Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #36

Good Saturday afternoon, everyone,

It's time for me to recap the thirty-sixth issue of the first Star Wars comic. The cover depicted Luke Skywalker in a body of water, battling a pink and purple horned creature while Lady Domina looked on. The story was called "Red Queen Rising!" The issue had a cover date of June 1980.

The tale began in orbit around the planet Monastery, as the Millennium Falcon was warned to stand by for Imperial inspection by a Star Destroyer. The larger craft soon hauled in the Correllian freighter via tractor beam, and its Imperial crew was quick to conduct a scan of its contents, including the smuggling compartments that they were apparently made aware of.

On the planet, Luke was awake at dawn. He didn't get much sleep because he was busy thinking about how to convince the world's people that the Empire was the real threat to the galaxy. He and Darth Vader had been sent as emissaries of their representative groups to present their case to the council. A while later, Skywalker saw what he assumed was another beast preparing to attack Domina. 

The young Jedi leapt to her defense and engaged in a brief battle with the blue panther-like creature. His lightsaber made short work of the animal, whom he later learned had been a pet of Domina Taage's. That act seemed to sway the lady's favor toward Vader, who approached her afterward.

Domina's brothers, Orman and Silas, were being kept in stasis containers on the same ship that had captured the Falcon. The Imperial commander's men found nothing out of the ordinary on board, but took the captain Han Solo and his first mate Chewbacca as their prisoners. After their departure, Princess Leia emerged from the hidden panels in one of the storage compartments. She and C-3PO were safe. She instructed the protocol droid to make contact with Skywalker to update them on what they'd learned.

Luke and Artoo ended the call moments before Domina and her companions arrived in Skywalker's quarters to invite him to meet with the temple elders. Luke didn't know that Domina's brother Ulric had talked to her earlier, and falsely stated that Orman and Silas had died by Luke's hand. Vader wanted Skywalker and was more than willing to persuade Domina to make that happen. After speaking with the Sith Lord, Domina thought back to a time years earlier when Orman told Silas that their sister would never marry into the Imperial family, and that he didn't want her innocence and purity corrupted.

In the council chambers, Domina announced that the order members had opted to revoke the circle of elders' authority and named her as all-high priestess. She went on to declare Luke and the Alliance must be eliminated as threats to the natural cycle of galactic life. Luke protested, but Domina pointed out Luke's recent violent activities as examples proving their decision was just.

Skywalker tried to point out that Vader was likely behind the grand scheme, which the Imperial leader took as an accusation. He was willing to face the young pilot in a lightsaber battle. Domina would not allow either of them to fight in their chamber but instructed that both warriors would meet at sundown in the crystal valley. 

Meanwhile, Leia was busy creating diversions on board the Star Destroyer. She was able to deactivate the cruiser's artificial gravity long enough to free Solo and Chewbacca and turned off the tractor beam, allowing the Falcon to escape. The ship made its way toward the planet before the crew knew they had a guest on board, who turned out to be none other than Baron Orman Taage. He soon revealed himself by holding the pilots at gunpoint. The Baron wanted vengeance on Skywalker and Vader, not knowing that the two in question were about to face off on the planet in a contest of skill. 

Domina definitely changed after the events in this issue. While Silas and Orman were largely forgotten after this storyline, Domina Taage would make one post-Empire Strikes Back appearance and would not be seen in another Marvel Star Wars magazine until after the company reacquired the license in 2015. I liked the fact that Han had revised his smuggling compartments and was a little surprised that the Empire even knew about them. I know that the Marvel creative staff were rather limited by Lucasfilm as to what they could and couldn't do, so I guess I'm okay with the Taages' involvement in the affairs of the Empire versus the Rebellion.

Next up is the thirty-seventh issue of this series. The final part of this story arc kicks off with the showdown at sunrise on Monastery. We'll see which contestant is the victor, and just what Orman had in store for Han and company. There will also be a brief precursor to the next Star Wars movie adaptation. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #35

Good afternoon,

It's time for me to talk about the thirty-fifth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars color comic. The cover depicted Darth Vader in front of a game board, with sculptures of Luke Skywalker, Orman Taage, C-3PO, Han Solo, R2-D2, Chewbacca, and Princess Leia Organa. The tale was titled "Dark Lord's Gambit." The issue had a cover date of May 1980. 

The tale began on an unnamed world, where the Dark Lord of the Sith finally learned the name of the Rebel pilot who destroyed the Death Star. He soon returned to his Star Destroyer with this knowledge and conferred with his subordinate Wermis before his rendezvous with a Taage Star Destroyer. The general on board that particular craft had recently risen to the rank of Baron after his brothers' Silas and Orman's recent defeat at the hands of the Rebel Alliance.

