Much like my previous Star Wars comic review of Vader and the Ghost Prison, Purge: The Tyrant's Fist is another Vader-centric story set after the events of Revenge of the Sith. The purge that the title suggests is in reference to the Jedi's extinction, where Order 66 was the first step and now we're following Vader as he scours the galaxy for his Jedi prey. Issue #1 of Purge focuses on Vader's hunt for Jedi Knight Cho'na Bene, the last remaining Jedi on the planet, Vaklin, where Jedi are still held in high regards, not phased by the Empire's manipulation.
Also like Ghost Prison, a young Imperial Officer serves as our narrator, giving us some great descriptions of the man we know as Vader. He's a threatening presence, not needing to say much, yet always terrifying. While he does have his fair share of dialogue in this issue, it's brief moments with him using the Force that stand out the most for me. A clever attempt at "diffusing" a live grenade comes to mind, as does a great interrogation scene between the Dark Lord and one of his captives.
Issue #1 of 2 of Purge has so far served as the perfect companion piece to my previous read of Ghost Prison. I'd always been fascinated by what Vader's actions would be while hunting down the remaining Jedi, and these comic series are starting off on the right foot. Purge is an easy recommendation from me, and I anxiously await what Issue #2 has in store for me.
