Published: September 14, 2022
Rated: T
Writer: Ethan Sacks
Artist: Paolo Villanelli
Colourist: Arif Prianto
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Production Design: Nick Russell
Cover Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli & Jesus Aburtov
The synopsis;
A DEADLY MISSION ON THE EDGE OF A BLACK HOLE!
• Desperate for credits, T’onga and the bounty hunters take a dangerous job for the Pykes.
• But is Tasu Leech ready to take on…the Kanjiklub?
• And Valance makes a decision that will change everything…
The review;
While my editor, Steve Galloway (who usually reviews this series), takes a well-earned rest, it has fallen to me to review the latest issue of Bounty Hunters. This series always fascinates me as it really looks at the dark and gritty side of the Star Wars underworld. It isn’t afraid to tread into areas that other series would rather stay clear of, and the duo of writer Ethan Sacks and artist Paolo Villanelli have really brought this series to incredible life. Add to the mix the Crimson Dawn trilogy that is linking all the current Marvel Comics ongoing series, and we find Bounty Hunters is just one piece in a galaxy spanning jigsaw. There are a lot of crossovers and events that happen here that have hidden meanings or effects that are felt in other series, making reading this series essential. With the ending of last issue, questions of how far will Crimson Dawn’s influence reach within the series? I can’t wait to see where this new arc will take us.
Part one of Havoc at the Accretion Disco (nice touch), really lets the reader feel that the crew are still recovering from all the recent events. The effects aren’t easy to overcome and the repercussions of what has happened are felt again and again throughout this issue. Just because we are dealing with bounty hunters, doesn’t mean that Sacks isn’t going to show their softer side. The weight that T’onga is carrying around is really felt at the beginning of the comic, where Sacks pauses to give us some quiet, character-building moments. The crew are more than just a crew, they are a team, a family of sorts, who are comfortable and familiar with one another. It is seeing this that causes T’onga so much stress, they mean something to her and the responsibility of looking after them, of making decisions for them, is not easy for her. Is she doing the right thing? Qi’ra’s offer we can see is still causing her conflict, was she right to turn it down?
At this point I must mention the art by Villanelli. He and Sacks have worked together for a long time, and you can see the trust that Sacks places on Villanelli to carry parts of the story, to get the emotions across that Sacks wants to provoke in his readers. From the very first pages, the artwork is astounding, the lines, the colours, the atmosphere are jaw dropping. The second page, with the steam surrounding the characters is done to perfection, looking life like. It would be enough for any artist to hang his hat up for the rest of the comic. But that’s not enough for Villanelli. He continues to keep supplying panel after panel that is awe inspiring, moving from the quiet calm of the ship to the bustle of a fight or the beat of a disco (and then having a quiet moment within the beating disco). He flits through it all with such grace that every panel is something to slow down and enjoy. Add the colour work that is added to each page and you have artwork that really captures the atmosphere every single time, with never a drop in quality.
Following the crew, Sacks treats us to some wonderful sights and links to the wider galaxy. Discos at the edge of black holes to create a unique dancing experience, the appearance of the Pykes, who since the Clone Wars have been a very unique (if hated) faction of the galaxy and learning more about Tasu and his hatred for said Pykes. The latter is by far the most interesting and imagine what will have a major impact for this story line in future issues. The pokes are disliked anyway, but the way they treat Tasu does not help their popularity. With how events unfold, I can’t say I’m surprised that Tasu acts the way he does.
This part of the story is fascinating enough, with the artwork, easily holding the attention of any reader. Yet Sacks does not want us to forget about Valance, providing a small interval for the reader. Now I am a little biased, Valance is my favourite character of the series. His links back to the original Marvel series and his reintroduction into modern Star Wars law have kept me riveted. He also has this love/hate relationship with the Empire and we find him here feeling a little down (and alcohol providing no sanctuary for him – if it couldn’t get any worse!). Even though he is now working for the Empire, Sacks wants to make it clear to readers that he isn’t part of the Empire. We meet Bordeaux, the sort of officer we expect from the Imperials. Selfish, arrogant and big-headed, this officer feels that he can find kinship with Valance. However, as soon as he starts talking, it is clear that this is not what Valance is about. Bordeaux thinks they share common ground but all it does is highlight to Valance that he doesn’t belong. What happens next, well, is it because Valance wants to belong, or is this all part of his mission? Only time will tell.
Like most of the current Marvel Star Wars writers, Sacks knows that in Star Wars there needs to be quiet issues where we as the reader need to take a breath, to let our characters deal with the aftermath of previous events. Yet Sacks doesn’t like to take a whole issue, he has too much story to tell. After a very brief moment, we are pushed back into the action and I have to say, I love it. The pace builds and builds; it works well. The artwork is there to help reinforce the pacing and it really compliments the writing as well as stunning the reader with its beautiful compositions. For me, this is one of the strongest issues of Bounty Hunters so far, with Sacks and Villanelli complimenting each other perfectly, with a story that lets the reader pause and then throws them straight back into the mix. Isn’t that what we always expect (and want) from our Star Wars?
Availability;
Bounty Hunters is an ongoing series available from Marvel Comics. This issue retails at $3.99 and is available via the Marvel App, ComiXology and all good comic book stores.
