Star Wars: War Of The Bounty Hunters #2 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS No. 2, September 2021

Proudly proclaimed by “Marvel Worldwide” as “the biggest comic event" of George Lucas' universe, Charles Soule’s storyline for Issue Two of “Star Wars: War Of The Bounty Hunters” surely must have initially excited its 82,460 strong audience considering it featured a no-holds barred brawl between Boba Fett and his arch-rival Bossk. Indeed, the pair’s battle upon “the remote, frozen world of Jekara” is arguably this twenty-page periodical’s greatest highlight – at least until the Dark Lord of the Sith suddenly makes a surprise entrance at the end of Crimson Dawn’s auction for Han Solo’s carbonite-entombed body.

Unhappily though, the sixteen-panel skirmish is also the only action to be seen as this comic predominantly focuses upon the chit-chat, banter and verbal demands of “the galaxy’s most powerful factions”, including representatives from the Empire and the entire Hutt Council. Admittedly, some of this political intrigue and public posturing is reasonably entertaining, especially when an arrogant Administrator Sly Moore’s much-lauded ability to manipulate the minds of others fails quite miserably when used against the likes of Jabba. But it does require the reader to wade through a seemingly endless series of (light) conversational pieces.

Furthermore, the talking simply doesn’t stop, even after the Milwaukee-born writer introduces Doctor Aphra, Princess Leia, Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian to his slow-paced proceedings. Considering the sheer enmity between the Rebels and Fett, many a bibliophile was probably expecting all hell to suddenly be let loose at Lady Qi'ra’s auction. However, all that happens is for the entire cast of characters to forget their own personal squabbles with one another so as to stand in awe at Darth Vader’s unanticipated arrival; “Well, well, well. Let’s see where this goes.”

Possibly just as unenthusiastic about this book’s script as some bookworms might have been, Luke Ross’ layouts disappointingly blow a little hot and cold. The artist does a first-rate job pencilling this mini-series’ notorious bounty hunter and Han Solo’s former lover. Yet sadly, the same cannot be said for many of the sale’s extra-terrestrial bidders, who appear much more roughly drawn. In fact, it’s almost as if the Brazilian illustrator didn’t want to waste too much time sketching the tale’s lesser figures, and subsequently focused all his efforts on the bigger named personalities.

The regular cover art for "STAR WARS: WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS" #2 by Steve McNiven & Frank D'Armata

Star Wars: War Of The Bounty Hunters Alpha #1 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS ALPHA No. 1, July 2021

Announced in February 2021 by “Marvel Worldwide” as “the Star Wars comic event you’ve been waiting for”, this canon crossover miniseries’ prelude arguably asks quite a bit from its readers within the space of its opening few panels. For whilst Charles Soule’s script for “Precious Cargo” undeniably depicts Boba Fett demonstrating just how bad ass a bounty hunter he can be whilst battling inside the deadly Garkata Fighting Arena, some fans of George Lucas’ “galaxy far, far away” might find the Kamino-born clone somewhat unrecognisable from that depicted on the silver screen in Irvin Kershner's "The Empire Strikes Back".

To begin with, “one of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy during the reign of Emperor Palpatine” is apparently penniless to the point where he can’t even pay a doctor to repair Han Solo’s fast-failing carbonite block on the smuggler’s moon of Nar Shaddaa. This total lack of funds makes little sense considering just how successful Jango’s son has supposedly become, especially when he is strongly-favoured “by the fearsome crime lord Jabba The Hutt", and seems to have been penned simply to manufacture a reason as to why he’d leave his valuable prize behind in some disreputable backwater to be stolen.

In addition, the cold-hearted killer debatably doesn’t live up to his fearsome reputation either, despite apparently shrugging off being speared straight through the chest with an arachnid’s sharp-tipped limb during his final contest. The ill-fated Doc Ragon certainly isn’t the least bit intimidated by Fett, and even chides the bounty hunter for being historically disreputable. Whilst this book somewhat bizarrely ends with a still broke Boba impotently skulking away without any of his considerable winnings in the arena simply because he’s confronted by Kanji and a couple of the local hoodlum’s gun-toting gangsters; “You owe us for the money we lost on Wyrmen Lictor. Had a lot bet on her to win. You can earn all that back for us in one fight… Unless you’d rather just walk away.”

