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Review: "Star Wars: Boba Fett – Black, White & Red #3"
Old fashioned bounty hunting with a blaster, flamethrower, whipcord, and even boot spikes make for a great Boba piece
I’ve been following the “Boba Fett – Black, White & Red” miniseries from the very beginning. The first two issues were both great, noteworthy entries in Boba’s pantheon of amazing adventures in comics. He’s always been an MVP in this particular medium, both in Legends and in Canon. As good as the first two issues were, however… I think this one absolutely takes the cake.
The story in #3 resonates with me to my very core, and hits home when it comes to the very reasons I became a Boba Fett fan in the first place. It’s about the integrity and value of keeping your word, the power and pain of nursing a grudge in the face of injustice, and good old fashioned bounty hunting.
This one is called “Meeting of the Minds.” It’s actually a pretty literal statement, not some metaphor about intellectual debates. The beginning starts with Boba doing what he does best: disintegrating his adversaries. Boba’s arsenal, like last issue, wreaks absolute havoc and it’s an absolute shame this isn’t a scene in live-action. His blaster, the flamethrower, the whipcord — even his boot spikes — inflict damage in this fight! He uses the latter to kick and lacerate the shins of an enemy. I vibe strongly with that panel because I too used to kick shins when I was a little kid, but it looks a lot cooler when Boba does it. Heck, anything looks cooler with him. Another amazing shot was Boba tying up an enemy with his whipcord, then pulling him in to use as a shield to intercept blaster fire. This is the skill set of the best bounty hunter in the galaxy; bravo to both the writer and illustrator for portraying this so well.
Boba is going through all this trouble in order to capture an information broker. He is seeking information on a particular bounty, an old one that went “dormant” years ago. In this case, dormant means the bounty is no longer active. That is precisely the reason that this broker asks Boba, “Why is this so important to you?”
This comic takes place both “Now” during which Boba is in his prime seeking this information, and “Then,” during which Boba is still young and using a very important outfit from his past. If you have watched “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” you might recall that in Season 4 Boba Fett had an interesting outfit that wasn’t yet his green Mandalorian armor. It was this mask and suit comprised of mostly dark grey and a wine red color. The mask in particular was very interesting, but kind of hard to describe. It’s essentially the top half of a welding faceplate with the bottom half of some sort of respirator. It honestly looks really cool and it’s a pity we don’t have more merchandise of it, or additional appearances. That is, until now: it is this outfit that a young Boba- presumably around 12 or so- is wearing in this flashback.
Here’s the basis gist: the son of some fishmongers was unjustly killed over a game of Chance Cubes. This is the same form of gambling we saw Qui-Gon Jinn indulging in during Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. The murderer responsible is this large, brute-like alien named Corm Vargon. He is also a religious zealot and associated with an extremist caste of the B’omarr monks; this will be a relevant detail later in the comic. For those who might not know or need a refresher, B’omarr monks are infamous because they willingly remove their brains from their bodies and put them in these spider-like droids instead, so that they may ponder the mysteries of the galaxy forever. Some of them can still be spotted scuttling about in Jabba’s Palace, which was formerly a B’omarr monastery.
It is obvious that Corm Vargon has no remorse whatsoever for the injustice he has done. But according to Boba, they have scrounged together enough of their meager earnings to hire him and attempt to exact justice. I found this motive to be compelling, sympathetic, and I became very invested in seeing this through. Not only is this one of Boba’s early bounties in his career, but it’s a good cause. And as Boba Fett once said in Tales of the Bounty Hunters, “I bow to no one and give service only for cause.”
Unfortunately, things do not go in Boba’s favor. Despite his amazing skill and his father’s training, he is no much for this foe. Speaking of which, Corm Vargon apparently knew Jango Fett, and used his legacy to taunt Boba. He said that although Jango was a great man, Boba was far beneath him and not living up to his legacy. I’m paraphrasing, but he said something to that effect and I’m sure that wounded Boba deep down.
