Longtime fans will surely be hoping that Lucasfilm and the Star Wars franchise will capitalize on the strong reception of Andor as The Mandalorian — Disney+’s flagship series — finally makes its return early next month with season 3. The latter series gave a refreshing look at the vast Star Wars universe through the lens of a gritty amalgamation of the sci-fi and Western genres.
Din Djarin and Grogu’s one-off and overarching bounty hunter-themed adventures show the creativity Star Wars is capable of, but the franchise has similarly engaging exploits off the screen as well. From comic books to novels, bounty hunters and the crime syndicates of the galaxy make for some worthwhile side stories sure to satisfy invested fans of the space opera. From Legends tales from the likes of Dark Horse Comics to mainline Disney-era canon under Marvel Comics, there are several fitting bounty hunter books to prepare for The Mandalorian season 3.
The Mandalorian (2022-present)
Given the groundbreaking success of The Mandalorian when it premiered in 2019, it was only a matter of time before Din Djarin and Grogu’s exploits transitioned to the comic book realm in some form or another. That’s especially so since there is no shortage of supplementary Star Wars tales under Marvel Comics’ publishing.
Star Wars: The Mandalorian won’t be anything new for audiences well-versed in the show, as the ongoing series is a straightforward adaptation of season 1 by writer Rodney Barnes and Georges Jeanty. It begins with the pulpy, Clint Eastwood-like bounty hunter wandering the galaxy for jobs until his fateful encounter with the mysterious child. Nonetheless, this series will make a fine addition to any avid Star Wars fan’s collection, and it’s a faithful and engaging new way to experience one of the best ongoing sci-fi series on TV.
Tales of the Bounty Hunters (1996)
Formerly known as the Star Wars Extended Universe, the Legends continuity features swaths of alternative stories that can vary wildly in terms of quality depending on where you look. However, Tales of the Bounty Hunters was a book that enjoyed strong critical reception in the sci-fi genre back in the mid-to-late ’90s.
The book is an anthology comprised of five short stories, each revolving around the bounty hunters looking to track down Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back. The format proved to be to its advantage, with the various viewpoints making for fascinating storytelling devices. And though it’s non-canon to the main timeline now, Tales of the Bounty Hunters intriguingly fleshes out the characters that were merely background dressing in the movies.