Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #54

Hi there,

It's time for me to recap the fifty-fourth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars comic. The cover showed Princess Leia and Lord Aron fleeing from Imperial General Sk'Ar and his Stormtrooper legion. It's a bright cover, but aside from Sk'ar, there isn't much detail to any of the other characters on it. The story was named "Starfire Rising!" The issue had a cover date of December 1981.

The tale began where the previous issue left off. Aron had been captured by large Stormtroopers and brought to Sk'ar's headquarters along with Leia. The Empire had plans for taking over this planet as they'd done to many others in the galaxy. Leia was soon tossed into the room after enduring an interrogation. They were surprised to see Aron's longtime ally Delois at Sk'ar's side. The heroes then learned of the turncoat's true intentions. 

It wasn't all that long ago that Leia, Aron, and many of the world's citizens had been celebrating the first anniversary of their signing of the concordat of peace. Sk'ar planned to decimate its peaceful populace with an antimatter bomb. From the ashes they hoped would arise a more subservient populace, one that was loyal to the Empire.

Sk'ar ordered his prisoners to be taken to a holding area until his return. Leia and Aron fought their captors, and Organa was engaged in a knife fight with an Imperial commander at one point. While Aron struggled to free himself, he saw the officer's knife find its mark and heard Leia emit a painful sigh. He broke his chains and rushed to his companion, to find that it was her foe who had perished. Leia was stunned by watching her opponent's life fade from his eyes.

A little while later, they boarded a flier and set off in pursuit of Sk'ar's ship. They caught up with it before very long, but the smaller craft was no match for Imperial TIE fighters. The duo made a strafing run before jumping on board Sk'ar's vessel. There, they fought off even more Imperial forces.

Leia reached the bomb's controls and attempted to defuse it. She was struck from behind by Delois, who was then countered by Luke Skywalker. Leia was glad to see her fellow Rebel. After knocking Delois unconscious, he ran to her aid. She'd suffered a minor wound, but needed to concentrate on the task at hand. 

Luke went to join the fray, along with Aron's colleague Keral Longknife and Chewbacca, who had been dropped off from the Millennium Falcon. Lando was piloting the Falcon and found a landing spot, moments before crossing paths with Sk'ar. The Imperial was using a personal force shield, which made Lando's blaster attack ineffective. 

Leia finally defused the bomb and ran into Luke's arms to celebrate. Lando noticed that Sk'ar was escaping in another ship, but a gun mount tossed by Chewie destroyed the craft and seemingly ended the threat for the moment. Several days later, the palace was welcoming its heroes before the start of another celebration.

Somewhere in the back of the crowd, R2-D2 had received important news. C-3PO relayed its urgency to Chewbacca, who made his way through the throng of people gathered to notify Lando that an Imperial Star Destroyer had just entered the system and was headed toward the planet. As the Falcon soared into action to meet the challenge, Leia pondered the possibility that this could spell doom for the people she'd gotten to know since her shuttle crashlanded there (in the last issue).

Luke and Leia took to the gun turrets to take out incoming TIEs, but they weren't out of the woods just yet. The fighters were leading them right into the Star Destroyer's path. The Falcon was between the Imperial ship and a black hole. Luke yanked Lando from the pilot's seat and took over.

Skywalker used his knowledge of the Force to guide their ship carefully around and past the black hole. The Star Destroyer that followed them was not as lucky. The larger craft was slowly disintegrating as its crew realized, too late, that they could not evade it. 

Lando congratulated Luke on a job well done but warned him never to pull a stunt like that again. Luke was drained because of the exertion the task required and from his empathy for the people on board the enemy ship who had just lost their lives. As they departed, Luke told Leia she could have remained behind on Shiva if she wanted. She refused that offer, stating that she was the Princess of Alderaan and would continue to be that to the very end. Luke understood, noting that he'd be right by her side. 

I felt like the conclusion to this storyline was a bit rushed. They could have easily pushed this to three issues and provided more background on Aron, his planet, and his family and friends. I guess if we wanted to know more, we'd just have to revisit writer Chris Claremont's issues of Marvel's John Carter, Warlord of Mars issues that he scripted, since these characters were loosely based on some of the central figures in those issues. Because of their contractual issues with Lucasfilm, I knew that Marvel wasn't about to let Leia remain on Shiva, but it's a pity that Aron and his comrades weren't included in any other stories going forward.

Well, that's it for this article. Next time, I'll summarize the fifty-fifth issue of this series. This is another popular tale that was also later adapted for a book and record. Leia, Chewbacca, and the droids are part of a Rebel caravan that lands on a world that might become the next Rebel base. However, it has a secret that could endanger that possibility. We'll also see where Lando headed following the events covered in this blog post. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #53

Happy Friday, everyone,

Today's topic is the fifty-third issue of Marvel's first Star Wars series. The cover showed Princess Leia Organa being carried off by a Stormtrooper in the foreground, while another trooper brought a different person up a ladder extended from a TIE bomber. The tale was titled "The Last Gift From Alderaan!" The issue had a cover date of November 1981.

