Published: June 9, 2021
Rating: Rated T
Writer: Ethan Sacks
Penciler: Paolo Villanelli
Colourist: Arif Prianto
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Cover Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli
The synopsis;
THE WOOKIEE ALWAYS WINS!
• Hot on the trail of BOBA FETT, VALANCE and DENGAR run into a rather large obstacle—the mighty CHEWBACCA!
• Will T’ONGA escape the trap set by a mysterious organization out to upend the underworld?
• And who is the figure in the shadows hunting them all?!
The review;
After the deluges of variants for War of the Bounty Hunters #1 last week we get a more sedate 3 covers to choose from this week. Front and centre is Giuseppe Camuncoli’s illustration of Valance and Chewbacca going at it as C-3PO watches on. I’ve been a big fan of Camuncoli’s for a long time, especially after his work on the Darth Vader series of 2017. We also get a Pride variant by Jacopo Camagni featuring Yrica Quell from the Alphabet Squadron series of books in her X-Wing cockpit. Then we have the first of thirty-six Lucasfilm 50th anniversary covers by the team that brought us The Empire Strikes Back series of covers. Chris Sprouse, Karl Story and Neeraj Menon give us a great illustration of Luke Skywalker outside the Lars Homestead on Tatooine.
Nar Shadaa is the scene yet again with Valance and Dengar hot on the trail of Boba Fett. Dengar has a contact in the arms market who may have more information, but a restless and impatient Valance isn’t ready to ask politely for the answers. His opening gambit is a right hook that sends Devono Vix flying through the air and the meltdown begins. Blaster bolts flying in every direction and Gungan grenades being detonated, which grabs the attention of Chewbacca and C-3PO who are a short distance away undertaking their own search for Boba Fett.
This is the first issue where we see a true cross pollination between the main titles, and I loved it! You couldn’t have picked a better pairing to be attracted to the skirmish in the arms market. Chewbacca who witnessed the aborted assassination attempt on Solo by Valance on Abregado-Rae all those years back. But one thing is for certain, a Wookiee’s life debt also runs into bearing a grudge toward anyone who dares cross the line. And in Valance’s own words when recognises Chewbacca, “this can’t be good.”
Dengar is loving this confrontation and seeing the Wookiee lay into Valance. So much so, he decides to settle down to watch while quaffing a Boga Noga ale. Things go awry for him very quickly when Chewbacca also recognises him and decides Dengar needs to pay for his past treatment towards him.
This all leads to a standoff and Valance yielding to Chewbacca. Valance pours out the true story of the assassination attempt and peace is made between them. This shows the human side to Valance that has been surfacing from time to time during this series. It is a serious side to him that Sacks has teased us with. He has lost so much throughout his life. His home world, his betrothed, his status in the Imperial Academy, but more than that, most of his body, but not his soul. There is a huge weight of gratitude toward Solo for saving him physically, but also his soul. Valance has now almost sided with the Rebels and their mission to rescue Solo, which could be his path to redemption.
The other side to the story in Bounty Hunters #13 follows the path being taken by T’onga and Losha and their recently acquired Nexu, affectionately known as Furball. We seem to have lost sight of where this all started with the quest to find Cadeliah and it’s nice to see that this hasn’t been pushed off the table even during this epic crossover. Now on Mourner’s Wail they search the aftermath of the vents there and start to piece together their next move and they stumble across Lord Khamdek, who we last saw in the first 4 issues of Bounty Hunters. T’onga wants to tell him something about his son, but Khamdek believes he will be reunited with his dead son soon as Crimson Dawn are there.
The reveal of the Crimson Dawn allegiants high up in the eaves of the room they are in shows that Q’ira has amassed a huge following on the quiet. This is a very interesting turn of events as we are led to believe that Crimson Dawn has shrunk away into insignificance since the events that unfold in Solo: A Star Wars Story. But this actually makes sense. In Solo, Darth Maul was the head of their organisation and with his eventual downfall to Obi-Wan Kenobi in Rebels, this will have more than likely promoted Q’ira in the same as the death of Dryden Vos.
I can’t not mention the artwork throughout, but especially that last page by Paolo Villanelli. He’s done it again; he consistently produces artwork that is simply… STUNNING! The last page of the issue really is quite spectacular with a stunning reintroduction of Deathstick to the Star Wars Galaxy. She is a Zabrak bounty hunter who was born on Dathomir to a Night Sister and I cannot wait to see where this goes now.
Is this story arc going to be a path of redemption for Valance or could this be the end of the road for our misunderstood cybernetic bounty hunter? I can’t tell you, but I get the feeling from reading Ethan Sacks column in issue 12 that his personal long-held love for Valance will play a big part in what his fate will be. I simply adore everything about this series and now it has linked up with all the other Star Wars titles from Marvel Comics the possibilities and potential is nearly endless.
So, it’s over to Star Wars (2020) #14 to continue The War of the Bounty Hunters!
Availability;
Bounty Hunters is an ongoing series available from Marvel Comics. This issue is available via the Marvel App and all good comic bookstores and retails at $3.99.
