Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #61

Good afternoon,

Today's focus will be on the sixty-first issue of Marvel's first Star Wars series. The cover showed a side view of an Imperial TIE fighter, with an incensed Rebel pilot behind the controls, firing guns, flanked by several other TIEs in the background. The story was called "Screams in the Void." The issue had a publication date of July 1982. 

The tale began in the Rebel stronghold on the planet Arbra. A celebration was taking place, honoring Lieutenant Shira Brie for her bravery on the planet Shalyvane (as shown in the previous issue. Princess Leia Organa awarded her with a Burdine cluster and an advancement in rank to captain. Brie smiled smugly and stated that the pleasure was all hers before walking down the steps next to the platform as her fellow Alliance members stood by and observed.

Lando Calrissian and Luke Skywalker talked about her efforts afterward. Leia went to speak with Luke, but the Rebel pilot's mind was on congratulating Shira. C-3PO offered the princess his assistance, which she politely declined before retreating to her personal quarters. She sat in solitude for several moments before speaking to a globe that contained images of Han Solo.

She continued her one-sided conversation as she changed. Threepio returned to find her speaking to no one. Leia explained that she was discussing Imperial armada attack plans out loud before leaving with the protocol droid. The globe's images sputtered away as the pair of heroes departed.

Half a galaxy away, Imperial Admiral Giel was receiving an update from a subordinate when he took a moment to chastise a deck officer who was wearing a cap that was substandard. He frightened the poor grubber into running a few laps around the Star Destroyer before resuming his current business. The Imperial leader was talking about a unique organism called a Teezl, which was an organic communicator. His crew was devising a cage for the "screamer" which would help to improve the speed and ability of Imperial communications to continue almost anywhere. 

Back on Arbra, Luke and Shira were being briefed by a sergeant on the modifications made to the TIE fighters that they'd acquired from Orion Ferret (in issue #59). Each fighter was equipped with a transceiver that would distinguish friend from foe. The cannons had been modified to only fire six standard strength bursts. After that, they would store enough energy for a single, final, incredibly destructive shot. Luke was about to assemble the crew when Shira held him back for a moment. She knew that the mission was going to be dangerous, and wasn't sure if they'd all make it back alive. She then held Luke in her arms for a tender embrace, much to the surprise to the former farmboy from Tatooine. 

A bit later, an Imperial TIE patrol was drawn to a distress signal emanating from a world that was near the Imperial armada's location. They entered the planet's atmosphere to find a downed TIE, moments before they were attacked by X-Wing fighters. The lead pilot ejected before his craft was destroyed and came down to land right in front of Luke and his associates. Skywalker asked for the recognition codes for entrance into the armada. The pilot initially refused until a little persuasion from Chewbacca convinced him to change his mind. 

The attention then shifted to the armada itself. Luke transmitted the proper codes, and he and his fellow pilots, Alph, Thorben, and Shira, were in. They made the bridge of a nearby Star Destroyer their first target. An all-out battle soon erupted, which confused the Imperials at first. Luke noticed that his wingmate Alph's ship had been destroyed shortly before Giel employed the Teezl. The organic being's psychic shriek blocked out all communications except the predetermined Imperial war band.

Thorben realized the issue when he failed to reach Skywalker. A lucky shot damaged one of his TIE's solar panels, and he limped away from the action. Meanwhile, Luke was on the rampage. He wasn't going to let any obstacles interfere. His TIE approached the Teezl's transport cage, but there was another TIE fighter in its way. With the transceiver out, he couldn't tell right away if the fighter was piloted by a Rebel or an Imperial, so he had to use another way.

Luke reached out with the Force, which gave him the answer that the TIE blocking his path was an enemy. A single shot took out the opponent. His next, final blast destroyed the screamer's containment cage and set off an explosion that took out most of Giel's flagship Star Destroyer in the process. Giel was naturally angered and wanted the head of the pilot who caused the destruction.

Skywalker deftly evaded the crossfire and was able to escape by putting a transport ship between his craft and the TIEs that were on his tail. He then pulled a lever and entered hyperspace on his way home. Luke was in a celebratory mood after landing. However, his comrades were less than cheerful to see him.

