Star Wars: Darth Vader #10 is written by Greg Pak, joined by artist Raffaele Ienco, colorist Neeraj Menon, letterer Joe Caramagna, and cover artists Aaron Kuder and Richard Isanove. Published by Marvel Comics, Star Wars: Darth Vader #10 continues the mechanical menaces quest to uncover his master Emperor Palpatine’s secret plan. While he has left Mustafar behind once again, Vader has even bigger obstacles to overcome en route to Exogol.
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Previous in Star Wars: Darth Vader #9, the Dark Lord was able to fend off both Ochi of Bestoon and a hoast of battle droids who were set salvaging Darth Vader for parts. The droids worked with Ochi but turned on him as soon as they realized that Darth Vader wasn’t worth the effort as he dismantled them one after another. Since Ochi was the only one who knew how to operate the Sith Wayfinder, the Sith Lord had no choice but to save his former attacker. After the droids were dispatched, Darth Vader “persuaded” Ochi to show him how to navigate to Exogol despite his protests.
Star Wars: Darth Vader #10 opens with Lord Vader just outside of the maelstrom that fans see in The Rise of the Skywalker. This time there is a new hiccup that was not seen in that film in the form of a giant space monster. A summa-verminoth looms just outside of the red space of the Unknown Regions. This not the first appearance of such a beast. A summa-verminoth was also present in Solo: A Star Wars Story in the maelstrom that surrounded the planet Kessel. If a 7,400-meter long space squid wasn’t enough of a hurdle, Sly Moore, the Force-sensitive Umbaran female from The Prequel Trilogy, makes another appearance in the series. This time the senior administrator for Emperor Palpatine controls three Star Destroyers and a host of TIE fighters and set on completing Ochi’s original mission.
Darth Vader is certainly in between a rock and a hard place in this issue piloting only a prequel era Jedi starfighter with Ochi strapped below in the craft in an escape pod. Throughout the series, readers know that Vader isn’t any actual danger, given the events of Return of the Jedi have yet to happen. However, Star Wars: Darth Vader #10 is a perfect example of why this is completely fine because it truly is about the journey. Writer Pak continually adds things throughout the series that keeps me engaged.
Star Wars: Darth Vader #10 continues its fast-paced nature. While the issue only takes place in a short period of time, there is a lot to gleam for it. Seeing Moore as a menacing figure shows added depth to a someone many will only remember as a background character in the films. Vader continues to be an absolute terror as he single-handily rips through waves of TIE Fighters despite the odds. Further, while the summa-verminoth is fun to watch in Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: Darth Vader #10 shows how scary they can actually be with their mental manipulation abilities.
Overall, I was thrilled to turn the pages of Star Wars: Darth Vader #10. Throughout the issue, the artwork is superb. Seeing the summa-verminoth in a comic was much more intimidating as the art team shows that dealing with the crushing tentacles may be better than dealing with its other powers. The latter half of the issue forces Vader to face his past, which he hasn’t had to do in the last few issues. Pak can weave these powerful moments throughout the series that really make the events of Return of the Jedi hit harder, and this book is no exception. If there was one issue to read in this series, this is the one.
Star Wars: Darth Vader #10
TL;DR
Overall, I was thrilled to turn the pages of Star Wars: Darth Vader #10. Throughout the issue, the artwork is superb. Seeing the summa-verminoth in a comic was much more intimidating as the art team shows that dealing with the crushing tentacles may be better than dealing with its other powers. The latter half of the issue forces Vader to face his past, which he hasn’t had to do in the last few issues. Pak can weave these powerful moments throughout the series that really make the events of Return of the Jedi hit harder, and this book is no exception. If there was one issue to read in this series, this is the one.
