Not alone
[A]m I alone in being disturbed that children are looking at Darth Vader as a hero? He's certainly a... magnetic character, but he's no one to admire or sympathize with in my book.
Mr. Lucas will never miss my $6.50 (matinee ticket price) for Ep III, any more than he missed it for Ep's I and II. But he's not going to get it, for precisely the reason you state.
Hell... I'm disturbed that adults are looking at the character that way. It's easier to help a child change her (or his) mind. I'm also displeased with the idea that the character is somehow excused from responsibillty for his actions (mostly later, yes, but we know about them because the story was told out of sequence...).
"The Dark Side made me do it..."