Luke made his way to the briefing room, where Thorben was setting up the holojector. Leia asked Luke to sit down before explaining that all of their ships were equipped with holographic cameras to use for future tactical studies. Luke was wondering what that had to do with anything when Leia asked Thorben to start running the footage taken from his ship.

The first image was that of the last TIE fighter that Luke had taken out. It was the one that was in between him and the Teezl's containment cage aboard Giel's Star Destroyer. As the image was brought into closer focus, Luke was stunned to see that the ship had been piloted by his wingmate, Shira Brie. 

This issue's ending was definitely something that longtime readers and newbies were not expecting. We all know Luke Skywalker as a hero of the Rebellion, so seeing this naturally ruffled more than a few feathers. If you're intrigued, please hang in there, as the full story will play itself out over the next several issues. Believe me, they're well worth the wait.

That wraps up this article. Next time, I'll recap the sixty-second issue of this title. Luke becomes persona non grata among his fellow Alliance members as news of this incident continues to spread. He starts to doubt his faith in the Force until he thinks of a way to possibly clear his name. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #60

Good afternoon all,

It's time for me to discuss one of my favorite issues from the first Star Wars comic book series. The cover to the sixtieth issue showed Luke Skywalker, Shira Brie, and a couple of other male Rebel pilots in a circle, surrounded by several unknown warriors. The colorist for this Walt Simonson-drawn image took some liberties, as each pilot has a different colored outfit, and each of the enemy warriors is shown in blue. The tale was titled "Shira's Story." The issue had a cover date of June 1982.

The story started on the Imperial outpost known as Spindrift, which suddenly found itself under attack by TIE fighters. The crew was stunned by the strafing run, and some surmised that Darth Vader might be behind it. A commander suggested evacuating in a nearby shuttle, before that ship was destroyed. They then left in a truck, only to find their enemies had taken out the bridge. They had no other choice but to implement emergency strategic option six, which was another name for surrender.

As the TIEs landed, it was revealed that they were piloted by members of the Rebel Alliance. A prison transport was called down to house the remaining ground staff, and Thorben confirmed that they'd acquired the coded cartograph module that confirmed the Empire's armada route coordinates. That was great news for Luke and Shira. 

The ships then returned to Arbra, which still made some of the guards uneasy upon sight. Luke and his squad reported their success to Princess Leia Organa. Shira then asked for some time off to visit her home planet. Leia initially denied the request until Luke reasoned that he was at a high enough rank to have the return coordinates and suggested that they join his fellow pilot, to which Leia reluctantly agreed.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the galaxy, a portion of the Imperial fleet was being assembled under the command of Admiral Giel. Giel built his fleet from scratch and seemed rather unconcerned about the recent attack at Spindrift. He was more than willing to let the Rebels find them, confident that they would be swiftly crushed.

Some time later, a quartet of X-Wings approached the planet Shalyvane. Luke was telling R2-D2 that it was Shira's homeworld. He wasn't quite sure yet why she wanted to return, but guessed that they'd learn soon enough. The fighters landed, and Shira guided her companions to a shrine that she called the Circle of Kavaan. She insisted on approaching it alone, and Luke consented.

While the others waited, Shira kneeled before the temple. She then took out a thin blade and used it to cut her palm, allowing a small trickle of blood to drop down. Moments later, the group was aroused by the sounds of many angry natives, who began their assault on the visitors. As Luke and his fellow pilots shot back, Shira explained who they were and why they were on the warpath.

She started by saying that Shalyvane used to be a peaceful, civilized world. Nomads, much like the ones attacking them, roamed the planet and had engaged in years of seemingly endless, pointless battles with the humans. They finally reached the point where both sides chose peace. Just as a treaty was about to be signed, the planet was attacked by Imperial TIE bombers. Stormtroopers emerged from those ships and continued the conflict on the ground.

Shira was a child at the time and ran for safety, leaving all she knew behind. Years later, she'd heard that the Empire had decimated her people. That's why she chose to join the Alliance. Shira added that she returned to her homeworld every year to add her blood to that of those lost, and to renew her oath of vengeance against the Empire. 

