Age of Rebellion: Jabba the Hutt: Great to be Jabba by Greg Pak

"Age of Rebellion: Jabba the Hutt: Great to be Jabba" written by Greg Pak, illustrated by Emilio Laiso, Roland Boschi, Marco Turini--Andres Mossa, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Neeraj Menon

     What an odd and strangely funny story. There's no philosophical ponderings or motivational musings to be had in this issue. It's just Jabba being Jabba, gluttonous to the nth degree and hungry for singular attention. The title, "Great to be Jabba" essentially says it all.

     In a surprising twist, this issue opens up on Canto Bight...during the Empire's reign...and it is just as posh and exuberant as ever. A droid walks in, selling a drink called "Tusken Wind" that according to a couple of consumers, tastes like a million stars in every cell of their bodies. I'd like to try some of that!! Coming from a single supplier on Tatooine...can you guess who?...this drink costs 10,000 credits a glass! It is colloquially called "the desert wine" and is sacred to the Tuskens. 

     We then get to see what day to day business is like in Jabba's palace with various groups coming to him, one after another, to plead for various favors. It's like he's a king with many subjects entering his court to present their cases which I guess does make a lot of sense. I mean he is the ultimate crime lord on a planet riddled with crime. It's still super interesting to see in action though. One of these groups is some Tusken Raiders angry that Jawas and Imperials have been impinging on their lands' boundaries. After a bit of disagreement, Jabba deigns their cause worthy of support.

     We see an interesting character in the court who looks like a T-rex with a horn and two smallish pointy front teeth...I wanna know what he is!!

     So the main set up is that a couple of scoundrels from Cantonica decide they want to ferry some Tusken Wind for the great profit it brings and so go to Jabba to get in on the deal. But along the way, a group of Jawas armed with battle droids and an Imperial who's late on his house payment also find out about the wealth a measure of Tusken Wind can bring. Needless to say, they all set out hunting for the same valued prize...to their detriment. This plot actually reminded me a lot of "The Crimson Corsair and the Lost Treasure of Count Dooku" in the Tales from a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Aliens short story anthology by Landry Q. Walker. Although the hunt is much more intense and drawn out in the latter story, there's still some of the same odd situational humor.

     Just as is in the Boba Fett issue, "Hunter's Heart," the blaster and explosion sounds were on point! Brakka brakka, Braaakoom, Brzaam, Skrraakam, Skrakow, and on and on, words that seriously bring the action panels to life! Also, a lot of this issue had non-Basic languages being spoken--both Jawaese and Tusken and much of it was not translated. But the story easily told itself despite this. In fact, I think it made the story more real.

     So basically a look into just how greedy and gluttonous Jabba really is along with some humor thrown in for good measure. I did enjoy this one but I have to say it's my least favorite of the "Age of Rebellion" series so far. Regardless, its canon connections, exhilarating action words, and situational humor, still made this one a great read!!