Marvel's summer of Star Wars

With only a few weeks to go until The Book of Boba Fett debuts on Disney+, Nick Smith, our US-based stellar scribe, catches up with the notorious bounty hunter in Marvel Comics.

Guest post by Nick Smith

"I will not give up my favourite decoration. I like Captain Solo where he is." – Jabba the Hutt

Recently my office has been decorated with copies of the Marvel Star Wars crossover, War of the Bounty Hunters. Nobody converges summer titles like Marvel – see Secret Wars, House of M and Civil War for evidence – and this year it’s Luke Skywalker’s turn to face his stablemates in books like Doctor Aphra, Darth Vader and IG-88.

Doctor Aphra is the weakest link, with a throwaway plot and underdeveloped characters. The saving grace is Federico Sabbatini’s art in issue 14 (‘Repeat Offenders’), echoing Cynthia Martin’s playful pencils on the original Star Wars comic.

Bounty Hunters and Darth Vader are both well-written, with stronger character development and a sense that there’s plenty of plot to unfold. Valance the hunter thinks there’s still a chance to save Han Solo, even though the smuggler is encased in carbonite and held by the Crimson Dawn syndicate.

Meanwhile, Vader apparently wants to prove himself to the Emperor before he’s usurped by Luke as Palpatine’s number one youngling killer. Ochi of Bestoon comes across as Star Wars’ answer to Deadpool, a wisecracking sidekick to the Lord of the Sith. The cast of Darth Vader all have their own agendas and shift alliances like the sand around a sarlacc.

Some of the major combatants in this war get their own one-shots, although Zuckuss and 4-LOM share an issue called ‘Zuckuss Must Die!’. We learn a lot about Zuckuss and his relationship with his droid buddy – which is not necessarily a good thing.

Like Boba Fett, part of the bounty hunters’ appeal is their mystery. They are alien, not like us with our concerns about friendship (Zuckuss), love (Dengar) or loyalty (Valance). Playing with their Kenner action figures, kids could insert these blank-slate characters into any scenario they wished. To humanize the hunters is to do them a disservice. But how else are the writers supposed to tell stories about these space-cold killers?

The flagship Star Wars comic continues to capture the feel of the original movie trilogy. Issue 15, ‘Friends and Enemies,’ revolves around a Starlight Squadron dogfight for that good old Beggar’s-Canyon-back-home feeling.

As crossovers go, there are scant new ideas and War of the Bounty Hunters feels exceptionally slow and dragged-out. The main plot doesn’t go anywhere for months at a time. The decision to centre the action around an auction in a non-linear fashion hobbles the writers, although they obviously have fun inserting their characters into a galactic bidding war for Han Solo.

Plus we know how events will turn out since editors Mark Paniccia and Tom Groneman announced that the very first issue in this series would shed, ‘new light on Boba’s journey from Cloud City to Tatooine.’

Whilst this particular war doesn’t merit dozens of issues, it does provide some great set pieces worthy of George Lucas’ classic saga. It offers a chance to see 4-LOM become a giant metal spider, reveals Boushh’s background and shows how Chewbacca feels about Lando after Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

The overall quality of the storytelling and art bodes well for the comics once they’re free from being mashed between two immutable movies.

Black Series Rancor teased by HasLab

The Rancor was one of my favourite large-scale action figures from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, terrorising the Rebel Alliance and Action Force, on the Jurassic Coast, in the early eighties.

HasLab has now teased Jabba the Hutt's pit-dwelling beast for the Black Series.

“Following the success of the previous two HasLab campaigns for Star Wars: The Vintage Collection, our team is so thrilled to offer fans the first-ever HasLab project from The Black Series – the Rancor!” says Michael Ballog, Hasbro’s vice president for the Star Wars brand. “We hope fans of The Black Series line are prepared for this iconic creature to join their 6-inch-scale collections.”

HasLab, Hasbro's crowdfunded toy line, has been a huge success with collectors, and Marvel Legends' Galactus is the latest to join the premium collection alongside Transformers' Unicron exclusively on Hasbro Pulse.

Will you be adding Jabba's pet Rancor to your Black Series collection? Let me know in the comments below.

What Boba Fett did next...

It's the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire and whilst we wait for The Book of Boba Fett this Christmas on Disney+, Marvel Comics takes us back to a time between Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in War of the Bounty Hunters.

Our very own US-based stellar scribe, Nick Smith, grabs his latest comic book bounty, from TBS Comics in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and goes in pursuit of the infamous Boba Fett.

Guest post by Nick Smith

It’s a story as old as that galaxy far, far away – a protagonist does a favour for a friend in lieu of payment and has to face a series of challenges, eventually finding that the favour could prove fatal thanks to an obstacle that’s bigger and more threatening than he ever expected.

