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. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #66

Good afternoon,

Today's topic is the sixty-sixth issue of the first Star Wars comic book series. The cover showed Luke Skywalker outside the entrance to a cave where his X-Wing fighter had been stored, watching a quartet of Imperial TIE fighters fly past. The story was called "The Water Bandits!" The issue had a cover date of December 1982.

The tale began on the planet Beheboth, where Skywalker was forced to land after learning that his ship was unable to enter hyperspace and return to the Rebel home planet of Arbra (after suffering minor damage caused by a pistol shot on Golrath last issue). He hid out in a cave, watching TIEs fly by, not noticing him at all. He thought he had enough provisions to last a while, until he opened a container and discovered that his food had been infested by sand lice.

Luke then decided to venture out to the nearest town of Garrotine in search of food and water. The smell of baked bantha from a nearby establishment aroused his interest. He was able to use his credits to buy food, but was informed that water wasn't available for strangers. His pointed objection to that statement drew the attention of a trio of patrons. They tried to subdue him, and a fight broke out. Even though Luke held his own, the melee was ended by a warning shot from a native named Darial.

Skywalker's attackers knew that Darial was loyal to their plight against the brigands and understood why she stood up for the stranger in their midst. Luke was thankful for her intervention and was convinced to join her crew after seeing a trio of Stormtroopers searching for him just outside the restaurant. The pair then took Darial's landspeeder to her farm. The farm had a tall wall around it and was heavily guarded. 

It was a moisture farm, one that was not that dissimilar from the one Luke grew up working on back on Tatooine. Darial assigned Luke to protect the farm, even though the young Jedi doubted it needed much protection from him. She sat with him during his first watch duty that evening and explained how the employees had grown into a community where everyone trusted each other. Darial was about to say more when she suddenly fell ill, and a set of strange green telepathic organisms filled the air. Luke soon lost consciousness, much like Darial did.

Skywalker awoke the next morning to find Darial missing and the base had been trashed. One of her counterparts informed him that brigands had attacked and taken her. He pointed the way to her base, which was a destination that Luke was determined to reach. He made the journey alone and had no sooner entered the complex when he was taken by gunpoint to the brigands' leader, Gideon Longspur. 

The villain had indeed captured Darial. He was also holding the green organisms in a glass dome. They were called Terriths and were empathic organisms that were being forced to do the brigands' bidding. The beings were made of an energy mist that could be drawn into vaporators. Once inside, they would then combine with the existing condensation chemicals to create an odorless, colorless gas that could make humans unconscious. That would then leave their employers free to raid and pillage as they saw fit. 

Luke and Darial were then put in a cell together. They were weaponless, but still far from helpless. Several Terriths floated around in the air, wishing to help the farmers. They fluttered around the air in front of the guards, distracting them from their game of cards at the table in front of the cell. Luke then used the Force to open their cell and escape.

By the time that Darial and Skywalker reached the central chamber of the brigand fort, Longspur was waiting for them, with Luke's ignited lightsaber in his hands. Luke's attacker was reckless and used the blade to accidentally break the glass dome that held the rest of the Terriths. Luke then knocked out his foe and reclaimed his father's weapon.

Outside, dozens of soldiers were charging to attack. The Terriths asked their rescuers to trust them. They did, and Darial fired at the water tanks next to them. They broke open, and gallons of water flooded the plains, washing away the enemies in the process. Luke and Darial fled to higher ground, where they waited for some time.

Afterward, they returned to the farm with the Terriths. Their new friends were gracious enough to seed the clouds so that rain fell upon the land for the first time in years. The farmers could now collect as much water as they wanted. That image was one that Luke held onto as he eventually left the planet after having repaired his X-Wing and set a course for Arbra.

I didn't have this issue until just a few years ago. When it first came out, we didn't have comic book shops in my area, and I was lucky to find issues when I could at my local drug store or big box retailers. This was an interesting one-off, and I'm glad that I finally acquired it. It was an interesting story, featuring characters who sadly have yet to return to the Marvel Star Wars universe. This was also the last issue that Walt Simonson worked on. He would go on to be the writer and artist for The Mighty Thor and later team up with his wife, Louise Simonson, on the X-Factor title.