The story began aboard a Rebel ship, where Leia looked at an image of her homeworld, Alderaan, a planet that no longer existed thanks to the Empire. She thought back to her home, wondering what her parents were doing right before their world was obliterated. Leia wasn't there because she'd been sent to find Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Knight who'd served her father during the Clone Wars, to help their cause. Unfortunately, her ship was captured, and she became a prisoner of Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin.

Tarkin grew weary of Leia's refusals to admit where the Rebel base was, and decided to test the destructive power of their Death Star on Alderaan. Leia was forced to watch in horror as the only home she'd ever known was blown to bits. Her reminiscing was broken up by Captain Chedaki's arrival to inform her that the ship had entered the planet Shiva's atmosphere. 

The Alliance was concerned about this system because there had been an unusual amount of traffic to and from it, and because the Empire was interested in it. Leia and Chedaki moved to a shuttle and strapped in moments before an explosion rocked the vessel. First Officer Roak ordered an investigation and learned that very minute anti-matter bombs had caused the damage. He had no choice but to cut the shuttle loose.

Chedaki perished in the explosion, but Leia was still inside. She closed the hatch and manually released the shuttle, sending it toward the planet Shiva below. Leia hoped that her act saved the larger ship, but had a small chance of landing the shuttle successfully.

A while later, several Shiva natives congregated. These warriors were about to enjoy a meal when they heard a commotion. They rushed to help a lone woman who'd been encircled by an outcast raiding party. led by Aron the Peacebringer. The quartet was soon victorious, and the attackers fled in fear. Leia joined her saviors as they boarded a flier and headed toward their city.

Along the way, Leia tried to learn their language. She recognized a blue flame called the Cherenkov effect and used hand signals to convey its danger. Aron understood, and they took a different route home. Little did he know that his longtime comrade Delois was plotting to overthrow him and take over all he'd held dear.

Weeks went by, and things seemed quite peaceful. Aron conferred with his wife, Alisande, before their gala to celebrate the first anniversary of their signing of the Concordat of Peace. Aron had talked to Leia since their first meeting and had reason to believe what she had to say. He was sympathetic to her cause, and his feelings for her had grown stronger over time.

At the ceremony, Leia danced with Delois for a time before running off, visibly upset. Aron went after her and learned that she'd been thinking about those lost in her world. He told her of the young child he and his wife had lost, after he and the child both contracted the same disease. Aron survived, but the child was not as fortunate. 

Moments later, the duo was struck from above by giant Stormtroopers. They were knocked out and taken to a waiting TIE bomber. Havero rushed out to the balcony minutes later, but found it empty. He thought he'd heard the princess cry out. She and Aron were missing, although he'd been watching the only exit and didn't see either of them leave. He decided to inform Alisande and the war council.

Meanwhile, Aron was in shackles, the prisoner of Imperial Stormtroopers. He soon met their leader, an alien named Sk'ar, who was a general in the Imperial Strike Force. He looked forward to taking over the seemingly primitive planet, not knowing that Aron and his allies would fight them tooth and nail.

This story makes more sense if you know that writer Chris Claremont also wrote several issues of Marvel's monthly John Carter, Warlord of Mars title (a series that I'll eventually cover here at some point). Aron, Keral, Pavero, Delois, Alisande, and the outlaws are somewhat similar to some of the characters portrayed in those stories. This was one of the first Star Wars comics I ever had, and I enjoyed the story. The art team of Carmine Infantino, Walt Simonson, Alan Kupperberg, and Tom Palmer worked very well together to craft the first part of this story. 

Next time, I'll cover the fifty-fourth issue of this series. The conclusion of this storyline will show what happened to Aron and his people as they finally faced the threat of the Empire. We'll also learn Leia's fate and the role that she played in the planet's resistance. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #52

Good morning all,

It's time for me to summarize the events that occurred in the fifty-second issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. The cover, drawn by Walt Simonson, shows a larger-than-life image of Darth Vader in the background, as Vader's TIE fighter is attacking the Millennium Falcon in the foreground, in a scene that's somewhat reminiscent of the iconic battle during the initial Star Wars film. The story was called "To Take The Tarkin." The issue had a publication date of October 1981.

The tale began inside the Empire's new superstation, known as the Tarkin, named for the late Grand Moff who was in charge of Imperial operations on the Death Star. Unbeknownst to most of the crew, five members of the Rebel Alliance had infiltrated their stronghold: namely, Chewbacca, C-3PO, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, and R2-D2. The plucky astrodroid was wary of the Stormtrooper guards watching over the section they'd just entered.

When asked for identification, Leia pulled out her blaster from a uniform pocket, moments after a trooper's scanner identified a proton grenade on Luke's person. After eliminating the guards, they agreed to separate to accomplish their tasks and meet up at the escape pods afterward. Luke and Leia went their own ways, and Chewbacca opted to team up with the droids.

