"War of the Bounty Hunters #3: The Crimson Blade" by Charles Soule

"War of the Bounty Hunters #3: The Crimson Blade" written by Charles Soule, illustrated by Luke Ross with David Messina and Neeraj Menon with Guru-eFX

This issue was SO GOOD!!! A bajillion fantastic quotes that I noted below. All the various storylines playing out simultaneously. Fabulous artwork!! And overall just edge-of-your-seat what in the world is going to happen next intrigue and action!! I am SO IN for this comic crossover event. Every step of the way has been a delight 

We start with Vader laying claim to carbonite-encased Han Solo directly in front of Jabba who just dished out 1 million credits in the auction for the smuggler! Boba in the shadows still thinks of Han as his bounty despite Jabba already having direct access to him. I think someone might have a little bit of an obsession... Yet later Boba makes it very clear to Leia and Lando that all Han is to him is a bounty for a client and that he's hell-bent on making sure that transaction gets seen through to the end. As Boba puts it, "It's a code." Interesting. The funny thing about all this is that Vader swooped in assuming Sly Moore had won the auction and that he was claiming Han as simply a formality...oops on Sly Moore...I wonder what's in store for the poor woman...

Leia gets riled up with everybody treating Han like an object and finally says to Chewie about Boba, "...take him down. But quietly." And then later, Lando says, "Beat his ass, Chewbacca." (see Lando saying this below) Hahaha! The fight between the Wookiee and the bounty hunter is hysterical with each being a match for the other (see below). 

Qi'ra says, "If it comes to it, I know how to handle a Sith Lord." Hmmm...wonder how much fighting practice she did with Maul??? And later she reveals just how much of a bada** she is when she holds up her weapons while saying, "Not everyone here is afraid of you, Darth Vader." (see this gorgeous panel below) As I know from reading the other issues that take place after this, Vader fights her for a while but eventually loses interest for the next shiny thing--Luke Skywalker. Qi'ra is left as an after thought. She may think she's big stuff but not in the grand scheme of things...at least not yet... Yeah, so just a few panels past this, Qi'ra's whining about being talked down to, "Nothing about me is feeble. Nothing!" as she turns her two weapons into one (see below). But then Vader goes into his own Anakin-fueled rage with, "Will anyone else tell me what I cannot do? I will take what I like. I will kill who I like." *cringe* I love me some good whiney Ani but in Vader's suit it feels weird... Everyone just wants to be respected! Lol, I do get that to my soul.

Vader points out that the Hutts have worked closely with the Empire for years and that they hold a special position among the criminal underworld, but that EVERYTHING is the Emperor's in the end. An unnamed Hutt is nonplussed, "You cannot steal from us and call it charity." Dang, dude!! Do you want to be throttled within an inch of your life?? Jabba makes sure to quash this naysayer quickly.

So a truly fun ride through a whirlwind story. And there's still SO much story to go!! I cannot wait!