During her story, Shira had mentioned that she'd used underground tunnels to escape the slaughter. Luke reasoned that Artoo's sensors might be able to detect those tunnels. The astrodroid soon found where an entrance was, just meters from them. Shira insisted on going down alone, right before the cave collapsed. Her colleagues were too busy fending for themselves against the nomads at the time to try to dig her out.

The battle was long and grueling, going to the point where the Rebels' blaster batteries were exhausted. Luke was about to use his lightsaber to defend his crew when their attackers were strafed from above. Luke looked up to see an X-Wing giving them enough cover to make it back to their own ships. Afterward, Shira was surrounded by her fellow Rebels, as they thanked her for her timely assistance.

Shira explained that the tunnel had closed up behind her, but that she was able to make her way back to her ship. She'd arrived just in the nick of time. The fighters then left for home, knowing more work was yet to be done. 

If you think that there are a few sketchy details from Shira's story, stay tuned, as I'll cover a bit more background in my analysis of upcoming issues. Just be a bit forewarned that not everything was quite what it seemed at first. It all sets up a very interesting climax to this storyline, which most regular readers would probably never have expected.

I remember reading this issue dozens of times after I first bought it. I even used to try replaying the battles outside as a child. It was a well-crafted story by Michelinie, Simonson, Palmer, and company. The nomads were interesting, and this wouldn't be their only appearance, either. 

That's all I have for today. Next time, I'll recap the sixty-first issue of this series. It's finally time to put those purloined TIE fighters to good use, in an all-out assault against Giel's fleet. Find out what happens during the climactic battle, including who survived. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #59

Good morning,

It's time for me to tackle the fifty-ninth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars series. The cover depicted  Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian running from a giant red and pink slug. The story was called "Bazarre." The issue had a cover date of May 1982.

The tale began on the floating marketplace platform in space known as Bazarre. Lando and Luke had no sooner arrived on the market floor when they were surrounded by armed beings. One individual even tried to assess Calrissian's trade value. 

Moments later, Orion Ferret arrived with a trio of associates at his side. He was the man that the Rebels had come to see, and were soon ushered into his private quarters. Ferret had the TIE fighters that they wanted, but had stored them on the nearby planet of Patch-4 for safekeeping. He had a shuttle ready and waiting that would take them there.

Lando was skeptical because of his previous dealings with the merchant, but paid him before they set off for their ships. On the way out, he introduced Ferret to the third member of their party, the Wookiee Chewbacca. Chewie would remain there to ensure that Ferret didn't try to trick them.

After Luke and Lando left, Ferret's subordinate P'lor informed his master that an emergency transmission was coming in from someone named Leia. He asked if it was urgent, but Ferret decided not to make things more complicated for himself and ordered P'lor to ignore it. A short while later, Lando and Luke arrived on the muddy planet Patch-4. It appeared to be a world that was covered in refuse.

Luke soon spotted the ships they'd purchased, and the duo set off for them. However, there was a giant obstacle in their way, namely, a gigantic slug that burst out of the ground before them. The beast's body was impervious to blaster fire, and Luke's lightsaber only caused minimal damage. 

Back on Bazarre, Ferret was silently plotting as Chewbacca stood watch over him. Luke learned that his transceiver was dead, moments before he and Calrissian ducked into a cave to evade another attack by the slug. They soon discovered they were not alone.

Inside the darkened cave, they found a group of hobos who had been forced to vacate their planets because of the Empire. They'd also been double-crossed by Ferret and provided the heroes with information on the slug called Caesar. While they were conversing, P'lor interrupted his leader with news about a phony concern. Ferret then went to a console that released liquid over Chewie that froze instantly into solid crystal, imprisoning the Millennium Falcon's co-pilot in a matter of moments.

On Patch-4, Lando, Luke, and their new acquaintances set out to face the slug once more. A sonic pacifier could subdue the creature, but it was on the shuttle that Luke and Lando had arrived in. While they were traversing a canyon, Chewie was busy bursting out of his prison. He was rather peeved and set out for the slimy merchant as he fled in terror.

Skywalker made a beeline for the shuttle, and Lando fired at the beast with his pistols to serve as a momentary distraction. He continued firing until the slug slumped onto the ground before him. Calrissian thought that he'd defeated his foe, until Luke announced that he'd found and activated the sonic pacifier. 