However, in War of the Bounty Hunters, that protagonist is the legendary Boba Fett and the payment concerns that scruffy Corellian smuggler Han Solo. “Precious Cargo,” from Marvel Comics, sets off a chain of events that will span what’s being described as the biggest crossover in Star Wars comics history, filling all 4 monthly titles and a dedicated title (War of the Bounty Hunters). In all, it will take more than 30 issues to tell this story through October 2021. Boushh and IG-88 will get their own comics, while 4-LOM and Zuckuss have to share one.

“Precious Cargo” kicks off five preludes to the war, opening with Boba in his ship Slave 1 [Disney's subsequently renamed it as Boba Fett's Starship - Ed]. He’s just left Bespin with Han encased in carbonite and he’s en route for Tatooine where Solo will become Jabba the Hutt’s favourite decoration. Since The Empire Strikes Back focuses on Luke Skywalker, we’ve never seen What Fett Did Next – until now.

In this kind of crossover, there is no possible character progression for Boba, and the story’s conclusion is inevitable; we know Solo will end up with Jabba. The fun lies in finding out why the other bounty hunters, as well as Luke and the gang, are involved in the war, along with Valance the Cyborg, Domina Tagge and Doctor Aphra. Since the latter three are Marvel creations, they can be further developed. Their fates are unknown to us. Those characters are given just enough traits and twists to keep us reading.

Boba’s situation is complicated thanks to some gangland entanglements with the Kanji Hutts and it becomes apparent that his journey to Tatooine won’t be a straight run. Over in Star Wars issue 13, the rebel alliance searches for their carbon-cosy pal in “The Hunt for Han Solo.” They’re one issue behind Boba so they don’t catch up with him or his cargo. But they, too, face the Kanji. With an image of Boba on a wall and the good guys facing aliens, the cover of this story is reminiscent of the original Star Wars issue 7.

Next up is Bounty Hunters issue 12, which develops the relationship between Valance and Han Solo; and Darth Vader issue 12, continuing a captivating conflict between the Dark Lord of the Sith and his Emperor. The animosity between them makes Vader’s ultimate betrayal of his master less sudden and more believable in Return of the Jedi.

The final prelude is in Doctor Aphra issue 10. Although Aphra is a character with great potential – imagine a Lucasfilm version of Lara Croft, Tomb Raider – “The Invitation” feels the least like a Star Wars story, despite its stomping Stormtroopers and exploding machinery. There’s no direct mention of the Han Solo situation and we’re launched into a confusing situation, even with a ‘story so far’ at the beginning of the book. If you’re not familiar with Aphra’s past and her allies, beware.

Despite this weak link, the War of the Bounty Hunters saga has strong artwork, entertaining characters and situations, and Star Wars references aplenty. Whether that’s enough to hold our attention through 34 comics remains to be seen. But fans have plenty to look forward to in these ‘deleted scenes’ from The Book of Boba Fett, which will lead to Marvel’s contemporary take on Return of the Jedi.

Are you reading War of the Bounty Hunters (affiliate link)? Let me know in the comments below.

The hunt for Han Solo begins May

Whilst Star Wars fans (myself included) wait for The Book of Boba Fett, starring Temuera Morrison as the titular bounty hunter and co-starring Ming-Na Wen as fan-favourite Fennec Shand, this December on Disney+. Marvel Comics is publishing an epic Star Wars crossover event entitled Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters running from May through October.

Like Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, War of the Bounty Hunters chronicles events between Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi as Boba Fett transports Han Solo in carbonite to Jabba the Hutt.

War of the Bounty Hunters will crossover into all Star Wars comics including Darth Vader, Doctor Aphra and a Jabba the Hutt one-shot special this July.

“Getting to work on a comic at Marvel, especially a Star Wars comic about one of the most perpetually under-appreciated criminal masterminds in the whole galaxy, has been a trip,” Justina Ireland told StarWars.com. “It’s exciting, a little scary, and really makes me wish I could time travel to tell my twelve-year-old self reading comics in the grocery store self ‘All of this will pay off one day.'”

Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters Alpha #1 hits newsstands 5th May and is available for pre-order (affiliate link).

Are you looking forward to Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters? Let me know in the comments below.

The pursuit of Boba Fett in War of the Bounty Hunters

Whilst Star Wars fans (myself included) wait for The Book of Boba Fett, starring Temuera Morrison as the titular bounty hunter, this December on Disney+. Marvel Comics has announced War of the Bounty Hunters, an upcoming Star Wars crossover event, running from May through October.

The five-issue miniseries from Charles Soule (Star Wars: The High Republic) and Luke Ross chronicles Boba Fett's travails as he transports Han Solo in carbonite to Jabba the Hutt.

“Boba Fett clearly doesn’t take Han Solo directly to Jabba’s palace,” Soule tells StarWars.com. “Something had to happen in between that intervening time between Empire and Jedi. And I was like, ‘I would like to tell that story, and I would like it to be about Boba Fett and what happens to him.”

