Canon Comic Review: Lando - Double or Nothing #3

– Spoiler Review –

The problems don’t get better, but the series is still fun and breezy in Lando – Double or Nothing issue #3.

In my review of the first issue, I praised Rodney Barnes’ ability to capture a young Lando, but in issue #2 I was beyond surprised when it revealed a Lando who talked too much, something I never imagined I’d ever have to say. For most of issue #3, Lando’s more of what made Barnes’ take so great in issue #1, but again the over-talkative stuff springs back up. 99% of the panels Lando is in, he’s talking, be it dialogue or narration (or narration dialogue…), and for a grand majority it’s fun and funny, especially when he’s joking around with Batalla, his captor, or his conversations with L3 about droids and droid rights. But then there’s all the panels where Lando is alone, or in the middle of a battle and making a comment on everything, and it becomes too much, bringing back the worst of what got annoying in issue #2. Lando can be funny and charming without having to talk all the time, so if this is all leading to him learning to talk just a little less, then I can forgive the overabundance, but if it isn’t, this is simply a problem with Barnes’ characterization of the smuggler. Thankfully #3 had less of it than the previous issue, as most of the rest of Barnes’ take on Lando is great, but this is a problem that can’t be ignored and I’m hoping it doesn’t get much worse in the final two issues of the series, though if it stays about the same I can look past it for the most part.

A conversation happening a lot more thanks to the C-3PO one-shot, Last Shot, and Solo: A Star Wars Story is one about droids’ rights and sentience, and how our characters treat them, be it their personal droids, other people’s droids, service droids, or enemy droids. L3 makes her rescue of Lando completely dependent on him siding with her about a droid’s need for better rights and apologizing for damaging a droid to help facilitate his own escape. This can be a pretty complex issues, just check out these two deep and nuanced discussions about droids (via Eleven-ThirtyEight), and it certainly seems like the greater Star Wars narrative is building to some type of reckoning for droids and I’m curious to see what, if anything, Double or Nothing will contribute to it. So far, Lando’s come around to the idea of droid rights simply because agreeing with L3 will cause her to save his hide, but the discussion about ended there, though I have enjoyed how each issue of this series L3 has challenged Lando’s point-of-view on certain matters in an attempt to make him see further than his precious capes. If anything, this is the mom/mentor character Lando needs to be a better person, though with the mention of his own mom in the previous issue, I do hope we get to meet the Calrissian family at some point in the future. Or at least a new generation of it in the sequel trilogy, if all these very hard to dispute rumors of Billy Dee Williams’ return turn out to be true (UPDATE: It’s official!).

Kristiss is reunited with her father, and when they bring their plan of rebellion to their people, everyone rejects it. To them, after the Empire’s subjugation of their planet, being a slave at least means still being alive, rather than dying against what they perceive to be a stronger enemy, and it’s understandable stance to take if in their shoes. Especially since Lando hasn’t shown up with the guns and this seems to be the very first time Kristiss or her dad are telling ANYONE else about their plans. Usually you’d start spreading the idea around long before you decide to take action, instead of mere hours before, because then you wouldn’t have to come up short on help since you’d have cultivated the will to help in the hearts and minds of your fellow people, but I’m no revolutionary leader, so what would I know? I’m curious to see how Kristiss, Lando, and L3 will be able to help spur the rebellious spirit in these people, but I do have to shake my head at the fact they are only learning about the plan moments before it’s supposed to go into action.

Despite my issues with the characterization of Lando and my questions regarding rebellion planning 101, Rodney Barnes’ Double or Nothing at least has been a rather fun, quick, breezy adventure, not unlike what Lando keeps recording in his Calrissian Chronicles. The art from Paolo Villanelli, with colors from Andres Mossa, really captures the vibe of the swashbuckling adventure feel from the series, I really enjoy the smugness and surprise faces for they have for Lando, while the action scenes, plus the Falcon flying around, all feel big, bold, and exciting.

Here are a few other things:

Batalla mentions Crimson Dawn, Maul’s crime syndicate, and I’m curious if we’ll get a Qi’ra cameo considering she and Lando have met previously to the events of Solo. However, it was just a passing mention and the gang members trying to take their revenge on Lando in the arena were in a gang affiliated with Crimson Dawn, so that could be the extent of the mention.
Barring some radical moments in the next two issues, I think it’s fair to say it won’t surpass (or match) the previous Lando mini, but I do hope it can excel at the fun and adventurous mood it’s trying to focus on and end up a solid series overall.

Lando – Double or Nothing #3 keeps the series fun and engaging, though its over talkative Lando is a surprising downside.

+ L3’s latest attempt to make young Lando a better man
+ Art continues to impress with how it captures the series vibe

– Still too much Lando talking
– Kristiss and her dad didn’t talk to more people about this BEFORE trying to start a mini-rebellion?

Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.

Lando – Double or Nothing
#1 | #2 | #4 | #5

RELATED REVIEWS:
Solo: A Star Wars Story (movie) | Last Shot (novel) | Lando (comic miniseries) | Beckett (one-shot)

Canon Comic Review: Lando – Double or Nothing #3

+ L3’s latest attempt to make young Lando a better man

+ Art continues to impress with how it captures the series vibe

– Still too much Lando talking

– Kristiss and her dad didn’t talk to more people about this BEFORE trying to start a mini-rebellion?

Check out the rest of our Canon Comic Reviews here!

Like this:

Related

Share your thoughts with the Manor!Cancel reply