Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #73

Good afternoon,

Today's focus is the seventy-third issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. The cover showed the Zeltron Dani side by side with Princess Leia Organa, along with Luke Skywalker on a hang glider, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca battling an unknown creature, and a balloon floating over a castle. The story was called "Lahsbane." The issue had a cover date of July 1983.

The tale began on the planet Lahsbane, where Skywalker spoke with several of the planet's natives, with translation assistance from C-3PO. Dani (who stowed aboard the Millennium Falcon at the end of the previous issue) was fawning over Luke, and Leia was standing next to a tree, deep in thought. The Rebels had arrived on that world looking for their fellow Alliance member Yom Argo, who had recently crashed his ship there.

Luke eventually learned that the data tapes Argo had been carrying with him were stored in a city on the opposite side of the canyon ahead of them. The locals chose to store them there because the crash also took out one of their honored citizens, and it was a way of preserving both legacies. The small creatures were not really fond of the Rebellion or the Empire.

Leia was disappointed because their superiors had called them off their previous mission searching for bounty hunters who may have been working with Boba Fett, the mercenary who acquired Han Solo for transport to Jabba the Hutt, to concentrate on this assignment. Lando and R2-D2 were going over the Falcon, which had its intake valves clogged with pollen, not long after setting down on Lahsbane. 

Threepio had learned something important about the natives' life cycle, but before he could explain it to his master, he and his companions were alerted to the arrival of an Imperial ship. While Lando and Chewbacca rushed to put up camouflage netting around the Falcon, Leia and Dani wandered off. They engaged in an argument and decided to venture out to retrieve the tapes that evening, much to Threepio's chagrin.

The duo eventually walked up to a pair of light balloons. They were about to set off on them, when Dani heard something close by. She went to get a closer look, and saw an Imperial officer with a squad of Stormtroopers walk by, speaking with natives in an effort to learn the same information that her friends were looking for.

Dani decided to create a distraction by drawing the Imperials' attention. Leia's balloon took off while Dani danced. By the time the Zeltron returned, Leia was too far to return. Dani took a running leap and landed atop the balloon, which was at least headed toward their intended destination.

Lando and Luke had just learned about their sojourn via Threepio by the time the balloon was half way to the city. Luke had found a nearby glider and was preparing to take off in pursuit of his friends, just as Dani and Leia were wandering the city, and finding the treasures it contained. Lando was admiring his colleague's devotion to the Force when Threepio warned him of a danger that struck with force from behind.

The Rebels had been attacked by a Huhk, which was the mature form of the native Lahsbees. That was what the protocol droid had tried to inform his associates of earlier. He told Lando that most of the Huhks lived in the city, which was why it was forbidden to the younger Lahsbees for security reasons. 

Chewbacca soon engaged in conflict with the Huhk, just as Leia and Dani encountered four more of his kind. They soon forced the heroes into a corner, weaponless. Dani had set her blasters on the cliff before jumping to Leia's balloon, and Leia had lost her pistol in the cliff. 

As he was recovering from the Huhk's mighty blow, Threepio suggested a solution, which ended the battle rather quickly. Lando simply used a stun blast from his pistol to subdue the beast. Threepio rationalized that the Lahsbees' aversion to technology would have probably given them no defenses against such a measure. Artoo then popped out to inform the trio that the Falcon was ready for flight, but so was the Imperial vessel, which presumably had gone through a similar declogging procedure.

Things looked rather dire for the heroines until the Huhks dropped one by one before them. Behind them was Luke with his blaster. He'd come up with the same solution as Threepio had. A while later, the group reconvened at the Falcon. The Rebels had the tapes, which the Lahsbees were willing to give up. Since the tapes were associated with technology, the natives wanted nothing to do with them. 

The group was about to board the ship when they noticed the departure of the Imperial craft. Luke was puzzled, knowing that the Imperial soldiers were still out on patrol. None of them knew that the enemy craft was being piloted by Dani. The Zeltron had made off with several valuables and was wondering how her fellow mercenaries, Rik Duel and Chihdo, were doing.

