Star Wars: Empire #5

The cover of this 2003 Dark Horse issue says it all — Darth Vader's imposing black helmet looms in close, face-to-face with a defiant young woman whose gaze doesn't waver for a moment, illustrating the tagline "When negotiations fail… a princess goes to war!" beautifully rendered by penciler Brian Ching and inker Matt Banning. "Princess… Warrior" kicks off a two-part story written by Randy Stradley and Brian Daley, with interior art by Davide Fabbri, promising a tale centered on courage tested against the full weight of Imperial power. It's a striking setup that puts a single determined woman squarely against the galaxy's most feared enforcer.