Marvel’s latest Star Wars crossover event takes a hard right turn into “Fuck Yeah” territory in Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #3. Everybody now, including his Rebellion friends, is after the Carbonite’ed Han Solo. But when Darth Vader throws his lightsaber into the bidding, whom amongst them will survive the Sith Lord’s offer? Written by Charles Soule. Drawn by Luke Ross and David Messina. Colored by Neeraj Nenon and GURU-eFX. Lettered by Travis Lanham.
Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #3 is a comic in which Lando Calrissian tells Chewbacca to beat Boba Fett’s ass. I feel like I don’t even have to go on.
But go on I will because this third installment of War of the Bounty Hunters may be the very best so far! Written with an appropriate portent by Charles Soule and provided some thunderously fun action beats by Luke Ross, David Messina, and a richly talented colorist pool, War of the Bounty Hunters #3 is rousingly functional. Even if it’s really just focused on the “icons” of the franchise this round.
All of our characters have converged on the flagship of the Crimson Dawn. All in the hopes of taking the still frozen Han Solo either to safety, death, or further imprisonment and/or fulfillment of a bounty. But a Darth Vader sized wrench has been thrown into everybody’s plans and now Soule has our collection of heroes, villains and anti-heroes scrambling and lashing out slightly in response.
Neatly sectioned off between the new uneasy alliance of Leia, Chewie, Lando and Boba Fett and the Crimson Dawn auction floor, which erupts into a burly-as-hell duel between Vader and the returned Qi’ra, Soule’s script continues to deliver classic Star Wars pulpiness. Just with the added strength of some novel action beats. Beats muscularly rendered by the wonderful pairing of Luke Ross and David Messina. It is taking a lot of self-restraint to not make a lot of this review just about the way the pair drew Qi’ra’s arms this go around.
But my Expanded Universe thirst aside, War of the Bounty Hunters #3 just cuts to the quick of what good Star Wars action can be. It’s not quite far off from the “playing with action figures”-like quality some of these new SW comics have had. Mainly because a lot of the action here is focused on different combinations of characters mixing it up (Boba vs. Chewie this time, continuing the Mandalorian’s matchups from the opening issue and Qi’ra vs. Vader too).
But honestly it still FEELS genuine. Like there is a real love and glee from the creative team that they are getting to do something like this. ON TOP of the quiet rehabilitation of Solo: A Star Wars Story that this event is bringing to the table! I just really loved this issue y’all, and I think those wanting just a pure, earnestly produced Star Wars yarn will love it as well. It looks and reads great, while keeping this event firmly in-voice in comparison both to the original films and Marvel’s return to the Galaxy Far, Far Away…
If ANYTHING you get to see Lando talking some major trash to Boba Fett’s helmeted face. Along with Qi’ra’s arms. Which are just…perfect.
Zachary Jenkins co-hosts the podcast Battle of the Atom and is the former editor-in-chief of ComicsXF. Shocking everyone, he has a full and vibrant life outside all this.
