Bounty Hunters #8 - Comic Review

On the run from the crime organization The Unbroken Clan, Valance tries to stay one step ahead of Zuckuss and 4-LOM while attempting to clear his name, but they’re not the only ones he needs to keep an eye out for.

The newest issue of Bounty Hunters opens with a thrilling scene of Valance on a Tie Fighter mission with a squad including Han Solo on Qhulosk. Shortly after being shot down and left behind by his fellow Imperials he finds himself surrounded by a group of armed Nautolans. Bringing the story back to the present, Valance approaches Syphacc in a music venue about a job. Only, it turns out the job isn’t for him, but instead a hit on Valance himself. After a few words it turns out that the job has actually been picked up by young up and coming bounty hunter Tasu Leech, who readers may recognize from his brief appearance on Han’s freighter during The Force Awakens. After a very valiant effort from Tasu Leech, Valance gets away, only to be contacted by Kondra looking to cash in on the favor Valance owes him. A Rebel transport, The Spirit of Jedha, has disappeared and Valance needs to go after it and rescue the missing Rebels. Only the Rebels won’t be the only ones he encounters!

This is definitely the best issue of Star Wars Bounty Hunters so far! Writer Ethan Sacks packs the issue full of character and action and adventure without ever making it feel bloated. We get appearances by multiple bounty hunters, including a fantastic appearance by the eventually famous Tasu Leech! Sacks takes us through multiple different settings and events and each and every moment is as thrilling as they come. All of those interesting locations and characters we come in contact with are beautifully visualized by both artist Paolo Villanelli and colorist Arif Prianto. Each setting feels as vibrant as ever in the Star Wars universe along with all of the characters, especially their outfits, being explored with such rich detail. One standout is the small touch of how Valance’s red eye glints under the shadow of his hooded cloak early in the issue and how that same red glow swipes across the page during the action sequences. The other big standout is just how good Villanelli and Prianto make a young Tasu Leech look! He looks exactly how the Indonesian martial artist and actor Yayan Ruhian would if he had been playing Leech when he was younger.

With Valance on the run, he finds it difficult to not only clear his name from the bounties put out on himself and Cadeliah, but also just to stay out of trouble long enough to catch his breath!