Published: March 1, 2023
Rated: T
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Artist: David Messina
Colourist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Phil Noto
The synopsis;
THE KEYS TO THE NEXT STAR WARS EVENT BEGIN HERE!
• Khel Tanna is after Han Solo and Chewbacca!
• Marshal Buck Vancto is after Han Solo and Chewbacca!
• Corbus is after Han Sol – well, you get the idea…
• What does the urn hold that unlocks the future of the Star Wars galaxy?
This can’t-miss issue leads into the STAR WARS event of 2023!
The review;
Friends and foes unite on Noto’s direct cover for this final issue of Han & Chewbacca, and it has a gorgeous movie poster quality to it as Han stares off dramatically into the distance with Chewie at his side. Meanwhile the galaxy’s greatest co-pilot takes centre stage on Cummings’ variant, and you can almost hear a Wookiee roar when looking at it. Finally, Momoko’s Women’s History Month variant is a beautiful side portrait of Khel Tanna surrounded by a soft starscape background that really complements her character.
After discovering the contents of a mysterious urn actually contain the neural core for the droid revolutionary, Ajax Sigma, it’s up to Han and Chewbacca to decide how to keep it from the nefarious hands of Jabba the Hutt. Cornered on Nar Shaddaa, Han has to face down Corbus Tyra one final time as the con man tries to steal back the urn. Meanwhile Chewie’s got his own problems as he faces off against the Benelex Marshal. With the duo divided, how are they going to scrape themselves out of this latest disaster?
Kat: Guggenheim sends us straight back into the action with this last issue of Han & Chewbacca, as Han finally faces down the man who pretended to be his father – Corbus Tyra. Fans have been waiting for this show down for a while, and it really delivers. Han isn’t a violent or vengeful person, so to see him lay into Corbus is actually quite surprising. Yet this is the con man who went straight for the low blow, hanging the promise of a family in Han’s face, only to rip it all away again. As the two scoundrels fight, there’s also plenty of verbal sparring, which is something that Han is definitely very good at. However, Corbus has a trick up his sleeve. What did you make of the training remote Mark?
Mark: I loved it! It was very unexpected, I mean, who would ever expect Guggenheim to make such a small link. Yet, it’s these small moments that I think have really brought this series up. You can tell that Guggenheim isn’t doing this as a job, there is a real love for the films that just oozes out throughout this entire series. The fact that the remote is semi-sentient and can be reasoned with is really surprising. I’ll definitely be rewatching A New Hope a little differently from now on!
I’m also happy that there was no backtrack on Corbus being Han’s dad or any sort of lead where his real father might be. Han’s parentage is one of those things that I think should always be left well alone, like Yoda’s species. We always want so many answers as fans, yet it’s the mystery that creates a talking point for us fans, that makes us speculate and imagine. Guggenheim, I think realises this and keeps that mystery well and truly there. Corbus’ parting shot of how easy it is to fool Han with a father figure, doesn’t it show that there’s more to Han? It hints that he isn’t the uncaring hard con man he pretends to be, that deep down all he craves is love. It’s what makes Han as a character so appealing. Were you pleased his parentage was never answered Kat?
Kat: Absolutely! We know Han’s background is troubled from both the literature and Solo. It makes us empathise with his character even more and explains some of the reasons he wasn’t a great dad towards Ben. Having that mystery to Han is essential, and Guggenheim made a great call for these scenes. Corbus taunts Han that he’s almost nothing without Chewbacca, who’s off dealing with his own fight at this point, and I think what this comic really demonstrates is that the two are just as strong on their own. Yes, they work better together, but Han can hold his own when he needs to.
It’s being made slightly harder for Han by the fact that Phaedra is flying the Falcon. Or trying to fly it. She might be great with her chemistry, but Phaedra is not a good pilot. It does show the level of trust Han has in the kid though to let her fly his beloved ship. After one too many hits from Tanna’s crewmates, even Han can’t stop the Falcon from crashing and that’s something I have been waiting for. It can’t be a story about Han and Chewie without there being some mishaps with the Millennium Falcon!
Mark: Oh, but the damage to the poor ship! I think it does show trust, but I think it also shows just how much Han wants to get his own back with Corbus. The problem with Han and Chewie, is if they had been together, Corbus wouldn’t stand a chance. Guggenheim is forced to split them, but it works in his favour. A lot of the humour in this issue comes from the wookiee, the comment when he’s behind the marshal had me laughing out loud. Chewie is able to shine on his own, which this entire series has really done well. This is Han and Chewbacca, but the co-pilot usually gets overshadowed by Han. With them split apart, readers can appreciate Chewie in his own right. He deserves it!
