Greg Pak: Star Wars

2023-09-13 – DARTH VADER #38 and MECH CADETS #2 hit comic shops!

DARTH VADER #38 cover by Leinil Yu and Sunny Gho. Showing Vader being attacked by a small disk droid that's causing purple sparks. In the background are a bunch of infected droids attacking Stormtroopers.

I’ve got two books coming out on Wednesday, September 13! Dontcha dare miss DARTH VADER #38 and MECH CADETS #2, both written by Greg Pak (hey, that’s me!).

DARTH VADER #38 was drawn by Raffaele Ienco with colors by Federico Blee and letters by Joe Caramagna. Check out the lettered preview here!

MECH CADETS #2 was drawn by Tak Miyazawa with colors by Ian Herring and letters by Simon Bowland. Check out the preview pages here!

Please do feel free to ask your local comic shop to hold copies of both books for you!

MECH CADETS #2 cover by Takeshi Miyazawa with colors by Ian Herring. Showing Olivia in her mini robo suit fleeing a giant Sharg while carrying Franklin and the little alien.

2023-08-16 – DARTH VADER #37 in comic book shops

Darth Vader #37 cover by Leinil Yu and Sunny Gho featuring Vader in the foreground blocking blasts with his light saber while big images of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan loom over him.

DARTH VADER #37 hits comic book shops today! Script by yours truly, line art by Raffaele Ienco, colors by Federico Blee, letters by Joe Caramagna, cover by Leinil Yu and Sunny Gho, editing by Mark Paniccia, Mikey Basso, and Danny Khazem.

Realized that with issue #37, I’ve now written more issues of DARTH VADER in sequence than any other comic book series I’ve worked on. I might have written more Hulk and Hercules comics over the years, but those were broken up into different runs. Also realized that means I may have written more Darth Vader comics than anyone else on the planet at this point, whew! Hugely grateful to all of the readers, reviewers, and retailers who have supported the book and made this all possible!

Here’s the official solicit:

• KILLER DROIDS have taken over DARTH VADER’S flagship Super Star Destroyer, the EXECUTOR!
• Will the lessons of JEDI MASTERS QUI-GON and OBI-WAN save him from the SCOURGE – or make him a tool for its galactic conquest?

Check out the lettered preview here and ask your local comics shop to hold a copy for you today!

2023-07-12 – DARTH VADER #36 hits comic shops – check out the preview!

DARTH VADER #36 cover by Leinil Yu and Sunny Gho featuring Vader holding a jagged shield and electro staff, with Doctor Aphra standing beside him and the evil droids Triple Zero and Beetee-One in the background.

DARTH VADER #36 hits comic book shops on Wednesday, July 7, and you can  check out the lettered preview at Comic Book Dispatch!

The book was written by Greg Pak (hey, that’s me!) with line art by Raffaele Ienco, colors by Federico Blee, letters by Joe Caramagna, and a cover by Leinil Yu and Sunny Gho. Here’s the official solicit:

DEATH BY DROID! With his Force powers still out of control, Darth Vader’s more powerful and vulnerable than ever before… Which makes this the perfect time for him to be BETRAYED by one of his most trusted associates (and astoundingly, it’s not APHRA or OCHI)! Featuring the return of TRIPLE-ZERO and BEE TEE – and the deadliest team up of droids Vader has ever faced!

This was a fun issue to write in part because I did something unusual for me — cutting back and forth in time to show a plan being hatched and executed at the same time. I think I generally write in a pretty direct manner, avoiding too much fooling around with time jumps (with the exception of evocative flashbacks, especially in the VADER book). But with this issue, we’re seeing a group of droids planning an attack on Vader, and somehow playing with time was the most efficient and fun way to move the story forward with maximum surprises and payoffs.

Panel from DARTH VADER #36 showing the Droid Crush leader pointing at Gee-Ninety, saying "How about you, big guy?" Gee-Ninety responds saying "Ha ha! Me? I'm Gee-Ninety! I worked for Vader--until he betrayed my team and cut me in half!" Other silhouetted droids in the background listen.

I’ve been writing comics for 19 years now (and writing fiction for about 48!), but there are always new (to me) things to try and muscles to flex.

Please do ask your local comic shop to hold a copy of the book for you. Hope you enjoy!

2023-06-14 – DARTH VADER #35 in comic shops Wednesday – check out the preview!

DARTH VADER #35 cover by Leinil Yu and Sunny Gho featuring Doctor Aphra at a gambling table, unaware that Vader is looming behind her

Thrilled to report that DARTH VADER #35 hits comic book shops on Wednesday, June 14! Here’s the official solicit:

VADER UNBOUND! The DARK LORD OF THE SITH has called upon the galaxy’s greatest archaeologist, DOCTOR APHRA, for help. He’s lost control of THE FORCE, and only APHRA knows what can tame his path of destruction! …But will an archaic KYBERITE weapon only lead to more devastation?

