Star Wars: Darth Vader #50 wraps up its record-breaking run with the Dark Lord of the Sith taking on an Imperial rebellion

Vader strikes back.
(Image credit: DC)

The Dark Lord of the Sith's monthly comic comes to a close next week with the publication of Star Wars: Darth Vader #50. It marks the conclusion of several plotlines with Vader's ongoing conflict with the Imperial rebel Sly Moore finally coming to a head. We've got an exclusive preview of the new issue below and, well, we wouldn't be putting any money on Moore making it out of this one in one piece...

In case you've not been following the series, it's set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Vader has made his son, Luke Skywalker, a life-changing offer but Luke refused to join him. Now, fueled by rage, Vader is caught between his own desire to eventually supersede the Emperor and a feud with Sly Moore's rebellious Schism Imperial. 

You can check out a selection of pages from the new issue in the gallery below.

The end of this run of Darth Vader as a monthly series follows hot on the heels of the core Star Wars monthly ending earlier this week, also with #50. Meanwhile, Marvel has announced that it will tell the final conflict of the Galactic Civil War era with The Battle of Jakku – a new trilogy of limited series set after The Return of the Jedi and before The Force Awakens.  

The extra-long 64-page Star Wars: Darth Vader #50 is written by Greg Pak and drawn by Raffaele Ienco, Paul Fry, Luke Ross, and Adam Gorham. Colorists on the issue are Federico Blee, Frank William, Alex Sinclair, and Guru-eFX, with Joe Caramagna providing the lettering.

Marvel's official synopsis for the new issue reads:

"GIANT-SIZED DARTH VADER EPIC! The longest-running DARTH VADER comics series ever reaches its stunning conclusion as THE DARK HEART OF THE SITH comes full circle! Darth Vader finally unleashes the unfathomable power he’s accumulated through the SCHISM IMPERIAL against the only person in the galaxy he hates more than he hates himself – EMPEROR PALPATINE! Also featuring the final twists in the saga for key characters like LUKE, LEIA, SABÉ, OCHI, ZED, SLY MOORE, the members of the Schism Imperial and more!"

Star Wars: Darth Vader #50 is published by Marvel on September 18. 


Read all about the best Star Wars comic characters of all time.

Will Salmon
Comics Editor

Will Salmon is the Comics Editor for GamesRadar/Newsarama. He has been writing about comics, film, TV, and music for more than 15 years, which is quite a long time if you stop and think about it. At Future he has previously launched scary movie magazine Horrorville, relaunched Comic Heroes, and has written for every issue of SFX magazine for over a decade. He sometimes feels very old, like Guy Pearce in Prometheus. His music writing has appeared in The Quietus, MOJO, Electronic Sound, Clash, and loads of other places and he runs the micro-label Modern Aviation, which puts out experimental music on cassette tape.

Read more
The Jedi attack.
Star Wars: The High Republic's final arc will force Keeve Trennis to face her fears – and her future with the Jedi
Star Wars #1 cover by Phil Noto
Marvel's Star Wars comic is relaunching with a new #1 set after the end of the Galactic Civil War
Jude Law in Skeleton Crew
Skeleton Crew episode 7 ends with a sinister Star Wars callback to Revenge of the Sith
Watto in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
A Star Wars comic killed off a minor prequels character and the internet is in mourning
Doctor Doom facing off with the students of Doom Academy
Doom Academy #5 brings the series to a close with a confrontation between Doctor Doom and his students
Darth Vader rising
20 years later, Star Wars fans are reflecting on one of the saga's most poignant moments
Latest in Marvel Comics
Kamala Khan holds Jean Grey's body in an homage to the cover of Uncanny X-Men #136
45 years after the original Dark Phoenix Saga, Ms. Marvel Kamala Khan will travel back in time to save X-Men history
Doctor Doom facing off with the students of Doom Academy
Doom Academy #5 brings the series to a close with a confrontation between Doctor Doom and his students
Daredevil leaping into action by Chris Samnee
Who is Daredevil? Everything you ever wanted to know about Marvel's Man Without Fear before Daredevil: Born Again
Juggernaut and Cyclops.
The Amazing Spider-Man #68.DEATHS is a major turning point for one former X-Men villain
Uncanny X-Men #11
Professor Xavier goes into cardiac arrest as X-Manhunt kicks off in Uncanny X-Men #11
Concert of Champions #1
Concert of Champions brings together Luna Snow of Marvel Rivals, Dazzler of the X-Men, and many more for the biggest music festival in Marvel Universe history
Latest in News
Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil's Charlie Cox breaks silence on Born Again killing off the "heartbeat of the MCU": "You have to have a reason for remaking the show"
Metaphor: ReFantazio's protagonist smiles at his fairy companion, Gallica in an anime-style cutscene.
After dominating 2024 with Sonic, Persona, Yakuza, and Metaphor, Sega is the first company to become the year's best-rated publisher 3 times
Assassin's Creed Shadows cinematic screenshot
Assassin's Creed Shadows' DLC will take place after the main game's "definite ending" in a "spookier" location, creative director says
Harrison Ford as the Red Hulk in Captain America: Brave New World
“The reveal was a big mistake”: MCU fans pick the twists they wish Marvel movie trailers didn’t spoil beforehand
Ultima Online
As Ultima Online approaches its 28th birthday, former creative lead reveals what it takes for an MMO to last for decades, and why they sometimes fail: "Content does not last forever"
Link and Epona
A Zelda movie is finally happening, but Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto used to adamantly oppose the idea even "if Steven Spielberg himself" wanted to do it