Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #12

Hello everyone,

Today's topic is the twelfth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars monthly comic book. The cover showed Luke Skywalker (brandishing a red-bladed lightsaber, a color that's generally associated with the Sith) on a boat defending himself and his droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO, from four armed strangers who were after the robots. The tale was titled "Doomworld!" The issue had a cover date of June 1978.

The story began with the heroes from the cover floating in their ship's escape pod, watching a battle between a red dragon and a green monster that was being ridden by a humanoid. Artoo's sensors soon noticed the arrival of several mechanized crafts. They were similar to landspeeders, except that they skimmed across the planet Drexel's water surface.

The newcomers fired shots at both beasts. The red dragon descended and quickly rose up underneath one of the vessels. The ships continued to attack the creatures, and one of them eventually fired a pair of magnetic grappling hooks at the escape pod. 

Luke and his companions boarded the craft after being reeled in. Noticing that the crew was interested in the droids, Skywalker used his father's lightsaber to create distance between them. Being called a Jedi made the young farmboy think back to his mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi, who'd been slain in battle against Darth Vader on the Death Star.

The boy was far from a Jedi Knight, but that didn't mean he couldn't fend off the strangers. Artoo emitted a fine stream of lubricant so that the crewmembers would have a tough time approaching them. After a brief conflict, Luke persuaded the ship's occupants to take them to their leader. The base was an old ship (reminiscent of our pirate ships of old), which the scanners on Luke's spacecraft had apparently identified as a big land mass.

Luke was soon introduced to Governor Quarg, a rather Napoleonic character. He soon learned that Quarg and his associates were at war with the Dragon Lords, a race that rode the sea beasts. His crew had brought the Rebels aboard, thinking that the robots might compensate for the loss of one of their skimmers. 

While Luke and his companions were learning more about their situation, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Princess Leia were approaching the Drexel system in a Star Destroyer that had been commandeered from the Imperials by the pirate Crimson Jack. Han had convinced the thief that the Rebel treasury was in the system. 

Jack admitted that he'd acquired the craft by attacking the vessel, which had been damaged during the Death Star battle. It was relatively easy for them to overpower the crew that remained inside and repair the damage. 

Han and Jack's conversation was interrupted by crewmember Jolli, who had apparently sparked the tomboy's interest in love. Minutes later, Chewbacca barked that the ship had reached its destination. However, Jack grew suspicious once he learned that Drexel was a water planet. That meant Han had to come up with another clever story, if he valued the lives of himself and his friends. 

Despite the lightsaber blade coloring error and the unusual amount of house ads, this was another satisfying issue. It was one of the first Star Wars back issues that I ever read. I understand how much people wanted more tales of Luke, Han, and company after the events of the first movie, and as I grew older, I could appreciate the little tongue-in-cheek gags with some of the depictions of several supporting characters. The sea dragons were an interesting touch, one that sadly didn't extend beyond this particular storyline. 

Well, that's all for this issue. Next time, I'll write about the thirteenth issue of this series. That issue has a cover illustrated by X-Men artists John Byrne and Terry Austin. We'll learn what Quarg had in store for Luke and the droids. We'll also see what happened once the stolen Star Destroyer got closer to the water world. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #11

Hi everyone,

It's time for me to discuss the eleventh issue of Marvel's first Star Wars series. The cover depicted Luke Skywalker trying to defend his companions, R2-D2 and C-3PO, from a large snake, as the trio stood in a vessel that was in a body of water. The tale was titled "Star Search!" The issue had a cover date of May 1978.

The story began in space, as the Millennium Falcon was just leaving Aduba-3. Its pilots, Han Solo and Chewbacca, had just finished defending native farmers from a marauding group of pirates and a large monster. Solo recounted the losses of his comrades, Effie and Hedji, who were suffered during the conflict. Han decided that their next best course of action was to return to the Rebel base on Yavin 4.

After the Falcon exited hyperspace, the duo noticed a Star Destroyer right in their path. However, they recognized this vessel as the one commandeered by Crimson Jack (whom Solo and Chewie ran into back in issue #7). Han decided to play along and let the Falcon be taken via tractor beam.