Well, that's it for now. Next time, I'll tackle the sixty-seventh issue of this series. A new penciler joins David Michelinie and Tom Palmer to chronicle an offbeat story that happened right before the Rebels were about to resume their search for Han Solo. It involves R2-D2, C-3PO, Chewbacca, several Hoojibs, and a mysterious character that none of them expected. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #65

Good afternoon all,

It's time for me to discuss the sixty-fifth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. The cover, drawn by the issue's penciler and inker Tom Palmer, showed Princess Leia Organa going up against Imperial Leftenant Giel. The tale was titled "Golrath Never Forgets!" The issue had a cover date of November 1982. 

The story started in the Rebel base on the planet Arbra. Luke Skywalker was standing on trial before Leia and Generals Rieekan and Veertag. He'd been charged with desertion, murder, theft, and treason. Several screens throughout the complex recounted the acquisition of several Imperial TIE fighters that were used by Luke and his fellow pilots to infiltrate the Empire's armada. This battle apparently took the life of Luke's wingmate, Shira Brie.

Skywalker's ship fired upon Brie, and he was subsequently stripped of rank pending an inquiry. Luke and Chewbacca then left in the Millennium Falcon without permission for the planet Shalyvane, which Brie had claimed was her homeworld. There, they discovered a transmitter used to contact Darth Vader. The duo then flew to Krake's Planet, made their way into the Imperial data vault, and brought back a recording that confirmed that Brie was an Imperial agent who'd been planted in the Rebellion to discredit her flight commander.

The tribunal examined the evidence and returned with a verdict of not guilty on all accounts. They recommended that Luke be reinstated to his previous rank, which he cheerfully accepted. While many on the base were celebrating Commander Skywalker's return to grace, others, like Milo (who had goaded the disgraced Rebel into a fist fight in issue #62) were unconvinced of his innocence. 

Luke's fellow pilot, Thorben, was chatting with his ally Gemmer afterward, when he noticed his friend's tiredness. Gemmer explained that he'd been up all night, after being distracted by lights that had emanated from a paperweight that he'd brought back from their former temporary base on the planet Golrath. Thorben then insisted on examining the bauble personally. 

Meanwhile, Luke and Leia were discussing matters in Organa's personal chambers. Their conversation was interrupted by Thorben's call on the viewscreen. He recommended that his superiors report to the analytics lab as soon as possible. A short while later, Doctor Wella placed the stone inside a machine, and those in the room soon saw an image of Luke when he'd been afflicted by the Crimson Forever (which happened back in issue #50). The stones were apparently capable of storing light and playing back images that they had captured.

Leia grew concerned that the rocks might contain a visual history of their time on that planet, and it could be a danger if the Empire discovered them. Fighter squads were hastily scrambled and set off for Golrath. Little did they know that there was already a small Imperial presence on that planet, led by former Admiral Giel.

Giel was the one whose armada Luke and company had attacked. He was guarding a Teezl, which was an organic being that had been captured to vastly improve Imperial communication across the galaxy. Its destruction angered Vader, who surprisingly allowed Giel to live, but demoted him in rank to leftenant and assigned him to less important matters like patrolling this planet. Despite all of that, Giel still took his role seriously and planned to return to his former status eventually.

A short while later, a pair of Giel's Stormtroopers took a break. They were surprised to see a Rebel patrol charging at them, and began firing in retaliation. They soon learned that they'd blasted nothing but stones that had contained images of a Rebel training operation. Giel had been drawn to the area by the shooting and realized what he had. 

Not long afterward, the Rebel fighters entered Golrath's atmosphere. They soon found themselves in a firefight. Leia jumped from her Y-Wing and used a jetpack to descend to their former base. She used a small explosive to penetrate the outer shield, not knowing that she was being watched remotely by Giel. The leftenant knew exactly who the intruder was, but decided to see how far she could get. 

Organa easily took out the two guards that had been stationed near her before making her way to the reactor room. Once inside, she was fired upon by a shot from Giel's pistol. The two engaged in a battle of wits, one which was determined to destroy the station after the Imperial closed the blast doors, released the overhead damper, and activated the station's self-destruct sequence. 

Leia feigned surrender, only to trick Giel. She'd tied the hip from her pistol's holster to a cart that she'd put her jetpack on. She activated the pack and sent the cart careening toward her opponent, who was knocked down instantly. She then opened the nearest door control and escaped.