Easily this twenty-page periodical’s greatest asset is therefore the superb artwork of Steve McNiven, which does a truly fantastic job depicting all the dark griminess of the galaxy’s nefarious underworld, and its multitude of extra-terrestrial inhabitants. The Canadian illustrator’s ability to capture every minute detail of the central protagonist’s Mandalorian armour is excellent, as is his ability to sketch the bloody path the mercenary cuts so as to efficiently achieve his “title shot” against the tournament’s multi-limbed reigning champion.

Written by: Charles Soule, Illustrated by: Steve McNiven, and Color Art by: Laura Martin

Star Wars: War Of The Bounty Hunters #1 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS No. 1, August 2021

Those fans blissfully unaware that Issue One of "Star Wars: War Of The Bounty Hunters" was actually preceded by “a canon one-shot”, were probably quite a bit perturbed by his comic’s succinctly short opening crawl detailing that Boba Fett had somehow lost the carbonite-contained body of Han Solo following the events seen in Irvin Kershner's 1980 science fiction film "The Empire Strikes Back". Sure, the sudden loss of the male mercenary’s "greatest prize of all” certainly promises to have the mini-series depict a lot of exhilarating gun-play and violence in “a galaxy far, far away.” But it also begs the question as to just why Jabba’s most favoured enforcer would even dare risk the Hutt’s infamous wrath by not flying straight back from Cloud City to the gangster’s palace on Tatooine..?

Fortunately, such ignorance doesn’t impact too much upon Charles Soule’s narrative for “Most Wanted”, courtesy of the Milwaukee-born writer quickly gathering up any unconvinced readers with his penmanship’s pulse-pounding pace. Indeed, just as soon as a positively peeved Fett arrives at Nar Shaddaa and begins offloading his problems to the corpulent bar-tender, Jango’s son is shown blasting away both inexperienced hot-heads and Gand findsmen within the space of just a few panels; “Thought you could predict the future, Zuckuss. Should’ve seen that coming.”

These intense fire-fights simply don’t stop either, at least until the thirty-page periodical’s concluding revelation as to just who was personally behind the Corellian smuggler’s theft, due to the American author continuing to portray Boba at his most murderously impatient - even when confronted with the combined forces of Bib Fortuna and a plethora of the majordomo’s most deadly assassins. These enthralling skirmishes genuinely help the book’s plot bound along at a corking rate, and also quickly establish the formidable reputation that the Mandalorian clone has throughout the universe as a stone cold killer who only those as “tough as hell, or too stupid to know” better would rip off.

Helping such scintillating storytelling is Luke Ross, whose proficient ability to illustrate this title’s central character in his prime makes every picture involving the bounty hunter well worth an additional look or two. The Brazilian artist also does a particularly fine job of pencilling the overly-confident Zuckuss and his constant companion, 4-LOM, and as a result it’s arguably something of a shame that the skilled insectoid tracker doesn’t last longer against the devastating firepower of Slave 1’s ion cannons.

The regular cover art for "STAR WARS: WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS" #1 by Steve McNiven & Frank D'Armata

Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #6 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS No. 6, December 2020

Providing its 29,500 readers with plenty of insights as to the background behind Beilert Valance, and his brutal ‘rise’ from being a lowly worker on the Mining Planet of Chorin to a well-renowned bounty hunter, this twenty-page periodical must surely have agreeably entertained even those within its audience who were wholly unacquainted with this “canon” comic book series’ central protagonist. In fact, the flashbacks involving the human’s unconquerable love for Yuralla Vega makes it crystal clear just how as an Imperial grunt, the soldier was later able to somehow survive his “quite substantial” injuries on Mimban when he “was scorched in a ground assault” and given substandard cybernetic parts by a less than sympathetic superior officer.

