Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #31

Good afternoon,

Today's focus is on the thirty-first issue of the first ongoing Star Wars comic book series. The cover showed Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, and C-3PO hiding under a cliff where a patrol Dewback and a pair of Imperial Stormtroopers stood. The tale was titled "Return to Tatooine!" The issue had a cover date of January 1980.

The story started somewhere in deep space, as a House of Taage mining craft had rendezvoused with a Star Destroyer. Baron Orman Taage and his brother Ulric were meeting to discuss plans. Orman had recently met defeat at Skywalker's hand, but already had another new scheme in the works. 

Meanwhile, Luke and his droids had returned to the planet that the farmboy grew up on. Threepio and Artoo were busy unloading the landspeeder from their ship and placing the camouflage covering over their vessel, while Luke was scanning for Imperial patrols. He did spot a pair of Stormtroopers and their dewback with his macrobinoculars, but luckily, they were not detected. 

After the patrol passed, Luke and the droids entered the landspeeder and headed toward Mos Eisley to fulfill Skyalker's mission of recruiting blockade runner pilots to their cause. On the way, Luke stopped at the old Lars homestead. He noticed an active vaporator and decided to investigate. However, someone soon came up behind him and held him at gunpoint.

Luke dropped his pistol and swiftly swung around and struck at the stranger with his lightsaber. He then learned that he was standing in front of his old buddy, Fixer. He and his former girlfriend (now wife) Camie were working for the Taages and had been set up in the old Darklighter domicile. Luke was wary of the Taages' dealings after having encountered them in the recent past. Their conversation was interrupted by Threepio, who informed the humans of the imminent arrival of an Imperial troop transporter.

The landspeeder departed once more. Luke, Artoo, and Threepio were driving down a canyon when they found a Bantha blocking their path. Luke got out and noticed that the creature was frozen stiff and cold to the touch. Moments later, a pair of Stormtroopers dismounted the transport vehicle and blasted the immobile beast, obliterating it completely.

This action riled Luke's suspicion, but not enough to deter him from his goal. Little did he know that Orman and his brother Silas were developing something sinister for the Imperial cause. The Mos Eisley spaceport hadn't changed much since Luke and his robots' last sojourn there. After a few steps into the cantina, Luke was hit from behind by the falling form of his old friend, Han Solo.

He and Chewbacca had returned after dropping off Jabba the Hut (whom they interacted with in issue #29) and decided to stay for a while. A few minutes later, Fixer arrived to inform his longtime friend that he'd reported Luke to the authorities to protect his job. Han, Chewie, and Luke engaged in a shootout with the troopers that reported in and took off in Luke's speeder. They were out of harm's way for a while, but a stray shot had hit their coolant unit, causing it to leak fluid. If that didn't stop them, the desert patrols or the sweltering heat of Tatooine's twin suns might just do the job.

Even though this issue isn't canon, it was fun to see Camie and Fixer for the first time since the second issue of this title. These minor supporting characters' scenes were cut from the final version of the first Star Wars film, but have since been included in subsequent video releases. They were also portrayed in the novelization of the film. It made sense that Luke would run into the Falcon's crew before too long, and I'm sure that diehard fans were clamoring for their reunification. 

Well, that's all the time I have for today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the thirty-second issue of this series. We'll find out how long Luke's damaged landspeeder lasted and just what the Taages were up to. We'll also see the heroes find assistance from an unlikely source. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #30

Good afternoon,

It's time for me to tackle the thirtieth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars series. The cover showed Princess Leia Organa on the run from a pair of Imperial Stormtroopers, with a third soldier hiding behind the doorway she's just about to pass through. The tale was titled "A Princess Alone!" The issue had a cover date of December 1979.

The story started on a Rebel ship orbiting the Imperial factory planet Metalorn. Leia's mission was to land on the planet and pose as one of the local workers. As she made plans to leave the ship, we were then shown a view of the populace occupying a slideway that was headed toward a large building. A trooper pointed out a child who was busy planting a seed in the dirt area in front of another complex, and her mother ran toward her. 

Young Tammi was supposed to be in the learning center, and there was considerable concern that both she and her mother would be punished for not being in their assigned areas. The stormtrooper made sure that both individuals found their proper places, right before he kicked the child's attempt at planting out of the dirt. He stated that garbage belonged in a disposal instead of a public thoroughfare. Tammi was obviously saddened, even after her mother promised they would have the next day to spend together.

