The first two issues of Dark Visions have done an excellent job revealing outside perspectives on the scariest Sith to ever live. Dennis “Hopeless” Hallum has captured unique perspectives and shown a side of Vader we don’t normally see. For a character feared by many, it’s fascinating to get a sense of who this otherworldly character is to some. In the latest issue, Hallum explores the perspective of a woman who works aboard a Star Destroyer and loves Vader more than anything else.
So what’s it about?
Read the preview.
Why does this matter?
This series has been one clever idea after another. Hallum has been showing us unique stories within the Star Wars universe, making each chapter easy to pick up by anyone. Plus, Hallum has been paired with excellent artists.
Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?
How on Earth does a person get this close to Vader?
Credit: Marvel Comics
This issue is split between David Lopez and Javi Pina with colors by Mutsa Vicente. The art is split between the real world and the imaginations of the protagonist. The imaginations are drawn in painterly romantic settings conveying the protagonist’s wild ideas of who she is to Darth Vader. They range from the protagonist being a princess swept off her feet, or later a Sith herself with Vader looking on proudly. Meanwhile, the art taking place in reality does a good job reflecting this woman’s intense obsession with Darth Vader. As the story moves forward the art helps show she’s coming more and more unhinged as she becomes more dedicated to getting closer to Darth Vader. All the while the always insulting but realistic superior who is Darth Vader’s doctor is losing more and more patience. At first, you might think he’s being a bit hard on her, but as we all know Darth Vader is to only be feared.
Darth Vader is more of a backdrop or a fearsome dream of the protagonist’s that floats in and out of her story. We see him arrive at a full welcoming from Stormtroopers to his limping out of a crashed TIE Fighter. Hallum gives us different types of entrances from Lord Vader which helps us remember this is a Sith on a mission. He isn’t hanging about to fall in love. Because he’s so busy he doesn’t just outright kill the protagonist which makes the story more realistic and believable.
Oh Vader, never let me go!
Credit: Marvel Comics
It can’t be perfect, can it?
The story could have used a bit of humanizing of the protagonist to help us understand her obsessions. As it stands she comes off as a lunatic when there was an opportunity to flesh out the character and show why she might be obsessing over Darth Vader so much. It reduces the character to a maniac and not one we can relate to or try to understand.
Is it good?
A good story thanks to its unique perspective. It’s not hard to believe something like this could have taken place when Darth Vader reigned supreme and it’s incredibly well articulated thanks to the two artists.
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