This was a satisfying single-issue story. Writer Mary Jo Duffy and artists Ron Frenz and Tom Palmer meshed very well on this series. We would see more of Dani and her fellow pirates after the Return of the Jedi movie adaptation. Dani would play a larger role in the issues leading up to the title's end. We would also see more Lahsbees, including the adult Huhks, before that in a pre-ROTJ story. 

That's all I have for now. Next time, I'll discuss the seventy-fourth issue of this series. Luke, Leia, Lando, Chewie, and the droids journey from Lahsbee to another planet in search of a fellow Rebel. This time, the threat of Imperial conquest plays a larger role and has a much more devastating impact. Find out just what I mean by that next time. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #72

Good afternoon,

The focus of this article is the seventy-second issue of the first Star Wars comic book title. The cover showed Lando Calrissian and Luke Skywalker staring down a pit, being held at gunpoint by several characters, including IG-88, Bossk, and what appears to be 4-LOM (even though he doesn't appear in this issue), and others. The story was called "Fool's Bounty." The issue had a publication date of June 1983.

The story started on the planet Stenos, with Luke and Lando backed up against a carbonite block containing the Rodian named Chihdo. The Rebels had been lured into the room, thinking that the person encased in carbonite was their old ally, Han Solo. They now found themselves surrounded by Bossk, IG-88, and their henchmen. 

Things looked grim momentarily, until Chihdo's partners, the Zeltron Dani and Rik Duel, emerged from behind the block of carbonite, guns blazing as they did so. Duel explained that they'd followed Luke's trail (after being separated from him last issue), and arrived just in time. During the firefight, Luke explained to Lando who Chihdo was. He then engaged in battle with Bossk, first using his lightsaber to destroy his foe's pistol and then jumping to evade the bounty hunter's lunge, leaving his opponent with his arms stuck in the wall behind him.

IG-88 emitted a loud tone that attracted more mercenaries. The fight continued, and Lando and Dani soon found themselves surrounded. Luke and Rik escaped and were about to double back once they realized their companions weren't with them. While Rik started to formulate a plan, Luke took his comlink from his belt and went to inform Chewbacca and R2-D2 aboard the Millennium Falcon of the news. He received no response because his colleagues had decided to step into town (after hearing the erroneous news that Solo had been located in issue #71). The tall Wookiee and his much smaller astrodroid counterpart ventured stealthily from alley to alley, encountering a few Stenaxes along the way.

Meanwhile, Lando and Dani were walking toward their fate. A guard led them through the building, stopping briefly to chat with Drebble, the man who accused Lando of cheating him (in a bar fight in the previous issue). Drebble was having Calrissian packaged for transport back to his homeworld, where they would discuss the matter further. 

After leaving Drebble, the heroes were moved further inside the complex. Dani cried for mercy, sobbing on the guard's shoulder, before surprisingly bouncing backward and making a forward kick at their oppressor's head. Lando grabbed the unconscious guard's blaster just before Drebble and his subordinates charged after them. 

At the same time, Artoo and Chewie were maintaining a low profile. They clung to the side of the same building that Luke and Lando were just in, listening to the chatter of guards outside, not knowing that Luke and Rik were making their way on the roof of that same structure. Rik was opening a roof grate as Chewbacca grabbed the leg of a passing Stenax to engage it in conversation. Even Artoo joined in just long enough to irritate the native creature.

Lando and Dani were looking for an escape route, but thus far, they were only finding locked doors. When they finally located an open door, they realized it was a trap. Bossk and IG-88 were waiting for them in a small room that had its own carbon freezing chamber. The guards separated Dani and Lando, but Luke swooped in to help. Unfortunately, it was a futile effort, as Rik stood behind them, having been forced to surrender his blaster by the guards who outnumbered them.

Rik pushed his comrades down just before Stenax spears filled the air, impaling several of the villains. The bounty hunters were about to retreat until they ran into Chewbacca's fist. The Wookiee then threw several of his foes into the carbon freezing pit, where they were preserved moments later in a bit of retribution for Solo. 

