Star Wars: Han Solo collects the five issue mini-series of the same name written by Marjorie Liu with art by Mark Brooks (Dexter Vines does the inking for issues 2 and 3). The trade paperback was released on January 3, 2017.
Synopsis
Han Solo returns to the fleet
Han Solo has “taken a step back from the Rebel cause…returning to smuggling” in an attempt to earn enough money to pay back Jabba the Hutt. Han is pulled back into the Rebellion when Princess Leia requests him for a very important mission. A network of deep cover Rebel spies spread throughout the galaxy has recently completed its mission; however, one by one they are being killed. There is a traitor at work in the ranks; only three are left alive and Han must recover them. The plan is for Han (and Chewbacca, of course) to enter the prestigious Dragon Void race and pick up the three spies at each of the three refueling planets along the way. The Dragon Void is one of the oldest, most dangerous, and most prestigious races in the galaxy. The Alliance has paid the very hefty entrance fee; but the catch is that Han is not in it to win it. His mission is to extract the agents and get them back to the fleet. Han enters the race and meets the other pilots. Most of them balk at his status as a smuggler rather than a professional racer; but not Loo Re Anno, a mysterious member of an unknown species who claims to be the last of her kind. She is the oldest of the group and intends for this race to be her last.
Han makes it to the first stop and Chewie manages to extract Bot, an extremely nervous Duros. They are attacked while making their escape from a cantina, but saved by the intervention of Bot’s Falleen bodyguard. On board the Falcon, Bot tells Han that it is one of the three spies who is the traitor and is killing off his/her compatriots. After a 12 hour obstacle course, they hit the second planet and pick up Dorae, a member of a cat-like species, who is actually an old acquaintance of Han and Chewie. She informs them that plans have changed and that the third spy is also to be picked up on this planet, after that Han is to immediately abandon the race and return to the fleet. Shortly, Aran, the third spy, arrives being chased by Imperials. Han, knowing that one of the three is a traitor and a killer, uses that as an excuse to stay in the race so they can get it all figured out. When Aran ends up dead by poisoning, Han comes to the conclusion that Bot is the killer. It turns out he was compromised and then brainwashed by the Empire to carry out the murders. Meanwhile the race is about to come to a conclusion when the Empire intervenes to stop it. Loo Re Anno opens a window between space/time from which appears a creature that destroys the Imperial ships. Han is about to win when he turns back to assist Loo’s damaged ship, allowing her to win.
Review
Loo Re Anno and Han Solo
I don’t recall this mini-series making much of an impression on me when I read the single issues around two years ago. I probably thought, “Okay, that’s not bad; now what?” However, re-reading it now, I really feel like this is a very good story. When I started reading it again for the review, I was put off by the opening premise that Han has left the Rebellion. I thought, come on, he made his decision at Yavin, he’s in; don’t make him some wishy washy guy. As I read on, that opinion softened. For one thing, it is explicitly stated that he has returned to smuggling in order to earn money to pay off Jabba (what happened to his reward?). For another thing, it actually makes sense for Han to have some second thoughts about serving the Alliance as long as it happens fairly early after the Battle of Yavin. Han’s decision to return to Yavin was, like a lot of his decisions, pretty impetuous. I really can see him second guessing himself after the excitement and adrenaline of the Death Star attack wears off. I think it’s fair to say that for some time after Yavin Han is still sort of one foot in and one foot out of the Rebellion. By the time we get to ESB, I feel Han has decided that this is his place. When he tells Gen. Rieekan that he has to go, there is a palpable sense of regret. The most important thing is that the story actually works with the premise and gives us a fairly satisfying resolution to it. The Dragon Void Run becomes a journey of self-discovery for Han; an expansion of his understanding who he is and who he can be. In that sense, this story strikes some chords similar to the Lando mini-series. Toward the end of the story, Loo Re Anno tells Han that “it takes a mirror made up of others to reflect back our true selves”. That encapsulates the theme of this story pretty well. Han Solo’s character arc is that he goes from being a loner (not counting Chewie) to being part of a group. He becomes socialized. This story represents an important step in that process.
Dorae
While I think Han’s personal journey is at the heart of this story, it is certainly not the only thing going on here. There is a lot of great action, both in space and on the surfaces of the planets, as Han and Chewie pick up the spies, run the race, uncover a murderer, and fight the Empire. We see many familiar alien species throughout: Pantoran, Twi’lek, Duros, Falleen, Elomin all very well depicted by artist Mark Brooks. As a matter of fact, even if the story here weren’t great the art would be more than worth the price of admission. The art in this book is very, very good. Brooks is has primarily been utilized as a cover artist during Marvel’s new Star Wars era and he puts the same clarity and great details into these interiors that he does for the covers (he doesn’t do the covers for this series, though). It’s actually a shame that this series is, thus far, the only time he’s done interiors on a Star Wars book.
Notes
Grega
Airen Cracken appears in this series. He is initially identified as General Cracken and then later, in a continuity error, Leia refers to him as “Admiral”. He is identified as the head of Security and Intelligence for the Rebellion.
In what seems to be another continuity error, Bot’s Falleen bodyguard is initially identified as Grega; later she re-appears escorting the third Rebel spy and is going by the name U’ll. It seems pretty obvious that it is supposed to be the same character, and I suppose her full name could be Grega U’ll, but it feels like an error.
In addition to its trade paperback release on 1/3/17, this mini-series was released in a hardcover edition on 5/15/18. The hardcover edition also includes the story Showdown on the Smuggler’s Moon (Star Wars issues 8-12) which was previously available in its own collection. This is a rather perplexing choice for inclusion with this mini-series. If you want to take something from the Star Wars series and read it as a follow up to this story, then I recommend Star Wars issue 35 “The Hutt Run”, collected in Star Wars Volume 6: Out Among the Stars.
Comic Pack Wish List:
A lot of great choices from this series. Loo Re Anno, Grega, Bot, Dorae, to name a few.
Score:
A solid, and sometimes moving, story that is actually about Han Solo; and magnificent art: 4 Skulls.
