The best thing about new additions to the Star Wars canon is the cross-pollinating of genres. Each new project has given fans a fresh new take on the universe. No longer is it just a space opera, it has become so much more. Things have been expanded infusing the universe, with a plethora of new and interesting characters. Star Wars Adventures: Vader’s Castle is an example collecting two volumes with a horror them about them.

Rogue One gave us an interesting take on the heist movie, it also gives us some much-needed explanation on a glossed over plot point in the original films. Then there is Solo, which gives us the definitive back-story of the coolest smuggler in 12 parsecs. But at its heart is a new take on the coming of age story. Then there is the much-lauded Mandalorian, which introduces new characters as well as let us know where certain characters have been like Boba Fett. In the generously devilish collection, Star Wars Adventures: Vader’s Castle, the universe dips in the horror genre, while uncovering legends, true and untrue, about some of the universe’s most legendary figures through the well-spun tales of our crypt keeper, Lina Graf, while on  Mustafar, the home of Vader’s Castle.

In “The Haunting Of The Ghost”,  the crew of the Graysom lands on the planet of Mustafar, and uncover a haunted ship. In “Count Dooku: Prince Of Darkness”, the aforementioned villain takes refuge on the planet of Bray where a showdown with Obi-Wan becomes inevitable and where he gains an unfair advantage.  In “The Briar Witch”, where Han and Chewie take the job to Rendel, where a plant controlled by a witch makes anyone who touches it, suddenly much older. In “Night Of The Gorax”, we are taken back to Endor, where we saw an Ewok version of Beowulf. In “ The Fearful Finale”,  Han and Chewie help someone uncover the Treasure Of Rane Mahal, where everyone gets double-crossed. In “ The Horned Devil”,  we are taken to Lotho Minor, where a ragtag band of scavengers, find Darth Maul, only to almost finding their own ends.  In “The Curse Of Tarkin”,  a ship gets a surprise visit from Governor Tarkin, who unleashes his version of Frankenstein, which almost kills everyone on the ship. In “ Bop, She Bop, Little Sarloc Horror”, Asajj Ventress takes a job, where Sarlaccs is the center of a settlement’s many problems. In “Vault of the Living Brains”, Jabba The Hut’s cousin leads him to a place of untold riches, only to find that his cousin had their own ulterior motives. In the final story, “Night Of The Lava Zombies”, a zombie plague infects an Empire ally, making Vader, compliant to a different master.

Star Wars Adventures: Vader’s Castle is an entertaining set of stories that plunges into this universe while exploring some of these very famous characters. The stories by Cavan Scott are astonishing. The art by the creative team is splendid. Altogether, an excellent collection, that feels like Tales From The Crypt meets The Outer Limits.

Story: Cavan Scott
Art: Derek Charm, Chris Fenoglio, Robert Hack, Corin Howell, Kelley Jones, and Charles Paul Wilson III
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Amazon – Zeus Comics – TFAW