Long story short, Boba is now attempting to avenge this past incident. During the “Now” era, Boba is clearly in his prime, so I presume this takes place roughly around the events of the Original Trilogy. This would mean that, give or take, about twenty years have passed since Boba Fett failed this bounty. Now, despite how many years have passed, Boba still wants to exact justice.
This is exactly what I find so compelling and gripping about this comic. Let’s break it down and think about the ramifications of this. For starters, Boba must still feel a tremendous amount of guilt. We can’t deny that Boba Fett grows up to be a ruthless enforcer during his adulthood. But remember, he accepted this bounty when he was still a child — one that still had youthful optimism and a more black and white sense of justice. I have no doubt that, as a kid who still hasn’t been corrupted by the ruthlessness of bounty hunting, that he would feel some sort of personal stake in avenging the fishmonger’s son. It is a reverse situation to one he can relate very strongly to: during this era, Mace is likely still alive. Being hellbent on avenging Jango’s death, Boba would see a parallel of this struggle in the grieving eyes of the fishmongers, trying to avenge their son.
He must also feel a lot of anger. This Corm Vargon trash got away with using his father’s name to insult him. There are very few things that cut deeper than that for Boba. And being so young when this happened, with the pain of his father’s death still somewhat fresh, I’m sure that amplifies the effect. This has now become a revenge mission for Boba himself, too.
Lastly, it’s Boba’s code of always completing the bounty missions he undertakes, no matter what. This is what I meant earlier when I mentioned the idea of keeping your worth. Once Boba takes on a job, he completes it. No matter what. And everyone in the entire galaxy knows that. That’s what it means to be the best; to adhere to high standards that most other bounty hunters wouldn’t. It makes sense of course, for Boba certainly isn’t most other bounty hunters. He’s the bounty hunter- an imperial even says that verbatim in the last issue.
I highly recommend reading this issue. The outcome of this mission is worth witnessing, even if it’s slightly bittersweet. But the good far, far outweighs the bad. I have read just about every comic Boba Fett has ever been in. This is one of my absolute favorites. It’s definitely in my Top 10, possibly even my Top 5 (I’d have to think about it). The writer, Ethan Sacks, has written for both Jango and Boba in the past. From what I’ve seen in his work, he understands the Fetts very well. It is this understanding that allows him to write solid pieces for them. In particular, I applaud the use of what I call the “Interim Suit” Boba had in “The Clone Wars.” Those of you reading, if you have a better nickname for that outfit I’d be happy to hear it. If I recall correctly, this is barely the second ever appearance of that outfit, which is saying something, given that the episode it debuted in originally aired in 2012 — now 13 years ago.
I also commend the core plot of this story. Despite the comic being short, it establishes a conflict that cuts deep for Boba and makes it easy for readers to get invested. The fact that Boba would still have the integrity to pursue this bounty, despite the money reward no longer being offered… it demonstrates the code that sets Boba apart from other hunters. He has carried the anger and guilt of this incident for so long, and yet is still hellbent on keeping his word and completing his mission. That relentlessness and honor are what made me a Boba Fett fan. Throw that in with the cool armor and weapons, and you’ve got yourself a character that has endured as a fan favorite for decades.
I’ll comment briefly on the art style. Using only three colors, particularly black white and red, gives these comics the vibe of something gritty like the Sin City movies. I think it absolutely complements the type of story being told. In fact, using too much color would probably detract from the grittiness.
I could go on and on about this issue, so I should stop here. I can borderline guarantee that you’ll enjoy this issue if you’re a Boba Fett fan. The final battle by itself is so good, carries a nasty but entertaining surprise, and is such a reward for Boba fans who want to see him shine. Throw in the story leading up to it, and you’ve got a comic that is not only a great Boba piece, but a great comic overall.
The Pros
- Amazing, compelling story
- Deep cut in Boba Fett’s history
- Great action scenes with Boba
- Great visuals that complement both the action and the plot
The Cons
- None
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