SPOILER Marvel's Star Wars Lando #2

Some of the best caper stories in print and on film involve a thief going for that "big score" out of desperation but ultimately stealing something from someone so dangerous that it buries them in over their head in ways they don't even know. In the Star Wars universe, stealing a ship called Imperialis belonging to Emperor Palpatine could fall into that scenario. Throw in the fact he is the Sith Lord master and the ship contains possessions he would rather see destroyed than fall into the other hands, then one might start to get a bit concerned for Lando's future.



We last left Lando and crew as they fled the remote Imperial shipyard with what they figured to be a pleasure craft of some dignitary. Lando is in deep with all the wrong people and this craft is the only way he can payback the debt. His friend Lobot is along for the ride.



One would think 3 Star Destroyers showing up to get in the way of your escape plan would make a thief panic. Not Lando. Seeing the Empires's determination to prevent his escape only increases the value of the stolen vessel and its contents that much more valuable. The Star Destroyers first turn their weapons on the shipyard and then deploy some strange deterrents we have not seen before. My strong suit is not technobabble so all I can say is they increase the gravity in the vicinity of a ship, preventing it from entering hyperspace.



After some fancy flying, assisted by Imperialis' own countermeasures, and using the Star Destroyers own tractor beams against the other, Lando and crew manage to escape. We then find ourselves on a planet called Amethia Prime. We are introduced to a new bounty hunter named Chanath Cha.



This person is a cross between Boba Fett and Deadpool (in my opinion). He catches his bounty after as they are on the run in a speedboat. Cha's primary method of in atmosphere transportation are a pair of rocket boots that send him zooming around. He has no problem apprehending the target who begs and pleads with Cha. As soon as Chanath Cha gets a call from Emperor Palpatine he literally drops everything. As you can probably guess, Chanath Cha is tasked with tracking down the Imperialis and either retaking it or destroying it. Once again, to restate, the Emperor would rather see the ship destroyed than fall into the wrong hands.



Back onboard the Imperialis, Lando and crew begin to take a look at the contents to ascertain why the Empire is so eager to get it back. They are still unaware of who the ship belongs to. All they see are artifacts from Naboo so they assume it to be some sort of art collection. Everything is fine until Lobot opens a door to what the rest of the ship holds and is greeted by some figures we know are bad news and always mean business.



This is a solid second issue. My only complaint is the addition and appearance of Chanath Cha. In my opinion, if the ship is that valuable to Palpatine you don't call up a bounty hunter to go looking for it...you send Darth Vader. I know that a great deal of mistrust between the Sith Lords has been established in the Darth Vader arcs, but I think it lowers the stakes when the most powerful person in the galaxy hires a random bounty hunter. Just my opinion and I will totally eat my words. The glass may very well be half full, but that is the only thing that bothered me.



Watching an Imperial commander commit suicide rather than face the Emperor to explain failure was a powerful image. Very disturbing, but it serves the task of getting inside the Empire's head, one which Marvel and Del Rey writers have been nailing as far as I'm concerned. The Empire appears less of an evil organism and more of a set of diseased, weak cells. The Emperor wants it to be a perfect extension of his malevolence but the problem he overlooks is not everyone is as cold and evil as him. No matter what punishment he dishes out, some people would rather die than show their leader they could not be made into what he wants them to be.


Lando is worth your time and money. Head on down to your local shop and pick up this issue. Despite my above criticism, the artwork by Alex Maleev on its own is worth it.

 

I think you make a good point about not watering Vader down with multiple appearances. At the same time I think they could have brought in one of those strange cyborgs from the Vader series or someone else we have seen that get more time.

I will gladly eat my words if Cha ends up a good nemesis.

 

It's interesting to note that the Royal Guards have slightly tattered robes, as well as actual blades rather than force pikes. No idea why that is, but hopefully we find out in one of the following issues.

Really curious as to what else is in that room besides the guards. Could Palpatine have a Sith holocron or some other Sith artifact(s) back there? If it's anything that could potentially teach a Force user new skills or techniques that may be why Vader wasn't sent to retrieve the Imperialis (it could also be that Vader is busy with the Rebels or Tagge has him on a mission).