The work world was being visited by Baron Taage at the time. His arrival was a sort of punishment after having failed to crush the Alliance on Yavin (as seen in issues #25 and 26). His weapons detection system was being utilized on Metalorn to prevent the use and possession of armament by any unauthorized personnel. A little while later, that system was tested after Leia knocked out a trooper and stole his blaster as she made her way through one of the facilities.

Before long, Leia was spotted by more troopers and engaged in a firefight with them. She fell into an ore chamber afterward and escaped Imperial detection. The only thing the soldiers found was the purloined blaster in the car she'd fallen into. The commander put out an immediate order to find the intruder.

Leia soon made her way to a mess hall and ran into Arn Horada, one of her former instructors on Alderaan. She reminded the older gentleman of his teachings, even though he'd been told that none from that planet had survived. Moments later, Taage came up behind them. He identified the Rebel leader and knew that Horada's presence on Metalorn was likely to draw her interest. She casually tossed the tray she'd been holding at the baron, and Horada pushed a stool at him, so that Leia could shackle Taage to the table.

The princess escaped, although Taage soon cut himself free of the manacle with his lightsaber and was in hot pursuit. Leia had been using the young Tammi as cover while he ran off, and thanked the child for her assistance. She told her about the importance of believing in something worthwhile, even if others didn't, before departing. 

The planet commander was incensed by Leia's escape. Taage advised him to keep quiet about the incident and to not retaliate against Horada, saying that it was best not to report or admit his failure. A while later, back on the Rebel ship, Leia admitted that her mission had been successful because it showed the Empire that the Rebellion was very much alive and not afraid of them. She'd even inspired one of the young citizens, who was sitting in the thoroughfare after having planted another seed, waiting patiently for it to grow. 

I guess the moral from this yarn was echoed in Rogue One: rebellions are built on hope. The interactions with the young girl provided a much-needed sense of optimism, and I'm glad that penciler Carmine Infantino finally learned how to draw Imperial Stormtrooper rifles correctly, as shown in this issue a few times. It was one of those stories that focused on a single character and didn't really need any of the others to be involved. 

That's all I have for today. Tomorrow, I'll recap the thirty-first issue of this series. Luke heads back to his homeworld with R2-D2 and C-3PO. We'll also see a few friends that were last featured a couple of issues ago, and see some supporting characters that we haven't seen since the first issues of the initial movie adaptation, and learn what the Taages are up to next. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #29

Good morning,

It's time for me to talk about the twenty-ninth issue of the first Star Wars comic book series. The cover showed Darth Vader locked in combat with the bounty hunter Valance. The story was called "Dark Encounter." The issue had a cover date of November 1979.

The tale began just outside of a block of prison cells aboard Vader's Star Destroyer. Vader and an interrogation droid were in the middle of attempting to obtain information from a Rebel prisoner. The Dark Lord of the Sith's current obsession was learning the identity of the person who had destroyed the Death Star.

Meanwhile, in a typical cantina somewhere in the galaxy, Valance was trying to find out more about an Alliance officer named Tyler Lucian from the cantina's barkeep. A blaster fight soon ensued, before the bounty hunter acquired what he wanted to know.

Afterward, Valance catches the attention of a pair of Stormtroopers near Merl's cantina. He is revealed as a cyborg and dispatches the Imperials quickly. He then embarks upon his race against Vader to find Lucian. 

Attention is then shifted to the bright red Rubyflame lake, whose corrosive waters can disintegrate living beings or machinery in a matter of minutes. On the dock next to a tower, we see Lucian contemplating taking a plunge in the deadly waters. The pilot left Yavin before the attack on the Death Star and learned of Luke Skywalker's heroic efforts following the battle. 

That detail is just what Valance wanted to know, and Lucian soon found himself standing before the bounty hunter. Vader's personal TIE fighter swooped onto the scene before a conversation could begin. Lucian ducked into the tower as Valance prepared to square off against the Imperial leader.

Back on Yavin, C-3PO was fretting about whether the parts he and his master, Luke, had returned to the base with would be serviceable for repairing his counterpart, R2-D2. His worries were soon put to rest as the cheerful astrodroid emerged just as spirited as ever. Luke spoke with General Dodonna and learned that Leia had departed for another planet on a mission. The general noted that Skywalker also needed a mission of his own. 

On the dock overlooking the Rubyflame lake of Centares, Vader and Valance finally met face to face. The warriors fought valiantly, but in the end, the Sith Lord was victorious, as the cyborg met his fate in the acidic waters below. However, the victory was hollow, as Lucian then opted to jump to his death instead of confronting Vader.