Once inside the captured Imperial vessel, the heroes saw another familiar face, belonging to Leia Organa. She'd left Yavin in search of Luke and his droids, who had gone missing in their search for a new world that could host the Alliance, and evidently became a prisoner of these mercenaries who had recently stolen the reward Han and Chewie had earned for transporting its passengers from the Death Star.

The Correllian and his first mate soon engaged in a brief laser battle. Solo mentioned an offer that opened Jack's ears and was enough for him to end the hostilities and hear what he had to say. Han explained that his reward had been obtained from the Rebel treasury and got Leia to play along. The princess went on to say that their treasury was in the Drexel system, hoping that the pirate would get the hint and set a course for the system that Luke and company had last reported from. 

Jack took the bait and ordered his helmsman to set a course for the Drexel system. Han and Chewie stayed in the captain's quarters, while Leia was led to a cell by Jack's associate, Jolli. Jolli seemed to be a bit jealous of the (faux) affection that Han and Leia had shown each other, and lashed out at her prisoner before tossing her into a cell.

Leia wasn't offended. Her thoughts went back to Skywalker and his mission. She was determined to continue the search for the man who destroyed the Death Star, no matter what it took.

While Han was computing the route, Luke, Artoo, and Threepio found themselves under attack from a large creature. Their ship had crashed into the sea of the planet below, from which the monster rose. Luke's blaster pistol had little impact on their foe, who lunged for another blow. Artoo found the ship's escape pod, and the trio jetted off several yards away.

The monster seemed to lose interest after the ship's inhabitants had disappeared. Luke used his scope to investigate. He soon found that the creature was being approached by another humanoid astride a green sea alien. 

This was the beginning of writer /editor Archie Goodwin and penciler Carmine Infantino's run on the book. I was never a big fan of Carmine's work, mainly because the weapons and technological items he drew were far from how they'd been envisioned in the movies. Critics also said that he made R2-D2 look fat, which I can understand and agree with. Goodwin came up with some wacky stories, and I guess it made sense for him to put the farmboy from Tatooine on a world that was almost entirely water on the surface. I was happy to see more of Crimson Jack and his crew. His popularity remained for decades, and he was even featured briefly in one of the series after Marvel reacquired the Star Wars license in 2015.

That's all for now. Next time, I'll cover the twelfth issue of this run. We'll find out who the mysterious dragon rider was, and meet more supporting characters on Drexel. We'll also find out what happened when Jack's ship reached the system. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #10

Good afternoon,

Today's topic is the tenth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. The cover showed Chewbacca and Han Solo firing their blasters at a large green alien monster. The story was called Behemoth From the World Below." The issue had a cover date of April 1978.

The tale began with Han and his companions in a pickle. They were engaged in battle with the space pirate Serji-X, aka the Arrogant One, and his crew. Both sides were also pitted against a large creature that had just emerged from rocky walls behind them. 

The beast's unexpected arrival posed a significant threat to both heroes and villains. He'd just been summoned by one of the village elders, who had repeatedly talked about such a presence that could protect their land. Unfortunately, he was also one of the savage's first victims, after being crushed by one of the monster's massive feet. That was enough for Serji, who retreated not long before his raiders succumbed to the massive alien.

Han, Chewie, and the farmland's protectors took a few minutes to regroup and devise a plan. Jaxxon led the initial charge before realizing the beast's potential for damage. Don Wan Kihotay, the self-proclaimed last of the Jedi Knights, then decided to strike out on his own. 

Meanwhile, Princess Leia Organa had just embarked on a solo mission to find Luke Skywalker and his droid companions, C-3PO and R2-D2. The trio had recently left Yavin 4 to find a new world that could serve as a Rebel base. When he made contact with his superiors, he told them about a planet in the Drexel system that might be suitable, before he suddenly stopped transmitting. Leia was determined to find her comrades, thinking on the way that they could use Han's assistance right about then.

