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Boba
Fett: Agent of Doom Review by Toryn
Farr |
Boba Fett: Agent of Doom |
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| Script:
Art: Letters: Colors: Pinups: Pinup Colors: |
John Ostrander Cam Kennedy Steve Dutro Chris Blythe Ronnie del Carmen & Francisco Hererra Jason Hvam |
This latest tale is told from the viewpoint of Brighteyes - an inhabitant of Gulma who was taken captive when the Empire conquered the planet. Forced into slavery, Brighteyes was made to serve on the ship Azgoghk (and could someone explain whatever happened to easy to pronounce names like "Intimidator" and "Death Star"?) under two cruel Imperial officers who killed and tortured at random...thusly proving their Cruelness and Evilness. Though set free at the end of the war, the few that managed to survive the atrocities committed upon them were now not only a malnourished, beaten, and thoroughly conquered people...they were homeless and destitute as well. They tell their tale to Boba Fett, asking him to kill the two officers in exchange for all they possess -- 100 credits -- which is rather obviously somewhat below the fees Fett's used to collecting on the free agency market.
However, Fett gets talked into taking the contract using the tried and true method that works with any male no matter what galaxy you're in or how far, far away it is - attacking his ego. Brighteyes points out that Fett really needs to do some damage control in order to regain his reputation after being fed to the Sarlacc...and Fett, somewhat reluctantly, agrees. From there it's a fairly straightforward story of Fett taking out the two Imperials and looking cool doing it. Fett's dialogue was fairly simplistic throughout, and actually reminded me of Tarzan at several points:
- "Want Tork. Want Murthé. Rest can go. Or die."
- "Escape. Hide. find you later. Kill you then."
...and my favorite line: "Jedi weapon doesn't make you Jedi."
Preach Boba, preach.
With a story so lacking in suspense, the art has to make up for it -- which is the case here. I really liked the colors, the use of light, the level of detail. The drawing has a slapdash quality at times that lends the story energy. This is simply gorgeous. (I am still amazed at times when I think how much more beautiful comics are now than when I was a kid.) The Gulmarid are interestingly alien, except for their strangely human eyes. By the way, who knew Fett carried a tiny, needle-nosed blaster? (Please note that any emails proclaiming total knowledge of this fact, as well as any other miscellaneous, minute pieces of trivia regarding Boba Fett's arsenal will be forwarded onto The Ferrett to be met with mockery, so think twice before sending them, folks!)
The cover, while it had little to do with the story, was a nice painting in desert colors. The book also included two pinups, one by Hererra of Fett crouched on rocks, blaster in hand, Slave I eclipsing a full moon above. The other by del Carmen is of Fett standing on rocks, blaster in hand, dead guy in the background. I didn't have the urge to tear these out and pin them on my wall, but certain of you Boba Fett fans might want to have these blown up and hang them on the ceilings above your beds.
The comic ends with another of the little cartoons featuring Editor Dave Land, this time versus Boba Fett. He ends up in carbon freeze, with Editor Stradley commenting it probably won't hurt his editing, considering what happened to the Titles page of Star Wars Tales #4. Funny!
I'll give this one-shot an overall C. The art is decent, but if you miss this one you haven't missed anything important, plus Fett's dialogue is annoying.
P.S. Finally, a Hasbro ad I like! It's for the Jek Porkins action figure: "X-Wing Pilots, now available in X-Large." [g]
Discuss this review on the Echo Station message boards.
(Toryn Farr knew everything about Star Wars
back in 1977 thanks to Starlog Magazine. She's been trying to keep her know-it-all
reputation ever since. During the 90 minutes per day her preschooler is napping, Toryn
attempts to run an internet design business and write fantasy fiction.)