Everyone can probably remember where they were when the first official trailer dropped for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, especially the moment where an elderly Han Solo tells his best friend and first mate Chewbacca, “Chewie…we’re home.” It was a twofold declaration of intent that Star Wars was here to stay, for better or worse, and that Solo was reunited with his signature ship, the Millennium Falcon. Star Wars: Han Solo – Hunt for the Falcon #1 begins the story of what exactly led Solo to this point.
Hunt for the Falcon #1 spends half of its story showcasing Han missing his “glory days” of smuggling and fighting the Empire. He now manages races on a distant planet, but ends up jumping in the race when he feels one of his pilot is too slow. He muses to himself about how he wasn’t really good as a lot of things except smuggling. He’ll put himself in danger despite having a family and a steady career. While this might be an older Han Solo, the things that made him such a beloved character aren’t that hard to shake.
This approach means that Rodney Barnes is technically doing his own spin on the “Old Man” stories that’ve become a staple of mainstream comics. But unlike the gritty dystopia of The Dark Knight Returns or the hyperviolence of Old Man Logan, Hunt for the Falcon #1 is more of a character piece, allowing Barnes to take his time and flesh out Han’s place in the New Republic era. Barnes also nails the classic frenemies dynamic between Han and Lando Calrissian, while also taking delight in reuniting Han with Chewbacca.
Marvel
Hunt for the Falcon #1 also features a new set of designs, courtesy of Ramon Rosanas. Rosanas gives Han a wholly new look at first, as his success in the race track means that he’s sporting a billowing cape and frilly shirt. He can’t outmatch Lando, who always looks stylish no matter what, but later on he trades this getup for a trench coat and shirt that resembles his wardrobe from The Empire Strikes Back. Chewbacca’s introduction is undoubtedly the standout, as he and his son are shown battling a massive spider-like creature that’s nearly twice their size – with little to no dialogue, Rosanas establishes why Chewie is a force to be reckoned with.
While Hunt for the Falcon #1 does manage to kick off the main plot, it feels like some things are missing. The comic finally introduces Ducain, the smuggler who stole the Falcon from Han, but we don’t have a reason why he did it or why it took Han this long to try and seek him out. Future issues should hopefully expand on this plot point, because it shouldn’t be too easy for Han and Chewie.
Star Wars: Han Solo – Hunt for the Falcon #1 shines a light on Han Solo’s later years while thrusting him back into the smuggler’s life, resulting in a fun Star Wars story. The artwork and story even make it feel like we’re watching Harrison Ford act out his star-making role.
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