The Stenaxes helped to turn the tide of battle in the heroes' favor. Chewie forgave his friends for their mistake, and the four Rebels eventually returned to the Falcon for the journey home. They had just left Stenos when a fifth occupant made her presence known. Dani had opted to leave Rik and the frozen Chihdo behind, stating the need for a vacation with Luke, much to the surprise and chagrin of her new shipmates. 

I felt like this was a satisfying conclusion to this storyline. The only dangling plot points were why Chihdo had been frozen in carbonite and what happened to him, Rik, and the rest of the participants of the battle on Stenos afterward. This wasn't Rik or Chihdo's last appearance in this series. Dani would be a regular supporting character in most of the rest of this title's run, as would other residents of her homeworld of Zeltron. 

That's it for me for today. Next time, I'll discuss the seventy-third issue of this series. The Rebels embark upon another mission, one that takes them to a different planet. There, they'll meet native creatures while trying to avoid Imperial entanglement. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #71

Good morning and Happy Easter, everyone!

It's time for me to discuss the seventy-first issue of Marvel's first Star Wars series. The cover showed Lando Calrissian and Luke Skywalker embroiled in a battle, while standing before a figure encased in carbonite. The tale was titled "Return to Stenos." The issue had a cover date of May 1983.

The story started on board the Millennium Falcon, where Luke and Lando were staring at holograms of the bounty hunters IG-88 and Bossk. The Rebels had been pursuing those bounty hunters because they'd been informed that they were possibly involved in Han Solo's capture, until Boba Fett cut them out of the deal and took the rewards for himself. R2-D2 then turned off the holoprojection, and the two heroes inspected their weapons before heading out to investigate Stenos.

Artoo and Chewbacca remained behind, because they would be less inconspicuous that way, and Chewie wasn't particularly fond of Stenaxes anyway (after their first visit, which was chronicled last issue). Lando guided his friend to the nearest bar, not knowing that a man named Drebble was inside. Drebble loudly exclaimed that Calrissian had cheated him as soon as he saw the pair reach the bar. He also put a ten-thousand-credit reward up for his capture, which naturally attracted most of the patrons' attention.

Lando and Luke ducked for cover right before the firefight began. During the conflict, the Rebels watched Bossk leave the cantina with a Jawa. Luke swooped up and used his lightsaber to take out some of their enemies before the pair jumped from the fifth floor. Afterward, one of the combatants punched Drebble in the mouth for basically being obnoxious. That act of violence was witnessed by IG-88, who had been sitting in a booth behind him.

The heroes landed safely outside and continued their search for Bossk. At first, it seemed like they had caught up with him. However, the person they'd been tracking was a female who looked similar but was definitely not the bounty hunter they were looking for. By that time, Luke and Lando had circled back to the bar and found Drebble standing in front of the entrance shouting loudly.

The duo fled and soon split up. Luke turned around to see Rik Duel staring back at him in a dark alley. Skywalker thought that Duel and his crew had been killed by Stenaxes (during the story recounted in issue #70), but Rik explained that he'd explained that the natives' rage should have been directed at the Imperial governor who was holding the statue of their god Vol at the time. 

Rik's overly amorous associate Dani snuck behind Luke and engaged him in an embrace. Luke asked where Chihdo, the third member of Rik's group, was. Duel had a bad feeling about his friend's disappearance, and the trio set out to investigate. Along the way, Luke caught up with Lando.

Calrissian was excited to share what he saw. He showed Luke a pair of men who were accompanying a person encased in a block of carbonite. They both assumed that it was Han in that block and relayed the news via comlink to Chewbacca and Artoo on the Falcon, who were overjoyed at the news. 

Some clever thinking by Lando allowed Luke to distract one of the guards so they could enter the complex where the carbonite block had been transported. They soon made their way inside and were in the same room where the block had been placed. However, they soon learned that it was Chihdo inside the block of carbonite, and that Bossk and IG-88 were right behind them. 

