Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #5
- WRITER
- Charles Soule
- Artist
- Luke Ross, David Messina
- Letterer
- VC's Travis Lanham
- Cover Artist
- Frank D'Armarta, Steve McNiven
- Publisher
- Marvel Comics
- Price
- 4.99
- Release Date
- 2021-10-13
- Colorist
- Neeraj Menon, Rachelle Rosenberg
Star Wars' Han Solo is known for equally uniting and antagonizing beings throughout the galaxy. Set during The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters sees Boba Fett trying to reclaim the carbonite frozen Solo -- after he's stolen from him. Boba Fett fends off wave after wave of bounty hunters attacking him after Jabb the Hutt placed a bounty on him for his non-delivery of Solo. With the Crimson Dawn taking possession of Solo, which involves the Empire getting into the mix, Boba Fett's work gets more difficult by the minute.
Written by Charles Soule, with artwork from Luke Ross and David Messina, Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #5 opens with an armada of vessels attacking the Empire's TIE fighters to claim Solo for themselves. Meanwhile, Boba Fett slows down Leia and the Millennium Falcon using a seismic charge. With Luke keeping Darth Vader busy, the rebels are almost out of options when Qi’ra contacts them and sneaks the Falcon into the Executor. With the skirmish reaching critical mass, it is a race against time in enemy territory to secure Solo.
Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #5 brings together characters from previous legacy films, Solo, and those who've only starred in comics. This issue creates an all-encompassing tale that incorporates many generations of Star Wars. Its multiple narratives unite to create a compelling, high-voltage story. Even though the story's outcome is well-known to Star Wars fans, the issue's appeal comes from the characters' realistic exchanges. Soule gives every character a discernible voice and avoids overcomplicating the plot.
Artists Luke Ross and David Messina are both well versed in illustrating intergalactic adventures. Their clean lines and fine inking perfectly capture the likeness of iconic actors with a believable range of emotions. Even Han Solo in his carbonite prison reminds the reader of visuals from The Empire Strikes Back. The vibrant nature of the issue is credited to colorists Neeraj Menon and Rachelle Rosenberg. From energy blasts between clashing fighters to contrasting hues of blue in the background of space, the duo's colors ratchet the issue's action up to an 11.
Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #5 is an exhilarating ride that keeps up its drama till the umpteenth moment. The issue shows how cunning Boba Fett is, how vicious Darth Vader can be, and how far Leia and her crew will go to save one of their own. The artwork deftly captures the smallest of details, bringing back fond nostalgia for the franchise. Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters #5 wraps up the mini-series nicely, tying up all loose ends while introducing a new order that will have dire repercussions for a galaxy far, far away.