Lando has to be one of the most complicated characters in the Star Wars universe. He’s a liar, a cheat (Star Wars isn’t light on those), but also a good man at heart and a master pilot. To say the first issue of his miniseries blew me away is an understatement. I was expecting a conniving man sure, but what I found was a much more complex and interesting character. Does this continue in issue #2? Is it good?
Star Wars: Lando #2 (Marvel Comics)
This issue feels a bit less complex than the last, but just as exploratory when it comes to Lando. This time we get to see his piloting skills and get a sense for how his mind works. These abilities are shown partly because he’s trying to steal a prized spaceship of the Emperor’s, so it goes without saying he’s still doing slimy things even when he’s interesting. This issue opens with Lando and his right-hand man Lobat facing three Star Destroyers in what appears to be a very small cruise ship. Oh, how wrong they are!
Charles Soule writes a very well paced issue here as we get a taste for Lando’s positivity and cunning. The fact that Lando sees three Star Destroyers as good news shows just how greedy the man can be, because why would the Empire send three of those if the ship wasn’t priceless? Meanwhile he must manage a few pirate type aliens he’s sharing the booty with which shows Lando’s negotiation skills too. All in all, Soule has the pulse of Lando down pat and he’s a fascinating character to read.
Nice ship.
The only fault I see in this issue is a rather quick and jarring cut to a bounty hunter who’s on the job. It has no context as to why we see him until a few pages in and it was so sudden and odd I thought maybe my issue was printed wrong. By the end of this section all is explained and it makes sense as to what we saw, but the transition could have been handled a bit better. This section essentially means Lando has a big threat coming to him.
The cliffhanger meanwhile is exciting and inspired. I don’t want to ruin it—it’s just that good—but what Lando and Lobat find on the ship is quite threatening and interesting. It’s a facet of the Star Wars universe I’ve always wanted to see and learn more about and it’ll be fun to see where this steers the story.
Meanwhile the art by Alex Maleev is inspired. After seeing him draw the dirty city streets in Daredevil for so many years you would have never thought he could so solidly capture space. His spaceships are quite a sight to see too and his always complex textures really make this world pop and come alive. I also very much enjoy the moody lighting, here in an orange cast glow inside Lando’s cockpit, which enhances the sense of danger and anxiety.
You sure about that?
Is It Good?
This is without a doubt the best Star Wars comic being printed right now and there are some surefire gems in that bunch too. This comic doesn’t center on the main characters or events, but Lando is turning out to be the most interesting and complex character of the bunch.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
