Totally agree with you on Gillen’s run. He is a top writer and big shoes to fill. But as a fan of Soule (who had great stuff in Daredevil) I’m going in with hope. It’s a great time for Star Wars comics huh?

I think rewinding to an earlier period in Vader’s history, after Gillen’s book so deftly mined the period between Episode IV and Episode V of the films, is a smart move. But Vader remains incredibly tricky to write as a lead, since it’s part of the character’s very core that he trades largely in intimidation through silence, speaking only when threats are required. That’s something Kieron Gillen understood intimately, and he handled it brilliantly without compromising the character’s essential “Vader-ness” through his use of supporting characters. I only hope Soule understands and can serve the character equally well.