Giel walked away, unscathed but discouraged. Outside the complex, Leia was picked up via a cable extended from another Y-Wing. Luke's X-Wing flew behind as support, and his ship suffered what seemed to be a minor hit from Giel's pistol. That shot improved Giel's confidence slightly, and it was raised even further when he'd been informed that Vader had already been informed by his transport's pilot on the success of his mission, and that the Sith Lord was waiting for him to make a personal report on his cruiser. 

While Giel's vessel was charting a course for the Star Destroyer Executor, the Rebel fighters were fleeing Golrath moments before the station exploded. Having accomplished their mission, the fighters went into hyperspace. All that is, except for Luke's X-Wing. The pistol shot had apparently knocked out its hyperdrive capabilities, leaving him all alone in space with several TIE fighters on his tail.

This issue had a good cliffhanger ending. I just wish that I'd had the following issue when I was a kid, and had to wait until I was an adult to find out what had happened next. This was a nice callback to the fiftieth issue, and I was satisfied seeing Giel redeem himself a bit. It's too bad that this was his last appearance in this title. To the best of my knowledge, he has not appeared in another Marvel comic book since. 

Well, that's all for now. Next time, I'll recap the sixty-sixth issue of this series. We'll find out if Luke was able to escape the TIEs and learn where he wound up after the destruction of the Golrath base. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) Annual #2

Good afternoon, everyone,

Hope everyone's having a great Sunday! It's time for me to discuss the second Star Wars comic annual, which was published in 1982. The cover showed Han Solo and an as-yet-unidentified woman standing in a doorway, with a half-dozen bald, robed men standing sideways around them. The story was called "Shadeshine!"

It all began on the planet Ventooine, as Lando Calrissian, Luke Skywalker, and C-3PO were running from attacking Stormtroopers. They'd arrived on the planet to search for a rumored impressive power source, not realizing that the Empire might have the same goal in mind. The trio ran for cover inside the nearest building, only to find a giant statue of Solo right in front of them.

None of them knew that Han had ever been to this world before. A few moments later, they were greeted by a bald, red-robed man (similar to the ones shown on this issue's cover) who was named Vetter Piin. He was the caretaker of the shrine, and noticed the similarities between his new acquaintances and the man he'd come to know as their savior.

Piin went on to say that Solo was the one who'd saved their people from the dangers of Starshine, an element that both the Rebellion and the Empire had been looking for. He then moved closer to the statue and touched the tip of his cane to one of the memory stones at its base, which had been used to record Han's words about the ordeal. Solo agreed to make this recording as both a favor and a warning.

It all began several years back, when he and Chewbacca set down on the planet in the Millennium Falcon. Han had heard of a valuable spice called Sansanna that could only be found on Ventooine, and set out to investigate in person after donning a hasty disguise. Han ventured out into town by himself and stopped to help an old man wearing a red robe after he'd been pushed down by some rather gruff-looking soldiers. 

The man thanked the stranger for his aid and answered Han's question about where the nearest cantina was. At that watering hole, Solo inadvertently caused a bit of chaos simply by asking the barkeep where he could acquire some Sansanna. Upon hearing that word, several patrons tried to accost him. Han fled the establishment, not knowing that a promenade was going on at the same time in the city streets to honor their leadership.

Piin had been watching the parade from a rooftop, along with an associate who was ready to end the tieress named Chrysalla's life. Piin begged his counterpart to refrain, reminding him of the prophecy that told of a stranger with weapons and ways much different than their own who would help them overthrow the tyranny of the Satab. 

It soon became obvious that Han was the person who would fill that role. He made his way to the Chrysalla's carriage and used his blaster to destroy the explosive that Piin's colleague Phalar had thrown. The woman beside him recognized his bravery and invited Han to ride along with her. However, little did he know at the time that Phalar and Piin had viewed him as a threat at the time, one that they decided had to be eliminated. 

The celebration continued inside the palace, where Han soon met the Satab, or ultimate ruler, of the planet. He then saw why he was feared. Phalaf rose to confront the Satab, who calmly reached out his hand to grasp his foe, and the once lively eighteen-year-old man suddenly began to grow old and died in a matter of moments.

