Darth Vader (2020) #19 - Comic Review

Darth Vader has found new bait for his plan to take down Crimson Dawn once and for all. The Revengers, Valance, and even Ochi of Bestoon are all pawns in the Dark Lord’s big plan, and although they are aware of that, there is no escaping the Empire’s grip. Darth Vader (2020) #19 is just the beginning of this extermination as Vader leads the charge against a small group of Dawners in order to find Lady Qi’ra’s plans to spread across the Imperial bureaucracy and finally flush out Crimson Dawn for good.

Writer Greg Pak brings up the action and comedy a notch in Darth Vader (2020) #19 as throughout the comic issue we get plentiful funny moments, both from Ochi of Bestoon (his dark humor is always welcome) and surprisingly the Dark Lord himself—the latter showcasing a balancing act on droid Gee-Ninety that could definitely make the top funniest Star Wars moments of all time. Although this issue is a little lighthearted compared to previous ones, the main dark theme of the series is predominant, Vader’s desire to bring order to the galaxy through power and submission is emphasized by flashbacks from Anakin’s past life—a recurring addition to the series, this time referencing The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. Darth Vader (2020) #19 also gives a full, formal reintroduction to the Revengers, but not to a point where the reader gets too attached to the characters as they seem to be an expendable part of the story. Valance also makes an appearance in this comic issue, but it’s merely a cameo if you’re used to his main comic run.

The artwork for Darth Vader (2020) #19 has colorist Alex Sinclair and letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna return, with artist Guiu Vilanova on pencils. Vilanova’s dark and gritty style accompanied by Sinclair’s colors is exactly what you would expect in a Vader comic. What stands out the most are the scrunched facial expressions of the unmasked characters, visually describing their state of mind in these dark times within the storyline. And let’s not forget Caramagna’s masterful use of laser fire and explosion sound effects, which are many in this action-packed issue! The cover art for Darth Vader (2020) #19 is also as dark as it gets, with Ryan Stegman and Richard Isanove using the brightest reds of Vader’s lightsaber to contrast the otherwise deep black tones of Vader’s menacing figure. Equally menacing is the variant cover from Russell Dauterman and Matthew Wilson, once again showcasing Vader lightsaber at the ready. Chris Sprouse, Karl Story, and Neeraj Menon are also back once again with another Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary cover, this time depicting the throne scene from The Last Jedi.

With Crimson Dawn continuously rising the ranks of power, it’s only a matter of time until Vader will clash with Lady Qi’ra and her mighty crime syndicate once again! Darth Vader (2020) #19 is the perfect appetizer to what’s to come in the later issues of this series and the Crimson Reign comic event. Make sure to grab your TIE Fighter and woosh down to your favorite comic book store and pick up this awesome issue today!