Darth Vader

Darth Vader is a Star Wars character created by George Lucas. He first appeared in the 1977 film Star Wars and has been a major presence in comics since Marvel's original Star Wars adaptation that same year.

Born Anakin Skywalker, he was a Jedi Knight who fell to the dark side of the Force and became the Sith Lord Darth Vader, enforcer of the Galactic Empire and apprentice to Emperor Palpatine. Encased in black life-support armor after suffering near-fatal injuries, Vader became one of the most feared figures in the galaxy.

In comics, Vader has appeared extensively in titles from both Marvel and Dark Horse Comics. Marvel's Darth Vader solo series by Kieron Gillen (2015) and Charles Soule (2017) explored the period between the original trilogy films, depicting Vader's early days in the suit, his construction of his red lightsaber, and his relationship with the Emperor. Greg Pak's subsequent Darth Vader run further expanded the character's comic book presence. Vader is one of the most popular characters in the Star Wars comics line.