Their activity was swiftly reported to Darth Vader, who was on the Tarkin's bridge. He seemed unconcerned by the incident, knowing that Luke had arrived. He instructed the officer who informed him to add more guards along possible escape routes. He maintained his order (given in the last issue) to keep security away from the main reactor. That was a sector the Dark Lord would see to personally. 

Colonel Nord silently agreed before departing. He used a lift to descend a few levels before reaching a rarely used maintenance area, which now served as a meeting place for him and other Imperial officers who were actively plotting against their commander. They figured that now was the time to strike, while Vader was obsessed with the Rebel who'd destroyed the first Death Star.

Back on the planet Hockaleg (where the Rebels landed and boarded a shuttle to the Tarkin in issue #51), Lando Calrissian was making his way out of one of Han Solo's hidden smuggling compartments. He was just getting settled when he noticed a squad of Stormtroopers coming his way to inspect the ship.

On the Tarkin, a conversation between several troopers who were guarding a tractor beam generator was interrupted by Artoo's arrival. Threepio explained that they'd been sent to repair the generator. One soldier insisted that no work was necessary on the brand-new equipment. Threepio insisted there was, aided in his argument by Chewbacca's brute force. A scuffle ensued, and during the fight, Chewie threw one of the Stormtroopers headlong into the generator, destroying it. 

Meanwhile, Leia made her way to the escape pods, only to find herself suddenly surrounded by a quartet of Stormtroopers. She obligingly dropped her pistol, but grabbed for the blaster rifles that were in the hands of the two soldiers behind her, who surprisingly blasted their fellow guards in front of them. She then took out the remaining Stormtroopers before rushing off in search of Luke, now that their escape route had been cut off. 

As for Skywalker, he was venturing down an open hall, not knowing that Vader was waiting for him in an adjacent sector. Their locations were pinpointed on the ship's bridge, where Colonel Nord decided to take action and open the closest airlock, hoping it would send the Dark Lord out into space. 

The incoming atmospheric winds played havoc on the corridor's occupants. Luke accidentally let go of the proton grenade that he'd been carrying, and it bounced off Vader's helmet before exiting the vessel. Skywalker used his bionic right hand to grab hold of the handle of a freight lift before pulling himself inside. Vader held onto the airlock doors and forced himself inside. He then manually shut the lock before promising Nord that he'd deal with him later. 

By that time, Leia had gone further inside the Imperial station. She now found herself in an area she wasn't immediately familiar with. A quick scan indicated that she was at the ion cannon mechanism, the same weapon that had been used to destroy her homeworld of Alderaan. 

A little while later, she radioed Threepio. He, Artoo, and Chewbacca soon rejoined her right above a docking bay. They still weren't able to contact Luke. Leia tried to reach him one more time and learned that Skywalker had been hearing her all this time, but that he was pinned down by Stormtroopers attacking from the section in front of him. Upon hearing that news, Artoo rushed to the nearest terminal to inform the central computer that there was a fire in the section, causing the blast doors to close in front of Luke's attackers, and a spray of fire-retardant foam to spray down on the frustrated Imperials.

Meanwhile, on Hockaleg, Lando was greeting the trooper patrol. They were distracted from their inspection by Lando's offering of a bag containing a substantial amount of a valuable spice. The troopers let Lando carry on, not knowing at the time that the pouch contained nothing but slime yeast from the ship's stores. 

Artoo's diversion was enough for Luke to rejoin the group. He apologized for losing the grenade, but Leiace was more concerned about how they were going to escape. Luke had an idea.

Moments later, an item dropped from above. Someone yelled that it was a grenade, which sent crew members scurrying to safety. That gave the Rebels enough time to board a transport and take off. A little while later, a Stormtrooper realized that the "bomb" was just a pair of comlinks that had been tied together.

Vader sent a pair of TIEs to follow the stolen ship, which had no defensive weapons of its own. Things looked a bit grim for the heavier ship until its pursuers were blasted out of the sky by the Falcon. Lando invited the crew aboard before Vader opted to investigate in his own fighter.

It didn't take long for Vader's TIE to come up behind the Falcon. Luke told Lando to take the ship beyond some large machines up ahead, which allowed him to release the ship's water supply, which quickly froze upon entering space, and created a blockade that Vader's ship couldn't evade in time.

Vader's TIE crashed into the icy meteors, but it was soon reported that he was still alive. On board the Tarkin, a command was given to activate the ionic cannon. Things were tense for several moments until the Tarkin exploded.

The Rebels on board the Falcon witnessed its destruction in awe. No one breathed a sigh of relief until Leia revealed that its destruction was caused by her. She explained that she'd recognized the cannon controls as being the same as the ones from the Death Star schematics. While in that section, she simply switched a couple of wires to cause the malfunction upon firing. They were thankful that Lando had come to their rescue and set a course for home after a successful mission. 

