‘Star Wars #14’ (review)

Written by Charles Soule
Art by Ramon Rosanas
Published by Marvel Comics

WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS TIE-IN!

This is a nice and tight issue. In fact, a really solid one!

For as much grief as I’ve given this writer, Charles Soule, for his efforts in previous issues, here everything feels just right. The tone, the pace and especially the characters. Everything.

It feels like good old Star Wars.

Star Wars #14 begins with our original Star Wars family; Luke, Leia, Chewie and 3PO on board the Millennium Falcon.

Where’s R2 you ask?

Honestly, I don’t know.  He was last seen with Luke, Chewbacca and C3PO.

This is the first time we encounter Leia in the War of the Bounty Hunter series and her re-introduction cannot be more poetic. We know what’s on her mind right off the bat and she also looks great!

The art team captures the look and feel of The Empire Strikes Back. That couldn’t make me feel any more at home.

Leia receives a message from someone we know in Star Wars future regarding the whereabouts of Han Solo’s carbonite frozen block and Boba Fett, the bounty hunter taking Solo to Jabba the Hutt. Although I wasn’t a fan of this character in Star Wars future, I really like her use here. It makes tons of sense.

Since the information centers around Crimson Dawn, our heroes are prompted to enlist the help of…

Lando Calrissian?

I’m missing some adventures here because evidently there was some falling out between the end of The Empire Strikes Back and this issue. Those events are not recounted in great detail and that didn’t bother me in the slightest. We’re given just enough backstory, otherwise it probably would have bogged this story down.

Then Lando sets a plan in motion that couldn’t be more Lando.

And that’s why I really liked this issue. Every character is well written.

Using the new intelligence, our heroes join forces to mound a rescue operation.

We end on an engaging note. Or heroes are about the enact their plan to rescue Han Solo, but we the audience have uncertainty because we know that not everyone is making the next move with all their cards on the table. (Wink, wink.)

Everything works here. This truly feels like an adventure that took place between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.