A while later, the Satab approached Han and asked him about his blaster. Evidently, such types of weapons had never been witnessed on that world before. He produced it before surrendering the gun to the Satab's guards. Solo then noticed his host pouring a bit of Sansanna into a bowl.

Han was led to his quarters later that evening, but found that he couldn't sleep. He opted to search his surroundings and came across Chrysalla along the way. She informed him of the guard patrols. Neither of them knew that the Satab was observing the duo from his own chambers. He had reason to suspect that his guest was up to no good.

Hours later, Han and Chyrsalla continued to talk on her balcony. Solo learned that the charm around the Satab's neck was called Shadeshine. It was able to heighten, transmit, and receive certain senses. The talisman also gave him powers like the ones evidenced during the banquet earlier. Chrysalla knew that her host was evil, but felt obligated to remain loyal to him. 

The pair soon heard footsteps outside the door, which was Han's cue to leave. He descended the balcony and returned to his own quarters. Later that morning, the Satab invited Solo to join them on a quest for specific minerals that were valuable to him. Han proved his bravery once more in a cavern,as he defeated a lumbering beast that threatened to harm the group. The Satab then announced aloud that he'd found his successor.

News of that proclamation spread fast, and Piin and some of his associates gathered later that afternoon to converse. They knew that they had to act fast before the power was transferred. As the evening approached, the Satab requested Han's presence so that he could hand over the Shadeshine to him, but first he brought out Piin, whom Han had rescued the previous day. 

A scuffle ensued, and Han and Chrysalla escaped with Han's pistol, but without the Shadeshine. Solo wanted to go back for the gem because of its value, until Chrysalla informed him that whoever used the gem would become so sensitive to external stimuli after a year that they would burn out and need to transfer it to someone else. She added that previous Satabs had gone into suspended animation, in the hopes that the effects could eventually be reversed. 

She then pressed a panel on the wall by her to reveal a secret door, which slowly rose to reveal the hundreds of prior Satabs who were resting sideways in suspended animation. Moments later, the current Satab arrived. He used the Shadeshine to destroy Han's blaster, and Solo tossed a large boulder at his opponent.

After throwing the rock back at Solo, the Satab then engaged in a battle with Chrysanna, who now had the stone. The Satab began to weaken and rushed toward the nullification chamber. Han tossed another stone at the evil ruler, which ended his existence. 

Moments later, Piin arrived on the scene. Han suggested a celebration, but Chrysanna knew that her fate had been sealed the moment that she touched the Shadeshine. She voluntarily entered the chamber and left her former life. Piin later gave Solo the gem, which he planned to eject from the Falcon's thrust tubes to be vaporized in space as soon as possible.

The recording ended shortly thereafter. Luke then had an idea based on the story to lure their opponents. Outside the nullification chambers, the troopers were aroused by the sound of a voice coming from inside the room. They charged in, only to have Luke jump out and throw the light switch. The Imperials were now locked in the same meditative trances as the rest of the room's occupants.

Lando recognized Chrysalla among those now frozen in that chamber. Piin observed that they all owed her a great deal. As the Rebels departed via a Y-Wing fighter later on, it wasn't lost on them just how the actions of friends old and new helped to save the people on the planet below. 

Even though I still don't care much for Carmine Infantino's artwork, I still thought that this was an interesting yarn. It would have been even more impressive if Marvel's creative team had returned to the planet with Han after the events that occurred in the Return of the Jedi adaptation. Another entertaining one-off tale that fit well for an annual, most of which are rarely connected to the regular title. 

Well, that's all I have for now. Next time, I'll return to the main storyline as I recap the sixty-fifth issue of this series. We'll find out Luke's fate after he and Chewbacca return to Arbra with evidence about Shira Brie. The Rebellion will also visit a former base as danger from their past resurfaces. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #64

Hi everyone,

The focus of this article will be the sixty-fourth issue of the first Star Wars comic book series. The cover showed the face of a green alien, with images of Luke Skywalker's face in its red eyes. The tale was titled "Serphidian Eyes." The issue had a publication date of October 1982.

The story began with an alien projected onto a screen that looked much like the one shown on the issue's cover. Princess Leia Organa was standing in front of the display, along with several fellow Rebel Alliance members. She explained that the being was a native of a planet in the Belial system. The Rebellion was concerned about the Empire's influence in that sector of the galaxy, and that its current ruler had definite leanings toward their foes.

