CHEWIE! Everyone's favorite Wookie stands ready for action in another great portrait by Adam Hughes. Hughes really manages to capture the essence of these characters on these covers! I love the detail on Chewbacca's fur, the fierce expression on his face, and the contrasting green background on this one.
We continue the story from the viewpoint of the Imperial code-carrier Stormtrooper rescued from Feddasyr at the cost of the capture of Princess Leia last issue as he makes contact with the next Rebel agent, the Wookie warrior Chewbacca, on a backwater Imperial planet.
As an Imperial trooper, he looks down on Chewbacca as an uncivilized beast, but slowly changes his mind as Chewie helps him infiltrate the Imperial base where a "Galaxy Drive" needed to unlock the secret code in his DNA is located.
After a tense battle where Chewbacca saves the code carrier's life, they manage to transmit the code to the Rebels, but in the end they are captured and thrown into a Rancor pit, where they are left to die!
Where the first issue was humorous and light, and the second issue dark and tense, this third issue is focused more on combat action and adventure as Chewbacca and the turncoat Imperial code carrier fight their way to the Galaxy Drive in order to release the Imperial code from his DNA. I liked the whole "reluctant allies become comrades through battle" storyline running through this issue.
Overall, this issue doesn't stand alone as well as the first two (Ending on a cliffhanger setting up the final issue), but it's still a very nice combat-oriented story, packed with explosive action and gunplay.
AND FINALLY. . .
THE COVER:
And we finish off this series of four fantastic portraits of the original Star Wars heroes with the young, but determined, Luke Skywalker. I REALLY like the warm colors and the interesting background montage, making this one my favorite of the bunch.
THE STORY:
This story is told from the viewpoint of an Imperial spy tasked with following a suspected rebel on Corellia. We see the events of the first issue from another viewpoint as Luke Skywalker helps Han Solo get captured.
We then follow the spy (and Luke) to Feddasyr, where he frees Princess Leia from captivity and the two head out to rescue Chewbacca. The spy is confused as to why all the rescue missions when the rebel operatives have obviously been successful at their tasks. He stows away on their ship to learn more.
Arriving at the Imperial base, Luke and Leia find that Chewbacca and the turncoat code-carrier have already defeated the rancor. They help the pair escape the base and flee off-world to rendezvous with Han Solo, who has managed to escape and steal an Imperial freighter. At this point, the spy reveals himself and surrenders, wanting to be part of something that values friendship just as much as success.
At the end, it's revealed that the whole plot was to find the freighter and its cargo. . .a shield generator that will be used to protect the rebel base on Hoth.
We then quickly revisit the various narrators of the issues for a glimpse of them in the near future. The rebel recruit from the first is now a recruiter himself. The red Twi'Lek from the second continuing to spy for the rebellion. The turncoat code-carrier of the third as the leader of a rebel combat squad. And the Imperial spy of the fourth now a double agent and discovering the first hint of the second Death Star being constructed.
THE END
THE REVIEW:
A very nice ending to the story, wrapping things up with plenty of action and adventure, and giving the reader another viewpoint of the events taking place in the previous issues. I liked how (just as in the original movies) Luke Skywalker is the glue that holds everything together. This issue is very much focused on the bond of friendship that is between the main heroes of Star Wars and, as a huge fan of Star Wars, it had a pretty heartwarming feel to it.
Overall, a great ending to the story that hit this old Star Wars fan in a surprisingly heartfelt way.
CONCLUSION
I said in the introduction that this was Dark Horse's last original Star Wars project and wondered if they went out on a high note. In my extremely humble opinion, I say YES! This has everything a Star Wars fan could want in a story. . .action, adventure, humor, friendship, and more!
In these four issues you get a madcap chase story, a tense spy story, a rousing battle action story, AND a heartwarming story about the bonds of friendship. . .all tied together to make one big entertaining tale about a band of rebels stealing a shield generator.
There's no two ways about it, if you are a Star Wars fan, you'll like this story a lot, and I highly recommend you checking it out if you haven't already.
If you're not a Star Wars fan you might not get as much mileage out of Rebel Heist. It's definitely written with existing fans in mind. That said, give it a try. . .because it touches a few different genres and is told from several viewpoints, you might find it to be a pretty entertaining piece of science fiction action/adventure despite the Star Wars framework around it.
Up Next. . .
One of the more unusual comics in my collection. . .a strange little experiment by Dark Horse in their Star Wars line. You'll see what I mean. It's the Star Wars: Battle of The Bounty Hunters one shot!
Be there or be square!
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