By that time, Ferret had made his way to a small shuttle that had been stored in his private hangar. He didn't see Chewbacca take several components from his pouch, which he assembled into his bowcaster rifle. The Wookiee fired a single shot, which disabled the craft before it could even move.

Chewie then went to the cockpit to retrieve its pilot and pointed out that the hour Luke and Lando gave him was up. Just then, Chewbacca's companions returned. They had the TIEs safely moored to the underside of the station, and Luke explained that the hobos on Patch-4 were using the sonic pacifier to keep the slug at bay.

Chewbacca then tossed the merchant into the remains of his shuttle before the trio left. They arrived back on Arbra a short time later, with the Imperial fighters in tow. Princess Leia and Shira Brie welcomed them and announced they were throwing a party in honor of their accomplishment. Leia just asked that Luke change his uniform before the first dance. 

The events in this issue took place at the same time as the incidents in the previous issue. It was a fun little yarn, and Ferret proved to be a rather sleazy businessman. It's a shame that this was his one and only appearance thus far. I would like to learn how he got so many guards to be loyal to his cause, even though they probably saw him for the dishonorable person that he was.

Next time, I'll cover the sixtieth issue of this series. That story gives us some insight into Shira's past, and a mission that she embarks upon with several of her fellow Rebel pilots. We'll also see one reason why the Alliance wanted a set of TIE fighters. It's the first part of a larger storyline that remains one of my favorites from this title. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #58

Good afternoon,

It's time for me to discuss the fifty-eighth issue of the first Star Wars comic. The cover, drawn by Walt Simonson, showed C-3PO and R2-D2 floating in space along with assorted spaceships, apparently heading toward certain doom. The tale was titled "Sundown!" The issue had a cover date of April 1982. 

The story started with the Millennium Falcon departing the new Rebel base world of Arbra. Luke Skywalker and Chewbacca were behind the controls, with Lando Calrissian along for the ride as part of their mission. After the ship entered hyperspace, the attention then shifted to a lone Rebel guard making his rounds moments before an important meeting adjourned. The topic of the assembly was being discussed by people leaving the council chambers, with mixed reviews.

Plif, Threepio, and Artoo remained behind with Princess Leia Organa. The protocol droid stated that his master would have excelled at a risky venture like the one Organa had proposed, and Shira Brie offered to contact him. Leia noted that Luke's mission was important enough as it was before Shira left the room.

Leia went on to show her proposed plan. The idea was to shield the Rebel fleet under a series of five Kerts-Bhrg field generators that would take the vessels through the corona of the planet's sun. It was a risky move designed to shield their detection from Imperial patrols. The primary concern was maintaining orbit, which was planned to be countered by utilizing a thruster that would be emitted from the field generator at the top of the pyramid. However, it was a theory that was as yet untested. 

A little while later, it was time to put the theory into action. Leia, General Rieekan, and Luke's droids were on hand to witness the activation of the force field generators and the pyramid's descent into the sun's corona. Everything went well at first, and they descended just as base scanners indicated the arrival of short-range fighters in the quadrant that were undoubtedly Imperial TIE fighters.

Everyone except assigned maintenance personnel was then ordered to leave the top field generator via shuttle. Artoo and Threepio lagged behind on their way to the shuttle bay when the plucky astrodroid went to address a malfunction in the generator's power feed. The two learned that the generator was about to explode moments before the shuttle bay doors closed, and the shuttle returned to Arbra.

The droids were now stranded on the field generator. The power went off briefly before backup systems kicked in. Artoo and Threepio then noticed that the maintenance staff were unconscious, presumably knocked out by the noxious fumes that emanated from burning circuitry. 

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the galaxy, Chewie was getting a bit impatient that Lando hadn't taken his turn at the cockpit yet. He and Luke were occupied with a game of Novacrown. The Wookiee made his displeasure known with a noise that disrupted the game. Lando was then happy to take his shift after the contest he was losing had been interrupted.

