June 13, 2018- DARTH VADER #17

Hey there! Just one issue out from me this week - Darth Vader #17, the conclusion to "The Burning Seas."

I wrote it, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Daniele Orlandini did the art, David Curiel colored it, Joe Caramagna did the lettering, and the stunning cover was pencilled by Cammo and painted by Elia Bonetti.
 

Fun fact - my original concept idea for this cover would have included a bunch of floating corpses and such, due to the fact that there's a massive oceanic bombardment happening during the duel depicted on the cover, and billions of people and creatures are dying. Fortunately, cooler/smarter heads prevailed, and we saved the gnarliest stuff for inside the issue.

This script concludes my half of the big mini-crossover with the main Star Wars series written by Kieron Gillen centering around the Mon Calamari (Admiral Ackbar's species) and their role in the Galactic Rebellion (and even the Resistance we see in the new trilogy.) It's long been part of Star Wars canon that the Mon Calamari designed most of the massive capital ships the Rebellion used to battle the Empire in Episodes 4-8 (and Rogue One, too.) Why those were used as opposed to others, how they joined up, why they joined up... that was this story.

Writing final chapters is either a snap or hugely stressful, depending on how well you've planned things out. You get to lay down all the big plot beats you've been preparing, the big finale stuff... but you also have to fit in all those big plot beats and finale stuff. If you've done your job right, you already know everything that will happen in the script, and it's just down to making those moments sing. Vader #17 really just flowed. I knew how it would all play out, and the only bit that surprised me was Vader's last few lines. That's often the case with our friendly neighborhood Sith Lord. He doesn't say much, so I'm not often thinking in terms of lines for him - but then he'll lay down an absolutely devastating punctuation mark on a scene. (Yes, I said he does it, not me, because that's what it feels like.)

Next issue involves Vader and Tarkin, and I think it's the best one of the series so far. Can't wait to hear what you think. That's out in July.

But next week, three issues! Poe Dameron #28, Daredevil #604 and of course, the incredible CURSE WORDS #15!!