Page 135 - Star Wars Insider (Special Edition 2020)

SITH STAR

FOR MANY, DARTH VADER IS THE DEFINING ICON OF THE

STAR WARS SAGA. YET FOR ALL HIS PRESENCE IN THE ORIGINAL

TRILOGY—AND HIS FORESHADOWING IN THE PREQUELS—
IT TOOK A GROUNDBREAKING COMIC SERIES TO REALLY

MAKE THE SITH THE STAR! WORDS: MICHAEL KOGGE

tar Wars Insider: Darth Vader helped What made Marvel decide Kieron Gillen and
kickstart Marvel’s Star Wars comics Salvador Larroca were the ideal team?
line in 2015. How did it come to be JDW: I thought of Kieron because of his
one of the two launch titles? amazing ability to write compelling evil. When
S Jordan D. White: One of the first Kieron wrote Uncanny X-Men, it was a dark

ideas we had for the line was that we would time for the X-Men and, in my opinion, one in
have multiple ongoing series that happened which they were close to being super-villains.
simultaneously. It was definitely a departure Even so, he made Cyclops and company very

from what had been done with Star Wars understandable and interesting. In addition,
comics before, but it was much more in line his work on Uber for Avatar Press is literally
with what Marvel does. re-imagining the darkest
When you buy comics for parts of the 20th century
the various Avengers titles, MEET TEAM and making them even more
they all take place together; horrific, while still telling

and while they can be read VADER! an engrossing story. Both
separately, reading them of those series mixed in my
together creates a richer head and made me sure he
KIERON GILLEN, writer
universe. We wanted to do could get into the mind of the
that with Star Wars as well. SALVADOR “SALVA” worst villain in the galaxy.
LARROCA, artist
Once that idea was hatched, Salva is a huge Star Wars
and it was obvious the FRANK PARISI, fan; and the moment we got

senior editor, Lucasfilm
main book would be Star word that we were getting
Wars, and would follow JENNIFER HEDDLE, the rights for Star Wars, we
senior editor, Lucasfilm

Luke and the rebels. Darth knew we had to bring his
Vader leading the second JORDAN D. WHITE, amazing talent to the Star
book was the natural comics editor, Marvel Wars galaxy. It was just a
next step. We followed HEATHER ANTOS, question of on what title.
Anakin’s journey as a main assistant editor, Marvel He’s been able to capture
character in the prequel the tone of the series so
trilogy, so it makes sense perfectly, from the first

to keep following him into scene of issue #1 with Vader
the original trilogy. There’s a side of the striding into Jabba’s palace, right up through
character that we didn’t know existed when the last scene of issue #25 with… Oh, people
those movies came out, but we had the might not have read it yet. I should hold off!
opportunity to delve into it in a way that ties
the two eras closer together. Kieron, how did Darth Vader enter your life?
Is it true that you almost turned it down?
Jennifer Heddle: When the series was in the Kieron Gillen: One day I picked up the phone

concept stage I figured it would just be a fun and it was Jordan. He asked if I’d be interested
read about Darth Vader kicking butt across in writing the sister book to Jason Aaron’s Star
the galaxy—not that there’s anything wrong Wars. It was something of a surprise.
with that! But what Kieron and Salva made And yes, it’s true I almost turned it down.
became much, much more. I realized by the The prosaic part is simple—I wasn’t sure

end of the very first issue that this team was it would fit into my schedule. The more
on to something special. romantic part is that I wasn’t sure I was the

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