In the shuttle, Leia observed that passing through the corona drained most of the energy from their heat shields. She was then informed of an incoming call coming from Threepio in the control generator. She was surprised because she thought the droids were on the shuttle with her. The droid explained the malfunction and how it impacted the onboard crew and was poised to weaken the protective field surrounding the fleet. The thruster was fluctuating due to a lack of power, which could jeopardize their orbit's stability. 

At the same time, a quartet of TIE fighters was detected in their solar system. Shira suggested taking them out with a squadron from Arbra, but Leia noted that those Imperial ships would be missed, which could arouse further interest and suspicion.  She advised contacting Luke to see if his knowledge of the Force could help them in this scenario.

While his droids were facing an imminent tragedy, Skywalker was piloting the Falcon towards its destination, which was the interplanetary marketplace known as Bazarre. Artoo came up with an idea that involved rocketing to a larger ship to attach a power core. Threepio held onto his counterpart, who was wrapped in protective coating. Unfortunately, the jetpack that the protocol droid was wearing had begun to melt, and the unstable momentum could push them through the corona and into the sun itself.

After docking, Luke and Lando stepped onto the floor of the open marketplace. They were looking for a merchant named Ferret. Lando had the unpleasant experience of dealing with him back on Cloud City, so he knew from experience to be a bit wary. As it turned out, Ferret's men found them.

Leia became despondent once it seemed that the fleet had entered the sun's corona unprotected. She was then relieved to hear from Threepio once more. He explained that he and Artoo had been able to establish a temporary connection between the control generator and one of the larger Rebel ships, so that thrust could be maintained until repairs could be made. After his rocket pack melted, Artoo extended his fire extinguisher, which gave them the necessary thrust to reach the cruiser. 

The princess commended the droids for their ingenuity, which saved the fleet. She promised them lube baths when they returned before asking to have the call to Skywalker cancelled. The yeoman replied that she'd had no luck contacting the Falcon, and it was as if they'd dropped out of existence. 

This was another of my first Star Wars comic books that I had when I was younger. I read this one several times over. It was an interesting idea, if not incredibly risky, as the plot proved. I liked the focus on Threepio and Artoo, and how their clever thinking saved the day. If you like the droids, this issue is well worth the time and money.

That's a wrap for this issue. Next time, I'll cover the fifty-ninth issue of this title. That story happened at the same time as the events from this issue. We'll see what happened to Luke and Lando, and what they were trying to accomplish. We'll also learn the role that Chewbacca played in this endeavor. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #57

Good afternoon,

Now I can recap the fifty-seventh issue of the first Star Wars comic book series. The cover showed Rebels Luke Skywalker and Shira Brie battling a cadre of Imperial Stormtroopers. The story was called "Hello, Bespin, Goodbye!" The issue had a publication date of March 1982.

The story picked up right after the last issue, as Lando Calrissian was falling helplessly from Cloud City to the planet of Bespin below, after being kicked through a railing by Imperial Captain Treece. Treece and Lobot watched his plight for several moments before Lobot decided to do something about it. He went to the nearest life jet station and broke the glass. He then removed the life jet and grabbed it as he jumped off the platform.

He put the contraption on during the fall and quickly mastered its controls. It didn't take long for him to catch up with his former employer, and he was able to grab hold of him and turn the jets on to slow their descent. Elsewhere on the planet, a floating ship hovered over the surface, acting as a live news crew. Their broadcast was interrupted by the railing section from Lando's fall, which pierced one of the vessel's tibanna gas containers.

The crew then saw Lobot and Lando splash into the waters before them. They offered them a lift, moments before they were under attack by an Imperial skimmer. Lobot went to work on repairing the gas canisters while Lando sought ways to defend them from their foes. A catapulted film canister served as a missile, which struck the Imperial boat and caused it to crash explosively.

A little while later, the Ugnaught boat arrived on dry land. Its crew was receptive to the taller counterparts because Lando had always treated them well when he was Cloud City's administrator. They took the duo to their leader just as Luke and Shira's X-Wing fighters were landing on the city.

Their arrival was observed by Treece from a safe distance. The pilots disembarked along with R2-D2. Artoo quickly plugged into a computer terminal and learned why the city was vacant. The reason was the bombs that had been placed by Ugnaughts, which had been disarmed by Lobot. The mention of Skywalker's name reminded Treece that it was the rebel that Darth Vader was looking for, so he ordered his troops to attack.

