REVIEW: Crimson Dawn Rising in BOUNTY HUNTERS #14
In Bounty Hunters #14 by Ethan Sacks, Paolo Villanelli, Arif Prianto, and Travis Lanham, with a main cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Marte Gracia, we get a story that takes place before War of the Bounty Hunters #1. However, lest you think this is nothing but boring backstory, rest assured that this issue executes exposition with aplomb!
Bounty Hunters #14. Photo: Marvel Comics
Painless Backstory
Like so many other issues of the War of the Bounty Hunters event, this comic does a great job of tying every single corner of the Star Wars galaxy together.
For example, when Valance and Dengar meet up with Dengar’s friend Mama Stammoch, she says “look what the Tooka dragged in,” referencing the Tooka Cat, a type of animal any Star Wars Rebels fan (or any visitor to Galaxy’s Edge) will remember.
Look what the Tooka dragged in! Photo: Marvel Comics
Tooka Cat at Galaxy’s Edge, located in the Disneyland Resort. Photo: Rebecca Kaplan
And in the b-plot, T’onga and Losha are assisted in battle by a nexu, a vicious predator that you may recognize from Star Wars – Episode II: Attack of the Clones. In an awesome two-page splash page, we get to see the potential of these animals in battle, and it’s just as impressive as you might hope!
Nexu. Photo: Marvel Comics
Then, there is a most excellent (sorry just watched Bill & Ted this weekend) page that summarizes the events that have transpired with Crimson Dawn since we last saw them in Solo.
Most interesting of all, this page seems to confirm that Dryden Vos survived! While he may have more scars than the last time we saw him, this is a fascinating development. Played by Paul Bettany, this villainous character seemed to die in Solo, but this revelation could have huge implications for the rest of this event! And maybe even huge implications for the rest of the Star Wars universe!
Dryden Vos Lives! Photo: Marvel Comics
Flawless Lettering
Special shout out for Lanham’s lettering in this issue. The lettering continued to draw on themes already established in the Star Mars cinematic universe, including everyone’s favorite sound effect from a galaxy far, far away: “pew, pew, pew.”
The classic sounds of laser battles in space echoed throughout the whole issue. However, my favorite was the three panel slow burn for “pew, pew, pew” – so much ambiance in three little sound effects.
Pew. Photo: Marvel Comics
Pew. Photo: Marvel Comics
Pew. Photo: Marvel Comics
Bounty Hunters #14
With a final page that promises the next issue will take place in Canto Bight, you can bet that we’ll be counting down the days until Bounty Hunters #15 arrives!
Did you have a chance to pick up Bounty Hunters #14 at your local comic shop? What have you thought of the War of the Bounty Hunters event so far? Let us know what you think in the comment section, Marvel Blog True Believers!