I remember buying this issue at the local mini-mart in my hometown after being mesmerized by its cover, around the time that my mom was due with my baby brother. I dove into its pages and found myself on edge after every page. I was old enough to appreciate the humor (like the conversations with the Stormtroopers and the fake bomb), which was something that the title hadn't had much of before then. It's still one of my favorite issues and storylines from this series. 

That's all I have for now. Next time, I'll discuss the fifty-third issue of this series. Old and new creative teams from this book combine along with  Uncanny X-Men scripter Chris Claremont on the first part of a story that concentrates on Leia. The princess embarks on a mission to help the Rebellion, only to find herself lost on a world that is much unlike anything she's ever experienced, except for the persistent threat that's already pervaded most of the galaxy. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #51

Hi there,

It's time for me to talk about the fifty-first issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. The cover, drawn by Walt Simonson, showed Luke Skywalker using his blaster pistol against an advancing Imperial Scout Walker. The tale was titled "Resurrection of Evil." The issue had a cover date of September 1981.

The story started with the Rebel fleet. Ships were tracking the return of Captain Maraba Tev's X-Wing Fighter. The captain was returning from a dangerous spy mission in the Patriim system, and technicians were concerned when the fighter overshot the docking bay. Magnetic grapples were deployed to reel the ship in, but it still wasn't responding.

The crew had no choice but to shoot the foils away and reel in what was left. It didn't take long for the crew to find the captain dead in his pilot chair, still clutching a message canister. Afterward, General Rieekan announced to his fellow senior Alliance officers that the information Tev brought back was enough of a concern to recall several key members of the Rebellion.

Elsewhere, on a lush jungle planet, Princess Leia Organa and C-3PO were examining their surroundings to determine if it would suffice as a new Rebel base of operations. One potential problem was the presence of Gundarks. A pair of the creatures briefly separated the heroes, who then fled after the beasts' tongues were literally tied together in a brief skirmish. As they entered orbit, they learned of Rieekan's orders recalling them back to base, and set their return course.

Not far away, Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 were investigating another world. Luke noticed a communications beacon mere moments before he was fired upon by a Scout Walker (a two-legged version of the All Terrain Armored Transport, also referred to as a "chicken walker" because of its size and gait). The walker cut Luke off from his X-Wing and put the Rebel hero between it and an AT-AT. 

Imperial Major Kuhru was guiding the larger Walker. He informed the driver that Darth Vader had wanted a live prisoner for interrogation, but that their immediate concern was to destroy his ship. However, the smaller fighter was protected by an energy shield. Proton grenades distracted the scout walker, who rushed to defend the communications beacon per the major's orders.

When the smaller walker drew near, Luke brandished his lightsaber and cut one of its legs, causing it to topple face-first into the planetary muck. He then rushed to his X-Wing and evaded the AT-AT's fire before exiting the atmosphere. Artoo had been waiting in the ship and received Rieekan's message requiring their immediate return. The AT-AT was left behind with nothing to do but keep driving forward.

In yet another part of the galaxy, Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca were following a ship piloted by the alien mercenary Shem-Lern in the hopes that he might be able to lead them to their comrade, Han Solo (who was last seen in the custody of the bounty hunter Boba Fett in issue #44). Lando received Rieekan's summons and started to change course. Chewie protested, but eventually consented after hearing Calrissian out. By the time that happened, the alien's vessel had already escaped into the asteroid belt ahead of them.

A while later, on one of the Rebel command ships, Rieekan addressed the heroes he'd recalled. He explained that they'd just received information that the Empire was building a massive weapon in space known as the Tarkin. It had the potential to be even more destructive than the Death Star. Because of that, he wanted the assistance of the people he knew who had been on the Death Star and survived. 

On Darth Vader's Super Star Destroyer, the Sith Lord was engaged in a debriefing with Major Kuhru. Vader was furious because he'd chosen the communications beacon over the opportunity to imprison a member of the Rebel Alliance. He suggested through the force that the commander take a walk, which he did in a halting manner. Another officer then reported to Vader that an airlock had opened and closed by itself, which Vader suggested was due to a faulty mechanism.

Rieekan's plans were being announced at the same time on the Rebel command ship. Lando felt a bit left out afterward. A while later, the Falcon landed on the planet Hockaleg, where crew members gathered before being assigned to duties aboard the new Imperial space station. Leia got the attention of a pair of them, who happened to be wearing the duty uniforms that she and Luke needed.

After a little persuasion by Chewbacca, the uniforms were quickly put on, and the quintet made their way to the shuttle bay. Luke used the Force to convince the Stormtrooper on duty that the five of them were indeed on the manifest. As they approached the massive complex, visions of prior conflicts and previous fears surfaced. 

After the Rebels left the shuttle, we saw Vader speaking to Captain Voal, who was confused by his leader's orders to remove all security personnel from the main power reactor area. The Sith Lord was confident that Skywalker was walking into a trap. Little did he suspect that Voal was one of a handful of men who were plotting against him and intended to eliminate the Emperor's right-hand man. 

