Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown Review

On my most recent trip to Barnes and Nobles, I was browsing the science fiction/fantasy section when I came across “Darth Vader and Son”. I was instantly intrigued and bought it without hesitation. I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed.

Darth Vader and Son was written and illustrated by Jeffrey Brown. This graphic novel takes the approach of Darth Vader raising Luke Skywalker (with a small nod to Princess Leia) as a child. Darth Vader still works with the bad guys but he is a good dad. Jeffrey takes lines from the Star Wars movies and gives them a whole new twist. Most of these lines will make you laugh but some will touch your softer side. My favorite line to be flipped upside down was when Darth Vader says, ‘I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further.” You will have to read the book to find out why. The writing is only half the greatness of this book. The illustrations are fantastic. No, it is not Normal Rockwell but it does an amazing job with the details. Things like Darth Vader trying to convince Luke not to buy a Jar Jar Binks toy is hilarious. When Vader takes Luke to the zoo and in the background you see Malakili, The Rancor Keeper, looking at the Rancor exhibit you know the Author is a true Star Wars fan himself. It is this kind of detail that make it more than a 5 minute read. While most of the pages have some Star Wars references, there are a few that are set in our everyday world. It could very well be you and your son walking with ice cream cones in your hands.

At around 60 pages it is a short read but is filled with wonderful material. It makes for a great coffee table book; not only will guest want to pick it up and enjoy some of the humor but it will strike up some interesting conversations. In case you can’t tell, I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Jeffrey Brown is both a comic book writer and artist. He has an MFA from The School of The Art Institute in Chicago. Jeffrey self-published his first graphic novel, Clumsy, about a long distance relationship that occurs over a one year period of time. It was a hit among fans and professionals. Brown specializes in books dealing with relationships. He himself is a huge Star Wars fan and father, which is probably what makes “Darth Vader And Son” such a touching book, as opposed to another piece of merchandise feeding off of a franchise’s name.

And now Darth Vader and Daughter...