Star Wars: Chewbacca #4 Review

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Blasters scream Star Wars. So does this comic.

 Warning: this article contains spoilers for Chewbacca #4.

Chewbacca #4

Writer: Gerry Duggan | Artist/Cover Artist: Phil Noto | Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna

The issue opens with Zarro piloting a speeder while Chewbacca loads an astromech droid full of explosives in part of a plan to handle the soon-to-arrive Empire and the crime lord Jaum. The junk dealer and tinkerer Sevox accompanies them, and is grousing about the situation, which appears to be something of a cover for how much he really cares about Zarro. A disguised Chewbacca and Zarro, along with their modified astromech, sneak into the starport under the cover that they have been hired to provide security. They are immediately challenged by Stormtroopers and Jaum which leads to a firefight and the demise of Tyvak, Jaum’s Shistavanen henchman. Chewbacca and Jaum ultimately prevail as Jaum flees on an Imperial shuttle with the bomb laden astromech aboard. The issue ends with Chewbacca and Zarro in Imperial custody awaiting interrogation by the Empire’s Commander Kai.

This book has felt the most like a Star Wars story of any issue in the series so far. For one, it helps that the Empire has a real presence in this book. It starts early with the Empire closing the spaceport. The Stormtroopers, scout troopers, AT-STs, and larger Imperial presence go a long way to establishing the setting in a way that Chewbacca’s presence by itself did not manage in the previous issues of this series. Zarro and Chewbacca’s disguises also have a very genuine Star Wars feel to them. Chewbacca’s disguise is reminiscent of IG-88. Zarro does claim he is a battle droid after all. In addition, this book features fire fights between Chewbacca and the Imperials and Jaum and his minions. Blasters scream Star Wars.

This isn’t to say that the previous issues in the series have been bad. It is just that Chewbacca came off more like McGyver than the big walking carpet that can rip a droid’s arms out of its sockets from the movies. He engages in action (i.e. firefights) that you would expect in a Star Wars story in this issue. He also maintains his honor, not that he hadn’t in previous issues. Jaum offers to buy him out, but Chewbacca is too noble for that and takes shots at the crime lord instead. Chewbacca, more in this issue than any other, seemed like the wookiee everyone has come to know and love.

Similarly, Jaum was at his best in this issue. Perhaps that is because he was not left to hatch any new schemes. In previous issues, his decisions are questionable at best and shortsighted to say the least. It was difficult to suspend disbelief sufficiently enough to accept that he could overtake Andelm IV. In this issue, he at least comes off as a sensible, although ultimately doomed villain.

This series is headed towards a grand conclusion in the next issue. This penultimate issue though really propelled the series from the ranks of pedestrian stories to grand Star Wars adventure. All that is left is for Chewbacca and Zarro to overcome the Empire. No big deal, right?

Translating Aurabesh: If the Aurabesh letters on the crate in Zarro’s hands on the cover of the book look odd, it is because some of them appear to be backwards. Translated, the word reads “EXPLOSIVES” (with the ‘E’ hidden behind Chewbacca’s shoulder).

Favorite Panel:

Phil Noto’s work in this issue, and the series for that matter, is very clean. Chewbacca looks fantastic. His illustrations of Stormtroopers and Imperial agents are among the best in Marvel’s Star Wars comics so far. Most of the artists have done will drawing the troopers, but they sometimes come off a little wooden looking. Not so here. I’ve never been terribly fond of the Shistavanens, but Noto creates a really mean looking specimen. Therefore, I was tempted to go with either a Stormtrooper or a picture of Tyvak. There were several good panels of each to choose from. That said, what really stood out for me were the panels of Chewbacca and Zarro in disguise. They were incredibly well done. I picked one as this week’s favorite panel.