This was the first Star Wars issue written by David Michelinie. This run with artists Walt Simonson and Tom Palmer is still my favorite from the series. All of the creative personnel took the franchise seriously, and I enjoyed all of the plot points from this storyline. This was the second issue of the title that I ever bought, and the story and artwork reeled me in immediately. I read this issue many times over, while eagerly awaiting what would happen next. 

If you want to learn what happened, tune in tomorrow, when I'll recap the fifty-second issue of this series. We'll see what the Rebels did while onboard the Tarkin, and the culmination of Vader and the rogue Imperials' plans. We'll also see what Lando did after being snubbed by his associates. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #50

Good afternoon all,

Today's topic is the fiftieth issue of the first Star Wars comic book series. The cover, beautifully drawn by inker Tom Palmer, showed R2-D2, C-3PO, Princess Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, and Lando Calrissian in the foreground, with images of Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi, Yoda, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, and a squadron of Imperial Stormtroopers in the background. The first part of this story was called "The Crimson Forever!" The issue had a cover date of August 1981.

The tale began somewhere in the galaxy, as the Millennium Falcon was being attacked by incoming Imperial TIE (twin ion engine) fighters. Chewie was piloting the ship while Lando was occupying one of its gun turrets in an effort to hold off the smaller ships. Just when things looked grim, the Falcon was saved by a Rebel blockade runner. 

Leia was aboard the larger vessel and informed the Falcon's crew that they were seeking their assistance on a task that was at the time deemed to be more important than the search for Solo. A while later, both ships entered the atmosphere of the planet Golrath. The volcanic world was being utilized as a temporary base for the Rebellion following the battle of Hoth.

After landing near the magma smelting plant, Lando, Chewie, and Leia made their way toward the medical quarters. Outside, Threepio and Artoo were fretting over the fate of their master, Luke. Skywalker was being attended to by the medical droid 2-1B. Leia explained to Lando that Luke had been afflicted by something called the Crimson Forever.

She went on to explain just what had happened since the Falcon's absence. Luke led his squad on a patrol when they came across an Imperial Star Destroyer that was just floating in space. Artoo detected no life forms on board the Imperial craft, so they decided to investigate. Inside, they came across several crew members' bodies lying around, with their skin turned a bright shade of red. 

Luke ordered the use of survival helmets or breath masks moments before one of his pilots discovered a large red gem that had tumbled out of a carbonite canister. The pilot immediately started feeling ill, and an evacuation began soon thereafter. Skywalker opted to leave the Star Destroyer just as it was, in the hopes that it might still hold some clues.

Unfortunately, Luke was the only one of the pilots from his group to have survived thus far. Leia thought that his knowledge of the Force might still be keeping him alive. It was definite that the jewel was the source of the affliction, and as we soon found out, it was something that Chewbacca had seen before. 

As Leia was begging her Wookiee friend for more information, Skywalker was engaged in a sort of trance. He saw visions of Vader and received advice from his mentors, Yoda and Kenobi, as he engaged in a rematch with the Dark Lord of the Sith. They reminded him to focus on what was real and what wasn't, after he expressed doubts regarding what they'd told him about his father's identity.

The second part was Chewbacca's story, a flashback named "Rage of the Red Nebula!" It happened not that long ago, as Han and Chewie were returning from a mission for the Rebellion, when they found the Falcon under attack by a pair of Star Destroyers. Solo plotted coordinates for a safer destination, and their ship emerged from hyperspace outside a world called Terminus, which was known around the galaxy as a hub for shipping various items.

They set the Falcon down using stolen credentials and set out for a bar minutes later, when they were ambushed from behind. When Han and Chewie woke, they found themselves in chains, prisoners on a ship called the Nova Prince. They were bound for the Red Nebula, which was in a relatively unknown portion of the galaxy.

A humanoid named Klysk appeared in a hologram, stating that he was a representative of those who owned the ship. He explained that they were searching for great rewards that would be shared with their captive crew if they worked hard. He then gave a demonstration of what happens to those who disobey by shocking Han with a mild electric charge. 

They were then shown an image of the prize, which would be worth a ton of credits. Han guessed correctly that Klysk had been to the Red Nebula before, and that they would need help navigating through the comets and meteors from planets and stars that had exploded long ago. Solo got the ship to their destination safely, and they landed and disembarked moments later.

The temple that contained the treasure looked to be untouched, unlike most of their surroundings. Klysk's captives were free to keep any other valuables they noticed along the way. Han and Chewie led the charge past laser cannons to the temple, where they were met by a temple priest (who looked very similar to Klysk).

It was rather naive to assume that the red jewels would not be guarded, as evidenced by some of Han's fellow mercenaries, who were attacked by a large, blue, hairy beast. Han was able to obtain the jewels while the creature was preoccupied with Chewbacca, whom it saw as a cub. A while later, Han returned to Klysk's ship, where he handed over the treasure before being abandoned on the planet.