“I remember the chill that ran down my spine when I saw Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back for the first time and the bounty hunters all came on screen. They only appeared for a split second, but left a lasting impact. And it's a dream come true we can bring them all to life again, and pit them against each other, in STAR WARS: WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS, our first big galaxy-spanning crossover of the post-ESB era,” Editor in Chief CB Cebulski said. “Bossk, Dengar, 4-LOM, IG-88... all hot on the trail of Boba Fett, looking to score the biggest bounty out there... Han Solo!”

Does War of the Bounty Hunters remind you of Shadows of the Empire? Let me know in the comments below.

The Book of Boba Fett

So, it's the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, Mando Monday and Christmas week.

Originally, I wasn't going to post again until the new year. However, the monumental events of The Mandalorian Chapter 16, The Rescue, changed all that.

The live-action spin-off has unified a fragmented and toxic fanbase with its Sergio Leone in space adventures and should be lauded for being Star Wars at its very best - a story of family and friendship in adversity.

Please be assured, there are no spoilers per se for the spectacular season finale. This is more about the surprise spin-off, The Book of Boba Fett, starring Temuera Morrison as the titular character, announced after the end credits. All the more poignant in the wake of fan-favourite actor Jeremy Bulloch, Boba Fett in the original trilogy, passing away.

Ever since the original Star Wars, I've always sat through end credits. Mostly. Not only to see who had worked on the movie but to savour the soundtrack, too. Ludwig Göransson's score for The Mandalorian is fantastic but nothing prepared me (or fellow Star Wars fans) for the dramatic shot of Jabba the Hutt's palace on Tatooine.

The events that followed culminated in the death of an obese Bib Fortuna, whom I'd always assumed had perished aboard Jabba's Sail Barge in Return of the Jedi, before Boba Fett took the throne.

Once I was able to compose myself after all the twists and turns in The Rescue, my immediate reaction was does this mean The Mandalorian series is over? Much in the same way series showrunner Jon Favreau launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with Iron Man, now he's creating a new Star Wars live-action universe for Disney+ set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.

There's still some confusion at the time of writing. What do you think? Is there going to be a third season for the Emmy-winning The Mandalorian and are you excited for The Book of Boba Fett? Let me know in the comments below. This is the way.

Empire's legacy and departure of Boba Fett

This is the holiday gift Star Wars fans (myself included) are looking for from the fine folks at Lucasfilm.

Good Morning America (GMA) has shared rare and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. The sequel to Star Wars took the franchise to dark and unexpected places that Andrew Lewin and I explore for the movie's 40th anniversary.



An emotional journey transporting me back forty years ago to a time when I first saw, with mum and an aunt, gargantuan Imperial Walkers striding across a desolate snowscape in what would become my favourite film of all time...



In related news. Jeremy Bulloch, who played Boba Fett in the original Star Wars trilogy, has sadly passed away, aged 75. The infamous bounty hunter first appeared alongside Darth Vader (David Prowse) on the big screen in The Empire Strikes Back and quickly gained a cult following after capturing Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and taking him to Jabba the Hutt.

Bulloch’s physicality imbued Fett with a steely coolness that suggested he could kill Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) on Cloud City! Of course, the actor is also known to fellow Doctor Who fans for playing Hal the Archer in Jon Pertwee's classic serial The Time Warrior.

If you hadn't already guessed, Fett's one of my favourite characters from the franchise and the 12-inch action figure a cherished Christmas gift from childhood - I was too excited to sleep after discovering Santa had left a smuggler's bounty on the landing.

From celebrating the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes to The Mandalorian, we hope we've helped bring some cheer during this unprecedented year.

This is the ideal opportunity to wish you and yours a very safe holiday season. Here's hoping 2021 brings brighter days. May the Force be with you. Always.

Chewbacca and Boba Fett vacation in Exmouth

Holidaymakers were greeted by surprise visitors from a galaxy far, far away... when Chewbacca, best friend of Han Solo and co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon, and bounty hunter Boba Fett appeared on Exmouth seafront (photo: Peter Hopkins) this week.

The odd couple have emerged from lockdown and seemingly become friends despite the notorious bounty hunter capturing Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back and taking him, frozen in carbonite, to the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt.

Boba Fett (Jonathon Curtis-Kroeger) and Chewbacca (David Wellbeloved) appeared on BBC Spotlight and were interviewed by Devon Live. The screen-accurate cosplaying Star Wars fans are members of Southern Troopers who fundraise for various charities including Children's Hospice South West - I recently donated rare Doctor Who memorabilia, raising hundreds of pounds for the charity.

So, if you're by the Jurassic Coast don't be surprised if you bump into Boba Fett and Chewbacca this summer. Socially distanced and wearing a mask (exceptions apply). You wouldn't want to end up frozen in carbonite whilst eating an ice cream...

Bill Hader's audition for Star Wars on Conan

Bill Hader's impression of a dying Jabba the Hutt and Tauntaun maybe the funniest thing you'll see today!