Even though the information he'd been seeking had eluded him once more, Vader was not deterred. He ordered his men to be on alert status. He was determined to find the Rebel he was seeking at any cost. 

This was the end of Valance in this series (at least until issue #108), but he was brought back to the modern Marvel Star Wars comics. He was a prominent character of the Bounty Hunters ongoing title, and was last seen assisting Han Solo and the Rebels in the most recent regular Marvel Star Wars series. I got the feeling that this issue was dedicated to having the two villains square off, and that Lucian was a rather inconsequential player in the affair. 

Well, that's all for the time being. Next time, I'll recap the thirtieth issue of this series. We'll find out where Leia went on her mission, who she met, and a lesson that was learned therein. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #28

Good Saturday morning, everyone,

Today's focus is on the twenty-eighth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars comic. The cover showed Han Solo and Chewbacca standing in front of the Millennium Falcon using their blasters to ward off dozens of small, scorpion-like creatures. The tale was titled " Whatever Happened to Jabba the Hut?" The issue had a cover date of October 1979.

The story started on a rainy day on the planet Orleon. Han and Chewie were nestled in a cave trying to repair the Falcon while being attacked by members of Jabba the Hut's crew. Note: the alien depicted as Jabba in this issue is one of the background creatures that we saw on the streets of Mos Eisley after Luke sold his landspeeder in the original movie. The goons were firing at the pirate and his first mate because Jabba's employee had accumulated significant debt since his last job. 

Solo and Chewbacca had just escaped from the Star Destroyer, left helpless due to Luke Skywalker's attack via the Force on Darth Vader, when Han noticed that his ship was vibrating far more than normal. He figured that the technicians on the Wheel space station who had stripped the ship looking for supposedly stolen Wheel profits didn't quite put everything back together the way it had been. A brief search of the navicomputer told them that the nearest hospitable planet was Orleon.

It didn't take long for Jabba's ship, the Voidraker, to find where the Falcon had been hiding. Another problem arose from inside the cavern itself. Small insects called stone mites were rampant on the planet. They were created as biological weapons during the Clone Wars, and their insect bodies could emit a corrosive acid that was powerful enough to eat through just about anything. 

Renewed assaults by Jabba's blaster cannons brought down part of the cavern. They also released a massive swarm of stone mites down upon the cave's occupants. Han and Chewie blasted a way back onto the Falcon and frantically tried to shake the insects off their ship.

A few minutes later, Jabba and his crew discovered one of his men who had been eaten alive by the mites. Panicked, they retreated to the Voidraker. Meanwhile, Solo and Chewbacca were using their deicing equipment to rid their vessel of the pests before using one of the forward cannons to blast a hole to safety.

Before long, the Falcon was back in space. They were about to round the planet's orbit when the Voidraker crossed their path. Jabba opened a line of communication with his old employee. Han noticed the sound of blaster fire emanating from Jabba's ship. It seemed that stone mites had infested the craft, and Jabba was the only one left alive inside.

A deal was struck, and Jabba soon used his jet pack to fly over to the Falcon. He was the smuggler's reluctant guest. After letting the Hut stew outside for a while, Han finally let him in, thinking that he'd finally had the upper hand for once.

This was the first time seeing the Falcon's crew since issue #24. This issue is infamous for its erroneous depiction of Jabba, who George Lucas didn't fully reveal until the Return of the Jedi film. Marvel writers and editors only had the initial movie's screenplay to go off of, which included a scene that depicted Han encountering Jabba the Hut before taking Luke, Obi-Wan Kenobi, C-3PO, and R2-D2 to Alderaan. This creature was later identified as a Nimbanel named Mosep Binead, who worked for Jabba. 

An Irish actor named Declan Mulholland originally played Jabba in the scene that was cut from the film. That scene was later inserted for the A New Hope Special Edition, in which a digital version of Jabba that was similar to the one seen in ROTJ was added, along with the appearance of the bounty hunter Boba Fett. This was an interesting yarn, but it isn't really seen as canon because of who Marvel chose to be shown as the Tatooine crime lord. 