This was a clever little yarn. I enjoyed the return of Rik and his motley crew. It proved the age-old lesson of not counting your chickens before they hatch, and it was interesting seeing two of the minor characters from The Empire Strikes Back playing larger roles in this storyline.

Well, that's all I have for now. Later today, I'll recap the seventy-second issue of this title. This issue will conclude the storyline. We'll find out what happened to Luke and Lando after being captured by the bounty hunters, and what Chewie and Artoo do after learning about Han's discovery. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #70

Good Saturday afternoon, everyone,

Today's topic is the seventieth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. The cover showed Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, Han Solo, C-3PO, R2-D2, and Princess Leia backed up against a wall, with a strange shadow in front of them. The story was called "The Stenax Shuffle." The issue had a cover date of April 1983.

The tale began on the Millennium Falcon, as Lando Calrissian was talking with Skywalker about their separate missions to find bounty hunters who may have been working with Boba Fett, the bounty hunter who took Solo from Cloud City after Darth Vader ordered the captain be encased in carbonite. They were searching for IG-88 and Bossk, and their paths both led to the same place.

Chewie, of course, had good reason to want his longtime friend back. Lando still felt a bit guilty for doublecrossing Han, even though Luke knew that the Empire had given him no other choice. The Falcon had just entered orbit around the planet Stenos, a world that Luke, Chewie, and Artoo had visited once before. 

Luke shared the story of the initial encounter, which happened not long after he and Han first joined the Rebellion. Solo and Chewbacca set the Falcon down and disembarked along with Luke, Leia, and the droids. They noticed the native winged Stenaxes rambling around town, as well as a squadron of Imperial Stormtroopers, and Governor Quorl Matrin, who served with Leia in the Galactic Senate. Han and company made sure that she wasn't spotted as they passed the Imperial troops.

A short while later, the Rebels arrived at a temple atop a hill. Threepio and Artoo set out to decipher a set of hieroglyphics in the spot that was once an Alliance hideout. Before they could do much more, a trio of guests made their presence known. Out of the shadows stepped Han's old colleagues Rik Duel, Dani, and Chihdo. After a brief standoff, Duel admitted that they were all on the same side.

Rik said that he and his crew were told by Colonel Kindar to remain on Stenos after Imperials forced the rest of their group to depart. Leia recognized Kindar's name as the one that they were supposed to contact if the missing Alliance members had been found. Rik asked Han to get the Falcon, before dismissing the fact that his own ship could suffice. Han and Luke left to retrieve the vessel, knowing that Chewie would keep the rogues in line if necessary.

After the Falcon was stored safely in the temple, the group set to moving rubble. Rik explained that they were looking for a small red statue of the Stenax god, Vol. The droids continued deciphering the hieroglyphics until Artoo's sensors allowed him to find the location of where the temple's altar had been. They bounced rays from the sun, but left an even bigger pile of rubble to clean up.

Han and Chihdo went into town to get some shovels to help clear the rock. At the store, the Rodian explained to Solo that the Stenaxes were forbidden to fly until the statue of their god had been found and returned. They briefly caught the Imperial's attention, but only because Han had dropped a shovel that he'd been carrying, which he promptly picked up as they left quietly. 

The digging resumed once the duo returned. Luke finally found something in the floor. He reached down and pulled out the statue of Vol. However, he soon found the Zeltron Dani pointing her blaster at him as soon as he lifted up the idol. The Rebels learned that Han's old allies had double-crossed them. Dani took the statue from Luke with a kiss, as she and Rik left.

Han was about to go after them when Chihdo entered the temple with a cadre of Stormtroopers behind him. He'd claimed that the temple's occupants were conspiring against Imperial interests, which led to a firefight. Chihdo slinked off during the chaos to rejoin his fellow pirates. In the middle of the battle, Threepio heard a sudden sound. The group looked up and saw Stenaxes armed with spears swooping into the compound.

The Stenaxes and the Rebels continued the conflict until the remaining Stormtroopers opted to flee. Han reached out a hand to thank the natives, only to be hissed at in return. Leia knew that they'd heard about Vol and wanted the statue back. Han was more than happy to point them in the right direction. 