Solo was then reunited with the temple priest, who led him to an underground chamber with a scope that allowed them to track the departing ship. It collided with the planet's sun, vaporizing all on board. Han then admitted that he'd only given Klysk a pair of stones before leading him to the area of the woods where he'd left the jewels.

Only one of the gems was still there. The priest feared that another one of the pirates had purloined the other, which was a concern because there was a danger involved in separating them. The culprit was lying a few yards away, and the priest said he was able to undo the damage he'd incurred.

The duo then returned to the temple, where Chewie was still being fawned over by the creature. A while later, the priest provided a ship for them to leave in peace. Threepio had just finished translating Chewbacca's story when a Rebel soldier informed the group that Luke had succumbed to the Crimson Forever. 

The third and final part of this story was called "Against the Scarlet Night!" Leia, Lando, and Chewie set off in the Falcon for the Red Nebula. One other ship was detected as they exited hyperspace, which Chewbacca thought might have been Boba Fett's fighter, the Slave I. He dreamed about what he'd do to the bounty hunter before they came across the vessel, which was a damaged House of Taage mining explorer.

After finding a docking bay, Lando and Leia donned spacesuits and entered the craft. Inside, they found more dead crew members, all with the telltale signs of being afflicted by the Crimson Forever. They were about to venture further into the ship when the bounty hunter IG-88 held them at gunpoint. He took the Rebels to his employer, the lady Domina Taage.

Domina was happy to learn of Luke's fate, since she held him and Darth Vader responsible for her brother Orman's death (as seen in issue #37). She explained that she'd heard about the Red Nebula from spies, and her ship blasted away at its surface while her hired bounty hunters took the jewels and the priest who'd been guarding them. 

The priest eventually divulged what he knew about the gems' power, not long before the Taage ship was attacked by a Star Destroyer. Imperial Stormtroopers squared off against the bounty hunters, but the priest managed to free one of the gems from its sealed canister during the struggle before expiring. Domina sealed off her part of the ship before the malady could affect them. 

Lando took off his helmet, claiming that he'd contracted the Crimson Forever. That ruse was enough to scare Domina, IG-88, 4-LOM, Bossk, and Dengar. It gave him and Leia the opening they needed to escape. They departed in the Falcon, before thinking things through. 

Some time later, both ships reconvened near the Star Destroyer that we saw in the first part of this issue. Domina and Leia's factions agreed to let the gems be reunited. 2-1B was correct in noting that the virus could be fatal to those trying to fight off its effects. However, we soon saw Luke alive and well, presumably because of his guidance from the Force.

Both groups later left peacefully. They had no love for Domina, but Lando told her hirelings that because she'd committed acts against the Empire, the Imperials might offer a reward for information regarding her whereabouts. It was a proposition that the mercenaries were intrigued by. 

The first and third parts of this script were illustrated by Walt Simonson and Tom Palmer. The middle part was drawn by Al Williamson, who drew the Star Wars newspaper strip for several years and embellished The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi comic book adaptations with Carlos Garzon. This was the last appearance of any of the Taage family members until Marvel reacquired the license about ten years ago. Domina has since made most of her appearances in the Doctor Aphra books. It was also the last appearance of 4-LOM in this series, although he and his partner Zuckuss would play key roles in the recent Bounty Hunters comics.

The Crimson Forever story is a well-loved part of this series' history. It wouldn't be the only appearance of Golrath, and most of the bounty hunters returned in another pre-ROTJ storyline. The only questions I had afterward were if Klysk and the temple priest were of the same species since they looked so similar, and what happened to the large blue temple guardian after the Taage ship devastated its planet. The last part of this tale felt a bit rushed, but I still felt that things were wrapped up adequately.

That's all I have for now. Next time, I'll discuss the fifty-first issue of this series. A new writer will join Simonson and Palmer as they embark upon a new two-part story. The first segment shows the Rebels pursuing their previous goals, and a new, powerful threat posed by the Empire. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #49

Good Monday afternoon, everyone,

It's time for me to summarize the forty-ninth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. The cover was a collage of images drawn by Walt Simonson. They included a female Imperial commander, a pair of new characters, a Y-Wing fighter, and Luke Skywalker with his lightsaber drawn, ready to defend an unconscious Princess Leia Organa beside him, all with a galactic background. The tale was titled "The Last Jedi!" The issue had a cover date of July 1981.

The story started with a Y-Wing traveling to a planet that had been transmitting a distress signal. C-3PO, R2-D2, Leia, and Luke were aboard the Rebel fighter, which soon landed on the planet. Luke was the first person off the ship, and the only resistance he encountered was a massive beast that came trudging through the forest behind him. He instinctively activated his lightsaber, only to find that the monster's flesh sealed instantly behind the cut his blade had made.

He was about to advise Leia to use her blaster when the alien was destroyed by a blast from a magnetic polarization ray that had been fired by Prince Denid. Denid was the rightful heir to the throne on the planet Velmor, and it was his distress signal that the Rebellion had detected. Denid and his late love left their homeworld after its palace had been stormed by Imperial sympathizers. Denid's brother sided with the Empire and remained on Velmor.