Solo and the Wookiee were busy on Aduba-3, watching Kihotay attempting to draw the beast's attention. He did so after a few minutes and narrowly evaded a blast emitted from the creature's forehead. Hedji the spiner fired a few quills at their massive foe, and became the target of another blast from the monster, one that took the feline-like biped's life.

Amaiza and Han realized that the beast had been drawn to Kihotay's lightsaber. Chewie carried Solo closer to Kihotay, and Han grabbed the ancient weapon from the old man's hand. He thrust the saber upward into the creature's chest and dove for cover.

Moments later, there was a bright flash of light and the monster gradually disintegrated. The monster was no more, and the pirates had long since fled. The farming village was finally safe from harm.

Merri took the opportunity to thank her neighbor Jimm for his assistance. He decided to stay and help protect her and the others. Han, Chewie, and the rest took their leave. They weren't very well rewarded for their efforts, but they departed knowing they'd made a difference. 

This was the last issue of the monthly series for writer Roy Thomas and penciler Howard Chaykin. Both would go on to other projects for Marvel and other publishers over the years. Thomas and Don Glut were involved in the script, and somehow managed to not explain why Serji had abandoned his men or show their subsequent demise, or that Hedji had been killed (which wouldn't be noted until a later issue). Despite those errors, it was still an okay story and a satisfying conclusion to this storyline.

Well, that wraps up this article. Next time, I'll cover the eleventh issue in this series. We'll see where Han and Chewie head next. We'll also find out what happened to Leia, Luke, and the droids. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #9

Good afternoon all,

Today's focus is the ninth-ever Star Wars comic book. The cover showed Han Solo, Chewbacca, Amaiza, and Jaxxon defending their turf from a quartet of flying cloud-riders. The tale was titled "Showdown on a Wasteland World!" The issue had a cover date of March 1978. 

Chewie, Han, Jaxxon, Amaiza, Hedji, and Don Wan Kihotay were riding Banthas, as their companions Jim and Effie were all moving toward a farming village. The occupants of that land had approached the Correllian and his first mate (at the end of issue number seven) about protecting them from the pirates who plundered their territory mercilessly. The Aduba-3 natives didn't have much to offer, but the pilot still believed in their cause and recruited his new companions (as shown in the last issue) to join them.

The group had no sooner arrived when they found themselves under attack from above by strange-looking flying creatures. Each of the protectors used their own individual skills to fend off the intruders. At one point, Solo wound up saving one of the natives who'd found herself alone in a field.

After driving off the scavengers, the Millennium Falcon's pilots returned the girl Merri to the village. There, they were welcomed by her father, Oncho, and several of his fellow villagers. They were agreeable to assisting their saviors.

Back in the Rebel base on Yavin 4, Princess Leia Organa was trying to raise radio contact with Luke Skywalker. The Death Star destroyer had recently left with his droid counterparts, C-3PO and R2-D2, on a scouting mission to find a new planet that could serve as the Alliance's new base of operations. After establishing contact, Luke reported that he'd located a world in the Drexel system that might suffice when the signal was lost. Leia took this as a sign to go after her new ally and find out what trouble he was now in.

On Aduba-3, Han, Chewbacca, and their companions were gathering their resources in anticipation of another raid from Serji-X and his pirate crew. Merri's grandfather scoffed that their new protectors were not necessary. Another resident told Han not to mind the old man's words, adding that the elder saw himself as a shaman and would regularly talk about summoning a mythical beast to save their land. 

It wasn't long after that conversation that the Arrogant One and his assistants soared onto the scene. A high-pitched battle began moments later. The first casualty was Jimm the Starkiller Kid's faithful tractor robot, Effie. The droid gladly sacrificed itself to save its master.

No one seemed to notice the old man during the skirmish. He gestured wildly in front of a stone wall, asking someone from behind to emerge. By the time Han spotted him, he saw a large monster break through the rock wall. Solo now had to deal with this new menace as well as the ones that he'd originally been hired to take on.