Similarly as well scripted is Ethan Sacks’ narrative concerning Valance’s confrontation with some of the mercenaries sent to murder his recently acquired young ward, Cadeliah. Beilert’s battle with a beskar body-armour wearing killer inside the Spur Orbiting Market is an absolute pleasure to peruse, due to the man having to spontaneously work together with his dependant so as to defeat their seemingly impregnable opponent; “Get off him! Valance, now! Fry him with your palm blaster!”

However, it is this comic’s confrontation between the recently-restored cyborg and Zuckuss inside Slade’s Repairs shop which is undoubtedly this publication’s highlight, as the infamous insectoid Gand findsman manages to inflict a serious wound upon his “old friend” with a sonic immobilizer. Bloodied, but most definitely not bowed, the battered hero’s subsequent brutal bout of fisticuffs is superbly paced, and definitely sets up the pair for a future re-match after 4-LOM’s partner-in-crime is temporarily side-lined with a sliced breathing regulator.

Adding enormously to the emotionally-charged energy of this book are Paolo Villanelli’s layouts, which really go a long way to ensuring the ever-shifting tempo of Sacks’ story-telling. Somewhat sedentary when used to depict the cybernetic bounty-hunter’s touching love affair with Yura, the Italian artist’s pencilling of this comic’s action sequences then come thick and fast in a splendid flurry of sense-shattering sketches. Indeed, much of the desperate urgency behind Beilert’s actions during his skirmishes comes from the rapidity of Paolo’s panels and some of the insane movement lines which accompany the participants’ blows.

The regular cover art of "STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS" #6 by Lee Bermejo

Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #5 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS No. 5, November 2020

Publicised by “Marvel Worldwide” as the “battle of the bounty hunters”, Ethan Sacks’ narrative for “The High Cost of Revenge” surely lived up to its hype upon its release in September 2020 with its vicious struggle between Boba Fett and Beilert Valance. Indeed, the pair’s dramatic tussle over Nakano Lash’s life is the highlight of this twenty-page periodical, as both mercenaries ‘get up close and personal’ with one another, courtesy of some bone-crunching punches, kicks and the odd built-in bioenergy disrupter.

However, rather than simply settle upon a comic-long bout of fisticuffs between two of the Star Wars franchise’s most recognisable fugitive recovery agents, the comic book writer also probably pleased this title’s 27,000 fans by intermixing all of its high-octane action with some fascinating insights into the background behind Lash’s notorious killing of her client “the heir of the Mourner’s Wail Syndicate”. These flashbacks really are a joy to read, as they not only reveal just how Nakano’s crewman T’ongor was killed by a misdirected blaster bolt from Fett, but also illustrates just why Jango’s clone and Valance detest each other so strongly after the Mandalorian armour-wearing warrior deserts his team-mate to be savagely tortured; “You Fool! You’ve doomed us both.”

Equally as intriguing though is Sacks’ sadly all-too fleeting look at how Nakano became orphaned on Glee Anslem by an extremist, and just how much this loss strengthened the Nautolan’s determination to ensure Khamus’ child was kept safe from a galaxy which would clearly do the young girl harm. In addition, the similarities between the harrowing murder of Lash’s hapless parents whilst her “mom” is heavily pregnant with that of Krynthia’s fatal predicament on Corellia, makes the bounty hunter's sudden decision to kill Khamus much more understandable. 

Of course, much of this book’s dynamic story-telling wouldn't be quite so impactive if not for the energetic layouts of penciller Paolo Villanelli and colorist Arif Prianto. The artistic duo genuinely imbue each scene with incredible vitality, whether it be Lash’s swollen-bellied mother desperately shoving her daughter’s would-be attacker to one side or Fett belting Valance in the chops with a jet-pack powered “Whump”.