I don’t want to go too far without mentioning the artwork by Messina. The entire series has really been a “how to” for Han, and this issue is no exception. This time period is so difficult, which actor do you go for? Yet Messina has been able to combine both Harrison Ford and Alden Ehrenreich effortlessly, which will please fan of both the original trilogy and Solo. This is a big part of why I think this series works but there is so much more to appreciate. The layout of the panels, particularly in the action scenes, flows so well that you are never questioning what is happening. When the Falcon is hit, you feel it being hit and cringe a little inside! When Chewie is sneaking up on the marshal, the timing is exceptional, really exploiting moments like that to their full potential.
Kat: I am so glad you’ve brought up the art at this point because some moments that really stood out for me were Han’s classic finger points. They are most famous from The Empire Strikes Back when Han is warning C-3PO, but he loves pointing throughout the movies, so I was really glad to see Messina incorporate those multiple times in this issue. Messina has so many iconic characters and locations to balance and everything feels incredibly cinematic. When the Falcon crash lands, the blurriness of the lines helps to emphasise the impact.
And then Corbus tries to sneak off once again! He is a slippery nerf herder, yet it allows Han one more time to confront the con man. This has got to be my favourite part of this issue because of how it emulates The Force Awakens. Han stands on a branch in the forests of Nar Shaddaa, and at the other end is Corbus. More verbal sparring ensues and then Han just snaps. Corbus went too far this time, and the way Han shoots him down reminded me so much of his own demise against Kylo Ren. Did you pick up on this Mark?
Mark: I didn’t at the time, but now I can’t unsee it. It’s wonderfully poetic and shows the cycles that we’re doomed to repeat. I really like that! I also like that here, Han is accusing and Corbus gives as good as he gets, with Kylo, he’s far calmer, trying to make a situation like this better! Unfortunately for us, we know that Corbus gets away and is indeed alive and well, much like the return of someone or something else…
Ajax. The droid revolutionary IS going to return, and it cites the Hidden Empire. Now that has come as a shock to me. There has been no crossover with this series and that one, yet here it seems Guggenheim has been very sneaky and has been planting seeds since the very beginning. How those pieces fit and how they affect the overall plot I don’t know, but with a certain High Republic station making an appearance, I can’t help but wonder…
Kat: Guggenheim has written this plot masterfully and I think the advantage of this whole mini-series is that it has been planned from the start. There are so many call backs to previous issues in Han & Chewbacca #10, not to mention the seeds of this crossover. I am glad the crossover is happening after the events of this series because I think the plot would have become too complicated otherwise, and it’s going to be exciting to see what threat Ajax will pose. I think we all knew that Han wasn’t going to hand over the neural core to Jabba and make the right, moral decision instead.
One un-moral decision Han makes though is to strand Khel Tanna’s crew on Nar Shaddaa. Again, this is a more vengeful and pettier Han than we’re used to, but the crew only have themselves to blame. He might be a loveable scoundrel, but Han is no push over. Even Chewie doesn’t try to stop him! After stranding the crew and burying Ajax’s neural core where no one will ever find it, all’s well that ends well… or does it?
Mark: And we’re here again with a bit of mystery. Who will come back? How will Ajax return? Will Corbus run into Han again? It’s ending this series on questions like these that tease us that there might be more to come, and even if there’s not, the speculation this creates is wonderful in and of itself. This series really has set a standard for what to expect from a series centred around Han and Chewie. It never steps beyond its mandate, it’s not supposed to be a galaxy changing affair, or one that will leave scars on our heroes. It’s an adventure that shows what the duo are up to during their time before A New Hope. Guggenheim knows this perfectly and so by staying within these boundaries he twists a tale that really shows the smuggler and his co-pilot at their best. Add the artwork from Messina and you have a tale that is everything that it should be a great rollercoaster of a ride. I hope we see Guggenheim and Messina return with our heroes, but for that, we shall have to wait and speculate.
Availability;
Han Solo & Chewbacca is a 10-part mini series published by Marvel comics. This issue retails at $3.99 and is available via the Marvel App, ComiXology and all good comic book stores.
