Graphic Novel Review - 'Vader's Little Princess' by Jeffrey Brown

2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.

Final Score: 3.5/5





Original Review:



I saw this on display in the shop where I bought this year's Father's Day card, and I couldn't resist. Sure, I'd seen it in shops all over the place before, but on that special day when I wanted to show my dad how much I love him and how grateful I am for everything he's done for me, I knew that this little "joke" book would make us both laugh.

I think maybe it also made him feel nostalgic in a lot of ways.

'Vader's Little Princess' is a cute book of comic strips that offers its readers a humorous twist on what would've happened if Darth Vader had raised Leia (and Luke, too) as a single parent on top of being the Galactic master of the Dark Side.

The Illustrations are colourful and very cartooney. Filling with nostalgia, the book contains events and lines lifted from the original 'Star Wars' films which are twisted around to focus on the relationship between the insidious Sith Lord and his growing daughter.

Here, everyone's favourite helmet-wearing Sith Lord is both lovably daddish and lovably evil. Parent and child relationships can be funny, adorable, complicated, painful, hard to watch, and above all complex as the child gets older. 'Vader's Little Princess' is hysterical all the way, though: from showing Vader demanding a search for his missing keys (little Leia had given them to R2-D2), to his reaction to Leia's slave bikini for going out to clubs ("You are not going out dressed like that!"). You can be sure that her date, Han Solo, isn't safe from his wrath either.

And Darth Vader practically nearly dying from watching Jar-Jar Binks's ballet performance? Priceless. The things fathers really do for their little girls!

Nice for girls and boys, daughters and fathers, children and older 'Star Wars' fans, 'Vader's Little Princess' is a short but enjoyable treat.

Final Score: 4/5