Star Wars: Empire #31

Darth Vader dominates this striking cover to Star Wars: Empire #31, rendered by Joe Corroney with his red lightsaber ignited and a fleet of TIE fighters swarming the crimson sky behind him — all while the cover copy cheekily asks, "Darth Vader — Imperial Diplomat?" The tagline "Speak Softly… Carry a Lightsaber" sets a wonderfully sardonic tone for the story inside, "The Price of Power." It's a confident, atmospheric piece that captures exactly why this 2005 Dark Horse series remained such an appealing corner of the expanded Star Wars universe.