Lando Calrissian sees the dark side of capitalism in Star Wars: Age Of Rebellion

Cloud City is in the red in the latest Star Wars: Age of Rebellion, but can Lando Calrissian go against his moral code to stay afloat?

Lando Calrissian’s charm knows no bounds, and he’s able to work it with his people on Cloud City in Star Wars: Age Of Rebellion – Lando Calrissian (2019) No. 1 when protests have broken out about wages. But no amount of free drinks and generosity is going to fill Cloud City’s coffers. When Lobot gives Lando, the Baron Administrator of Cloud City, the lowdown on just how bleak the situation is, an irresistible opportunity falls into the former smuggler’s lap.

Star Wars Age Of Rebellion – Lando Calrissian (Credit: Marvel Comics)

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One of the wealthiest people in the galaxy offers Lando the chance to claim a new mining colony for himself – it comes with substantial resources that will keep Cloud City running, as well as a cool new title for Lando. If there’s one thing we know about the Star Wars universe it’s that when a gig’s too easy, it’s bad news. Lando soon finds out that his new operation is little more than trafficking and execution of the native population; can he turn a blind eye to the massacre to save the city he loves so much?

This issue of Star Wars: Age Of Rebellion, is the kind of slice-of-life tale that one would expect from the series. We see another side of Lando, one that was hinted at in the Star Wars films, which is his undying love for Cloud City. The one criticism of this installment is that it misses the opportunity to directly link the story to the films. The denouement could very well have shown the Imperial fleet landing on Cloud City, and readers could have understood why Lando would have made the drastic decision to fall in with Darth Vader given his circumstance.

As the first black main character in Star Wars, Lando’s importance cannot be undermined. In Star Wars: Age Of Rebellion – Lando Calrissian (2019) No. 1, Lando is written as charming and determined, just the way his persona played out on screen in the films. The best part is that the story also touches on the topical conversation about the downside of capitalism and its enduring harm on masses of the population. Issues like this should be addressed in genre fiction, which is perhaps why the rest of Star Wars: Age Of Rebellion has so far been lacking in its execution. While not every story needs to have a message, it does need to be meaningful. Star Wars: Age Of Rebellion – Lando Calrissian (2019) No. 1 is exactly that, while being entertaining, as well.