Rik, Dani, and Chihdo had just reached their ship, the Moonshadow, when they found Matrin and his troops waiting for him. Duel handed over the statue, and Matrin had no sooner given the order to execute the pirates when the Stenaxes descended upon them. Rik saw the Falcon flying away and cursed Han for what he knew had to be his involvement in this. 

Luke admitted that they didn't know what happened to the trio after they left, and he really hadn't given it much thought since. He assumed that the Stenaxes had killed Matrin and his troops, along with the Moonshadow's crew. Lando wondered if the Stenaxes would be grateful enough to them for finding their god to help them with this quest. Just to be safe, he advised Chewie to set the Falcon down out of sight of the main city. 

This is still one of my favorite issues of the series. This was Mary Jo Duffy's first issue as regular scripter. Kerry Gammill penciled the flashback story, and Tom Palmer penciled the rest of the story and inked the entire issue. Readers who longed for Solo's return appreciated this story, and Rik, Dani, and Chihdo proved to be popular characters. 

Well, that's it for this article. Next time, I'll recap the seventy-first issue of this series. We'll see what happens when Luke and Lando set foot on Stenos and learn the whereabouts of the bounty hunters they were searching for. We'll also see a new opponent and the return of some characters who were presumed dead. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #69

Happy Friday, everyone,

It's time for me to discuss the sixty-ninth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars comic. The cove showed Princess Leia Organa on a speeder shooting at speeders that were emerging from the eye of a giant animal skeleton, as C-3PO, Fenn Shysa, and Dengar inside the craft that Leia was on watched. The story was called "Death in the City of Bone!" The issue had a cover date of March 1983. 

The tale began right where the previous issue left off. Leia and Threepio were surrounded by Imperial Stormtroopers, who had been alerted to their presence by Dengar's homing beacon. As the Rebels were about to be herded onto a waiting transport, Leia thought back to her mission, which was to find the bounty hunters who were rumored to have been working with Boba Fett in the capture of Han Solo, before Fett cut them out of the deal and took the rewards for himself.

That quest led her and the protocol droid to Mandalore. She soon encountered another person wearing armor that was similar to Fett's. That man was Fenn Shysa, who admitted to her that he'd been keeping Dengar hostage in exchange for the Empire-sanctioned slavers' return of his comrade, Tobbi Dala. Leia and Luke's droid had just freed the cyborg in exchange for information, not knowing that he'd quickly betray them.

As they neared the base, Leia realized that the complex was constructed out of the skeleton of a long-deceased native animal. The shuttle landed soon thereafter, and Organa observed how poorly the slavers treated one of their workers. She and Threepio were then led down a corridor, and behind a hologram of Darth Vader stood the Superma of this installation.

The alien was pleased with his soldiers' captives and allowed Dengar to go out and search for Shysa. He then showed Leia Dala's Mandalorian armor that he'd kept as a trophy before sending his guests to their cells. On the way, a distraction revealed that Shysa was in one of the troopers' suits of armor. He'd knocked out his fellow guard, and then the trio made their way to Tobbi's cell. 

They dispatched the guard at the front door and entered the chamber. Dala was clinging to a wall, ready to assault his keepers, before he recognized his longtime friend. The quartet made plans to escape, aided by a flare that Shysa fired from an opening that alerted his men outside the compound. The heroes then overpowered Dengar and took control of his shuttle.

It wasn't long before a riot broke out inside the large skeleton. Leia fired at the troopers and slavers beneath the shuttle, and she and her companions headed for the Superma after leaving the cyborg tied up in their craft. The evil leader was anticipating their arrival and shot Dala before being brutally attacked by Shysa in response to the initial act of violence. Dala's wound appeared to be imminently fatal, and he asked his colleague to leave him behind so that he wouldn't slow them down.

The trio then returned to their shuttle. Now they had to figure out how to leave the station. A timely assist from slaves on the ground floor proved valuable, as they tossed a grimy food trough up at a shuttle that followed the heroes' vessel, causing it to crash land. 