The young pilots soon found themselves fighting for their lives, just as Lando and Lobot were arriving in the Ugnaughts' capital city to meet with King Ozz. Ozz respected Lando and informed him that the Empire had continued the tibanna gas mining after his departure, but doubled production rates that were more than the planet's ecosystem could produce, and came at the expense of the health, safety, and well-being of many of their kind. 

Hearing that the Imperials had turned the city into a slave camp angered Lando. He vowed to aid the Ugnaughts in their fight. In the city, the Rebel pilots were under attack from in front and now above, as a bomber launched munitions at them. Moments later, Lando, Lobot, and the Ugnaughts arrived on Cloud City in one of the Ugnaught's boats, fueled by tibanna gas.

The smaller creatures rushed into the fight and appeared to be the underdogs in the battle at first. The news crew continued filming and was about to be targeted by Treece, until Lando threatened to have Lobot re-arm the bombs. Treece then fired his pistol at the cyborg's headgear, instantly disabling it.

Luke then came up with an idea, thanks to Artoo. He used the Force to move the camera through the air and re-arm the bombs. He announced that he would detonate them and that the Imperials had sixty seconds to leave. His enemies were skeptical until they heard the explosions and saw the city start to sink.

That was enough to convince Treece and his forces to make a hasty getaway. Afterward, Luke admitted that he'd only blown the primers, which let out a bit of tibanna gas. The emergency drones were already repairing that damage as he spoke. Luke's plan was effective, but it wasn't a hit with Shira or Lando.

Once things were back to normal, there was a celebration on Cloud City. Lando, Luke, Shira, and Artoo were ready to head home. Lando disclosed that he and Lando had used the city's central computer to send a change of orders to the private bank account that Treece had on the planet Aargau. His last deposit and corresponding details were transmitted to another account, one that belonged to the Dark Lord of the Sith. 

This was a rather entertaining yarn crafted by Michelinie, Simonson, Palmer, and company. It was interesting to see more of Lobot and the Ugnaughts, who were very minor characters in The Empire Strikes Back. I'm glad that things were restored and the Empire finally had enough of Bespin and Cloud City. The idea of Ugnaughts having a broadcast crew was a fun concept that wasn't really explored very much before in this book.

That's all I have for today. Next time, I'll recap the fifty-eighth issue of this series. The Rebel Alliance tests a new way to shield their fleet from Imperial detection, but it's a plan that isn't without its own flaws. We'll also see Lando, Luke, and Chewbacca embark on a separate mission to give them an advantage in the war against the Empire. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #56

Good morning, everyone,

It's time for me to talk about the fifty-sixth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. The cover is another excellent drawing by Walt Simonson, which shows Lando Calrissian battling his former aide, Lobot. The tale was titled "Coffin in the Clouds." The issue had a cover date of February 1981.

The story started on Cloud City, where Lando had just landed the Millennium Falcon. He was surprised to see the city mostly deserted. As the city's former administrator, he knew that the tibanna gas mining on the planet below had to be active to keep the city above it functioning properly. It was an operation that required hundreds of people. 

He knew that the Empire's occupation (witnessed in The Empire Strikes Back adaptation) would have affected it, but decided to check things out for himself. Lando walked to the nearest information terminal and learned that most of the city's populace had evacuated to the planet because of some sort of emergency. He was wondering just what type of emergency had happened when his former assistant, Lobot, attacked him.

The cyborg viewed his previous employer as an intruder, and it didn't appear that he was functioning quite properly. Lando was able to evade his punches, but it was a struggle that led them across the city. It was another puzzling scenario that left Calrissian with more questions than answers.

Little did either of them know that an Imperial craft was just about to land at the city. The strange-looking ship was unquestioningly Imperial, and its crew soon disembarked, which we learned was a bomb squad. They reported to Captain Treece and set out to find the bombs that had been placed in the city by Ugnaughts. 

It didn't take long for Lando to spot the newly arrived Imperials. He assumed they were the threat to the city that Lobot had been referring to. He decided to draw their attention by firing on them from above, which resulted in a firefight. 

