REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: Bounty Hunters,’ Issue #7

Published by Marvel Comics and written by Ethan Sacks, with art by Paolo Villanelli, colors by Arif Prianto, and letters by Travis Lanham, Bounty Hunters #7 sees the return of Zuckuss and 4-LOM and, as usual, brings a plethora of action with it.

In the last issue, Valance barely fights off two well-known bounty hunters and is egregiously injured in the process. The only person who can help him and his charge, Cadeliah, is his past lover, Yura. Literally stumbling into Yura’s life again, Valance returns to the very Rebel base he helped build so long ago. But with Zuckuss and 4-LOM on their tail and an army of Clone War-era Battle Droids at the bounty hunters’ beck and call, Valance has brought potential ruin down on the heads of these innocent people. In order to escape, Valance will ultimately have to make a tough decision.

Zuckuss and 4-LOM are back! Introduced a couple of issues back, we see the duo again and, although they’re not my favorite bounty hunters, they’re certainly one of the more memorable teams and their inclusion in this issue and possibly the next is exciting and fun. The best parts of this issue undeniably include these two bounty hunters and their snarky back-and-forth dialogue with Valance.

Bounty Hunters #7 provides more background on Valance but I feel, at this point, as if we’ve seen it all. Sure, Sacks has given a decent motive to support why Valance would go out of his way and risk his neck for Cadeliah, someone he barely knows. But the way Sacks weaves in Valance’s regret into the plot is, well, regrettable. The issue described why Valance and Yura fell out of love and, once again, like most of Valance’s troubles, it stems from the fact that he’s been turned into a cyborg and thinks he looks like a freak and no one could possibly love him. If that was only one of a handful of Valance’s personal downfalls that advanced the story, it would be understandable. But the fact that most of Valance’s flashbacks revolve around this one fault makes his character flat and inevitably makes most of his actions and emotions feel shallow.

Although the dialogue between Valance, Zuckuss, and 4-LOM is fun, and Cadeliah is quite snarky, a handful of the other dialogue in Bounty Hunters #7 falls flat. Some of the other people’s reactions feel stunted or unreal. The fact that Valance has brought life-threatening trouble to innocent people, those people being rebels who are trying their hardest to avoid Imperial detection, you’d think they’d be a lot angrier with Valance. But they seem to just shrug it off most of the time.

As usual, the star of the issue is the artwork and coloring. The action scenes towards the end of Bounty Hunters #7 are wonderful. With the way Villanelli simulates movement in their art, you can feel the power behind every punch and shove. The characters’ faces are extremely emotive and feel natural despite some of the stumbles in the dialogue. Prianto’s colors support this wonderful art. From the blues of nighttime to the warm colors of Valance’s flashbacks and the vibrant reds of fire and lasers, every panel feels coherent. Lanham’s lettering in this issue is as wonderful as the last. The lettering keeps the dialogue simple and easy to follow and the speech bubbles never overpower the characters or the action.

Overall, if you like this series for its art and action, you’ll enjoy Bounty Hunters #7 for the very same reason. However, with the inclusion of more flashbacks about Valance’s past, his character feels too shallow to sympathize with his plight. The dialogue also falls short here and there, and the emotions and actions of the other characters around Valance feel stunted or unreal.

Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #7 is available now wherever comics are sold.