Star Wars Adventures, Vol. 4: Smuggler's Blues

This volume is all about the Rogues. No, not the squadron of X-Wing pilots. I'm talking about the scoundrels. The smugglers. The scruffy-looking nerf herders!

Han and Chewie run afoul of bounty hunters Zuckuss and 4-LOM. In a story filled with double-crosses and red herrings, the crew of the Millennium Falcon and the Mist Hunter are stranded on a planet in which nothing mechanic works. That includes the ships, blasters and 4-LOM!

Then explore some of Lando Calrissian's early days as a honest man on Cloud City when he tries to teach the son of an old friend that being a rogue isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Lastly, that green bunny-eared smuggler Jaxxon makes his Disney canon debut in as short story involving the transportation of some endangered eggs. If this sounds an awful lot like an early Mandalorian Season 2 storyline, you're completely right. Only this story came first and no- none of the eggs get eaten by a Baby Yoda.

The Han Solo tale was very good. But I hated that the Han Solo used in the art was that of Alden Ehrenreich smuggler and not that of a young Harrison Ford. Yeah, I know that the issues in this volume were set up as a promotion tie-in with the Solo origin movie. But I'm a Star Wars purist and well, that origin flick wasn't all that great. 

Glad to see both Lando and Jaxxon making appearances in this. Loved seeing new and unexplored regions of Bespin. And yeah, I know people hate Jaxxon. But I am not one of them! Long may Jaxxon reign. He's no Jar Jar Binks... Thank God!

Another exciting read. Not perfect but definitely a great read!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars Adventures (Free Comic Book Day 2018 Edition)

IDW Publishing made the smart but still  controversial decision to have the Alden Ehrenreich Han Solo be the focus of this year's FCBD offering. One thing that helps the transition go smoothly here is the inclusion of classic Star Wars bounty hunters Zuckuss and 4-LOM. At a trading post, Han finds himself without Chewie, who has decided to check out the local grub scene. It is here that Han finds himself the prisoner of bounty hunters. Without his right hand make, how will the Corellian rogue get himself out of this jam?

My favorite bounty hunter is Boba Fett. However, I am a big fan of Zuckuss and 4-LOM. In the anthology novel Star Wars: Tales of the Bounty Hunters, the story of how an assassin droid and a Gand findsman become partners was the best of the lot. It was also very cool to finally see the interior of their ship, The Mist Hunter. 

Cavan Scott and Derek Charm are the Chris Claremont and John Byrne of SWA. Great storytelling! Amazing artwork! A pure love for all aspects of the franchise! May the force be with them for a very long run!

I haven't been able to really stay up on Marvel's run of current Star Wars titles. There's just so many, so I must purchase when they go on steep discount. But IDW Publishing been doing a phenomenal (and affordable) job on the all-ages take on the Star Wars Universe. I'm still not sure why IDW is doing them instead of Marvel. But I'm not complaining!

Okay- one small complaint... This issue ends with a cliffhanger in which you have to read an issue or two from the regular Star Wars Adventures comic. I understand that you are trying to boost sales. If you are going to do that, do it for the teen and older books. It's just not fair to make the kids have to buy something else in order to complete the entire story. Keep in mind, some kids are receiving these books from charities and donors such as myself after FCBD. To have an incomplete story just seems like a slap in the face, especially when done in the name of benevolence! 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.