A Visually Bland Mess — Reviewing ‘Darth Vader’ #45

Marvel’s Darth Vader ongoing is a series which tends to fall down some narrative rabbit holes. Remember when Vader was rooting out/teaming up with Crimson Dawn? Or when Valance was leading a team of bounty hunters and freedom fighters? Or when Sabé was de-facto co-lead of the book? Remember Ochi of Bestoon (I miss Ochi)?

All those plots and characters were presented as big deals, and dominated the series for a few issues or even a few arcs, before more or less vanishing completely. All of which is to say that Darth Vader #45 might be doing the same thing to the Schism Imperial a little ahead of schedule, and while the resulting issue isn’t the best, it’s maybe the best move for the series.

This issue takes place on the planet Tython, as the Schism Imperial (or at least its named members) prepare the meet up with Vader. The group is heading for the Martyrium of Frozen Tears, a former Jedi confessional turned Rebel base. It also gives the story its title, which is arguably the best thing about the issue. What Vader wants from the Martyrium is never really made clear (something something kyberite). Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. Because the issue isn’t really about that, so much as it is the Schism Imperial itself. 

The bulk of Darth Vader #45 consists of an ongoing conversation amongst its various members about their feelings for the dark lord. Or, more accurately, it consists of Tauntaza, Corleque and Fabarian ragging on Lieutenant Pryde for not hating Darth Vader as much as they do, while Pryde is bewildered by their ongoing partnership with him given their animosity.

While it seems like writer Greg Pak is going for some kind of the enemy of my enemy is my friend/the lesser of two evils kind of examination here, it doesn’t really work, for a couple reasons. For one thing, being set on a frozen planet, everyone is wearing the same generic cold weather gear. With the exception of Governor Tauntaza and her massive armor (and Corleque when he’s drawn straight on and his metal mask is visible), everyone looks the same.

Artists Adam Gorham and Paul Fry continue to bring a kind of quirky energy to the issue (Vader in particular often looks more comic book-y than photorealistic, which is an appreciated change). But they struggle to make, say, Fabarian visually distinct from Pryde. Throw in the all-white backgrounds, all-white clothing, and the snow swirling in the air, and the whole thing becomes a visual blur. 

Similarly, the Schism’s arguments feels circular and ultimately pointless. Nothing new is revealed about any of the characters. Rather, their positions are simply restated, the circumstances that led them to dislike (or in Pryde’s case, venerate) Vader reprised via flashback. It’s unclear what any of this is meant to be doing, aside from possibly recapping things for new readers. But that’s all it’s doing — the discussions don’t really have a bearing on the plot of the issue, and they don’t inform anything that happens when the group rendezvous with Vader and reaches the martyrium. And at that point, Darth Vader #45 pivots towards setting up an entirely new plotline, making everything that came before it even more a waste of time. 

<<<Spoilers ahead >>>

As much the ending renders most of Darth Vader #45 moot, it does point the way forward to something more interesting. Technically, it’s the Star Wars Free Comic Book Day issue, but what it really means is some kind of reunion between Vader and Luke Skywalker. This is promising, both because Pak has flirted with exploring their relationship further before (notably in the “War of the Bounty Hunters” crossover), and because it suggests Vader will be moving back to the center of his own series.

For much of the Schism Imperial storyline, Vader has functioned more like he does in other books. A looming presence, a figure around whom the action swirls rather than the one driving it. However driven by publishing needs it may be, having Vader almost literally pivot at the end of the issue from whatever unnamed thing he was after at the martyrium to seeking out his son does Darth Vader #45 no favors. After spending its pages retreading narrative ground against a visually bland backdrop, the ending seems to be tossing it all aside. In doing so, it’s more or less admitting it was all pointless. But hopefully that means something more engaging is on the horizon.