Denid's ship crashed on the planet, and the accident took the life of his beloved Loren. Denid lived with Jedidah, a humanoid who was once recruited to the Jedi cause but rejected them. He rushed to defend Denid during the mob's attack on the palace on Velmor and was struck by falling debris during the conflict. As a result, his mind fixated on that former dream of becoming a Jedi Knight. 

After Luke set a detonator to destroy the signal beacon, Denid and Jedidah boarded the Y-Wing and joined its crew on their journey to Velmor. As they entered hyperspace, they noticed another ship exiting hyperspace at the same time. The ship arrived just in time to interrupt the coronation of Denid's brother Anod as ruler.

Leia and Luke exited the fighter in disguise. Leia took on the guise of Denid's late love, Loren, while Luke assumed the identity of the fictional bounty hunter Korl Marcus. The landing party was met by Anod and his staff, as well as the visiting Imperial dignitary, Captain Traal, who gave them a less-than-warm welcome. 

Security scans confirmed Denid's identity, while Leia claimed that her records were destroyed when Alderaan blew up. Traal was naturally skeptical of the new arrivals, but kept quiet for the moment. Later on, at a banquet, Anod engaged Marcus in an energy sword battle. The weapons were similar to lightsabers, so Luke was able to successfully defend himself, although he was surprised by his opponent's skill.

Luke learned of Denid's intention to wed Leia as he was grabbed lightly by Traal to have a private conversation. The Imperial captain asked the bounty hunter to eliminate Denid and his betrothed and offered him double whatever fee Denid was paying. She wanted to move up in the Imperial ranks, apparently by any means necessary. Afterward, Traal confided in her associates that the bounty hunter would take out the prince, and then they would take out Marcus.

Traal was in allegiance with Anod, who wanted to be the only one who could make a claim to the throne. After speaking with the Imperial, Anod received a communique from a subordinate confirming that they'd traced the signal Denid had sent, but that he'd already been claimed by another pilot, one who was in the palace as they spoke. Anod demoted the lackey before ending the call. He'd been ruling Velmor for 20 years and was not going to give up his position any time soon.

Luke was about to inform Leia of his interlude with Traal when he noticed that she and Denid were locked in an embrace, shown in shadows through the curtains that they were standing in front of. He decided to inform her the next day, just before the coronation games were about to begin. Participants took to their steeds before the prey known as Mrids were released. After whispering to Leia, Luke rode off in another direction before coming across her and Denid resting later on. 

Traal arrived next to Luke, and the young Jedi was about to take the opportunity to discuss their "arrangement" further before he was fired upon by Anod and his men. Luke and Leia's cover was blown during the ensuing battle, and Traal made Skywalker her immediate target.

After distancing himself from his foes, Luke reached out with the Force to contact Jedidah, who answered his summons. Anod caught up with Skywalker, and the duo began another swordfight. This time, Luke proved to be far superior. However, Jedidah went after Traal but was mortally wounded during their scuffle.

Luke knocked the Imperial out following his battle and carried his friend's body back to the castle. A while later, Leia, Luke, and the droids said their goodbyes as they prepared to depart. Velmor was thankful for their assistance and was willing to give up Leia to the Rebellion.

Before entering hyperspace, Luke launched a smaller vessel containing Jedidah's body. He stood for a moment to honor his fallen friend. He admired his bravery as a true Jedi, knowing that the Force would always be with him. 

It's an odd coincidence that the title of this story is the same as that of the eighth movie in the Star Wars franchise. This was the first time that penciller Walt Simonson and inker Tom Palmer teamed up on this book, and their run is still my favorite from this title. Writer Mike Barr, who's best known for his work on DC and Star Trek comics, did a good job of portraying an underrated hero in Jedidah and of exploring the familiar concept of sibling rivalry. 

That's it for this article. Next up is the landmark fiftieth issue. Archie Goodwin, Al Williamson, Simonson, and Palmer combine on a double-length story that starts with the Rebels' search for another planet for their base, and features the return of a few familiar characters, including a tale from Han Solo's past. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #48

Hello there,

It's time for me to discuss the forty-eighth issue of the first Star Wars comic. The cover showed Princess Leia Organa squaring off against Darth Vader, with R2-D2 to her left and an as-yet-unidentified figure lying before her. The tale, scripted by future G.I. Joe writer Larry Hama, was titled "The Third Law!" The issue had a cover date of June 1981.

The story started on the planet Aargau, which was known for its precious metal exports, strong armed forces, laws regarding weapons possession, and its stable currency. Leia, Artoo, C-3PO, and Viscount Tardi were just disembarking from their ship that landed on that world, and were being greeted by members of the local security forces. A small droid with a microphone attachment asked the new arrivals to speak clearly and announce their identities.