This was definitely an action-packed issue. The supporting characters that Han and Chewie had recruited were still kind of hokey, but each of them played their part in the battle. The sub-plot involving Luke and the others was just getting going, and would be fleshed out in more detail in upcoming issues. I believe that Lucasfilm had some restrictions on what Marvel could do with the movie characters, so Roy Thomas, Howard Chaykin, and company came up with adventures like these to whet the appetites of Star Wars fans who were hungry for more tales following the beloved movie.

Well, that's it for this article. Next time, I'll tackle the tenth issue of this monthly series. We'll learn more about this large, scaly green behemoth and how he plays a role between Han and Chewbacca's legion and the space pirates. We'll also see what Leia did after Luke's ship suddenly stopped transmitting. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #8

Good morning,

Today's topic is Marvel's eighth issue of Star Wars. The cover showed Han Solo, Chewbacca, and six other unidentified characters facing off against an enemy only shown in shadow. The story was called "Eight for Aduba-3." The issue had a cover date of February 1978.

The tale began in a watering hole on the planet Aduba-3. Han and Chewie had just assisted a priest in burying a borg on Spacers' Hill (in issue #7) and were enjoying some refreshments when Han was approached by a trio of villagers (who looked a lot different in this issue than in the previous one) who were about to make him an offer. Before he could hear their pitch, Han was accosted by a large green alien.

His attacker was offended that the stranger had been talking to his blue-skinned girlfriend. A fight soon broke out, which was ended after Chewbacca's timely intervention. Once things returned to normal, Han returned his attention to the farmers who'd interrupted his reverie. 

They were looking for protection from a pirate named Serji-X Arrogantus, who was also referred to as the Arrogant One. He and his crew would routinely raid the farms and take what they wanted, including their women. Even though they had little to offer the pilot, Han felt sympathetic to their cause.

Solo knew that he and Chewie couldn't take on such a group all by themselves, and started recruiting others to join them. They held auditions in their hotel room. The first applicant was a cat-like humanoid called Hedji. He showed Han that he was a spiner by tossing some of his body's quills at the wall behind the Correllian. 

Han hired him and went on to interview Amaiza, leader of the infamous Black Hole gang. She was accepted, as was the next applicant, an old man called Don-Wan Kihotay (you can guess what famous literary character this was a parody of), who claimed to be the last of the Jedi Knights. Han and Chewie humored him and hired him on.

The line of applicants continued to grow outside Solo's door. One rather impatient candidate tried to cut in line, who happened to be the same green alien from the start of this story. He was confronted by a seemingly timid light green rabbit named Jaxxon. The rabbit's powerful leg kick knocked his foe down the steps, leaving him stunned.

Han witnessed that act and was impressed enough to invite Jaxxon to join his crew. The last members to join were a local farmboy named Jimm (who called himself the Starkiller Kid) and his faithful tractor robot FE-9Q, or Effie for short. Jimm reminded Solo of Luke Skywalker and made him wonder how his friend was doing.

Back on Yavin-4, Luke was about to begin a mission with R2-D2 and C-3PO. The trio was boarding a ship to search for a new world that could serve as a base for the Rebel Alliance. Princess Leia and other Rebel leaders were concerned that the Empire would resume its attacks on them not long after the recent destruction of the Death Star.

Once they were in orbit, Luke took some time to reflect on recent events. So much had changed for him lately. He thought about their mission to free Leia from the Death Star, and the battle between his new mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the dreaded Darth Vader. He also started to think about what Han might be up to. 

At the same time, Han was telling Jimm and Effie to come back in the morning. The group convened for the first time at dawn. They were soon met by Serji-X and his crew, one of whom was the green alien Han and Chewbacca had fought earlier. No question tipped off the pirates to the heroes' location.

The Arrogant One was about to make Solo an offer, but Han wasn't about to listen. He stood up for the farmer, even though they couldn't promise him much. Amaiza had to confront Jimm before he could attack the pirate. Serji flew off, but both sides knew they would meet again sooner rather than later. 