Well, that's all for today. Tomorrow, I'll kick off a new month with a discussion of the twenty-ninth issue of this title. This issue will focus on some of the villains of the series. The hunt is on for the person who destroyed the Death Star and his droids. It's a search that finally leads Darth Vader and Valance to face each other for the first time. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #27

Happy Friday, everyone,

Today's topic is the twenty-seventh issue of the first Star Wars comic series. The cover depicted C-3PO and Luke Skywalker, with the face of the bounty hunter Valance in the background. The story was called "Return of the Hunter." The issue had a publication date of September 1979.

The tale began with a gunfight in a cantina. Valance had just incapacitated his target, Marko Tyne. He recruited two patrons to carry the body away before going to see his comrade Skinker. Valance informed his friend about his latest bounty, and the shopkeeper had more droids for him. Unfortunately, there were no PO or R2 units in his collection, but the bounty hunter still blasted the robots to bits anyway. 

Afterward, Valance returned to his ship. He was on the trail of the man who'd destroyed the Death Star and his droids. He was furious at the fact that the hero treated the mechanicals like friends instead of servants, although Valance himself was partly cybernetic, after being injured in a Rebel attack years earlier. Speaking of that hero, Luke and Threepio were flying out in deep space, to determine the extent of the Imperial blockade and to find parts to repair their counterpart, R2-D2 (who was damaged in battle last issue).

They soon came across an Imperial Star Destroyer, and were noticed by the large ship. Luke used a tactic called threading the asteroids to evade them before going into hyperspace. They emerged from light speed to reach the planet Junction. There, Luke hoped to find a salvage yard that had the parts they needed.

The duo came across Skinker's shop. Its proprietor asked an associate to inform Valance that he might have what the bounty hunter was looking for. Meanwhile, back on Yavin, Princess Leia and General Dodonna were talking about duty. Leia understood the elder's concern for her, knowing that she wanted to be more than just a figurehead for their movement. 

A cloaked figure (who had observed Luke and Threepio) was making his way toward a communication transmitter on Junction. The humanoid (who looked somewhat similar to the Garindan spy on Mos Eisley during the movie adaptation) wasn't able to communicate with the Empire. Valance had disabled the transmitter not long before taking out this intruder. 

It didn't take long for the bounty hunter to reach his new quarry. Luke pushed Threepio to safety moments before Valance's blaster fired. Deflecting another blaster bolt with his lightsaber, Luke learned Valance's cyborg secret. Threepio stood in front of his master, and his plea for understanding as a fellow mechanical was enough to convince the hunter to allow the heroes to leave with their purchase. Skywalker realized that the bounty hunter was a conflicted man who still had a lot to consider.

Valance was first introduced in issue #16 of this title. He was an interesting character who was largely forgotten after a few more issues, until Marvel reacquired the rights to the Star Wars license. He has been featured prominently in the Bounty Hunter books since then, and has continued to grow as a character. Valance has also appeared in the most recent Marvel Star Wars ongoing series. This was an okay issue, whose plotline was resolved rather quickly.

 Next time, I'll cover the twenty-eighth issue of this series. We'll finally learn what Han Solo and Chewbacca have been up to since the Falcon escaped from the Wheel. We'll also see the return of a character that Marvel didn't quite understand fully at the time. To find out more of what I mean in that regard, tune in tomorrow. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #26

Hello there,

It's time for me to discuss the twenty-sixth issue of the first Star Wars comic book series. The cover depicted a damaged R2-D2 with Luke Skywalker standing behind it. There's also a downed TIE fighter and a pilot pointing his pistol at the two Rebels in the background. The tale was titled "Doom Mission!" The issue had a publication date of August 1979.

The story started in Yavin's orbit, as the new ship Luke and Princess Leia had just purchased from Jorman Thoad (last issue) was limping along with a damaged engine, faulty communicator, and failing shields, all while being attacked by TIEs. Artoo tried to take care of the internal damage with C-3PO, but things seemed grim until a squadron of X-Wing fighters arrived to take out the Imperial vessels. 

Luke soon landed his ship, and he and Leia explained their plight to General Dodonna. Leia's macrobinoculars had recorded footage of a House of Taage mining explorer in the area. It showed how it sent TIE fighters out into a strange cosmic storm, which explained how the fighters were able to launch regular attacks on the Alliance base. It was still unknown just what was in the storm that allowed the TIEs to emerge unscathed.

That was something that Skywalker was willing to investigate. He and Artoo took a Y-Wing to one of the nearby moons where a TIE had crashed. Unfortunately, Artoo was damaged when he was trying to obtain information from the downed ship's controls by the blast from the fighter pilot's pistol. Luke took out the enemy after grabbing the signal device they'd been after, and rushed his beloved astrodroid back to the base.

