Canon Comic Review: Bounty Hunters #16 – War of the Bounty Hunters

– Spoiler Review –

Dengar and Valance, as well as T’onga and her expanded crew, all make it to Jekara for the auction of the era in Bounty Hunters #16, catching the series up to the current events of the larger War of the Bounty Hunters crossover.

The budding bromance between Dengar and Valance reaches its zenith, or already did if you read War of the Bounty Hunters #4 earlier this month, though the sincerity of its break to either of them varies. Valance might have a rough exterior, and even rougher interior considering his cyborg parts, but he’s softer than all that lets on, as the growing partnership, as gruff as he might be towards Dengar, has been something he’s come to rely on. That doesn’t mean he’s ready to cut off the other hunter if he needs to, which he does when his opportunity to save Han Solo is rocketing away and allying with Boba Fett will help facilitate the rescue more than Dengar and his problems with Jabba and his girlfriend’s debt. And whereas we learn Dengar is less hurt by Valance’s actions, Valance talks a tough game again to Fett as they fly after Han Solo but it’s clear he feels bad for betraying Dengar. The bandaged hunter doesn’t have such compulsions, as after he’s rescued by Deathstick, he hands over some extremely vital data. As we learned a few issues ago, Valance’s body is failing him, specifically the last remaining human organ, the heart, so he’s prone to sentimentality, calling his ex-Yuna and her current partner Kondra, warning them he’s probably not coming back and they should look after Cadeliah, the much sought-after child of two warring syndicates. This act of tying up loose ends might just cost everything, as Dengar hands over this communication, which Deathstick ominously says means Crimson Dawn’s victory is close at hand.

Considering Crimson Dawn made a move on the Mourner’s Wail, which T’onga and her wife Losha interrupted, I just thought they were taking out competition or it was part of a little vendetta from Qi’ra considering their Corellian home, but it always something bigger with Qi’ra. Cadeliah represents a chance to unite the Mourner’s Wail and the Unbroken Clan, as she’s a child from both sides, so taking her out or bringing her into Crimson Dawn itself would probably mean both syndicates answer to Qi’ra, effectively winning control of more and more of the galaxy’s underworld. Is that Qi’ra’s main goal, taking over the underworld so no one can ever lay claim over her again? Is Cadeliah and the feuds of two syndicates really important to her master plan, whatever it might be? Considering the main miniseries hasn’t touched on this storyline, I have a feeling it’s not that vital to her plans, but probably one part of the much larger whole. We’ll have a way better idea next month, as the crossover will come to a close and the next part of Qi’ra’s trilogy, Crimson Reign, will begin in December.

As for if Crimson Dawn will ever get their hands on Cadeliah, that’s up to the resourcefulness of T’onga and Losha’s new crew, which consists of Tasu Leech, Zuckuss, and…Bossk?! Picking up a thread from back in June, this crew arrives on Jekara and runs into the freezing Bossk, who Boba Fett alive as a warning way back in War of the Bounty Hunters #1, and while he tries to kill Leech after he makes a remark about cooking Trandoshans, they still decide to bring him to their medbay and revitalize him, as they’ll need all the help they can get if they have any hopes of dealing with Crimson Dawn’s resources as they try to track down and bring Cadeliah home. There are some hints in the solicitations for the upcoming issue that this thread will continue to be the focus of the series, so don’t expect an immediate resolution but know it’s going to be very important for the remainder of the series.

As always, the art team is Paolo Villanelli, Arif Prianto on colors, and Travis Lanham for lettering, and their strength with action scenes finds it outlet in a few sequences this issue. I loved the avalanche Valance creates to take out some Dawn guards, the giant ice rocks’ crushing weight felt via the projectile effects around them and Lanham’s aggressive SFX lettering for the sound of their fall. The action is swifter this issue than most, as Valance and Dengar mop up the guards shortly after or the fit with Boba ends in a page, though this is to the team’s benefit as the aggressive style of action allows readers to see why these fights wouldn’t take long. As for the giant monster under Jekara’s freezing waters that nearly kills Dengar, holy monsters was it a deadly, creepy, large mass of nasty something that I’m sad didn’t get to last long, but it did leave quite an impression due to how the team drew it’s imposing size and lethality. After next month’s issue, artist Villanelli will take a break from the series, he confirmed on his Twitter account earlier this month, so enjoy his style while it lasts, though I’ll be curious to see how the series feels with a new art team.

Here are a few other things:

Ever since a brief appearance in Doctor Aphra #12, this series has been trying to catch Vukorah of the Unbroken Clan up to that moment, and now that we’re past it and the chaos of the Qi’ra and Darth Vader battle, I was hoping we’d see what was next for her. This issue gives us the briefest glimpse of the Unbroken Clan’s semi-leader, drinking away with Margo, relaxed as can be. Now I’m anxious for her to regain prominence going forward.
Not having the little talk between Boba Fett and Valance that was in WotBH #4 is a little disappointing, from the standpoint of building up more of Valance’s character and Boba’s as well, whom this series hasn’t had the best track record with expanding on.

Bounty Hunters #16 deftly catches up the series to the current parts of the expansive crossover, barreling it towards the end while planting the seeds for its own continuation, with or without it’s leading hunter.

+ Dengar’s big play

+ T’onga’s crew grows

– Suddenly too caught up

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

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