The regular cover art of "STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS" #5 by Lee Bermejo

Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #4 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS No. 4, October 2020

Whilst Ethan Sacks’ script for Issue Four of “Star Wars: Bounty Hunters” certainly must have struck many within its audience as being packed full of some seriously ferocious fighting as the comic’s various murderous mercenaries desperately try to claim Nakano Lash’s lucrative head. It is still arguably difficult to understand just what all the fuss was about concerning this publication’s supposed “graphic violence against women” when it first hit the spinner racks in August 2020, and why websites such as “Starwarsnewsnet.com” appealed to fans to “speak up about this because it’s time for this disturbing trend to end.”  

For starters, most of the bloodshed found within this twenty-page periodical is actually perpetrated by the series’ female cast as opposed to its male contingent, with T’onga demonstrating an especially vicious streak by fitting her cybernetic partner Beilert Valance with a restraining bolt and immediately then activating the device to painfully make him aware that she’ll use it on her ‘friend’ without a moment’s hesitation. Similarly as savage are Lash and Cadeliah, who between them literally hack apart Ooris Bynar for threatening to harm the Nautolan’s young protégé. This early scene is remarkably graphic as the Thisspiasian male is stabbed in the head, has one of his hands chopped off and is partially strangled with his own tail, before having his neck snapped with a resounding ‘crack’.

However, with perhaps the possible exception of Valance’s unprovoked assault, it is hard to see what else the likes of Lash could possibly otherwise do in the circumstances and every unforgiving blow is debatably justified. Indeed, even T’onga’s appalling behaviour towards Beilert makes some sense within the context of the story being told, as the human has “just walked away from a peaceful, happy life on a homestead with the woman” she loves, in order to kill the person who betrayed her brother, T'ongor, and clearly doesn’t intend for anything or anyone to stop her; “Just making my point. Get in my way and there won’t be enough parts left to put you back together. Oh, and Valance? It’s good to be working with you again.”

Setting aside any gender-driven kill-count issues, “Hunter’s Mutiny” is also noteworthy for containing some wonderfully dynamic artwork by Paolo Villanelli. The Italian artist’s pencilling of the former Imperial cadet battling against a Nexu puppy whilst T’onga guns down a small handful of inexperienced local hired goons is fantastically paced, as are his layouts concerning the flurry of activity which leads to Bynar’s aforementioned grisly demise.

The regular cover art of "STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS" #4 by Lee Bermejo

Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #3 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS No. 3, June 2020

Described by “Marvel Worldwide” in its pre-publication release as being “the ultimate heavyweight battle” between Bossk and Beilert Valance, Ethan Sacks’ scintillating script to Issue Three of “Star Wars: Bounty Hunters” not only arguably delivered to its readers a thoroughly enjoyable gratuitous confrontation between the two opposing mercenaries. But also provided his audience with a brief insight into just why the male Trandoshan and former Chorin slave despise each other so much by taking the fractious pair back “years ago” to a time when they both served aboard Nakano Lash’s ship the Starskimmer.

This initially tender flashback, featuring a facially reconstructed cyborg nervously awaiting the opportunity to use the vessel’s long-range communicator to contact his beloved Yuralla Vega, definitely shows a sensitive side to Valance which is rarely seen, and makes Bossk’s undisguised amusement at the failed transmission all the more malicious when he goads the former Carida Academy cadet over his deeply felt feelings for the woman; “Haha! That was pathetic. Weak. Knew you’d be too afraid to…” Indeed, such is the level of animosity Cradossk’s son generates in this sequence that it is hard to believe Beilert later spares the large lizard’s life after the Trandoshan tries to ambush him on the Graveyard Planet of Galmerah.

Disappointingly though, not everything within this twenty-page periodical is debatably quite so well penned, with Sacks’ inclusion of several other bounty hunters proving somewhat overwhelming within a single publication. Ooris Bynar’s appearance is okay considering that the Thisspiasian is recognisably distinct from his competitors and actually seems to get ‘the drop’ on Lash by reaching the fugitive’s secret location first. However, the likes of T’Onga and General Vukorah are seemingly just crowbarred into the book simply to help pad out its page count with some glimpses of “two of the most powerful criminal syndicates in the galaxy” once Bossk is defeated.