Meanwhile, on Arbra, Princess Leia Organa was making a leisurely patrol route aboard a speeder that had been outfitted for the terrain. She was satisfied with her mission, but asked a technician afterwards to have the vehicle recharged, so that she could check something out later. She then headed inside their new base, looking for a little companionship.

She came across Luke Skywalker and Shira Brie. Leia asked Luke if he would accompany her on another patrol run of the perimeter. Skywalker politely declined, noting his concern that Lando hadn't reported in yet. He and Shira were going to investigate. Leia understood and wished them well.

Back on Cloud City, Lando was being chased by the Imperials he'd spotted earlier. The conflict eventually brought him back to the same carbon freezing chamber where his friend Han Solo had been frozen (again, in the ESB adaptation) and given to the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Part of the Imperial forces were still searching for bombs and came across one that actually talked.

Treece let the bomb squad handle that matter, as he went to see how the other soldiers were doing. Lando did his best Tarzan impression by swinging from a severed cable and knocking one Stormtrooper into the carbon freezing pit. He then ran to the controls and activated them, taking that opponent out of play as a bit of retribution for Han. 

The bomb squad was doing its best, but still had difficulty countering the smart bomb, which soon set off an explosion in the city. Lando felt the blast and headed toward the central computer, only to find Lobot in his path. He skipped by before the cyborg could notice him, and soon found the source of the devastation. 

Calrissian was surveying the wreckage when he heard the familiar sound of a blaster's safety being discharged behind him. He spun around to see Captain Treece. The two pointed their pistols at each other for a while before calling a truce. The captain told Lando that he was the governor of Cloud City and that he'd been looking for eleven bombs that were placed there by Ugnaughts before they retreated to the planet. 

The Ugnaughts were previously peaceful, but something obviously changed since Lando had left. They'd given enough advance notice for the citizens to depart, but the bombs were still in the city. Treece claimed they planted the explosives because they were jealous and said they could resume mining operations in the surface world on their own.

Lando listened carefully before telling the Imperial commander that their next task would be to find Lobot. He soon got his former aide's attention and led him to an area where Treece was waiting with a landing claw to ensnare the cyborg. Lobot remained captive just long enough for Lando to remove his motivational programming capsule. 

A little while later, Lando repaired the damaged circuitry. His old friend was back to his old self. Lobot was then able to use his cybernetic senses to disarm the explosives without physically touching them. 

Lando thanked Lobot for his timely assistance. Now his attention was focused on the Ugnaughts. He wanted them to be treated humanely, while Treece viewed them as nothing more than menial servants who should do his bidding. He then declared their truce over by kicking Calrissian from the railing he was standing by and sending him careening down toward the planet below. 

I've always liked the Lobot character, ever since one of my cousins gave me his action figure many years ago. I'm glad that he was fleshed out more in this storyline, because we saw very little of him in the movie. Shira Brie proved to be another intriguing supporting character, one that would play a larger role in this series as a whole, especially in another story arc soon after this one that remains one of my favorites from this title to this day. 

This was a fun storyline because it answered the question of what happened to Bespin after the Falcon left. It delved further into Lobot, the Ugnaughts, and the Imperial occupation. There's a fair bit of humor from time to time, and I thought that it was something that the trio of Michelinie, Simonson, and Palmer did rather well. They took the subject matter seriously and understood the curiosities of the franchise's growing fan base. 

That's it for this article. Next up is the conclusion in Star Wars #57. We'll find out what happened to Lando, as well as the Ugnaughts who used to work in Cloud City. We'll also find out if Luke and Shira made it there in time to save their friend. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #55

 Good afternoon,

It's time for me to discuss the fifty-fifth issue of the first Star Wars comic book. The cover, drawn by penciler Walt Simonson, showed Chewbacca and four other Rebels facing off against a large green winged creature in a cavern that had a bright and tall crystalline structure. The tale was titled "Plif!" The issue had a cover date of January 1982.

