Comics Han Solo #1-5 (5/5 released)

It was a great issue! Loved all of it including the concept and story. Looking forward to the rest.

 

Here's my advice, regarding when things take place in the timeline:

Obviously, if there is something in the story that clearly indicates when it takes place (ie the opening of Prince Leia or the opening of Shattered Empire) or it explicitly says when it's set...then that is what you should follow.

But, when it comes to the stories that are ambiguously set in the same general time period as the main Star Wars series, then I think you should follow the general example of how it works with our Super Hero comics and assume it takes place at the closest sensible spot in the timeline of the main series.The idea is that, in that time period, the Marvel series have a "now" that the books grouped in that time period are sticking near. Star Wars, Vader, and the minis set in that period are all meant to be relatively concurrent in the "now" of the main series.

So, for Han Solo, I think it would be reasonable to guess that this miniseries takes place after issue 19 of the main series. From what I can tell, there is nothing in it that would go against that idea. For Chewbacca, I would guess it would take place between Smuggler's Moon and Vader Down, probably.

 

This idea of the "now" is how I've been placing all unspecified media on my timeline. Jordan D. White Would this also work for the Lando mini even though he's not associated with any of the other series? The "now" method would place Lando roughly concurrent with the second arcs of both Darth Vader (Shadows and Secrets) and Star Wars (Showdown on the Smugglers' Moon). This is easily my favorite issue of all the mini-series so far.

 

Excellent start for the mini! The art and coloring is amazing, and the story in this issue made me impatient for the next. Also, as I mentioned for the preview, I am so glad that some Legends species are now canon again, and on the topic of aliens, I love it when they mix species from the original 6 movies, TFA and some original species from the comics like Loo Re Anno. This is shaping to be one of the better minis from Marvel so far, up there with Lando and Obi-Wan&Anakin.

 

So far so good. The race looks promising and exciting.. Love the drawings.. Off to good start!

 

Regarding timeline placement, I think there's some evidence that actually places this series before the mainline Star Wars comic series. I don't have either HS #1 nor SW #1 available at the moment so bear with my paraphrasing, but offered for consideration:

• We learn early in HS #1 that Han has "stepped away" from the Rebellion and has been trying, apparently not very hard, to earn money to pay back Jabba the Hutt. That's exactly what one of the opening paragraphs of HTTJ tells us Han is doing during the events of that book.
• There's a moment in SW #1 where Leia thanks Han, because using his identity as an associate of Jabba to access Weapon Factory Alpha means that the Empire now knows he's a Rebel. In HS #1, one of the reasons Leia wants to use Han for the mission is that he's not "officially" associated with the Rebellion.

In my personal timeline I figure that Han's various failed smuggling efforts happen concurrent to Heir to the Jedi (about a month after ANH), and the actual story of this series concurrent to Weapon of a Jedi (about two months after ANH). SW #1 then starts after that, about three months after ANH. It's a pretty comfortable fit as far as I can tell.

 

I felt very strongly the same way about all of those points but Leia also said to Han "You leave all the time..." which means he's came and gone several times at this point. Also, in Skywalker Strikes, Leia is really concerned/upset about Han leaving once the mission is over but in this mini-series she's a little bit over it or used to his ways by now.

 

Plus, I'm sure the actual editor of those books is generally aware and qualified to weigh in on what happens and what has been said in his books, as well as possibly being aware of other things that happen in the rest of the series that we as customer/readers aren't privy to yet. Probably.

 

ill keep this short and spoiler free, I don't know how to add the spoiler tag. Great opening issue! Probably the best opener of any new SW comics. Love the dynamic between Leia and Han and the artwork was lovely . Keep bringing me these good issues!

 

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Thanks

thanks mucho ! Will remember that.

 

The panels immediately after this are great, with Han's dejected look and his "Don't" to Chewie. So natural, but nice character moments for all three. Generally, this was a great first issue. I just hope it turns out to be as good as the Lando series!

 

Jordan D. White, thanks for addressing that as I was curious. I don't read other super hero comics, to be honest, so I'm not familiar with the "now" idea, but I will keep that in mind moving forward. It is nice to know where you are in the grand scheme of things i.e. when I'm watching a Marvel movie. It usually does a decent job of letting the audience know when the events of the movie are happening in their universe to help frame the narrative.

People love their timelines. I think there is still unrest in the Clone Wars cartoon timeline thread(s).

 

Very nice!

Interesting premise looking forward to see where this will go!

 

Actually you'd probably be surprised at the lack of detail he may be given in regards to the timeline. Like with the first Ben Kenobi Journal issue (Star Wars #7) he said this about Luke "he looks like 8ish to me." so sometimes he's simply not given exact information and makes educated guesses like the rest of us. Nothing wrong with that; just saying that not everything is discussed in depth. The Story Group may not even have a definitive answer among themselves in order to remain open to future storytelling. They've even said as much.

 

Rather than grand plan think timey-wimey.

 

Cover for #4

 

That face XD

 

I'm wondering if the ancient expert is behind all those attacks?

I can see Han thinking she isn't and he and the Twi'leks make it through forcing a face to face encounter where they learn whose responsible but whilst the Twi'leks win Han ends up rescuing their adversary after she falls prey to her own trap and we learn she knows what happened to the Rebel Sympathisers Han was supposed to be looking for!

Probably nothing like what it will turn out to be but still worth discussing!

 

This issue was a whollle lot of laying track for the future of the series, however, because Han was quipping a hellova lot and the art was real purty it was a pretty engrossing read. Also Leia slugging Han and both of them looking sad about it (But not to each other's faces) was a nice moment. Hopefully at some point in the future Han manages to complete the Rebel mission AND also be concerned about winning the race, maybe with one priorities outweighing the other at times. And he can do both at once cuz it's Han Solo and Chewie, dammit!

 

I think he's pretty much a shoe-in to win. After all if he's going to spend the later half of his life training racers he has to get his rep as a famous racer somewhere doesn't he?

 

yeah Han winning the race and also getting all the Rebels out is a pretty great ending, even if one could see it coming but it's such a perfect way to end it. Unless he has an attack of trademark Solo conscience (TM Battle of Yavin) and lets somebody else win for their greater good. But I want Han and Chewie to win everything, dammit!

One bit in the first issue was pretty funny because Han & Leia were framed as tiny figures in the frame and Leia is yelling (and the word balloon was almost as big as she was) "Your goal is NOT to win the race! I repeat, your goal is not to win the race!"

 

I'm wondering when people will start to publish recommended reading orders for the SW comics.

 

Awesome first issue, can't wait for the next.

Anyone else notice that the upper portion of the space station was essentially Atlantis from Stargate: Atlantis?