A few minutes later, the general shared details about their recent setback at the hands of the Rebel fleet. He disclosed that Solo and Skywalker were aboard the lead attack craft. Upon hearing this, Vader became incensed, knowing that they had let an opportunity to capture those Rebels slip from their grasp. The Sith Lord then revealed the forms of Silas and Orman Taage, each encased in his own stasis chamber, much to the surprise of their brother, who'd assumed that they had perished during the battle.

Convinced that he'd had the upper hand, Vader soon returned to his own flagship. He was ready to proceed with his plans, now that he had the Taage family as pawns to use as he so chose. Meanwhile, an X-Wing patrol headed by Skywalker was making a pass around the planet Yavin when they noticed an unidentified craft being attacked by a squadron of Imperial TIE fighters. 

The Rebel pilots leaped in to save the larger vessel, which landed on the planet before them. On the surface, Han and Chewbacca went to get Leia, who was recovering from a recent injury (in a tale that, to the best of my knowledge, still has yet to be chronicled), so that they could properly greet their guests. The passengers from the ship, which had just been attacked, began to disembark and stated that they were part of the Order of the Sacred Circle and had risked violating the Imperial blockade to ask for their help.

Their leader, Lady Domina, immediately attracted Luke's attention. A short while later, the group conferred with General Dodonna and other Rebel personnel. Domina stated that their homeworld of Monastery was a neutral planet, but that Imperials had recently landed trying to win their favor. Their order had always been neutral during the galactic conflict and had intended to stay that way.

It was suggested that members of both the Rebellion and the Empire be allowed to convene on their planet, so that their order could make a final decision regarding their position on the matter. Luke enthusiastically volunteered to go and soon departed with Artoo in his own X-Wing that followed the bigger ship. His comrades were understandably wary, but were taking measures just in case the Empire might have a few tricks up its sleeve.

Threepio was monitoring their progress via a computer linkup with Artoo, and provided Leia and others with updates, like the one the astrodroid reported when the group encountered a Nightshrike flying toward them mere moments after landing on Monastery. Although blasters were forbidden on that world, Skywalker was allowed to carry his lightsaber, which was seen by natives as a largely ceremonial weapon. It came in handy, as Luke used it to end the threat.

No sooner had the creature been defeated than Luke wheeled around to see Vader right behind him. Only Artoo bumping into him prevented another battle. The Sith Lord left soon thereafter, and Domina tried to calm the hero. Later on, in his quarters, Luke and Artoo relayed what they'd learned so far. However, what they didn't know was that Vader had used the Force to send the beast after the heroes.

It was something that Vader admitted to Lady Domina, who we learned was also a Taage. Vader had hoped to win her favor by falsely claiming that her older brothers, Silas and Orman, had been slain by Rebel forces. She had no idea that they were still alive. Vader even went so far as to claim that Skywalker was responsible for their deaths. With that seed planted in her head, the Imperial leader reported to Wermis that all players of the game were in place and that the contest could now truly begin. 

I'll be brutally honest: I never liked how Carmine Infantino drew Darth Vader. His face seems rather unnecessarily expanded, much like how he drew Artoo. I think that's one of the reasons why I initially didn't buy some of these earlier issues. The Dark Lord of the Sith is supposed to instill fear and reverence, but this rendition does anything but. I'm just glad that this storyline was rather brief. Domina wasn't featured very often during this series, but played a larger role in more recent Marvel Star Wars books, especially in the Doctor Aphra titles. She has changed significantly since her debut here.

That's all for today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the thirty-sixth issue of this title. Luke will face another challenge in the second part of this three-part story. We'll also see how allies on both sides interact during the conference on Monastery. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #34

Good Friday morning, everyone,

Today's topic is the thirty-fourth issue of the first Star Wars comic book series. The cover showed Luke Skywalker in a spacesuit watching helplessly as the Millennium Falcon and other Rebel craft behind it were apparently flying into a trap. The story was called "Thunder In the Stars!" The issue had a publication date of April 1980. 

The tale began with Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Princess Leia Organa in the Falcon's cockpit as the ship was on its way to rescue Skywalker, with several Alliance vessels in tow. C-3PO and R2-D2 were also on board the Falcon as it was heading toward the Junction space station, where Skywalker had last been seen before being captured by a House of Taage ship.

Meanwhile, Silas Taage had just supervised the release of another omega frost container tower from his family's vessel. Once activated, the container towers that had been dispatched to nearby asteroids would freeze any incoming ships, including the anticipated Rebel fleet. Silas wasn't concerned about Skywalker, who had defeated his brother Orman (last issue) and escaped in a TIE fighter, because he knew his escape craft had no weapons or communication system and only limited fuel. 

