The Original Trilogy starred Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Han Solo––rebels fighting against the evil Galactic Empire. Though the bulk of those films focused on Luke’s journey to becoming a Jedi Master, Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine stole every scene they were in.
The love for the dark side-users and Sith grew with each Star Wars project, and Sith fans can find some incredible stories published in Marvel and Dark Horse comics. From the birth of the Sith Order to the destructive Sith/Jedi wars that defined the galaxy moving forward, Star Wars comics span the entire history of the Star Wars universe, reaching far beyond the familiar timeline of the Skywalker Saga. Comics starring Vader, Palpatine, Exar Kun, Darth Krayt and many more remain the best Star Wars has to offer for fans who prefer the dark side of the Force.
10 Luke Skywalker Joins Emperor Palpatine
Star Wars: Dark Empire Trilogy
Long before Disney made the Sequel Trilogy, several comics and novels served as the sequels to Return of the Jedi. While the Thrawn Trilogy remains the most popular, the Dark Empire trilogy might just be the best read for fans of the Sith.
During Dark Empire, Dark Empire II, and Empire’s End, Emperor Palpatine returns from the dead (sound familiar?). He seduces Luke Skywalker to the dark side of the Force and hunts Leia’s children. Fans of the Sith will love this rare glimpse of Luke Skywalker as a Sith apprentice, teetering on the edge of villainy that his father, Darth Vader, crossed long before.
9 Darth Vader Learns Luke Skywalker's Name
Star Wars: Vader's Quest
During Marvel’s 2015 Star Wars comic, Darth Vader discovered the name of the Rebel pilot who destroyed the Death Star: Luke Skywalker. Nearly two decades earlier, the Vader’s Quest miniseries followed a similar narrative, showing readers, for the first time, Vader’s reaction to learning Luke’s name and the truth of his lineage.
During Empire Strikes Back, Vader offered for Luke to join him and rule the galaxy as father and son. This line is foundational to the Sith way: eliminating the master so the apprentice can assume power. Vader’s Quest highlights Vader’s growing distrust of Palaptine and his own goals separate from the Empire’s interests.
8 The Saga Of The Empire
Star Wars: Empire
Published alongside the release of the Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Empire shed some light on the Empire during the height of their power. The 40-issue Empire series takes place before the events of A New Hope and continues until the last days of the Empire in Return of the Jedi, published as short stories starring Vader, Palpatine and several Grand Moffs in the Empire’s command structure.
Empire is a great comic for fans of the Sith as it fully presents the Empire as the protagonists and main characters, with the classic Star Wars heroes serving as background characters. Here, readers can see the result of Palpatine’s successful plan to dominate the universe, being one of the only Sith to achieve that goal.
7 The Fall Of The Jedi & Rise Of Vader
Star Wars: Dark Times
Star Wars: Dark Times is exactly what fans might expect based on the title: the days following Order 66 and the destruction of the Jedi. Following the success of the Republic ongoing series, Dark Times ran for over 30 issues and bridges the gap between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.
The Sith have never so cleanly defeated the Jedi before. Palpatine successfully inserted himself into the galactic government, obtained power and two armies (the droids and the Clones), and drove the Jedi to near-extinction. Dark Times is simply the result of all Palpatine’s successful manipulations and plans.
6 The Origins Of The Sith In Star Wars Legends
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith — Spiral
The Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith — Spiral miniseries takes place soon after the events of John Jackson Miller’s Lost Tribe of the Sith novel, which took place about 3000 years before the birth of Anakin Skywalker.
While many Star Wars comics focus on the origin of the Jedi, Lost Tribe of the Sith focuses on a branch of the old Sith Empire who got stranded in the outer rim of the galaxy, cutting off all connections to the rest of the Sith and the conflicts with the Jedi. Lost Tribe of the Sith is such a unique story in the Star Wars universe, and the Spiral miniseries allows fans to enjoy Miller’s tale in comic form.
5 Darth Krayt Leads A New Sith Empire After Return Of The Jedi
Star Wars: Legacy
Many decades after the death of Darth Vader, the descendants of the Skywalker line have established a new Jedi Order. Unfortunately for the heroes of Star Wars: Legacy, a new Sith Empire emerges and nearly exterminates the Jedi. Star Wars: Legacy is not your average Star Wars story. The protagonist, Cade Skywalker, wants little to do with galactic conflicts and the Sith are at their strongest.
Legacy features many standout Sith members, from Darth Krayt, the leader of the new Sith with deep connections to the Jedi, and Darth Talon, the iconic Sith assassin partially modeled after Darth Maul. With dozens of new, unique Sith characters, this is one of the best comics for dark side fans.
4 Anakin Skywalker Fully Becomes Darth Vader
Star Wars: Darth Vader — Dark Lord of the Sith
The second Darth Vader comic series published by Marvel in the 21st century sent readers back to the earliest days when Anakin Skywalker walked in Vader’s shell. The series literally opens with Vader learning of Padmé’s death and unleashing his power on Palpatine.
Fans of the Sith will love this series thanks to Darth Vader’s incredible, yet heartbreaking, journey. How does one fall to the dark side? Combined with Anakin’s arc in the Prequels, Dark Lord of the Sith showcases Vader’s declining hope and solidification in the Emperor’s new Empire.
3 Darth Maul Hunts Jedi Before The Prequel Trilogy
Star Wars: Darth Maul
Why was Darth Maul so eager to destroy the Jedi Order in The Phantom Menace? He spoke to Palpatine shortly before their trip to Naboo where he battled Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, stating «At last we will have revenge.» The Darth Maul miniseries takes place before the Prequels and leads into the first film.
Fans of the Sith will love this miniseries as it provides some context for Maul, who, at the time, had grown in popularity thanks to his appearances in The Clone Wars and Rebels animated series. In Darth Maul, the Sith apprentice even faces his very first Jedi, acquiring a taste for their blood.
2 Darth Bane In Star Wars Comics
Star Wars: Jedi vs. Sith
Darth Bane is a historical figure in the Star Wars universe. Longtime readers will know him as the main character of the Darth Bane trilogy of novels written by Drew Karpyshyn, while others will remember him from his brief cameo in The Clone Wars. Darth Bane was responsible for the Rule of Two, one of the most important aspects of the Sith that Palpatine followed in the Prequels.
The Star Wars: Jedi vs. Sith miniseries details Darth Bane’s inception of the Rule of Two, placing his future apprentice Darth Zannah in a main role, giving readers a unique glimpse at the structure of the Sith and the steps one might take to become one.
1 The Golden Age Of The Sith, The Great Sith War & So Much More
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi
The title of these comics shouldn’t fool readers. Tales of the Jedi is a series of miniseries dedicated mostly to the Sith. From the Golden Age of the Sith to The Sith War to Dark Lords of the Sith, Tales of the Jedi mostly takes place during the days of the Old Republic, when the Sith Empire fought frequent wars against the Jedi and Republic.
Tales of the Jedi is an interesting time capsule for Star Wars fans, published in 1993, several years before The Phantom Menace. Many aspects of Star Wars history were not set in stone, especially the origins of the Sith and their conflicts with the Jedi, allowing writers like Tom Veitch free rein to tell the stories they wanted to.
