Target Vader #1: On the Hunt by Robbie Thompson

"Target Vader #1: On the Hunt" written by Robbie Thompson, illustrated by Marc Laming, Cris Bolson, Neeraj Menon, Jordan Boyd, Andres Mossa, Federico Blee, Erick Arciniega

     This was a wonderful set up issue for what looks like a rousing tale! We end up finding out more about the Hidden Hand than I had expected to, but there's still plenty of mystery to be had. And there's even one early surprise that threw me out of whack for a second based on how they advertised this series. Looks like Thompson isn't afraid to do what is best for the story to move forward and that is incredibly exciting.
     We start off on Fikari at the lower bay docks in the Outer Rim. A Weequay and an Aqualish are having a conversation about Darth Vader and the Hidden Hand, a super secretive criminal organization, right when the dark lord himself shows up to shake out information. After Vader deals with the two men, he calls up Palpatine. According to the Emperor, the Hidden Hand is not only buying weapons but is selling those same weapons to the Rebellion, making them a top priority for Imperial destruction. And during this conversation there's an alien hidden just out of sight listening in...
     Then we land on level 1313 (!!) of Coruscant at BG-RT's Tavern and Spirits where we meet up with Beilert Valance, the leader of Han's little squadron when he was a cadet in pilot training. Remember in Imperial Cadet #5 how Valance got severely injured and left broken with the Empire refusing to tend to his wounds? See below for an image from said comic for more info.

     We get to see what became of him once he got himself all fixed up and it is quite creepy (see below)! He even has a gun in his hand.

     Valance's ship is called The Broken Wing. The previously mentioned alien who eavesdropped on Vader and Palpy's conversation shows up again to stop Valance and offer him a job courtesy of the Hidden Hand to kill...Vader. Gwi then tells Valance about the team he's put together: Honnah--a female Gamorrean tracker (who took out Betah Bohden and his guards), Urrr'k who looks to be a female Tusken Raider who is a sniper, Chio Fain--an Ardennian slicer, R9-19 a former Jedi hunter droid, and Dengar (see the whole crew below)! Looks like we're going to have some interesting situations and conversations with this rag-tag group banding together!

     We additionally get introduced to a couple more locations--Yuw in the Dark Quarter (I have NO idea what the Dark Quarter is and I am so crazy intrigued by that name!) and the Fellio Asteroid Belt in the Outer Rim.
     So a great start to a new Vader tale. I think we're in good hands with this one!