Inside the Suprema's quarters, Dala put on his Mandalorian armor for the last time. He closed the blast doors moments after his friends' shuttle escaped, causing its pursuers to crash and a series of subsequent explosions that brought the carcass down. That appeared to be the end of the Suprema, Dala, and the Imperial threat on Mandalore.

A while later, Shysa coerced Dengar into confessing what he knew. The bounty hunter said that he'd only heard Fett tell someone about a hideout near the Anga system. He was then taken away, and Leia and Shysa talked about what they'd gained and lost in their excursion. 

Elsewhere in the galaxy, on the gambling platform known as the Wheel, Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca were interrogating an alien named Vorol. They wanted to know the whereabouts of the bounty hunter Bossk. Their acquaintance reluctantly agreed to disclose what he knew after being nearly choked by the Wookiee. However, what he said was something that Calrissian seemed to dread. 

I have to say that I was impressed by the artwork from the late Gene Day and Tom Palmer in this storyline. They portrayed all of the characters well and took the Star Wars franchise seriously. It was also good to see the Wheel again for the first time in several years. Dengar would not return again in this series, but he would be a guest in the 2015 Star Wars title and was featured prominently in the ongoing Bounty Hunters book. Shysa would return in a handful of the final issues before this title was cancelled in 1986. This was also the last regular issue for writer David Michelinie, although he would plot an issue that was published shortly before the events in the Return of the Jedi movie adaptation. 

Well, that's it for this article. Next time, I'll recap the seventieth issue of this series. The trail to Bossk and IG-88 leads Lando, Chewie, Luke Skywalker, and R2-D2 to the same destination. It's a location that three of them had visited before, and is recounted in a story that includes Leia and Solo. A new writer and a new penciler team up with Palmer to craft a yarn that is still 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) #68

Good afternoon,

It's time for me to summarize what's now one of the most expensive issues of Marvel's first Star Wars comic book series. The cover to issue number sixty-eight showed Boba Fett in the background, and Princess Leia and several Imperials behind her in the foreground. The tale was titled "The Search Begins." The issue had a cover date of February 1983.

The story started on Arbra, as Leia, Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and C-3PO were about to embark on a search for several bounty hunters who may have been working with Boba Fett, the renegade who was supposed to be delivering Han Solo to Jabba the Hutt. As Leia was waiting for her Y-Wing to be prepared, she thought back to her rocky relationship with the smuggler, one that had blossomed into love, shortly before Solo was encased in carbonite at Cloud City and taken away.

Her reverie was interrupted by Threepio, just before they boarded the fighter. They were tasked with trying to find the cyborg called Dengar. The others were going after IG-88 and Bossk, respectively. The Millennium Falcon, Luke's X-Wing, and Leia's Y-Wing fighter took off together before heading off in their separate directions. 

Leia and Threepio soon reached the planet Mandalore. Organa set the ship down a safe distance from the capital city, Kedalbe. As the two Rebels walked through the jungle toward the city, they noticed several slavers and their unwilling captives being led somewhere. Before Leia could interfere, a familiar-looking figure swooped in and attacked the slavers and their Imperial Stormtrooper colleagues. 

At first, Leia could hardly believe what she was seeing. She stepped in to save Threepio from a slaver, before meeting who she thought was Boba Fett. The man wearing Mandalorian armor understood upon hearing Fett's name and laughed before removing his helmet. He said that his name was Fenn Shysa, and explained that he was once one of his planet's protectors. Mandalorians had been drafted into the Emperor's service during the Clone Wars, but the cause was one that he'd started to doubt with the rise of the Empire. He, Fett, and his friend Tobbi Dala were the only three who survived the war. Fett eventually went off on his own, while Shysa and Dala returned home. However, they were shocked to see that his people had been the victims of vicious slavers, who had been sanctioned by the Empire. Dala and Shysa formed an underground group to help free the people he'd sworn to protect when he first put on the armor. 

