Review: A New Side to Greedo in Dark Horse’s ‘Hyperspace Stories’ #6
Hyperspace Stories #6 from Dark Horse hits shelves this week and it is our pleasure to give you a cheeky review for the latest Greedo-sized Star Wars tale. Our preview of the issue went into a little detail on what was to be expected from the story, including the key character, Greedo. Greedo was an interesting choice for an entry in this series, and it is one I do believe is deserved. The luckless bounty hunter, as Hondo Ohnaka once pointed out, is far more famous for his death than his life, both within the Star Wars universe and behind the scenes, as the controversy over “who shot first?” is one of the most iconic of the franchise.
This issue, written by Cecil Castellucci, explores Greedo’s early beginnings working for Jabba the Hutt and expands upon Greedo’s penchant for attracting rotten luck. However, it also shows readers how Greedo deals with his unfortunate situations and gives direct insight into his thought processes.
It reveals him to be hard-working, persistent, and intelligent (if not somewhat naïve). Greedo proves he is an engaging protagonist to follow. Though the main storyline is a somewhat overdone narrative, it is definitely not something I expected in the context of his character. This is because we have only ever seen a very cold-blooded, aggressive Greedo throughout his previous appearances in the universe.
As such, I did not expect to become so attached to the hapless fellow. However, the incredible artist, Eduardo Mello, knew exactly what he was doing with his heart-melting close-ups of Greedo’s adorable shiny Rodian eyes and snout.
From here, there are very minor spoilers ahead, including some new preview images from Dark Horse that are available online. Continue at your own risk!
Greedo develops a sweet infatuation in this issue, revealing a softer side to his character and furthering the reader’s connection with him. Jabba also gets some significant page time, accompanied by a new object of attraction, and as usual, plays his role as sinister, slimy crime lord to perfection.
In a universe entirely circulating around notions of fate, destiny, and the idea that “all is as the Force wills it,” Greedo’s misfortunes in this issue reveal a darker side to the coin; why is the Force so determined against him? Has the universe simply given up on him? He becomes an antithetical shadow of characters like Han Solo, and in many ways, his story is a distorted mirror of Han Solo’s journey in the original trilogy. Whilst I cannot say much without revealing any spoilers, there is a particular relationship that manifests briefly towards the end of the issue, which is reminiscent of that between Han Solo and Chewbacca, and despite the inverted circumstances of its beginnings, is actually very wholesome.
Overall, this issue is one of my personal favourite Greedo stories, and the artwork is truly magnificent, almost forcing readers to care passionately for this character through its charismatic visuals. We also get an adorable cameo fans of The Clone Wars film will enjoy, but I have already said too much!
You can read Hyperspace Stories #6 now wherever comics are sold. Special thank you to Dark Horse Comics for the ARC used in this review.
Rosalie Lambert is a law student from Australia with a deep love for Star Wars, fantasy, and epic stylistic storytelling. Growing up in the country, Rosalie has always loved nature and outdoor activities, and has a passion for human rights and social justice that she wants to work towards in her field of study.
