Lit "Star Wars: Vader's Quest" - 4 issue DH mini-series (1999)

Since I'm not reading/collecting any of the new Marvel SW comics, I'm going back and re-reading my older Dark Horse comics.

And, I recently re-read this the excellent 4-issue mini-series from '99, Vader's Quest. Great story - set between ANH & ESB, it focuses on Vader's search for Luke Skywalker; it almost seems to be an homage of sorts to the old Marvel SW series from the late '70's/early '80's. Though I'm sure this is probably considered Legends these days, it was well-done with incredible art by Dave Gibbons (Watchmen).

Anyone else a fan of this series?

Side-note & slightly OT: This series ran from February - May 1999, and the fourth issue was released on 5/19/99, the same day that TPM hit theaters. I remember going to the comic store that day & finding it virtually empty, since everyone was going to see the film; I waited until Friday that week to see TPM, since I didn't want to deal with the long lines. And, there were still long lines that Friday!

 

I liked it. Especially the scene at the end with the Emperor.

 

That scene is especially interesting in light of the ESB DVD.

 

I have the last two issues. Pretty good issues.

 

I wasn't overly impressed with this series, but it had some good parts. I like Mala Mala. It's interesting that Vader only learns Luke's last name here. He learns the "Luke" part in Marvel#35, which should take place shortly after Vader's Quest(yes, I still care about continuity )

 

Don't Vader and Luke start to face off here?

 

Spoiler

They sort of face each other, but Luke is rescued from a confrontation by the people of the planet and Jal's actions

 

I remember someone escaping in a X-Wing. They went to attack a Star Destroyer or something. I could go look those issues up but I don't have the first two issues so that's a problem.

 

I don't know if spoiler tags are necessary, but just to be safe:

Spoiler

From what I can remember, they think Jal Te Gniev means to escape in that X-Wing, but he then blows up Vader's Interdictor Star Destroyer, sacrificing himself in the process. This encourages the people of the planet-whose-name-I-can't-remember to rise up against Vader's troops, thus saving Luke from Vader... I'm a bit fuzzy on the details

 

Someone threw a bottle at a stormtrooper I remember. Luke was blinded at one point. I really need to find the entire arc.

 

Hey guys - I'm not a mod, but I'm not sure if spoilers are necessary for a comic series that came out 16 years ago. However, that's me...Here's a link with a detailed plot description of Vader's Quest, including how it relates to the original Marvel issue #35:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Vader's_Quest

 

Unfortunately, I think this is probably my least favorite of Macan's works. It sort of works as an homage to the old Marvel Star Wars, but I think it really fails to capture the same spirit. It does have some awesome moments in Vader's storyline and really helps to flesh out what we saw in the very brief moment in Star Wars #35 where Vader has absolutely obliterated a Rebel base to discover the identity of the Rebel pilot who destroyed the Death Star.

I really prefer Vader going on a rampage upon discovering Luke's identity rather than some of the more contemplative responses we've seen in later years. I blame all the "Vader and Son" artwork which shows Vader as the ever-frustrated daddy to little Luke. I want the Imperials to have a reason to be on edge around Vader. It seems like in a lot of the more recent EU, Vader routinely goes off into little trances where he contemplates his earlier life. "Anakin Skywalker" is dead, and Vader having absent seizures does not really inspire much fear or respect in the troops. To see Vader slaughter all the bounty hunters and everyone in his wake to hide the secret is the height of this comic and probably makes everything else in the comic come off a little lacklustre.

Jal te Gniev is such a weird character and his motivations are so shallow and bizarre that its hard to relate to his struggle or care about his sacrifice at the end. I think the premise is sound, and the question, "Where did Luke's starfighter come from?" is an interesting one, but to make the missing pilot someone who is filled with a jealous rage for Luke is so weird and never really works on the page, despite his name literally meaning "jealousy and anger" in Croatian.

I'd really only recommend this comic to someone who is familiar with the Marvel comics and their style, because I think it borrows heavily from that format. Even the art style is something of a combination of Simonson and Goodwin, at least IMO. There are parts of the comic that stand out like the aforementioned Vader massacre and Mala Mala meeting with Palpatine, but the rest of the comic doesn't really live up to those moments.

 

Well, even if you didn't like the VQ story that much, you have to admit the art is incredible; I really liked the depiction of the strange aliens, creatures, etc. I guess I especially appreciated this because I was pulled in with issue #1, and a lot of this had to do with the Dave Gibbons artwork. Back in '99, I was already a big fan of the iconic Watchmen DC maxi-series, and because of this was already a big Gibbons fan....

 

If you like Dave Gibbons and old point-and-click games, definitely go download Beneath a Steel Sky for free on GOG. Been bringin' back some good memories for me lately. Also includes a comic version of it.

http://www.gog.com/game/beneath_a_steel_sky

 

I love Dave Gibbons and he's an absolutely spectacular artist but I don't think he's the best artist for Star Wars comics. His stuff is always very clean and i think that clashes with the "used future" aesthetic of Star Wars. Like when he draws the Emperor every ridge and wrinkle looks like it was expertly moulded cylinders rather then wrinkled flesh, and when he does Vader he's completely geometric. The arts great but I don't think it's great Star Wars art if that makes any sense. He's really good for Doctor Who comics though.

As for the story, I am a really big fan of the series but i feel like it's a lot of really good parts strung along with average bits. Theres so many great scenes but i don't feel like it all comes together as a whole. (Also i have a general distaste for the whole animal muzzle on a human head alien design that features in the story and a lot of other Sci-Fi from the time. LOOKING AT YOU RIVER OF CHAOS)

Overall though it is still a pretty great series.

 

Bothans also look a bit like that.

 

I've never read Vader's Quest and hadn't realized that Gibbons did the art! I got it as part of the DH Megabundle, so I'll be reading it next!

 

Bothans at least have a full-out snout rather then the whole Dr Suess half-snout, their foreheads are a lot smaller too so I give them a pass so long as there drawn well.

 

A pretty good series. Not my favourite but still enjoyable to read

 

It's kind of funny now to recall that this series caused a row in continuity-minded quarters back then.

I liked Mala Mala and the birds repeating the name in the dome. They've stuck with me.

 

I finished this mini series last night; it's a lot of fun and read like one of the Marvel comics, which always had quite a different tone to DH's series.

I think the color is the problem rather than the art, particularly in the scenes in Palpatine's throne room. More shadow was needed here, it's all so bright!

Jal is a weak character. While it was nice to see a little tension in the Alliance, he just seemed petty and cartoonish.

 

I liked Jal. He's a washed-up drunk who's bitter because some kid came along and took his fighter and became the Rebellion's BIGGEST HERO EVER. He's jealous and feels like he missed his shot at glory. He's so close to it but someone else stepped in. That's a completely human response. It's a wonderfully human sort of story, about a man overcoming his everyday human emotions to recover the sense of heroism that motivated him to join the Rebellion in the first place. It's a story about the grand ideals of the Rebellion winning out over the little day to day human weaknesses that really threaten to undermine heroism.

 

Agreed. I think one of the main points of Vader's Quest is to show the more human & flawed side of the Rebellion. In ANH, we're mainly exposed to Luke, Han, Leia, etc. and don't find much about the other Rebels. However, Jal really emphasizes the 'everyman' who probably joined the Rebellion out of idealism, and then became disillusioned when he felt that his "shot at glory" was taken away from him...