Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Cry of Shadows #5 Review

Is this really a journey that needed to be followed to completion? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dark Horse:

Stormtrooper Hock sabotages the remnant Separatists from the inside as they defend against Darth Vader’s advancing forces, and fights for his life against a figure from his past. At Vader’s side, Hock witnesses firsthand the power and ruthlessness of the man-machine he has followed into battle!

The final issue is in and I can honestly say that this specific tale, though predictable at times, ultimately succeeded on many worthwhile levels.  Thanks to the consistent work of a more than capable creative team we see an odyssey that recounts the true terror that plagued a galaxy far, far away. In short: it’s time to get your mind right and start rooting for the forthcoming Rebel Alliance.

Something that Star Wars: The Clone Wars offered its audience was the fact that the Separatists had heroes on their side. We got to see the worthiness of their cause and that fact permeates through this script by Tim Siedell. He attacks the narrative head on by giving our Commander Hock, a former clone trooper, the chance to see why he’s fighting for the wrong side. Respect and honor bleed out from the text and it’s through mass slaughter that we see what made Darth Vader a force to be reckoned with. It’s a worthwhile journey for our main character, as he steadily evolves to something better than he was.

Gabriel Guzman handles the illustrations and the entire body of work exists as a quality display. He captures the might and tactics of the Empire, as we see familiar shots from the already established lore. Add in the colors by Michael Atiyeh and you have something that’s going to wow its audience from beginning to end. There were some slight hiccups where bodily form, especially hands, seemed a bit bland but never enough to derail the visuals contained here.

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Cry of Shadows #5 is not revolutionary but it’s a worthwhile yarn that’ll garner attention and praise. Recommended.