Han and Lando’s Ultimate Team-Up: The Dark Horse Comic You Need to Read

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Han Solo and Lando Calrissian are two interstellar outlaws who, although they’ve occasionally dabbled in dishonesty, have frequently teamed up on various missions. Their rivalry is particularly evident when playing the game sabacc or arguing over the Millennium Falcon, but they function best as a duo, whether maneuvering through the complex web of the Kessel Run or collaborating during the fight against the Second Death Star. However, their most iconic joint venture isn’t broadcast on the holonet; instead, it was published in comic format by Dark Horse Comics, making it a suitable choice for a more refined era – Star Wars: Underworld – Yavin Vassilka.

Hope fuels rebellions, but characters like Han Solo and Lando Calrissian prefer to take calculated risks or sure-fire opportunities. These two questionable individuals have often found themselves, albeit unwillingly, as allies in the Star Wars original trilogy films, as well as in novels such as Timothy Zahn’s “Scoundrels” and “Honor Among Thieves.” The Jedi Archives would need to expand a new wing to house all the Star Wars comics published since Marvel launched the first series in 1977, two months before the movie premiered. Comic book publishers like Marvel, Dark Horse, and IDW have all contributed to the Star Wars saga and its related stories; however, with Disney’s control over Marvel, it has reclaimed the beloved franchise while granting Dark Horse permission to produce series such as “Hyperspace Stories” and “High Republic Adventures.

Back in the glory days of Star Wars, I was part of the team at Dark Horse who brought you “Star Wars: Underworld – Yavin Vassilka”. This comic stood out not just for its intricate plot but also for Carlos Meglia’s breathtaking artwork. His angular, asymmetrical sketches were a feast for the eyes, leaving readers captivated by the story told through the images themselves. Mike Kennedy was the writer, while Carlos was the artist, and we had Dave Stewart, a colorist, who skillfully balanced Meglia’s mesmerizing style. The end product was a visual symphony designed for the printed page, maintaining the essence of Star Wars while venturing into uncharted territories. With a galaxy full of scoundrels and rogues to delve into, Kennedy, Meglia, and Stewart took fans on an exhilarating heist adventure that tested their nerves.

Set prior to the events of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, the story of Star Wars: Underworld – Yavin Vassilka unfolds at Jabba’s establishment on Tatooine, where three lazy Hutt crime lords plot around a holographic dejarik table. They are immersed in their wealth and devising new schemes for amusement. Upon hearing rumors of the legendary Yavin Vassilka, an ancient crystalline statue adorned with Massassi hieroglyphics, Embra, Malta, and Jabba each place bets that they can locate this prize before the others. They enlist groups of three contractors to act as their proxies.

Embra’s team consists of a former protocol droid named 4-LOM, the Gand findsman Zuckuss, Sardu Sallowe, a Tusken-tracker along with his cunning Jawa entourage. Malta’s crew is assembled by his subordinate, Jozzel Moffett, who hires Bossk the saurian, Dengar the Demolisher, and assassin droid IG-88. Unbeknownst to Malta, Jozzel Moffett is secretly working for a mysterious benefactor known as The Collector and has plans to double-cross the crime lord.

Jabba’s Twi’lek steward, Bib Fortuna hires Captain Han Solo and his companion Chewbacca, while the Rodian miscreant Greedo tags along after discovering the bounty. Boba Fett is covertly employed by manipulative Jabba to influence the game, and as it seems, most other bounty hunters agree, to eliminate Solo, although Boba Fet remains detached as usual.

Lando Calrissian unwittingly disrupts the proceedings once the chase begins, hiding aboard the Falcon after witnessing Boba Fett stalking the spaceport.

In the city of Crevasse on the planet Kalkovak, located in the Mid Rim, and extending across Mon Calamari, a water-world, and into the uncharted territories of Wild Space beyond the Outer Rim, an amusing, high-stakes chase for a legendary artifact known as Vassilka unfolds. This five-issue limited series is rich in Star Wars history, featuring iconic spaceships such as the Falcon and Boba Fett’s notorious vessel, alongside intriguing representations of various alien species like the Quarren, Trandoshans, and Wookiees. Notably, Garindan ezz Zavor, also known as Long Snoot—the Kubaz who betrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker in Mos Eisley—makes a special appearance. This series is a must for Star Wars enthusiasts!

First published by Dark Horse Comics in 2000 and now re-released under Marvel’s license on Marvel Unlimited, “Star Wars: Underworld – Yavin Vassilka” is a must-read for dedicated Star Wars enthusiasts, particularly appreciating its gritty artwork.

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2025-05-01 18:19