Why Cobb Vanth Creator Chuck Wendig Was Bummed About The Character's Book Of Boba Fett Appearance
"The Mandalorian" is a fantastic melding of "Star Wars," classic Western tropes, and old-school samurai films. That strength continued into "The Book of Boba Fett," where the fan-favorite bounty hunter had the chance to show off everything he could do. The answers to that specific inquiry boiled down to "get beat up," "be a poor crime boss," and "ride a rancor."
One of the highlights of the show, outside of the return of Din Djarin and Grogu, was the return of another side character from "The Mandalorian," Cobb Vanth. The character played by Timothy Olyphant runs across the paths of The Mandalorian and Boba Fett as the self-proclaimed sheriff of Mos Pelgo, later renamed Freetown in "The Book of Boba Fett." The man once known as The Marshal came into possession of Boba Fett's Mandalorian armor, and he made a great addition to the "Star Wars" universe. In the role, Olyphant turns on his "Justified" charm, easily nailing Vanth down as a lone lawman that wanted to protect his small bit of Tatooine and the people who call it home. It's a fun spin on familiar Western concepts.
What might surprise some fans is that Vanth wasn't a creation of "The Mandalorian." Instead, Vanth first appeared in another "Star Wars" work.
Rebuilding in the Aftermath
The first appearance of Cobb Vanth in "Star Wars" canon was the novel "Star Wars: Aftermath," and its subsequent sequels "Aftermath Life Debt" and "Aftermath Empire's End." All three novels were written by Chuck Wendig, who was given leeway to add to the "Star Wars" universe canon. The trilogy of books is set shortly after the end of 1983's "Return of the Jedi" and focuses on the events between that film and "The Force Awakens."
Vanth wasn't a main character in the trilogy, though. Instead, he appeared primary in interlude chapters spread out amongst the books. The tale shows Vanth as a slave who breaks free and incites a rebellion against a local mining collective backed by the fearsome Red Key Raiders. It also includes a scene where Vanth purchases Boba Fett's armor from some Jawas.
The character was one of Chuck Wendig's bigger additions to the "Star Wars" mythology, and it stands as one of the few that's made the transition to live-action. But unfortunately, fans watching Cobb Vanth on TV may not have realized this.
Credit where credit is due
Sadly, that transition was not marked with pure joy on the part of Vanth's creator. Instead, Wendig took to Twitter to express his disappointment over the inclusion. Despite Vanth's key role in "Star Wars" television, Wendig hasn't received any credit for the character's creation. The author cheekily noted in a tweet back in February:
"I always dig it when big media properties have a special thanks for the writers and creators who contributed to their worlds and stories, and it's a bummer when they don't do that, and I bring this up for absolutely no reason at all and I will almost certainly delete this tweet."
It's not the first time that a Disney property has been under fire for not properly crediting a creator. Writer Joe Casey recently said that Marvel Studios' compensation for co-creating America Chavez, who is appearing in the upcoming "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," was a "pittance." Previously, writer Ed Brubaker admitted that he felt "f***ed over" for his creation of the Winter Soldier, who went on to headline "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" and has been a key part of the "Captain America" and "Avengers" franchises.
Wendig isn't asking for more money for his role in creating Vanth, simply a credit or special thanks. Even if the work is for-hire, a little acknowledgment can go a long way. Perhaps Wendig will get that credit when the Cobb Vanth Disney+ series comes out. It's gonna happen! Right, Disney?!