I literally couldn’t wait to start writing after finishing this issue. Brian Wood and Carlos D’Anda have done it again. This arc has been just one shocking event after another. Star Wars is definitely one of the reasons that Dark Horse manages to keep readers happy each and every month. I don’t think that I could have asked for a better team to head up this series. One thing that has stood out about this series so far is that the arcs aren’t short. Six issues a piece. I usually tend to get a little bored normally if an arc is longer than three issues, but not here. This series will be on my pull list for a long time. Here’s some breakdown for you. Now that Han and Chewie have finally escaped from the clutches of Boba Fett and Bossk and made a break for safety, their newfound friend, Perla, takes them to her hideout where they get a surprise of a lifetime. Turns out that she and Han have a little more in common than we thought. I’d be thanking my lucky freaking stars for having the opportunity to meet this woman.

Luke and Wedge attempt to make it back to Home One disguised as Imperial Tie Interceptor pilots. But they don’t just fly back through empty space; they decide to make a break for it during an Imperial bombardment that leads to a dogfight with the rebels. I won’t spoil anything here, but whoa. I almost felt like all of this was happening to me.

Wood’s dialogue takes us right back to the original trilogy in a way that makes us feel like we’re re-living the glory days of Star Wars. Meaning, the dialogue seems familiar. You may think that that’s a bad thing, but I disagree. His ability to match that same mix of comedy and drama with the main characters just shows his devotion to the series and the universe in which it takes place. I can’t believe that I have to wait another month to read the conclusion of this arc. Oh yeah, and we learn some pretty interesting stuff about the Empire and the Rebel Alliance in this issue. Seriously, you won’t see it coming.

D’Anda’s art is just as flawless as always. I’m not sure if this series would even be what it is today without his talent. It just screams Star Wars. It is literally a perfect fit. It may be possible that he could draw anything in the Star Wars universe and it would work. But without sounding too much like a fan, his abilities really come out in the dogfight. Those are some of the best panels in this issue. Actually, I think that it’s safe to say that his work in this issue may be his best yet.

In conclusion, I loved this issue. The entire story happens so fast that you’ll be lucky not to get whiplash. I honestly couldn’t be happier with the result. I guess that we’ll just have to wait and see if all the risk was worth the reward in the end for the rebels. See you next month.

Score: 5/5

Writer: Brian Wood Artist: Carlos D’Anda Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 11/13/13