Shysa then led his guests to his home deep in the woods. Leia mentioned who they were looking for, and was surprised to see Dengar sitting in a cage that had been hanging from a nearby tree. Shysa said that Dala had been captured by the slavers, who had agreed to turn him over in exchange for Dengar. Leia wanted the information that the bounty hunter might have, and the cyborg was desperate to make a deal. 

Leia thought about both perspectives before making a decision. Later that evening, she lured Shysa to a quiet place to talk. Meanwhile, Threepio approached the cage and started cutting it loose from the tree after distracting the guards. The cage landed on the ground just as Leia was taking out Fenn. She then rushed to Threepio's side and used her blaster to open the cage door.

Holding Dengar at gunpoint, she allowed the bounty hunter to exit the cage, as long as he cooperated with her. He feigned agreement as he pressed a button on his glove, and later admitted that he'd activated a homing beacon. A few moments later, the trio was surrounded by Imperial reinforcements. 

Along with issue #42, this is one of the most expensive issues of this series. I presume that's because of the rise in popularity of Mandalorian characters, even though Boba Fett only appears on the cover and one flashback page in the middle. It's our first glimpse of Mandalore and its native citizens. Fenn would be included in several more issues toward the end of this title's run after this two-party story concluded. I also liked seeing the Imperial scout walker deviant, which I'd seen in the newspaper strip, drawn by Al Williamson. 

Well, that's it for this article. Next time, I'll recap the sixty-ninth issue of this series. We'll find out what happened to Leia and Threepio after Dengar signaled the Empire. We'll also find out what happened to Tobbi Dala and what Fenn did after noticing Dengar and Leia's disappearances. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #67

Good afternoon everyone,

This is not an April Fools' joke! It's my discussion of the sixty-seventh issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. The cover showed C-3PO, R2-D2, and Chewbacca in the foreground, with an unknown four-armed green, robed alien blocking a doorway behind them. The tale was titled "The Darker." The issue had a cover date of January 1983. 

The story started in the Rebel base on the planet Aphra. Luke Skywalker was goading the droids toward a meeting that might shed some light on how to free Han Solo. Luke had just returned from an unexpected mission on the planet Beheboth (as shown last issue), but was determined not to miss the meeting. On the way, Artoo was sidetracked by a cry for help. He went to investigate, but his detour did not go unnoticed, at least not by all, anyway. One of the Hoojibs saw where the astrodroid was headed and knew that he had to inform his fellow Hoojib Plif right away.

Inside the conference room, Princess Leia Organa was stating that they'd received new information from a fellow Alliance member who had unfortunately lost his life. She went on to say that Boba Fett had originally made plans with another fellow bounty hunter to capture Han, but eventually cut his partner out of the reward after acquiring Solo from Darth Vader on Cloud City. 

The possible accomplices had been narrowed down to a list of three: a cyborg named Dengar, a droid called IG-88, and the reptilian known as Bossk. Luke looked at Lando Calrissian and asked if they had a chance. Lando was doubtful, but wasn't about to give up hope. 

Threepio was standing behind his master and turned to talk to his counterpart, Artoo, only to discover that he wasn't there. Instead, he saw several Hoojibs behind him, who insisted on speaking with Leia right away. They explained that they'd seen Artoo enter a tunnel that they knew contained a great danger, one that they'd left alone for years.

The translator droid then asked Chewbacca if he would investigate the situation with him. Chewie was angered by the thought of having to be temporarily torn away for the search for his friend, but Threepio assured him that the excursion would be brief, and noted that it would take several hours for the ships to be readied for the mission. 

Soon thereafter, the group approached the small cave entrance. The Hoojibs accompanied Threepio and Chewbacca inside, even though they were scared. Their friendship with the Rebels kept them motivated. An energy barrier was the final obstacle. Threepio and the Hoojibs passed through it easily, but Chewie had a bit of a struggle before making his way to the other side.

An old, and apparently long-abandoned, city now stood before them. A while later, the friends came across Artoo's disassembled parts, which were being held in a mesh of long green strands. Chewie rushed to free him, only to be warned not to by a voice behind them. The city's sole inhabitant, a being called the Darker, explained that this was his territory and that he alone would decide what transpires within it.

