Published: August 4, 2021
Rated: T
Writer: Ethan Sacks
Artist: Paolo Villanelli
Colourist: Arif Prianto
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Cover: Giuseppe Camuncoli & Nolan Woodard
The synopsis;
WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS: “THE GATHERING”
• VALANCE and DENGAR travel to CANTO BIGHT as a relentless assassin stalks them!
• T’ONGA starts to recruit a bounty hunter crew with some familiar — and fearsome — faces!
• Plus TASU LEECH returns! But whose side is he on?
The review;
3 covers again for Bounty Hunters #15 with a rather quirky depiction of Valance and Dengar by Giuseppe Camuncoli for the direct cover. And when I say quirky, I mean quirky. The look of both is very caricature based over shadowed by a silhouette of Deathstick, but somehow it works. The new Wanted Poster series starts this week too with Valance wanted for “Crimes against the Empire”. Created by David Nakayama, I think this series will be a big seller. Then we have the next Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary celebration covers by Chris Sprouse. This is a great series of covers and it’s great to see Marvel picking some more obscure themes than just the movies for them. This time around it features the timeless Star Wars Disneyland ride… Star Tours!
The opening pages gives a sense of how ruthless Vukorah is towards member of the Unbroken Clan. But it also shows how feared Deathstick is amongst even the biggest players within the underworld. Deathstick is almost an enigma with her ability to appear or disappear while in plain sight. A complex and cunning character and I would love to see her with her own one-shot or mini-series in the future.
The roller coaster continues for Valance and his sidekick, Dengar. Trying to lay low on Nar Shaddaa while trying to find passage to Canto Bight. Regardless of that, it is inevitable that our hapless duo are never going to be able to lay low.
It is great to see a return of Tasu Leech. Han Solo’s nemesis from The Force Awakens is the help that T’onga and Losha need to assist them in their path. He is shown to be a formidable foe for anyone, and it will be interesting to see how this develops.
As for Valance and Dengar on Canto Bight, Just Lucky catches up with them and Dengar’s previous escapades come back to haunt him again. How does this guy still breathe after crossing and owing so many? He’s on seriously borrowed time! But with an intervention from Valance on this occasion, he manages to barter themselves another reprieve.
Of course, they seem to have everything back under control. Dengar’s ship, The Punishing One is now back in the game and they can resume their pursuit of Fett. But, it can never be that easy for them. Deathstick is still on their tails and hands them a punishing beating, but in the skirmish that ensues the light fingered Dengar manages to lift an invite to Crimson Dawn’s auction from their assailant.
I do need to add that this series and this issue in particular has been helped by 2 wonderful one-shot comics so far. This week’s 4-LOM & Zuckuss #1 one-shot issue by DJ Older is the perfect companion. The story dovetails perfectly with the events of Bounty Hunters #15 and it makes me really appreciate how deep so many of the writers have delved into the Star Wars sandbox to bring this all together. With more one-shots to come, I am looking forward to them continuing to fit some more significant little pieces into the War of the Bounty Hunters jigsaw puzzle.
The artwork is on point yet again. Paolo Villanelli and Arif Prianto seem to be getting better and better as the series develops. From the all-out action for the Tasu Leech fight sequence to the subtle cityscapes of Canto Bight, everything is executed beautifully.
I’ve had to read this issue 4 or 5 times now to really comprehend it. I’ve recently stated that the key to this series has been consistency, but on my first read through, I felt the story had slowed down. In all honesty I think some of the Star Wars titles over the last few weeks have suffered a bit, which I think this has been caused by the point that we have hit in the cross over. We are waiting for events in other arcs to kick start the action for others and this has had a stalling effect. But Sacks has delivered a very good issue that has stayed almost independent from the overreaching storyline. By the end of the issue it is clear to see that this is the last bridge to connect with the next phase of the overall story.
All the cards are lined up now. Valance and Dengar have their own invite, well someone else’s invite I should say, to the Crimson Dawn auction for Solo and heading to join up with everyone else. This can only spell trouble for the coming issues!
Availability;
Bounty Hunters is an ongoing series available from Marvel. This issue is available via the Marvel App and all good comic bookstores. This issue retails at $3.99.
