’s artwork.
Usually, the borders around comic panels are just black lines. Who looks at them? Well, usually there’s not much reason to, but Ienco has designed the borders to be the Endgame’s tentacles. It almost feels like the cephalopod is reaching into the pages as well as into Vader’s mind. But rather than gross, creepy tentacles, they are made to be beautiful, spiralling in Art Nouveau like patterns. Ienco draws the visions amazingly, basing them on scenes fans know well, but twisting them and changing the positions of the characters, so that they become something new. And although the lines written by Pak are meaningful, it is the visual storytelling that is totally transfixing.
Unlike the previous issue, Ochi of Bestoon only plays a small part in Darth Vader #10. His presence though is for comedic relief and he sure does provide some. Ochi is so witty, even in the face of impending disaster, and as he’s stuck in an escape pod with nothing to do, he just states the obvious to the great imitation of Vader.
Pak then teases fans with the ending of Darth Vader #10. It’s climactic but does not come to a close, promising a lot for the next issue. Vader crashes on Exegol and then uses the Force on the Endgame, heedless of Ochi’s warning that the Emperor will punish him for it. Is Vader controlling or killing the monster? It’s hard to tell, but somehow the Dark Lord will invade the Sith Temple of Exegol in Darth Vader #11.
Availability;
Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) #10 was published February 10, 2021 by Marvel Comics. This issue is available via The Marvel App and from all good comic bookstores and retails at $3.99.