While waiting for Artoo to be repaired, Luke and Leia thought about their next moves. Dodonna joined the heroes, having something to share. He showed the duo a TIE fighter that they'd captured some time before. The signal device that Luke had obtained would allow them to penetrate the storm as an undercover agent.  As Luke flew off in the pirated craft in his attempt to unravel the mystery, Leia wished her companion luck as Threepio hoped his counterpart could be fixed.

Luke soon made his way inside the cosmic storm. He learned that it was being generated by a large turbine. He quickly attacked the Imperial craft, just as Baron Taage was renewing his lightsaber practice inside of it. Luke's attack run was successful. Now all he had to do was to escape. 

Using the Force, Skywalker discovered a way out amidst the swirling winds and aftermath of the turbine's destruction. His ship emerged a little worse for wear, but Luke's mission was successful nonetheless. He was unaware that Taage escaped the turbine just in time and had followed the stolen TIE out of the storm. The baron swore vengeance on the young Rebel, just like he did on Darth Vader, the man who'd damaged his eyes in an earlier confrontation and forced him to wear the visor that was now his trademark. 

This was a rather brief storyline, but I guess it was okay. It seemed to me that Artoo was rather unnecessarily put in harm's way just to obtain the Imperial signal device. Fortunately, he would recover soon enough. This wasn't the only time in this series that Rebels used a stolen TIE fighter to infiltrate the Empire. There's a much better storyline that uses this tactic later on, after the Empire Strikes Back adaptation. 

That's all I have for today. Tomorrow, I'll cover the twenty-seventh issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. Luke and Threepio go offworld to find parts for Artoo's repairs, and run into the first bounty hunter featured in this series. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #25

Good afternoon all,

Today's focus is on the twenty-fifth issue of the first Star Wars comic book. The cover showed Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia in space suits, being attacked by a trio of TIE fighters. The story was called "Siege at Yavin!" The issue had a cover date of July 1979.

The tale began with a sextet of TIEs converging upon a Rebel sentry post on the fourth moon of Yavin. A squadron of X-Wings was dispatched from the planet to counter these ships. Some were more successful than others in defending the base.

Afterward, General Dodonna and other Rebel Alliance leaders were struggling to ascertain where the Imperial ships came from. Scanners indicated no Star Destroyers or other vessels that could have carried the short-range fighters. They had to find a solution soon, or it might be the end of the Rebellion.

On the planet Centares, Luke and Leia were haggling with merchant Jorman Thoad. They acquired a ship in exchange for the craft they'd received from Senator Greyshade (in issue #23) in the hopes that it would be inconspicuous enough to avoid Imperial detection. They left Centares in their new vessel moments after noticing a House of Taage mining explorer was bound for the Gordian Reach, which was the same system that their home base of Yavin was in.

The Taage ship was commanded by Baron Taage, who was engaged in lightsaber practice during the trip through hyperspace. He wore special glasses after being wounded by a lightsaber blade belonging to Darth Vader. He practiced for the day when he would meet the Sith Lord again. After his exercise, a crewman informed his superior that their ship had been followed. Taage smiled, doubtful that the smaller craft could successfully pass through the Imperial blockade. 

Shortly after their return to that system, Luke noticed several heavy-duty mines in the area. He deftly avoided most of them before realizing that the planet's gases made a sort of natural jamming field. Luke and Leia soon donned space suits and jetted down to one of the nearby moons to observe the mining craft.

Taage deployed several TIEs from his ship, which were observed by the Rebels on the moon below. Luke and Leia watched as the fighters flew into a storm and disappeared. The Rebel heroes returned to their new ship, where R2-D2 and C-3PO were waiting. They didn't know what happened to the TIEs, but as they were trying to investigate, they found themselves under attack by more TIE fighters, one of which made a lucky shot that incapacitated one of their ship's engines. 

Penciller Carmine Infantino finally got the correct shape of regular TIE fighters, but I still have concerns about his artwork in general. It was good to see some of the Rebel leaders again, although in the newspaper strip by this time, the Rebels had already left Yavin. The comic book and newspaper strip were not in the same continuity, however. The Taage family was an interesting bunch. It's too bad they were mostly forgotten before the Empire Strikes Back adaptation began.

Well, that's all for now. Tomorrow, I'll recap the conclusion of this mini-epic. Luke and Artoo take a closer look at this new threat, and we'll see just what Taage and company had in store for the Rebels. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.