A small tale of a man with a reputation.
Creative Staff:
Story: Greg Pak
Art: Marc Laming
Colors: Neeraj Menon
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
What They Say:
THE HUNTER’S HEART! As the implacable bounty hunter who tracked down HAN SOLO, BOBA FETT earned his reputation as one of the greatest villains in the galaxy. But what happens when Boba Fett picks up the trail of an actual villain? Find out what kind of heart — if any — beats under that MANDALORIAN armor!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
The mystique of Boba Fett is definitely one that’s different for a lot of people. I still remember sending in far too many points pieces from my action figures before Empire Strikes Back came out and getting half a dozen or so Boba Fett figures before knowing that it was just a single character. I had a nice little squad of bounty hunters with missiles that shot from their jetpack and I played the hell out of them with my imagination. Greg Pak tackles the character well here, keeping the man with little to say mystique intact and showcasing his abilities well without going over the top with it. He’s very well paired with Marc Laming who I think turns in some of his best Star Wars artwork yet with this installment. The pair, with Menon’s color work, deliver a tight little story that says a lot about the character without really impacting anything at all. And sometimes that’s just a welcome bit of color in the grand scheme of things.
Taking place on some outer rim world we get Boba Fett doing what he does best. He’s hauling in a Rebel pilot that hard a marker on him and returning him to the Guild setting where he’s able to settle up and take on another job. It’s made clear that Fett is all about the work as he doesn’t take offers for drinks or relaxation. With no real dialogue to be had throughout, he’s just presented as the straightforward and intense type that doesn’t mess around. We get a good nod to as to how other bounty hunters view him, mostly in fear, and that even if they don’t have markers on themselves they don’t want to be around him at all as he might just take them in anyway. We see this with one group Fett rides by out in the plains on his way back where they’re dealing with their own capture and the presence of Fett, even for a minute, really rattles them.
It’s engaging as Fett takes a marker for another bounty hunter, Zinto Gitnab, who himself is looking to hightail it offworld knowing that Fett is there. He’s had his own issues and has run afoul of the guild because of it and that makes him a high-priced target, which Fett certainly likes. And you know it’s a plus that he’s on the same world. The story provides a good slow-paced chase scene that puts Fett in a decent bit of trouble and Gitnab provides for some potential temptation for him but it’s just good to see the classic Western approach applied here once again as the mysterious gunfighter deals with his targets. No heart of gold to be had here though and I wouldn’t want it any other way with how it all unfolds. It’s a tight little story with the space to breathe just enough.
In Summary:
While I do have an affection for Boba Fett I’ve never gone off the deep end as some fans do and just put him on a pedestal as a character. This story presents us a solid piece that shows how he operates, the way his reputation works, and a bit more on bounty hunters in general. Greg Pak keeps him minimal, showing by action rather than words, while Marc Laming puts in a gorgeous looking book that captures the detail and design of the character well but the whole world and property in general. Very recommended.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Marvel Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: May 8th, 2019
MSRP: $3.99