We reported on the Star Wars comic event spear headed by Charles Soule and spanning all Marvel Star Wars comics last week. This week, the new Previews Catalog is out and with it comes the first round of War of the Bounty Hunters comics scheduled for May! We’ve got full listings for those pre-orders below, but first a tiny spot of speculation. Admittedly, speculation is slim as we haven’t been given much in terms of details about this event to go on.
Charles Soule in last week’s press release made it clear that everybody in the galaxy would be after Boba Fett and Solo:
Jabba the Hutt wants Han because he owes him money. Valance wants to help Han because he owes him. Aphra doesn’t care about Han but does care about money. And many more folks, from Black Sun to the Pykes… Han’s tangled with just about everyone in his day.
Speculation on Aphra and Valance has somewhat left the stable. It’s widely known that Aphra’s first appearance is Darth Vader #3 (2015) and Beilert Valance’s first appearance is Star Wars #16 (1977).
Soule mentions Black Sun and the Pykes, however. A fan favorite villain from the 90s Dark Horse era was the Falleen crime lord of Black Sun, named Prince Xizor. His first appearance in comics is in Shadows of the Empire #1 (May 1996). Shadows of the Empire was a multimedia event that crossed comics, books, video games, and toys. It was set during the period between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi and also centers on the battle over Han Solo frozen in carbonite. Soule mentioned that he gets to play with “all the toys” and maybe he’s referring to some long-dormant characters. That may include Xizor and even some other Shadows characters like Dash Rendar whose first cover appearance is Shadows of the Empire #1 with a full appearance in #2. There are also other minor characters like Wrenga Jixton first appearing in issue #2.
Many of the major Pykes died during the Clone Wars at the hands of the likes of Count Dooku, including: Lom Pyke (First Appearance in Canon Darth Maul #2 (2017), First Appearance in Legends Darth Maul Death Sentence #1 (2012)). However, Marg Krim and the Pyke Majordomo Fife, appear to be alive in canon continuity. I haven’t found any Marg Krim appearances yet, but Fife first appears in Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir #2 (June 2014), an already somewhat spendy book, but still within reach:
Apart from that, keep your eyes out for other criminal elements brought up in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Crimson Dawn and even perhaps some Corellian and Kessel criminal elements may pop up.
May 2021 War of the Bounty Hunters Issues
Check out the solicits and pre-order links below and keep an eye on those Final Order Cutoff dates. If you’re not familiar, final order cutoff is when Diamond distributors locks orders and the publishers then print accordingly. So, if you want to absolutely guarantee you get a book, get your order in before then.
Star Wars War Bounty Hunters Alpha #1
On Sale: May 05, 2021
FOC: April 12, 2021
Variants:
THE STAR WARS COMIC EVENT YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR! ? The notorious bounty hunter BOBA FETT has finally landed his greatest prize – HAN SOLO, frozen in carbonite for easy transport. ? Fett will bring the smuggler to TATOOINE to collect the massive bounty placed on Solo’s head by the fearsome crime lord JABBA THE HUTT. ? Sounds easy. What could go wrong? Rated T
Director’s Cut: Experience Charles Soule’s epic, space-shattering story in Director’s Cut format, complete with Steve McNiven’s mind-blowing black and white art and more incredible bonus features! Rated T
Star Wars #13
On Sale: May 12, 2021
FOC: April 19, 2021
Variants:
PRELUDE TO WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS: ‘THE HUNT FOR HAN’ ? CHEWBACCA has heard from an old friend with intelligence on the location of notorious bounty hunter BOBA FETT, known to be in possession of HAN SOLO. ? Along with LUKE SKYWALKER, the loyal Wookiee sets off in search of his lost friend, on an adventure to Nar Shadaa… the SMUGGLER’S MOON! ? But will this mission prevent plucky astromech droid ARTOO DETOO from passing along a crucial message to Luke, one that will affect the fate of the entire Jedi Order…? Rated T
Star Wars Bounty Hunters #12
On Sale: May 19, 2021
FOC: April 26, 2021
Variants:
PRELUDE TO WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS: ‘THE THREAT IN THE SHADOWS’ ? As VALANCE and his reluctant partner DENGAR race to intercept BOBA FETT and his precious cargo, who are the deadly pursuers that are after them? ? A dark secret from Valance’s past connection to HAN SOLO may get him killed all these years later. ? But who is the mysterious leader of an assassination squad that is driving Valance into a life-and-death confrontation with his old friend? Rated T
Star Wars Darth Vader #12
On Sale: May 26, 2021
FOC: May 03, 2021
Variants:
PRELUDE TO WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS: ‘RESTORATION’ ? Returned to the fold after his rebellion against the EMPEROR, DARTH VADER faces the horrors of reconstruction in the secret laboratories of CORUSCANT. ? As he blacks out under the knife, does he still dream of revenge against his master? Or do his thoughts drift towards his son – and the friends who make LUKE SKYWALKER so vulnerable? ? Don’t miss this next critical new chapter in Vader’s ongoing evolution – featuring the revelation of the first time the Dark Lord learned the name HAN SOLO! Rated T
Star Wars Doctor Aphra #10
On Sale: May 26, 2021
FOC: May 03, 2021
Variants:
PRELUDE TO WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS: ‘THE INVITATION’ ? DOCTOR APHRA and SANA STARROS find themselves cornered by VUKORAH and the UNBROKEN CLAN! ? Can they pull off a daring escape–even if that means surrendering the NIHIL HYPERDRIVE? ? And what sets them on a collision course with one of the most deadly BOUNTY HUNTERS in the galaxy? Rated T
1 comment
OH THANK THE MAKER!