Luke was just beginning to realize those limitations, not long after flying off to freedom. He decided to hit the eject button and was thankful that his space suit's jet pack hadn't been disabled or tampered with. At the same time, the Falcon and Rebel ships were approaching the asteroid belt. 

The omega frost activators hadn't been turned on yet. Luke used his lightsaber to direct his flight, allowing him to land safely on one of the asteroids on which a container tower had been launched. He saw the tower and tried to attack it, only to find it had a strong force field. 

Moments later, the omega frost towers were activated. Han and the ships behind him stopped as soon as they noticed the frozen planetoids in their path. They were spared from sharing that fate because Luke had used his saber to cut through to the base of the tower and was able to destroy the machine from there.

Silas soon recognized that something was wrong. He began to panic upon seeing the Rebel ships amass near his vessel, pleading with his now comatose brother for guidance. Rebel forces made quick work of their foes, as did the Falcon when it took out a TIE that was aiming for the unconscious Skywalker. Han donned a flight suit of his own and prepared to go down to the asteroid's surface to rescue his friend. 

This was a rather swift conclusion to this storyline. Silas was the more logical, methodical thinker of the Taage brothers, but even he failed to account for reasonable contingencies when executing his plan. I wasn't surprised by how quickly Luke figured out how to take out the omega frost tower, but I thought that it might take eliminating more than one, since several had been sent out to accomplish that goal. It was an okay issue, one leading up to the adaptation of the long-anticipated Star Wars movie sequel.

Next time, I'll discuss the thirty-fifth issue of this series. An old enemy reappears and crosses paths with the Rebels once more. We'll also see more of the Taage family lineage become involved in the warring factions. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #33

Hi everyone,

It's time for me to recap the thirty-third issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. The cover depicted Baron Orman Taage and Luke Skywalker engaged in a lightsaber battle with a starry backdrop behind them. The tale was titled "Saber Clash!" The issue had a cover date of March 1980.

Luke, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 were just flying away from the planet Tatooine in the Millennium Falcon when they noticed the House of Taage vessel close to their flight path. Luke and Han assumed that it belonged to Baron Taage, whose omega frost towers they had just witnessed in action on the planet's surface (in the last issue). Luke convinced Solo to follow the mining explorer, knowing they probably weren't up to anything good.

In the Taage ship's docking bay, Orman was expressing his frustration with his failure to capture the young Skywalker. His brother Silas tried to remind him of the omega frost's success and to keep his mind focused on their next task. Artoo was monitoring the Taage's ship broadcast frequency and learned that they were heading to the Junction space station that supplied Yavin. As they entered hyperspace to reach that destination, Chewie and Artoo relaxed by playing a game while Luke practiced his saber techniques.

As the Falcon dropped out of lightspeed, Han and Luke saw the Taage ship orbiting above a Star Destroyer near the space station. Cargo capsules were moved manually between the station and the ships. Luke put on a spacesuit and tried to infiltrate the cargo crew, not knowing that Imperial Stormtroopers were in the immediate vicinity. He was captured, and Han and Chewbacca were left with no choice but to return to Yavin to report the bad news.

Back on the Alliance base world, Princess Leia Organa was visibly upset with the information. General Dodonna admitted that he'd sent Luke on his mission, just like he'd dispatched the princess to Metalorn (as shown in issue #30). Han expressed concern that the omega frost generators might be utilized on other worlds. 

While Artoo was trying to learn his master's fate, we soon saw that Luke was very much alive and being held prisoner by Baron Taage. Orman was tormenting his foe as an omega frost conduction tower was being dispatched from his ship to a nearby asteroid. Luke took advantage of the Baron's distraction to reclaim his saber and escape.

The Baron then broadcast news of his captive's freedom and instructed his men not to pursue Skywalker. He alone wanted that pleasure all to himself. By the time Luke reached the hangar bay, Orman was waiting for him. Their saber battle favored the elder warrior, until Luke remembered a bit of advice that Obi-Wan Kenobi had once given him. Skywalker used that information to renew his defense. He eventually defeated his opponent and sliced the Baron's cybervision goggles from behind after Orman had turned off the lights.

Orman was in a state of shock afterward, while Luke climbed aboard the TIE and flew to safety. Orman's brother Silas was not concerned. He felt that his brother's defeat was a temporary setback, and Silas had planned ahead by ensuring that the stolen fighter had no weapons or communications and limited fuel. It appeared that he was more than ready for the next phase of their operation.

