Seriously?!
Star Wars: Vader Down started off so well. Since the beginning of both his own series and Star Wars, the Dark Lord of the Sith has been on the trail of the young rebel pilot that managed to destroy the Death Star. That pilot, Luke Skywalker is on his own quest, to learn to continue the training he started with old Ben "Obi-Wan" Kenobi. While Vader has been chasing him, Skywalker has been searching for the Jedi temple. Vader has been greatly helped in his search by Dr. Aphra.
Vader's and Skywalker's paths cross on Vrogas Vas.
Aphra, Triple-0 and BeeTee have found Luke and taken him captive.
The issue is broken down into R2-D2 battling BeeTee and Aphra in a shootout with Han Solo.
The Good
That cover by Mark Brooks. Mike Deodato's interiors. Both are pretty awesome.
Vader down is a pretty engaging crossover. It doesn't have a forced, gimmicky feel to it. It feels very story-driven.
Aphra seems like a great character. It should be interesting to see what becomes of her.
The Bad
The recap page at the beginning of the story spoils that Darth Vader is Luke's father. It was spoiled when Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back was released in theaters in 1980. However, here it's more of a casual note. It feels just a little too early to make that connection.
Aphra seems like a great character. She almost seems to good to be true; with a near Jedi like knowledge and insight. Smarter than all of the main characters. Maybe an equal to Vader, of that's possible.
Triple-0 and BeeTee turn out to be as expected: Bizarro, Mirror Universe evil opposites of C-3PO and R2-D2. It feels somewhat predictable that Triple-0 would disguise himself as '3PO. It is wickedly funny, in a Jim Carrey-The Mask way, that when R2 brandishes his little Taser, BeeTee would go full-assault Iron Man. "Blorp", indeed.
As cartoonish as BeeTee chasing R2, Aphra's shoot-out with Han is just as silly. Ha-ha, yes, we get it: you both are laughing at each other because you see the wasp-worms nest right above. But, seriously, the two of them running around frantically and colliding, knocking each other out? Save that slapstick for later, closer to Endor.
It's a shame that a very cool bit, Chewbacca ripping off Triple-0's arm and beating him with it is delivered as another punchline.
It is only until Luke wakes up, cuts the other arm off and starts gutting Triple-0 that the turn returns to dramatic action.
No, wait. R2 has yet another punchline by spraying BeeTee with lubricant, blinding his sensors so he fires wildly. Is it too much to hope that he and Triple-0 are crushed under that rockslide?
The story wraps with a pretty cool cliffhanger that brings things back from the edge.
The Skinny
There are a number of light-hearted beats in this chapter of the story. They are one right after another. A couple of them feel a little unnecessary. Probably the slapstick collision between Aphra and Han.
Luke slicing Triple-0 felt a little muted, coming right after Chewbacca clubbing the droid with his own arm. The character obviously has more in store, otherwise this would have been the end for both droids.
This is probably the weakest chapter of the storyline. Even with props for such a concept this could have been stronger.
Star Wars proves unlucky with number thirteen; this issue, the third chapter of the six-part Vader Down storyline earns three out of five stars.
