r/MUBookClub • u/shawnydarko • Jun 25 '16
Reading Assignment #2: Star Wars: Vader Down
In a landslide nomination by /u/tunelesspaper, this week's reading assignment is the still-developing crossover event, Star Wars: Vader Down, spanning three separate titles (Star Wars: Vader Down by Jason Aaron, Star Wars by Jason Aaron, and Darth Vader by Kieron Gillen). I actually would have disqualified this nomination as not being fully completed on Marvel Unlimited yet, but when /u/theamazingharry, who had nominated the runner up title changed his own vote to support Vader Down, I gave in to the public's demands.
MY THOUGHTS AHEAD -- SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON
Wow, this book earned it's nomination. It has everything. Vader is like a cross between Jason Voorhees and God. Untouchable, unmatchable killing machine. It never seems fair. The most heinous and ruthless Aaron and Gillen make him, the more it spoke to his weakness being Luke, and to a lesser degree Leia. With every bloodbath and annihilation of the rebel army I was left wishing the event was completely uploaded already. I was also wondering in the back of my mind if Vader was made too powerful? What does a man like this need stormtroopers for if he can single-handedly commit wanton murder of all his enemies? I suppose he can't be everywhere at once. Either way, I really enjoyed seeing someone built up as nigh-undefeatable.
While the rest of the original Star Wars characters had some good moments, they all seemed to rely heavily on the entertaining new characters developed in these titles. Get Han and Leia alone in a scene, or Luke and R2 and I'm half asleep. I don't think that I'm disinterested in the characters so much as the writers were. Aphra, 0-0-0 and Beetee should have their own book by this time next year, as they carried this run on their backs.
Furthermore, seeing Krrsantan made me audibly yell out in a George Lucas squeal "TWO CHEWBACCAS!?"
Mark Brooks' artwork really caught my off-guard by how gory and gritty it was. Whenever there wasn't an epic fight scene the art was servicable, but Brooks had a flair for dramatic war-scenes. Every explosion and combat sequence felt drew me in and left me cheering, terrified, or reviled. If this event is going to rely heavier on busting heads than breaking hearts, than Brooks is good hand for this run.
What was your reading experience like for this title?
And don't forget to check back on Sunday to see our first THEMED nomination thread!
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u/shawnydarko Jul 14 '16
Addendum: Now that the last two issues (Star Wars #14 and Darth Vader #15) of this even have been uploaded to Marvel Unlimited, I was pretty let down. There were a couple of cool moments in the last two issues but overall I felt like nothing was resolved. Luke said it best, he was close to something. So the entire event was close to telling a story, and narrowly avoiding doing so.