The Taages were an interesting villain subset, although most of them were largely forgotten during this series' second half. Orman was the family's military strategist, whereas Silas was the calculating scientist. It wasn't always clear how close their affiliation was to the Empire, though it was obvious that there was no love lost between Orman and Darth Vader after the Sith Lord defeated the Baron in a conflict never shown during this series' run. 

That's it for this article. Next time, I'll cover the thirty-fourth issue of this series. We'll find out how far Luke got and how his fellow Rebels reacted to his capture. We'll also learn more about Silas' plans for the Alliance. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) Annual #1

 Hello everyone,

This article is all about the first Star Wars comic book annual. The cover, drawn by Walt Simonson, showed Luke Skywalker with his lightsaber blade ignited as he prepared to square off against a flying female warrior and a pair of cat-like humanoids who were about to leap at him. The first part of the story was titled "The Long Hunt." The annual was published in 1979.

The tale began in a crowded marketplace on the planet Tirahn. Luke and Princess Leia Organa were enjoying the festivities while Han Solo, Chewbacca, and the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO were back on the Millennium Falcon. Han had suggested setting down on the world for supplies, which was part of Luke and Leia's goal.

Making her way through the promenade was the green-skinned winged Majestix of Skye. She was flanked on either side by male Catuman warriors. Leia was accidentally bumped by one of Skye's wings as the procession passed by. Luke found the majestrix's purse that had dropped from her hand and instantly went to return it to her, only to have the two of them falsely accused of being pickpockets.

Her guards rushed to attack the strangers, leaving Skywalker little choice but to fend them off with his lightsaber. He and Leia ran for safety across the myriad alleyways in the town's center. As they fled, Skye smiled, knowing that her warriors were after the ones who would lead her to Solo, and surmised that none of her targets would survive very long.

After a while, Luke started feeling tired. He was attacked by a Catuman warrior and slashed by its claw moments before his enemy was blasted by a shot from Han's pistol. Chewie carried Skywalker back to the Falcon with Han and Leia. Once there, Solo reported that Threepio alerted him to the fact that his friends hadn't reported within a reasonable amount of time. 

Just then, Han heard something outside his ship. He went to take a look and found his old friend Katya M'Buele standing there. After introductions were made, Luke described the green woman he and Leia had run into. It soon became obvious that Han and Katya knew exactly who Skywalker was talking about, and it wasn't anyone good. 

Han then decided to pay a visit to his old acquaintance Laskar that evening, to get some information about Skye. Meanwhile, the other remained in the ship, unaware that it had been boarded by an unknown presence. The wispy apparition snuck into Katya's sleeping quarters. She awoke seconds before being assimilated by the intruder.

That interaction was loud enough to have drawn Luke's attention. He went to investigate, and soon found himself face to face with an entity that was now strong enough to tackle Chewbacca. It knocked the blaster out of Leia's hand and sent her and Luke sprawling to the floor. Luke reached out and found his lightsaber. Igniting the blade, he stabbed the creature with it, who vanished almost instantly.

Solo returned to the Falcon shortly afterward. He was saddened by Katya's loss, but not surprised by what happened. He then instructed the crew to get ready for departure and blasted off from Tirahn, en route to Marat V, a world that was also known to its people as Skye.

On the way there, Solo told his companions about his first visit to their destination. He and Katya were part of a smuggling party that eventually encountered Skye. It wasn't long before they were hunted by her. Solo had no sooner told his tale when a hologram of that very same evil woman appeared, taunting the captain and his crew. 

Moments later, the Falcon found itself up against a squadron of Imperial TIE fighters. They fought bravely and defeated their enemies, but not without a significant cost. The ship's artificial gravity, auxiliary system, and some of its shields stopped working properly, as C-3PO observed. As the Falcon went into a tailspin, Han sent Luke, Leia, Threepio, and R2-D2 off in an escape pod while he and Chewbacca remained onboard to land the vessel and work on its problems.

A little while later, Luke and Leia found themselves in the company of another large winged humanoid, who ordered them to follow him to the council chambers, where their fate would be decided. This began part 2 of the story, which was titled "A Duel of Eagles!" The rebels were reunited with the droids, who had been found and placed in a stasis lock earlier. 

The Marat V natives knew all about Leia, but were stunned when they learned Luke's name. Some of them conferred privately, recognizing his last name as one they'd known earlier. They decided to aid their guests in their cause to find the Millennium Falcon and learn the fate of its crew.

Meanwhile, in a castle somewhere on another part of the planet, Skye was holding Han and Chewbacca prisoner, with the help of several Imperial Stormtroopers. Han was just about to be tortured when the arrival of his friends and their new colleagues was noticed by palace guards. Leia and Luke had borrowed artificial wings that allowed them to swoop down onto enemy turf and begin the search for their friends. This time, Leia was able to overpower the Catuman warriors and free Han and Chewie from their bonds.

