– Spoiler Review –
Han abandoned in the Outer Rim, Chewie attempting a prison break with Maz Kanata, and the Falcon and their prize for Jabba missing?! In Han Solo & Chewbacca #7, the breakneck pace of the previous issue returns for the big prison break and sweeps us towards the final three issues!
As the big heist energy becomes big prison break energy and doesn’t abate, issue #7 has readers latching onto whatever they can as the hyperspace fast pace takes them on a wild, quick ride. Chewbacca, Maz Kanata, and the newly introduced Phaedra (whose rap sheet is almost as long as Chewie is old) waste no time to enact their plan and we get to watch it all unfold through Marc Guggenheim’s well-paced writing and weaving narrative, as we jump around to the various parts of the plan and what Han’s up to on the outer outer rim world. For the prison break, Chewie’s “death” is appropriately dramatic, a big enough distraction so Maz Kanata can sneak away for the second part. I was curious how Dr. Evazan and Ponda Baba and their soon to be execution would tie into the plan, but it was less about them and more about the noxious gas that was going to kill them, as Maz uses it to create an even bigger, hard to ignore distraction. I loved the little interaction between Maz and Evazan, as she obviously knows their reputation and doesn’t want anything to do with them, parting ways after freeing them and hoping they won’t ever have to cross paths again. Phaedra uses her connections to get an officer’s uniform and free Chewie and they make a scramble to the launch pads…only for their ship to fly away. The security guards close in on them and I die laughing at the big surprise on who saves them, and where they were hiding. As the three escapees decide to break into the other ship, someone else is already there, ready to pick them…
Last issue, it ended with the reveal the “dead” Han Solo was actually alive and being taken care of on some remote Outer Rim world, which has a beach-side resort vibe with cool new aliens that hardly speak basic. While it’s not clear how Han goes from the hospital bed of the one Escalanese who can speak basic to the local bar, it’s not a surprise. When his credit-less ass gets booted from the bar, the bearded Han happens to overhear news of prison executions, including Chewbacca’s, and luckily the one who does speak basic appears. He arranges transport off-world for Han and their sole merchant’s vessel, which he steals of course and flies to the prison…arriving just in time to save Chewie, Maz, and Phaedra! It was all a little too easy, too coincidental, but it doesn’t mean it wasn’t fun, especially at the pace Guggenheim has this script flying.
The crew go to Tatooine, finding Greedo and shaking him down for information on where the Falcon is now. I’m glad Phaedra is still along for the ride, as she’s got some good energy and can give Han a run for his credits, so their potential dynamic could be fun to watch in the final few issues. It was nice to see Maz for a few, but since they drop her off on Takodana before going to Tatooine, she’s gone for now. After this, it’s all back to finding both the Falcon and the urn Jabba requested, which I assume means will include a run-in with Khel Tanna and her crew again.
Paul Fry takes over full control of the ship, after joining the series regular artist David Messina last issue, though still working with Alex Sinclair on colors and Joe Caramagna for lettering. I couldn’t quite tell the difference last issue, and while it’s noticeable here, it still very much fits with what Messina has done before. I particularly liked the bearded Han, as we see it so rarely, plus it helps sell the extra levels of desperation he’s going through when he learns about Chewie’s impending troubles. He seems darker with the beard, less charming, as he can’t even get himself another free drink at the bar, and just resorts to a blaster to get control of the merchant’s ship. Fry’s Chewie has some great expression, from his “dead” face to howls of concern when the plan isn’t going so well towards the end, plus I just enjoyed the way his fur hangs from his hands while he has them over his head, giving him a furrier look like from the films. Alex Sinclair’s colors also help with the visual consistency, including the shiny sheen to the characters, though it doesn’t seem as pronounced here. I really liked the grey for Chalmun’s Cantina, it feels dirty and dusty, like the seedy place we’ve always seen it as, as who knows what goes on in its dark corners. The final page of Chewie hoisting up poor little Greedo, a now shaved Han standing coolly in the background, has some cool perspective, taking the already intimidatingly large Chewie and making him even more imposing, Greedo’s situation as helpless as you’d imagine, and then some. Caramagna brought a fun POP to Maz’s surprise reveal, while his word bubbles for Chewie continue to be a blast, especially after the Chewie-centric issue early in the series, as the Wookiee often breaks through the bubbles and his screams of pain from the drug Phaedra cooks up to fake his death almost recall his wails when he learns about Leia’s death or watches Han die in the Sequel trilogy.
Here is one other thing:
- Beyond the remaining issues of Han Solo & Chewbacca, Guggenheim has more Star Wars in store for fans. There’s next week’s (as of this publishing) Revelations one-shot, a big issue with hints and teases for the future of Star Wars comics, and the newly announced Return of the Jedi – Jabba’s Palace #1, a series of one-shots celebrating the film’s 40th anniversary next year via focusing on several of its characters!
Han Solo & Chewbacca #7 doesn’t sacrifice its newfound pace and for good reason, making for a fun prison escape and setting up for the final few issues.
+ Great energy continues
+ On to the urn mystery again!
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.
HAN SOLO & CHEWBACCA REVIEWS
The Crystal Run: #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 — Dead or Alive #6