Leia and her friends had arrived in search of funding for a new squadron of X-Wing fighters. The quartet was escorted past the docking bay, and soon went by a scanner that was used to detect if outgoing guests were carrying any contraband on their persons. All the Rebels had to declare was a sealed diplomatic pouch, which was exempt from the planet's customs inspections.

Aargau had three laws. The first was that no precious metals could be removed from the world. The second stated that visitors could not own weapons. However, it was also illegal for Aargau's citizens not to be armed. The final law spoke about the wanton conspiring to discredit, deceive, or defraud the planet's bank. Leia and her crew had just tread and acknowledged those laws when a familiar voice spoke from behind them.

The mechanical voice belonged to none other than Darth Vader himself. The Dark Lord of the Sith was accompanied by a trio of aliens, instead of his usual complement of Imperial Stormtroopers, most likely due to the planet's weapon ban. Leia recognized Vader's porter as a high-gravity being from Rigel VII, his secretary as a shape-shifting alien, and his valet as a telekinetic. All three of his aides were also known members of the Assassins' Guild.

Before Leia could go on describing her foe's entourage, the X-ray scanner signaled an alert, as the person being scanned was found with gold implants on a pair of his ribs. The visitor fled, only to be swiftly gunned down by armed members of the planet's populace. Afterward, Leia realized that Vader was sent by the Emperor to stop the Rebellion's loan, a feat which could be accomplished by destroying the viscount.

The next morning, Threepio piloted a speeder that took the group through town. Leia rehearsed the day's schedule before noticing Vader and his assistants standing on a bridge above them. Moments later, his porter jumped down and began tearing the speeder apart with his bare hands. Leia reached for the diplomatic pouch and pulled a small hand-held device from it. She pushed a button on it, and the creature immediately disappeared from sight. 

A planetary patrol arrived shortly thereafter. Vader accused the princess of breaking the planetary laws regarding weapons use by non-natives, but Leia noted that the device in her hand was merely a typical gravitational field disrupter, which could be purchased in any spaceport duty-free shop. She'd used it to increase their attacker's density to the seventh power, sending him far beneath the world's surface.

As the princess and her colleagues moved on, Vader's subordinates questioned their employer's decision. Vader, never being one to accept being questioned, asserted that the assassins were nothing more to him than professional pawns. Those pawns could be sacrificed for the sake of other more important pieces on the playing board. 

Later on that day, in the garden of butterflies, Threepio marveled at the variety of butterfly species that were fluttering about. He told Artoo about his experience working for a previous employer who was an avid collector of butterflies. That knowledge would soon prove to be invaluable, as the translator droid correctly identified a bright red butterfly from the Antares system, which had a stinger that was capable of secreting a very potent nerve toxin. Artoo emitted a narrow spray of fire-retardant stream just before the butterfly was about to approach the viscount from behind. Leia then crushed the defeated pest under her foot, much to Vader's chagrin. 

After a while, dignitaries assembled on a small tower to oberve Aargau's military forces engaged in a training exercise. Vader's telekinetic hireling was able to subtly manipulate one of their fliers so that it eventually headed toward the viscount. As the craft exploded, it was revealed that its target was a hologram of Tardi that was being projected by Artoo. Leia was about to offer Threepio's services to Vader after the blast destroyed his telekinetic aide, but noted that the droid was being repaired.

That was a ruse, since Threepio was still back in Leia's quarters. He delivered a message to Organa that evening from Vader, asking for a meeting at the old spaceport. Leia agreed, and arrived at the rendezvous point with Artoo and Tardi. Vader expressed his true intentions to prevent the Alliance loan, before striking out at the viscount with his lightsaber. 

Leia sprung into action, firing her blaster at the Sith Lord. Vader stated that there would be no loan, since the viscount had expired. He then looked down to see that his foe was a robot. Artoo then projected a relay of the battle, proving that Vader had used a prohibited weapon, and that Threepio was safely ensconced with that evidence. 

The diplomatic pouch that Leia brought to Aargau contained the crown jewels of Alderaan. She knew that the viscount robot's inner workings would have undoubtedly shown up on the exit scanner, which would have disqualified their loan application. That's why Tardi had to appear to have been slain by Vader or his assassins. 

However, Vader then disclosed that his true objective had been the jewels themselves. He'd bribed a bank officer and added that the viscount's doctor was on his payroll and that the assassins were just a distraction. Vader brought out the jewels which he'd had all along. Leia would have her loan, but exposing Vader's real purpose to the local authorities might damage her credit rating. 

This was one of those odd single-issue stories with a mild twist at the end. I got the impression that Hama understood the characters he wrote about. Even though I still don't like Infantino's artwork, it did move the story along, and no key details were missed.

That's it for this article. Next time, I'll write about the forty-ninth issue of Star Wars. Luke Skywalker, Leia, and the droids travel to a different planet and answer a distress call. They'll also encounter new foes and allies, one of which is the reason for the story's title, which is the same as one of the recent Star Wars movie sequels. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.