In 2015 Marvel Comics began releasing a series of Star Wars comics under two core titles: Star Wars and Darth Vader. These have been expanded to cover characters from Star Wars Rebels and The Force Awakens.
Star Wars: Darth Vader
Taking place between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, these graphic novels show a different side of Darth Vader. With the destruction of the Death Star, Vader has fallen out of favor with the Emperor. As a further humiliation he is placed under the command of military bureaucrats. Vader needs secret allies to carry out his dirty work. What begins as a triumvirate of scum and villainy soon turns into a dark reflection of Luke Skywalker and his rebel friends.
Doctor Aphra is a rogue in the same cast as Han Solo. A talented thief and technician, she has chatty streak that puts C-3P0 to shame. Aphra is joined by Triple-Zero (0-0-0) a murderous protocol droid, and Beetee (Bt-1) an experimental assassin droid with enough firepower to level a town. About mid-way through the series Black Krrsantan a wookie bounty hunter joins the crew.
There are several collections of Star Wars: Darth Vader in the Noble network.
Hardcover
- Star Wars: Darth Vader – Hard cover volume one collecting material from Darth Vader #1-12
- Star Wars: Darth Vader – Hard cover volume two collecting material from Vader Down #1, Star Wars #13-14, Darth Vader #13-15, Darth Vader Annual #1, Darth Vader #16-25
Softcover
- Star Wars: Darth Vader. Vol 1, Vader – Darth Vader #1-6
- Star Wars: Darth Vader. Vol 2, Shadows and Secrets – Darth Vader #7-12
- Star Wars: Vader Down – Star Wars# 13-14 and Darth Vader #13-15
- Star Wars Darth Vader. Vol. 3, the Shu-Torun War – Darth Vader #16-19, Darth Vader Annual #1
- Star Wars: Darth Vader. Vol. 4, End of Games – Darth Vader #20-25
Star Wars
Running alongside Star Wars: Darth Vader is the Star Wars series following the events of the Rebel Alliance. While Doctor Aphra and her two bloodthirsty droids track down the pilot who destroyed the Death Star, Vader has been charged with exterminating the Rebel Alliance. The two titles intersect at various points in the narrative. The Vader Down story arc includes issues from both titles. There are also events alluded to in the Vader comic that appear in the Star Wars series.
Star Wars Series
- Star Wars: Vol. 1, Skywalker Strikes – Star Wars #1-6
- Star Wars: Vol. 2, Showdown on Smuggler’s Moon – Star Wars #7-12
- Star Wars: Vol. 3, Rebel Jail – Star Wars #15-19 and Star Wars Annual #1
- Star Wars: Vol. 4, Last Flight of the Harbinger – Star Wars #20-25
Star Wars and Star Wars: Darth Vader are available at the Peabody Institute of Danvers or through interlibrary loan.