Skye had retreated to a ledge, where she soon engaged Skywalker in lightsaber combat. Luke eventually emerged as the victor, after his blade found its mark and ended Skye's reign of evil. After the battle, the heroes were reunited. Before leaving the planet, Luke learned that Ben Kenobi had visited there during the Clone Wars with two of his students. One pupil was Darth Vader, the other wore the same lightsaber that Luke now had on his belt. It was an unexpected memory that the young Jedi found quite valuable.

Legendary X-Men writer Chris Claremont wrote this script, obviously not knowing that Vader would be revealed as Luke's father in the next Star Wars movie. Despite that fact, this was still an enjoyable, action-packed story for the series' first annual. Sadly, we never did see any more Catuman warriors or natives of Marat V, although a similar type of winged biped would be introduced in the regular title between the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi movie adaptations. 

That's all for me for now. Next time, I'll tackle the thirty-third issue of this series. Luke, Han, Chewie, and the droids escape from Tatooine and return to Yavin. We'll also see Skywalker's first lightsaber battle with Baron Orman Taage. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #32

Hello there,

Today's topic is the thirty-second issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. The cover showed Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, and Han Solo, fighting alongside Jawas, with a Sandcrawler behind them. The story was called "The Jawa Express." The issue had a publication date of February 1980.

The tale began in Tatooine's Dune Sea, where Luke was trying to repair the landspeeder that he, Han, Chewie, R2-D2, and C-3PO had escaped from Mos Eisley on. A stray shot fired by an Imperial Stormtrooper caused the vehicle to start leaking coolant. Chewbacca alerted the group to a squadron of troopers, who silently passed by after several minutes.

Threepio then brought up Artoo's suggestion of shutting them down and draining the droids' coolant. A short while later, the speeder was up and running again, headed toward Luke's ship. However, when they arrived, the group was stunned to learn that Jawas had already started cannibalizing the craft for parts. 

Han suggested offering the robots in exchange for a ride on the Jawas' sandcrawler. A hasty bargain was struck, and the heroes were on their way until the troopers arrived on the scene. The Imperials weren't expecting the usually peaceful native creatures to attack, which the Rebels did, firing several shots from openings in the crawler. 

The Jawas had hoped to avoid the Jundland Wastes, where Luke knew the Taages were planning something for the Empire. They soon got out and examined a large vaporator. Skywalker sensed something was wrong and advised his companions to duck moments before portions of the nearby surroundings were flash frozen, including the massive sandcrawler. 

This was in line with the frozen Bantha that Luke had discovered (in the last issue). Silas and Orman Taage were behind this plan, and an Imperial Troop Transporter was swiftly dispatched to take care of the Rebels. Orman had a keen interest in Luke after having encountered him once before. 

Han, Luke, and Chewie returned to the crawler, which took off with a pair of troop carriers behind them. They soon jetissoned several cans of skyhopper propellant, which were perfect targets for Luke's blaster rifle. The exploded fuel formed a ring of fire around the Imperial transports, leaving them little room for escape. 

Afterward, Luke talked to a revived Threepio and Artoo, who were able to acquire more coolant from the Jawas. The scavengers provided Luke with additional coolant for his landspeeder, and the quintet went off toward Mos Eisley once more in search of pilots who might be willing to join the Alliance. 

The ice weapon on a desert planet was an interesting touch, but this story felt a little rushed. There was no mention of Fixer, Luke's longtime friend who sold out his friend to the Empire, and the Taages were seemingly forgotten after the troop transporters went off in pursuit of the sandcrawler. It also seemed rather unusual for Jawas to be so helpful, especially giving up the droids that they'd been promised. I got the impression that this storyline had to be wrapped up quickly, which would probably explain why some details felt a bit rushed.

Orman Taage will have a rematch with Skywalker, but that won't be the subject of my next article. Instead, I'll recap the very first Star Wars annual. The Star Warriors travel to a new planet and face new threats. Luke also learns something about his father. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #31

Good afternoon,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Even though this issue isn't canon, it was fun to see Camie and Fixer for the first time since the second issue of this title. These minor supporting characters' scenes were cut from the final version of the first Star Wars film, but have since been included in subsequent video releases. They were also portrayed in the novelization of the film. It made sense that Luke would run into the Falcon's crew before too long, and I'm sure that diehard fans were clamoring for their reunification. It was also interesting to see an Imperial Troop Transporter, which was a toy from the Kenner action figure line that was never featured in the original movie.

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