Another of our favourite graphic novels for October sees superstar comics writer Kieron Gillen and Eisner Award winning artist Salvador Larrocca launch the first in Marvel’s all-new series of Star Wars comics.

December 2015 see’s the arrival of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. However, for those aching for a Darth Vader fix that the film cannot provide (surely no explanation necessary), this first volume in Marvel’s new series of Star Wars comics should scratch that itch.

From superstar writer Kieron Gillen (Young Avengers, The Wicked + The Divine) and Eisner Award winning artist Salvador Larrocca (Invincible Iron Man, X-Men), this new entry in the Star Wars canon explores the Empire’s side of the battle against The Rebel Alliance in the interim between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back.

Lord Vader has lost favour in the eye of Emperor Palpatine due to his failure to prevent the Death Star’s destruction and now has to answer to Grand General Tagge, whilst the Empire plans their response to the Rebellion. Vader however has other ideas and is secretly amassing an army of his own to exact his own brand of vengeance.

This is the classic depiction of Darth Vader fans know and love. With the exception of the odd flashback, this is a Vader in his prime who is hell-bent on becoming the most powerful force in the galaxy. Gillen even manages to inject his trademark humour into proceeding via new characters including space archaeologist/scavenger Doctor Aphra – who is a great foil to the no-nonsense Vader – and Triple-Zero and BT-1 (basically R2D2 and C3PO if they were cold-hearted killers). And having worked on Iron Man for four years, Salvador Larrocca’s art is a natural fit for the Star Wars universe.

A great introduction to one of cinema’s most iconic villains!

• Leo Sutherland