The creature then invited them inside for refreshment, before floating toward a doorway. Chewbacca and Threepio ventured forth, as the Hoojibs ran to warn Leia. A small banquet table had been set, but its food seemed less than appetizing. The Darker told his guests that the people of Arbra had once gotten to where they no longer wanted emotions such as fear, anger, or hatred, and that their technology had reached a point where they could eliminate those emotions. However, they learned that dark energies could not be destroyed, but were siphoned off by him. 

Arbra's natives soon left the planet and the Darker behind, keeping him trapped inside the self-perpetuating force field that was rather sensitive to negative emotions. That explained why Chewie had a tough time penetrating it initially. The Darker eventually sensed the Rebels' arrival and realized that he could use that to his advantage by luring them to his home in the hopes of using their machines or technology to deactivate the force screen. It was a long, arduous process, but he finally succeeded in drawing Artoo's attention with his recent call for help.

Threepio exclaimed that the alien wouldn't prevail, and that reinforcements were likely on their way. The Darker scoffed at that assertion, pointing at the Hoojibs who were now cowering in fear in one corner of the room. Chewbacca then fired his bowcaster at their foe, only to have the blast absorbed in the beast's belly. The Darker fired a ray of raw hatred into Chewie's eyes, and the loyal Wookiee then turned on his droid colleague.

Fortunately, Threepio was able to evade his friend for a while. He soon found himself in a library and put his translation skills to good use. His first attempt wasn't what he expected, as the book sitting in front of him was merely a cookbook. Meanwhile, Luke had noticed Threepio and Chewie's absence and asked Lando if he'd seen them. Lando assured his friend that they were probably around somewhere, taking some well-deserved time off. Luke smiled and agreed.

Threepio had finally found a book that explained the history of the planet. He was a bit shocked to learn that the Darker had lied to them, and was in the middle of reading more when Chewbacca struck above him. Threepio used a bit of his lubricant to free himself from harm and rushed to find Artoo, bring him down from his entanglement, and put his parts back together.

By the time that happened, Chewbacca had found his companions. He was ready to crush the golden droid, but Threepio reminded him of their past exploits and the current search to find Han. Hearing Solo's name broke Chewie out of his trance and increased his anger toward the Darker. 

The Darker was now in front of them and tried to use fear to disable his opponent. Threepio advised Chewie to fight, adding that the planet's former residents knew that the creature could be destroyed by the same energy that surrounded the city. They chose not to kill him because he was a part of the world. 

Artoo told Threepio that the force screen could be neutralized, but only by the Darker. Chewbacca continued to advance on the creature until it seemed like the Darker's will was stronger. Seeing Chewie fall inspired the Hoojibs to pounce on the beast. Their unexpected bravery was enough to distract the Darker, and allowed Chewbacca to recover, grab and toss the being high into the force field.

The creature did indeed destroy the force screen, and the city was about to crumble around them. Chewbacca grabbed the droids and ran along with the Hoojibs to safety. The screen imploded, and only rubble remained. A short while later, a Rebel pilot advised the three heroes to get going. He assumed that they'd been resting, not knowing what they'd just been through. 

I'm kind of surprised that we haven't seen others of the Darker's kind or other similar beings in Star Wars comics since this issue. He was a unique kind of evil, and I'm sure that type of powerful influence must exist in others in the galaxy that George Lucas created. I'm glad that his menace was apparently ended forever, but now I wonder what would have happened if other Rebels encountered him. A nice tale by writer David Michelinie, inker Tom Palmer, and new penciler Ron Frenz (who is also known for his work on The Amazing Spider-Man and The Mighty Thor, among other books).

That's it for today. Next time, I'll cover a very highly sought-after issue. The sixty-eighth issue of this series starts the search for bounty hunters who may have information as to Han Solo's whereabouts. It begins on the planet Mandalore, as Leia and Threepio look for possible answers and run into new friends and a few old foes. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.