Comic Review: Hunt for the Falcon #3 – Them Irving Boys are at it Again!

Writer: Rodney Barnes
Artist: Ramon Rosanas
Colors: Guru-eFX

Publisher summary:
GRAND THEFT FALCON! HAN and CHEWIE run into the dangerous IRVING BOYS! But are they any match for the notorious brothers who stole the FALCON? 'And what nefarious deal is gunrunner DUCAIN cooking up with junk boss UNKAR PLUTT?

Marvel Comics

Why it matters: As Han Solo searches for the Falcon, he can’t help but recall his lost past as a family man. He and Chewie keep the adventure going to balance both lives–but no one can have it all.

Key moments:

• Like father, like son: Han was never comfortable with domestic life, and here we get a nice glimpse at what it was like for him. The look at Han’s dad era is touching, but it’s seeing Kylo’s adolescence that really brings the tears.

• BFFLs: Two things are clear: 1) Chewie doesn’t want to be on this mission. 2) Chewie would do anything for his best friend. This is no life debt, it’s just a big furry buddy being ride or die.

• Everyone wants to go back to Jakku: The Force Awakens shows us that the Falcon is with Unkar Plutt on Jakku. It seems that we’re finally getting the story of how it got there.

Marvel Comics

The big picture:
The Force Awakens presented viewers with a very real Han Solo problem: Why isn’t he with Leia and where is the Falcon? Rodney Barnes is taking on the tall order of answering both those questions. Unfortunately, it turns out the stories behind his Sequel Trilogy appearance are pretty straightforward, but they still provide development for the Solo family.

The standout moment of the issue, perhaps the series as a whole, is seeing Han as a dad to young Ben Solo. This is never the life he wanted, but he’s doing his best. Not only does it emphasize his present day search for the Falcon, it ties in nicely with the development happening in Charles Soule’s Legacy of Vader. The older Han Solo is a bit more frustrating of a character, clearly chasing a life that he should have left behind long before. The adventure is exciting, and his fixation on the Falcon understandable, but it’s hard not to wish that he would just settle down.

Unfortunately, Rodney Barnes is a bit locked down by making the comic fit with what was established in The Force Awakens, but he manages to tell a compelling story nonetheless.

Our rating: Good

What’s next: Han and Chewie’s Hunt for the Falcon continues on December 10th in issue #4.

For a deeper discussion of this issue, be sure to check out this week’s episode of The Cosmic Force podcast!