Star Wars: Boba Fett – Black, White & Red continues restoring Boba Fett’s status to his former glory as a legendary and feared bounty hunter in this miniseries. He’s in good hands in the latest issue with writer Ethan Sacks and artist/colorist Juan José Ryp, as the ace bounty hunter goes after interstellar mob boss Corm Vargon, who cleaned out a struggling family in a rigged gambling game. The family was able to scrape together enough money to pay Boba to terminate Vargon and despite the crime (and the money) being small, Boba’s going to enjoy taking out that scumbag for good. There’s no “dead or alive” option here – it’s crispy or extra crispy for Vargon.
The pacing this issue is impeccable, moving at light speed. It starts off with an extended (and bloody) sequence as Boba raids a criminal hideout and blasts and punches his way through a dozen armored thugs to get information on Vargon’s current location.
After this initial battle, Boba’s off to another system and it all eventually leads to an epic showdown with Vargon and an army of massive spider-like battle droids. Anyone care for spider goulash?
It’s one of the most action-packed issues of a Star Wars comic I’ve seen in ages. No deep philosophical discussions of the Force. Not a Jedi in sight. Just a lot of fierce creatures and Boba using his arsenal of blasters, flame throwers and other weaponry to plow through them.
Boba’s ruthlessly efficient and devastating in combat here, a man of few words who’s always prepared for anything. He’s Charles Bronson or Clint Eastwood in sleek battle armor that’s armed to the teeth. This is the intimidating Boba Fett we got in The Empire Strikes Back; the guy I wish we could have gotten in the new Disney era. Unlike a lot of other Star Wars fans, I’ve loved many of Disney’s Star Wars projects (yes, even the sequel trilogy). I feel they bungled Boba horribly though.
Marvel
Judging from the flashback to Jabba’s Throne Room from Return of the Jedi at one point in the book, this story seems to be set not too long after Boba escapes the Sarlacc Pit. I hope we can get future miniseries after this that continues his timeline in a different trajectory and ignores all that mess he got into with trying to take over Jabba’s operations on Tatooine. He should be an independent operative who lives life taking down one bounty after another while traveling the stars.
Artist Juan José Ryp brings all of Boba’s alien destinations to life, the landscapes as stark and bleak as Boba himself and the aliens and monstrous beings (especially the spider-droids in the issue’s climax) are wonderfully bizarre and terrifying. I especially love how he renders Boba’s ship, which looks a bit battle worn but still formidable.
Star Wars: Boba Fett – Black, White & Red #3 gives us a ruthless, brutal and intimidating Boba Fett that’s been missing for far too long. Welcome back, Boba!
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