Star Wars comic #57: The Escape, Part II by Kieron Gillen

"Star Wars #57: The Escape, Part II" written by Kieron Gillen, illustrated by Angel Unzueta and Guru-eFX
     This was a fine issue with some wonderful world building! What an interesting moon Hubin is and what an intriguing people live there. We learn about their agrarian, isolationist lifestyle...and their propensity for fighting. Who might these people really be???
     We left off last time with Han, Luke, and Leia seemingly enjoying the luxuries of Hubin hospitality surrounded by weird peacock like creatures and being served to by a droid.
     Thane Markona and his daughter Tula are the people that rescued Han, Luke, Leia, R2, and 3PO from the, I'm assuming, Thanrax attack (they're mentioned by name in this issue as a dangerous wild beast native to Hubin). Thane explains that they are an isolationist people with no need for the outside world. The whole scenario seems creepy and like they're keeping our heroes as prisoners, but I think the Hubin people really are simply as isolationist as they say. They have no transports, no transmitters, and only see outside visitors once every 6 months. There doesn't actually seem to be a way for them to even begin to help our heroes off-planet.
     See below for a vivid picture of their agrarian world!! So cool to see a mesh between farmers and Star Wars-y technology. I love the gestalt of the world this image invokes.

     Weird out-of-place bit--Han finds out he must work to drink and so then asks, "What's a fella got to do around here to earn a beer?" Why would Gillen use the word "beer"? It's too earthy to me and took me out of the story. I always get frustrated when they use names for things common to us in real life because it takes away from the otherness of the galaxy far, far away. Same thing bothered me with the use of "nuclear disaster" for the downfall of Phasma's homeworld Parnassos. Oh well.
     Leia calls Luke "a wide-eyed kid" and Han "a kind of scruffy-looking one." Haha! My favorite line in this issue is the Tavern bartender saying, "Scruffy's out back" to which we are then met with shirtless Han chopping wood for a drink. And he is a true beefcake! The look on Leia's face (see below) when she first sees him is absolutely priceless!

     Hmmm...I still don't know how I feel about the people of Hubin. Thane definitely seems to be hiding something and his reveal at the very end of this issue left me even more worried about his true intentions. Despite their seemingly noble lifestyle, these people have to be covering something up! Guess we'll just have to wait and see...

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