Major Issues: First Appearance of Darth Vader

Hundreds of comic book characters are being portrayed in film and television, and with each new [...]

Hundreds of comic book characters are being portrayed in film and television, and with each new day more are being announced.

Major Issues -- a ComicBook.com original video series -- will speak to true comic book hobbyists as well as new fans in a short, fast-paced digital series featuring the first appearances of characters we all love. Each episode will feature the actual comic book, info on the creators, and the backstory on the creation and legacy of the character.

The next in our series is our look at the introduction of one of the greatest villains in the comic-related industry.

This is the origin of Imperial leader from ComicBookDB: Darth Vader is a distinct personality created by the Dark Side overwhelming, and very nearly killing, young Anakin Skywalker. The "Iron Hand" and apprentice of Emperor Palpatine, though various stories have shown Vader to be a little less secure in that position. These storytellers' perspectives have been strengthened recently by the completion of the filmed prequel trilogy, which have tended to play up the more sympathetic elements of his villainy.

For reasons of administrative sanity, a hard line is being drawn in this discussion between the characters "Anakin Skywalker" and "Darth Vader". Debate as you will the philosophical ramifications of this decision.

Though looked on now as "aimed at a younger audience" (read: not so good), Marvel's turn at Star Wars No. 1in 1977 was one of the few successful things Marvel had going in the mid-late 1970s. Some have gone so far as to say that "Star Wars saved Marvel", and there may be some empirical evidence to back that up. The ratio between the number of titles launched in the mid 1970s, and the number that were still in publication in 1979 was just ugly. Star Wars was one of the few titles that actually gathered some steam.

Be sure to check out our other Major Issues.

Luke Cage | Black Mariah | Misty Knight | Cornell Cottonmouth | Wally West | Negan | King Ezekiel | Kaecilius | Bane | Savitar

0comments