Quibbles aside, perhaps this comic’s biggest contributor is artist Paolo Villanelli, whose layouts for the confrontation between Valance and his ex-teammate help push along the extended action sequence at a frighteningly fast pace. The Trandoshan’s insane fury towards his foe leaps out of every panel in which he features, as does the sheer viciousness of the close combat once the two bounty hunters lock horns with one another trading punches, kicks and headbutts.

The regular cover art of "STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS" #3 by Lee Bermejo

Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #2 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS No. 2, May 2020

Whilst Senior Editor Mark Paniccia may well have argued that this title’s first story-arc focused upon “the cutthroat criminal world” of just two favourites from Irvin Kershner’s 1980 epic space opera film “The Empire Strikes Back”, namely Boba Fett and Bossk, the script to Issue Two of “Star Wars: Bounty Hunters” debatably tells a somewhat different tale with most of the comic’s pulse-pounding action predominantly focusing upon Beilert Valance’s exploits rather than the cloned Mandolorian or male Trandoshan. In fact, with the exception of Cradossk’s son sneakily tracking his prey to the Graveyard Planet of Galmerah, and Slave-1’s owner being shown in a holographic flashback, much of this twenty-page periodical actually concerns itself with just how the facially disfigured cyborg first came to meet his disgraced mentor Nakano Lash.

Fortunately however, such a difference in perspective as to just who the book’s narrative is about doesn’t impact upon the quality of Ethan Sacks’ penmanship, as the writer does a tremendous job of depicting a disgruntled young Valance seemingly yearning for death and picking a fight with a stormtrooper patrol in Phelar Port on Eriadu to ensure it happens; “Attacking Imperial personnel is a capital offence!” The ex-miner’s subsequent rescue by Lash makes it abundantly clear just why Beilert would initially follow the female bounty hunter with such loyally, and additionally explains his determination to find her following Nakano's supposed betrayal of him during their mission together on Corellia.

Equally as enthralling is Sacks’ portrayal of T’onga desperately attempting to infiltrate the Fortress of the Mourner’s Wail so as to prevail upon the girl’s distraught father to sanction her mission of revenge against the Nautolan who killed her brother, T’ongor. Extremely well-paced by artist Paolo Villanelli, and filled full of some incredibly ferocious close combat action sequences, this ultimately doomed attempt to stealthily circumnavigate through the numerous maze-like corridors of the heavily guarded fortification is probably this book’s greatest highlight. Indeed, the Italian artist does such a good job of pencilling the sublime quickness of the one-time farmer on the Moon of Logal Ri, that her eventual capture by Lord Khamdek “deep in Hutt Space” comes as something of a disappointing shock.

Writer: Ethan Sacks, Artist: Paolo Villanelli, and Colorist: Arif Prianto

Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #1 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS No. 1, May 2020

Set during the aftermath of the Battle of Hoth, and advertised by “Marvel Worldwide” as “the bounty hunter adventure you’ve been waiting for”, Ethan Sacks’ thrill-a-minute script for this opening instalment to his “Galaxy’s Deadliest” storyline probably entertained the vast majority of its 61,941 readers in March 2020. But whilst much of this comic’s pre-publication hype focused upon Nakano Lash supposedly violently betraying the likes of Beilert Valance, Bossk and Boba Fett, the twenty-one page periodical’s plot arguably tells a somewhat different tale.

To begin with, Valance’s much-maligned mentor doesn’t actually deceive any of the mercenaries working for her on the outskirts of Coronet City, but rather simply slays “the crinkin’ heir to the deadliest crime syndicate in the sector” after the arrogant criminal seemingly slaughters an unseen target which the Nautolan clearly felt should have been left unmolested. This action obviously blows the entire mission, and puts Lash’s team in deadly jeopardy from the corrupt consortium’s retribution. However, from the way some of her colleagues react to the news of Khamus’ death, especially the highly unlikeable Fett, many bibliophiles would have thought Nakano had personally tried to gun them all down so as to claim the reward for herself: “Your mentor just got us all killed… I’m going to make sure I return the favour.”

