Darth Vader doesn’t have the best reputation as a dad, but “Darth Vader and Son,” a new book by cartoonist Jeffrey Brown, sets out to change that.

In it, dad Darth Vader trains little Luke Skywalker in lightsaber baseball, gives him a timeout and bandages a tiny scrape on his son’s arm. He is visibly disturbed when Luke pretends to be a Jedi and wants C-3P0 cereal, not eggs, for breakfast.

An amusing 18-piece show featuring illustrations from the book is on view at the Cartoon Art Museum through Aug. 5. Chicago-based Brown will be in town Thursday to sign copies.

In graphic novels and other works — including his popular debut “Clumsy,” “AEIOU,” the “Sulk” series and more — Brown mixes awkward moments with tenderness. In “Darth Vader and Son,” published by Chronicle Books, the prototypical evil character is humanized, even charming.

The concept goes back to 2010, when Google art directors asked Brown to come up with a “Darth Vader as dad”-themed Father’s Day homepage.