C-3PO and R2-D2 were unable to participate in the meeting because of their upcoming maintenance appointments. Berl joked that he could pull a few strings to get them involved, but Luke and Cinda were confident they could handle the job on their own. A short time later, a trio of X-Wing fighters took off from Arbra en route to Belial.

After a short hyperspace jump, the ships were nearing Serphidi. Cinda spotted a quartet of ships on her radar, which turned out to be TIE fighters. The Rebel ships fought well, but Cinda's ship was damaged in the melee. She lost a set of S-foils as she crashed on the planet below. Having vanquished their foes, Luke and Berl soon landed to come to their friend's aid.

Cinda was in better shape than her fighter. However, she and her comrades soon faced another threat, which was a cadre of armed natives who rode large green lizards. They fired a series of energy bolts from their lances. One shot took out Berl permanently, while another injured Cinda. Luke managed to escape, but fortunately, his attackers chose not to pursue him.

Meanwhile, Luke was exploring his new surroundings. He heard the cries of someone in danger and found that another native was caught in the clutches of a large plant. A single shot from his pistol freed the elderly man, who was named Elglih. He was very thankful for Luke's timely assistance and invited him to his home for shelter and a warm meal.

After dinner, Luke thanked his host and his wife and got the explanation that Elglih had promised. He started by saying that the planet was once known for its superior technology, but that it was often used for destructive purposes. They became embroiled in senseless conflicts for many generations. Everything changed when a pact was signed that outlawed technology and united its populace under the rule of a sole king. Their aggression was then funneled into a series of jousting contests, like the one that the old man was training for when Luke found him. 

Things changed slightly when the current shah came to power. He insisted that the bouts become matches to the death. He added that he could only be supplanted by someone who defeated them in such a contest, which is just what Elglih wanted to do, for the sake of his people. Many before him had failed in that effort, but Elglih was confident that he would succeed. He then got the idea that young Luke would be his squire. Luke was reluctant at first, but realized it might help him learn more about the current ruler, and agreed to the role.

Inside King S'shah's castle, the monarch was satisfied with his captive. Cinda stood before him being judged, and was horrified to learn that she was intended to be his future meal. What she didn't know was that Luke was training with Elglih. He was a bit rusty at first, but continued to improve more and more until it was time for the competition to begin.

Cinda was being tended to by an aide of the king's before she fought off a guard. She was almost about to leave the castle when she was accosted from behind by S'shah. A little while later on, Elglih was announced as a contestant. However, he announced that he could not participate because of a recent injury, and that his squire would serve in his stead. Luke then saw Cinda on the sideline, an observation which made the contest a bit more intriguing for the king.

Both combatants were evenly matched at the start, but S'shah proved to be more proficient, due to his additional experience in such competitions. Luke's lance was broken during the fracas, and he had to resort to using a hefty slap to dismount his opponent. He then grabbed his foe's lance after unseating him, and was forced to use it after Elglih pointed out that the king had taken a small blaster from his belt. One burst, and the shah's rule was over.

The people could now celebrate their freedom. Elglih had accepted the crown, although he thought that Luke had rightly earned it. Skywalker was happy enough that Cinda was free and that the planet would now be an ally of the Rebel Alliance. On the way back, the two pilots talked about how they missed Berl's presence at the celebration they had just attended. Luke understood Cinda's sympathy for their fallen colleague and noted that Berl gave his life knowing that he'd at least helped one planet find its freedom. 

I first received a copy of this issue for my tenth birthday (most comic books at the time had publication dates that were 2-3 months ahead of when they could be found on store shelves). Having read the previous storyline, I knew that the events in this issue took place either before or after that. I wasn't a big fan of penciler Joe Brozowski's work, but longtime comic book inker Vince Colletta saved the art for the most part. It wasn't uncommon back then for comic book companies to have issues like this prepared in case of a late or missed deadline or other reasons, and this issue seemed to be serviceable in that regard. This was the one and only appearance of the Serphidians in this series.

That's it for this article. I'll return to covering the regular ongoing storyline in a bit. Next up is a recap of the second Star Wars annual. Luke, Lando Calrissian, and Threepio run into a bit of trouble on another planet and wind up hearing a tale from Han Solo's past. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.