Boba Fett is dead! Wait, does anyone actually believe that?
Check the cut for my thoughts on the Galactic scourge of the Underworld possibly being one with the force or something.
Written by Tom Taylor
Illustrated by Chris Scalf
The news spreads from one end of the galaxy to the other like wildfire: Boba Fett, the galaxy’s most feared bounty hunter, is dead.
But when members of the team that killed Fett are themselves picked off one by one, Connor Freeman–the son of one of Jango Fett’s clones–gets pulled into the action in a most unexpected way!
- Writer Tom Taylor brings Blood Ties back with Boba Fett!
- Interiors and covers by Chris Scalf!
Why not? It brings interest into a book, because people will want to know how such a character could possibly meet his demise. You could say that it’s simply a marketing ploy, like the death of Superman or Captain America before him, but in the case of Boba Fett, it feels like a chance to explore the legacy of the character, in a way similar to how Batman abdicated the mantle after he “died” and his protégé Dick took up the identity.
Our lead character is a lot like Boba Fett in the sense that he could be described most accurately as Fett’s nephew, the son of one of Jango Fett’s clones, which Boba is himself. That is the likely reason for the “BLOOD TIES” banner across the cover. The lead, however, is a tad different from your average Star Wars character, mostly due to the fact that he’s one of the few characters in the Star Wars Universe to have such a common sounding name. It’s a bit jarring at first when you realize the character could literally share his name with someone whom might share a bus ride with you.
Other than my strange confusion that someone who lives in the same galaxy as Obi-Wan Kenobi (or Boba Fett if you think about it) would be named “Connor Freeman,” the book reads really well. With a narrative that is reminiscent of at classic revenge tale a la Payback or Kill Bill, it’s a blast from start to…well, finish, whether Connor likes it or not.
Tom Taylor, the writer, and hopefully not the lead in Walt’s favorite book “The Unwritten,” crafts a really smartly plotted and cleverly devised script that capitalizes on the best parts of the classic revenge tale. There’s ton of action so it’s never boring, but the narration works much like a neo noir story, bringing the comparison much closer to a story like Payback or my favorite film ever: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.
There’s even a *ahem* killer mystery brewing: who is killing Fett’s murderers? This portion of the story is probably the easiest bit to follow along with, as it’s likely Fett himself, setting up a “twist” that is certain to not surprise your humble review, should it come to pass. That might be the weakest part of the issue itself, but considering the body count this mystery character is racking up in the few short pages they’ve graced, it’s a ton of fun either way.
Even the characters, while being unmistakably Lucas-ian in their design and place in the universe, never feel out of place or silly. That might actually speak to the strength of the setting itself, where a revenge tale like this will fit perfectly with the classic space western narrative that is the Star Wars trilogy. Freeman, while he seems at his wits end, is never annoyingly lost or helpless, and any time he’s in danger beyond his control, it feels appropriate (spoiler: like the destruction of his bar).
If there was one weakness in the story itself, is that the characters other than Connor don’t feel as fleshed out as Connor or our mysterious stranger. I’d love to see more with Connor and his buddy Quinny, who plays the role of the alien ally much like Chewbacca might. Even the villain is very similar to Keith Carradine in Kill Bill, who is pulling the strings from far away. We will see more of him, obviously, but when he is, I’d like to see him a bit more realistic than your standard revenge flick villain.
Continued belowThe art, provided by Chris Scalf, isn’t terrible, but the problem with a lot of photorealistic art is that when you use it, facial expressions and emotions begin to look silly. It happens to the best photorealistic artists, even my favorite Superman artist Gary Frank can have his moments of strange expressions that confuse when they shouldn’t. This book suffers from that quite a bit, but when it’s ok point, it’s on POINT. The character designs are a lot of fun, and Connor looks like the young Boba Fett grown up; giving him a distinct look from Boba Fett himself, who looks like Jango Fett. Quinny reminds one of other characters in the universe, even though he looks like an original creation himself. The colors look incredible and bring a certain Blade Runner look to the pages, and it helps make them jump off the page.
If you like Star Wars and happen to also enjoy revenge stories, you should pick this up on the double. Heck, even if you only like one of those, or if you just like good stories, it’s a solid book to pick up.
Final Verdict: 7.8 – Buy
