Star Wars: Jango Fett #4
TRAIL OF LOST HOPE, PART 4
In the years before the Clone Wars, a lone bounty hunter makes is way through the galaxy, one hunt at a time. His name is….
Jango Fett has tracked down the thief of a valuable artifact after a heist that has brought a planet to the brink of war. But when the relic is recovered turns out to be a fake, the greatest bounty hunter in the galaxy finds himself in the crosshairs of every rival in the sector.
With only the assassin Aurra Sing and a young Nautolan revolutionary named Nakano Lash at his side, Jango prepares to go on the offensive….
Writer: Ethan Sacks
Artist: Luke Ross
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Nolan Wood
Cover artist: Leinil Francis Yu
Editor: Mark Paniccia
Release Date: Juned 19, 2024
While it’s no secret that we’re big fans of Ethan Sacks here at Fantha Tracks, if you’d said to me at the start of this four-part mini series that Jango Fett #4 would be one of the most connected, revealing Star Wars comic for a good long while, I might not have believed you, but here it is. In this issue alone we see the near fatal fracture of Chancellor Valorums stint, the beginning of Nakano Lash, the thought of Jango being a father and Fett being brought to the attention of Count Dooku (while he was still a member of the Jedi Order). That’s a lot to digest, but before we dig into that there’s a storyline to conclude.
We open with HoloNet News deciding what major stories to cover, and while most of it is bad news (trade blockades, political strife and the continuing issues over the theft of the Hope of Glee Anselm statue) there is some good news (Taylor and Travis anyone?) but their discussion is interrupted by Jango, Aurra and Nakano who enter the station and demand to see footage of the heist. It’s here that nakano rralises that Nautolan Ambassador Fiarok set her up, stole the Hope and replaced it with a fake. With that evidence in their pocket they take a camdroid, leaving Nakano behind to ponder the next phase of her life, with bounty hunting appearing to appeal.
Here, the second of the juicy nuggets in issue 4 as Aurra compliments Jango on his skills as a paternal figure, putting the thought of fatherhood in his head as we return to Jaloria and the showdown with Vigor Struk and his cronies. A firefight / brawl erupts, with Jango and his beskar tested to its limits while Aurra slices though the opposition. We see Jango battle Cradossk, the father of Bossk until the fight is brought to a close by Jango’s rocket pack, which engulfs their enemies in flames. That only leaves Struk who attacks Jango but not before we realise he’s a cyborg much like Valance and as he continues to move forward Aurra throws a smoke bomb, Jango throws his rocket pack to Struk and then uses his cable to wrap around him before jetting him off screaming into the skies.
Next, the culmination as via holorecording Nakano reveals that Ambassador Fiarok is the culprit, and he is swiftly arrested, despite vigorously protesting his innocence. The Anselmi are outraged, vowing no end to the hostilities, and so peace on Glee Anselm isn’t restored, the Hope is retrieved (minus some valuable gems that Aurra Sing pockets), Chancellor Valorums administration is teetering on the brink of collapse and while Jango takes the credits, he’s not convinced that all is as it appears to be. That insight piques the interest of Count Dooku, the brains behind the entire plot designed to cause instability on the senate, and we end the series with Dooku wanting to know more about Jango Fett.
Yep, satisfying, illuminating, insightful, expansive and action-packed; aka everything you expect from an Ethan Sacks story, and with far more meat on the bone than most mini series, this only leaves the reader wanting for more (which it teases with it’s ‘The End….For Now….‘ sign off). A great way to celebrate the prequels in this anniversary year, another dip to the years prior to The Phantom Menace and let’s not forget beautifully crafted by artist Luke Ross and colourist Nolan Woodard. Very highly recommended indeed.