The book was written by Greg Pak (hey, that’s me!) with interior line art by Raffaele Ienco, colors by Federico Blee, letters by Joe Caramagna, and cover by Leinil Yu and Sunny Gho.

I had a tremendous time writing Doctor Aphra for the first time in this book. So much fun following the fantastic work of writers like Kieron Gillen, Simon Spurrier, and Alyssa Wong.

Comic book page from DARTH VADER #35 written by Greg Pak and drawn by Raffaele Ienco with colors by Federico Blee and letters by Joe Caramagna.

First three images are flashbacks of Vader and Doctor Aphra accompanied by this Aphra voiceover: "I activated Triple-Zero and Beetee-One for you. The best killer driods you never knew you needed. I helped you build an army of droid commandos. And I pulled off the Son-Tuul Pride heist for you. So you had all the credits you needed to do all that sneaky stuff you were doing behind the Emperor's back."

Then we cut to real time and see Aphra kneeling before Vader, pleading for her life, while Ochi snarks from the background.

APHRA: I mean, yeah, I told the Emperor what you were doing behindhis back...
OCHI: And people say I talk too much.
APHRA: ...but he liked that! Very Sith-y!
APHRA: And now I'm...
APHRA: ...I'm still alive.
APHRA: So you... need something?
OCHI: Now she gets it.
OCHI: I'm ready, boss! Just like old--

And we end with Vader activating his elctrostaff and Aphra exclaiming "Ah!"

Ask your local retailer to hold a copy for you and check out the preview today!

2023-05-10 – DARTH VADER #34 hits comic shops!

Leinil Yu cover for Darth Vader #34 featuring Vader with an electrostaff facing off against a group of rebels while standing on a wrecked ship

DARTH VADER #34 hits comic book shops this Wednesday! The book was written by Greg Pak (hey, that’s me!) with line art by Adam Gorham, colors by Federico Blee, and letters by Joe Caramagna, with a cover by Leinil Yu and Sunny Gho.

Here’s the official solicit:

UNBOUND FORCE – Part TWO!
According to the JEDI, fear leads to anger, and anger leads to hate. But does hate lead to suffering…or power? As DARTH VADER’S Force abilities spiral out of control, his lieutenant Sabe is caught in the maelstrom – and finally must confront the horrifying consequences of her choice to serve him. Will she choose darkness over light?

If you’ve been following the saga of Sabé, former handmaiden of Padmé Amidala, you do not want to miss this book!

Check out a lettered preview here and ask your local comic book shop to hold a copy of the book for you!

2023-05-03 – DARTH VADER #33 in stores today!

Leinil Yu cover to DARTH VADER #33 featuring a handmaiden in a Padme-style dress and headdress holding a blaster and Vader's helmet. The title reads "Corruption of the Handmaiden"

Happy to report that DARTH VADER #33 hits comic book shops today! The book was written by Greg Pak with interior line art by Adam Gorham, colors by Federico Blee, letters by Joe Caramagna, and a cover by Leinil Yu and Sunny Gho. Ask your local comic shop to hold a copy for you today!

Here’s the official solicit:

UNBOUND FORCE Part One!
When the Dark Lord of the Sith loses control of the Force, nothing is safe – not even his own Executor-class Star Dreadnought. But in the face of total destruction, Commander Sabé finds an opportunity. Does Vader’s untrammeled onslaught expose a vulnerability? Or is it just another doorway to the terrifying tyranny of the Sith?

And you can check out a lettered preview here!

2023-03-22 – DARTH VADER #32 in stores today!

DARTH VADER #32 hits comic book shops today, featuring writing by yours truly, interior line art by Ibraim Roberson, colors by Federico Blee, and letters by Joe Caramagna.

Here’s the official solicit:

HANDMAIDEN NO MORE? Few bonds in the galaxy are as strong as the sisterhood of the former handmaidens of Padmé Amidala. But all that was threatened when Sabé entered the service of Darth Vader, the man the handmaidens always believed was responsible for Padmé’s death. Now Dormé, Saché, Rabé and Eirtaé are determined to save Sabé—or stop her, no matter what. But the influence of the Dark Lord is strong and dangerous—and not just to Sabé. What path will the handmaidens choose? And how does all this play into Darth Vader’s true plans?

Check out the preview pages here and ask your local comics shop to hold a copy for you today!

DARTH VADER VOL 5 hits the NPD BookScan bestselling graphic novels list for January!

According to NPD BookScan, DARTH VADER VOL 5 was the 4th bestselling superhero graphic novel in January!

Huge love to interior artists Raffaele Ienco & Marco Castiello; colorist Carlos Lopez; letter Joe Caramagna; cover artists Paul Renaud & Rahzzah, editors Mark Paniccia, Mikey Basso, & Danny Khazem — and thanks so much to everyone who keeps buying this book! Means so much.