Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command #1 - 5

Dark Horse Comics managed the Star Wars comic license admirably from 1991 until the license returned to Marvel Comics in 2015.  They published many Star Wars titles during that run and, for me, a majority of those comics were well received.  Unfortunately, their first Darth Vader title, the 5-issue mini-series Darth Vader and the Lost Command, failed to live up to the thoughtfulness Dark Horse has traditionally shown to the brand.

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command #1a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (January 2011)

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command #1b - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (January 2011)

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command #2a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (February 2011)

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command #3a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (March 2011)

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command #4a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (April 2011)

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command #5a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (May 2011)

To be fair, the gist of the story itself is not terrible.  While it does not specifically mention when the story takes place, visual clues and Vader's status place the tale during the early years of the Empire.  Darth Vader has not risen to command the Imperial ranks and the Imperial Troopers are all wearing clone armor and the vehicles are mostly those seen in the prequel trilogy.  Vader is tasked by Emperor Palpatine to rescue Grand Moff Tarkin's missing son, Admiral Garoche Tarkin, from the unexplored Ghost Nebula in the Atoan System.  He is accompanied by Captain Shale, a friend of Garoche, and the 501st Legion.  They immediately start fighting natives of the region and ally themselves with Lady Saro, a high priestess of the natives who agrees to help Vader find the missing Garoche if she is made queen of the Ghost Nebula.  Vader convinces Palpatine that killing Garoche instead of rescuing him will allow Tarkin to focus his hatred on his tasks for the Empire.  Throughout the story, Vader has vivid dreams of an alternative life with Padme Amidala, one where he did not kill her and help bring about the fall of the Jedi Order.  These dreams intersect with the situations that Vader faces and influence his reaction to what is transpiring.  Vader and Shale utilize Lady Sharo's knowledge in pursuing the location of Garoche.  Eventually it is revealed that Garoche has turned traitor to the Empire and is working with Lady Saro.  Captain Shale turns on Vader to help his friend and Vader eventually dispatches Shale, Garoche, and Lady Sharo.

Unfortunately, choices are made that ultimately undercut an otherwise serviceable story.  Throughout much of the story Darth Vader does not wear his helmet for various reasons.  This does not make sense since the helmet provides vital life-support needed for Vader to breath.  Additionally, at this point in Vader's life, his face should be horribly scarred from his battle on Mustafar, but he is instead depicted at points as a bald person with a few bumps on his head.

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command #1a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (February 2011)
page 5

To compound the visual problems, Vader is drawn as if his outfit is too big for him or his proportions in some panels are unnatural.  Some of this could be forgiven if Vader was a secondary character, but this is a title that centers of him.

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command #2a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (February 2011)
last page

Despite the problems with the artwork on the interior, the covers are nice and reminiscent of alternative cover artwork that is present on modern Marvel titles.