Similarly as disconcerting is Sacks’ depiction of Jango’s son, who is portrayed as an incredibly arrogant killer who is as reckless as he is self-centred. Admittedly, this book’s opening is set some years in the orphaned clone’s past when the Mandalorian was still honing his skills and professional attitude. Yet it is still debatably hard to witness Boba rushing headlong straight into a heavily-armed fortification armed with little more than a hand-flamer, and then idly stand by whilst his back-up is shot to pieces right beside him simply so he can make a point to a facially-disfigured Valance that “you just get in the way.”

Happily though, such quibbles certainly don’t stop Issue One of “Star Wars: Bounty Hunters” from being a pulse-pounding publication, partly thanks to Paolo Villanelli’s layouts imbuing the comic with a furious pace that simply doesn’t stop until the book’s end when Slave-1 receives an incoming transmission concerning an “especially sentimental bounty” and its owner decides that Jabba can perhaps wait a little longer before the Hutt receives a certain Corellian smuggler encased in carbonite. The Italian artist seems especially good at pencilling frantic firefights, with Beilert’s battle against a gang of furious Devaronians proving particularly sense-shattering.

Writer: Ethan Sacks, Artist: Paolo Villanelli, and Colorist: Arif Prianto

Star Wars: Age Of Republic - Jango Fett #1 - Marvel Comics

STAR WARS: AGE OF REPUBLIC - JANGO FETT No. 1, March 2019

Having previously “written Poe Dameron, Thrawn, Rogue One, and more from Star Wars” it may well have been hard for some within this one-shot’s 41,371 strong audience to believe that Jody Houser’s “experience with Star Wars fans has been incredibly positive, actually”, if the Emerson College graduate’s narrative for “Training” is typical of her penmanship “in a galaxy far, far away.” Indeed, despite this twenty-page periodical supposedly being about “the best mercenary in the galaxy during the final years of the Republic”, its focus disconcertingly soon shifts away from the bounty hunter and instead lamentably places the spotlight upon Jango’s cloned offspring Boba instead; “This is my son… He’ll be helping us on this job. Part of his training.”

Fortunately however, the presence of a small child in the midst of an abduction mission on Ord Mantell doesn’t mean that the third-generation geek’s narrative is in any way absent of pulse-pounding action, as the book sets ‘its stall out straight from the start’ with a rather entertainingly brief flashback scene depicting its titular character at the height of his career jet-packing in to assassinate some wealthy target despite the man’s two formidable-looking bulky bodyguards. This cold-blooded ‘hit’, tremendously well-drawn by artist Luke Ross, firmly establishes the Mandalorian’s well-established reputation, and not only helps underline just why Fett’s new crew of underachieving ‘D-List’ killers are so nervous around him, but also perhaps explains why the likes of Tiver and Rinn underestimate young Boba later on when they fatally try to double-cross the lad’s ruthless father by placing a pair of curved blades to the youngster’s throat.

In fact if anything, Houser’s script significantly ramps up the violence once everyone’s attention is firmly fixed upon Darth Vader’s future hireling, as he efficiently dispatches the first of his would-be captors with a hidden firearm, and then almost enthusiastically uses his other opponent for live target practice before blowing the Gand’s brains out with a well-aimed shot. Having previously presented the team’s successful mission in a rather light-hearted, humorous manner, so sudden a shift towards a much darker tone may well have caught many a bibliophile by surprise, especially when it subsequently appears that Jango’s son is going to blast the unarmed Rodian, Neelda, simply for not trying to stop his comrades’ coup attempt…

The regular cover art of "STAR WARS: AGE OF REPUBLIC - JANGO FETT" No. 1 by Paolo Rivera