The story started on the planet Arbra, where Princess Leia, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and other members of the Rebellion were part of a scouting mission. On the surface, the world seemed like the perfect place for a new base. The native hoojibs were relatively unknown to their guests, but were apparently harmless. The group made camp for the night, and Leia made her radio report to Luke Skywalker, who was on monitor duty aboard one of the larger ships that was orbiting the planet.

Leia stated that all was well, and that it was probably time to take the rest of the fleet on the eliptic that they'd talked about before. Luke understood, but was still a bit skeptical about the plan, since it could potentially leave their ships in jeopardizing situations if they came across Imperials. After the conversation ended, Luke got down from his monitor post in time to wish Lando Calrissian well. He was about to depart on the Millennium Falcon for a return trip to Cloud City.

Luke and Artoo had checked the ship out, and everything was good. As the ship took off, Luke couldn't help but wished that he was going along with his friend. However, he'd been chosen to file reports on their recent missions to the Tarkin and the planet Shiva (as chronicled in issues # 51 through 54). Artoo remained with him as a sympathetic aide.

Later that night, Threepio was woken from his inactive state by the fact that a hoojib was busy trying to consume his energy. Moments later, the camp alarms went off before being quickly depowered. It turned out that all of their machinery, including their blasters, had lost power. 

Chewbacca grabbed one of the hoojibs who swarmed past them, and was surprised to hear the creature speaking to him telepathically. The hoojib in question was named Plif, and he explained that they were forced to consume their power supplies. There was a cave deep in the planet that provided crystals that were usually more than enough for its natives. Unfortunately, the hoojibs were forced from that cave by a being called the Slivilith.

Leia, Chewbacca, and company soon learned just what that creature was, as it flew headlong toward them. Chewie was able to free one of his comrades from its tentacles, moments before Leia used a guard's charged blaster to scare it off. Plif told Leia what they knew of the intruder. It apparently had been drifting alone in space for some time until it was caught in Arbra's gravitational pull, The monster sought warmth, and the warmest part of the planet was the very cave that the hoojibs had called their home. 

The rebels understood and agreed to help the hoojibs rid themselves of the menace. A plan was formulated before the combined forces congregated outside the cave entrance. The shrill cries of the hoojibs got the Slivilith's attention, and he came roaring out, only to be attacked by long poles thrown by the Rebels. 

Leia and another officer grabbed their weapons to recharge them inside the cave. She used her blaster to free Plif from the creature's tentacle before entering the cave. What was waiting inside was truly magnificent to behold. The crystal structures were in many colors and extended from the ground for many meters.

The Rebels had little time to marvel at their surroundings before the creature returned. They fired their active blasters at it before leaping away from its grasp. Chewbacca was waiting for the beast and grabbed hold of several of its tentacles so that he could slam it violently into the cavern's floor. That was presumably the end of the Slivilith.

The hoojibs were very thankful for their new friends' assistance. The Rebels knew that they'd found a treasure trove, but were prepared to leave their hosts in peace and resume their search elsewhere. They were about to depart when Plif suggested that they would be willing to serve as their hosts indefinitely. That put a smile on the faces of Leia and the many other weary Alliance members. 

A few days later, the Rebel fleet amassed near Arbra and began preparations for establishing their new base of operations. Elsewhere, Lando had finally arrived back at Bespin. He landed the Falcon and took a look around. He was wondering how much had changed since the Imperial invasion (as chronicled during The Empire Strikes Back adaptation), not knowing that someone was waiting for him just around the corner. 

This was one of my favorite issues growing up. I remember finagling my initial copy from a polybag set at a ShopKo store (a retail chain in the Upper Midwest that was similar to Kmart or Target) just because I didn't want the other issue in that pack. The Slivilith was an interesting concept. I'm surprised that we haven't seen others of his kind so far in any other Star Wars comics. Plif and his fellow hoojibs would remain loyal allies of the Rebellion and were shown sporadically all the way through the series' end in 1986.

Well, that's all I've got for today. Next time, I'll recap the fifty-sixth issue of the series. It's the first of a two-part story by this issue's creative team of writer David Michelinie and artists Walt Simonson and Tom Palmer. It concentrates on Lando's return to Cloud City. We'll learn what happened after he left the planet, and whether or not Imperial influence still remained there. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.