Tom Palmer's inking definitely improved Chaykin's pencil work in this issue. Palmer would only ink a couple of the initial issues, but would return later on, after the Empire Strikes Back movie adaptation. Some of the supporting characters were a bit hokey by today's standards, but they endured the test of time. Jaxxon and Amaiza have even been included in recent Star Wars comics. It was a fun story, and I appreciated the separate travels of Luke and the droids as well.

That's all I've got for today. Tomorrow, I'll cover the ninth issue of Star Wars. We'll see the first full-scale battle between Han and Chewie's crew and the raiders. We'll also learn a bit more about what happens to Luke and the droids on their quest. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #7

Good afternoon,

Today's topic is the seventh issue of Marvel's initial Star Wars run. The cover had Han Solo urging his first mate, Chewbacca, to grab a blaster since they were surrounded. Chewie's hands were filled with a pair of foes at the time, as he stood in front of a wall that had a wanted poster featuring both of them on it. The story was called "New Planets, New Perils!" The issue had a cover date of January 1978.

The tale started on Yavin 4, not long after the destruction of the Death Star. Han and Chewie opted to return to Tatooine to pay back Jabba the Hutt with the credits they'd earned escorting the Rebels to their base. It wasn't long before their ship, the Millennium Falcon, was attacked by space pirates. They soon had no choice but to surrender and allow their vessel to be lifted via tractor beam into the main frigate.

The motley crew of mercenaries was led by a man known as Crimson Jack. The Correllian pilot was familiar with the pirate. Jack's crew soon discovered the cache of credits and took them for themselves, before leaving the Falcon to drift in space alone. Han realized that they probably had to lie low in an outer world, hoping that Jabba's reach might not extend that far.

They selected Aduba 3 as their hideout. It was a smaller world that was less active than many other civilized systems. The Falcon set down out of town, and Han and Chewie made their way toward civilization. In the nearest town, they found a fracas outside of one of the local watering holes.

An alien wielding a two-edged spear appeared to be outnumbered by the crowd, and Han and Chewbacca rushed to help him. The skirmish was brief, and the crowd soon began to dissipate. The alien was trying to transport the body of a cyborg who'd passed away the night before via bantha to Spacers' Hill. He gave Han the borg's sack of coins as payment for agreeing to take the body to its final destination.

Of course, the attack resumed once the alien had left the scene and Chewie and Han embarked on their mission. They were forced to blast their way to safety before the conflict ended. The alien returned to take on a few of their opponents as well. Unfortunately, the bantha had been struck by a stray blaster bolt and slain. That meant that Chewbacca, being the strongest of the three, would have to carry the heavy metal coffin to its burial place.

It was a longer journey, but they eventually reached the graveyard. The coffin was lowered into the ground slowly and a prayer ritual was performed. Then the work was done. 

Han and Chewie relaxed afterward in a cantina in the spaceport. They had a few beverages and got acquainted with several patrons before a group of robed men approached Han. They came to the offworlder with a proposition that they felt might be agreeable, unless the pilot had an aversion to dying. 

There was a lot of demand at the time for more Star Wars stories, and Marvel probably had no choice but to make this book an ongoing monthly title. The first six issues had already been reprinted and collected in larger collectors' editions, due to the overwhelming interest in the film. This story would have fit in very well with the Han Solo and Chewbacca novels that were published around the same time The art was a bit better, but still choppy at times.

That's all from me for today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the eighth issue of this title. Han and Chewie just learn what the natives' proposal is. We'll also meet some interesting characters along the way. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #6

Good afternoon,

It's time for me to recap the sixth issue of Marvel's adaptation of the first Star Wars movie. The cover showed a Y-Wing facing off against a trio of TIE Fighters, while Darth Vader took on Luke Skywalker on the ground with Princess Leia Organa looking on. The tale was titled "Is This..The Final Chapter?" The issue had a cover date of December 1977.

The story started with Rebel fighters zooming toward the massive space station known as the Death Star. Note: In this issue, the Rebel attackers identify their designations as blue, whereas in the film, they are red. Luke is one of those pilots who begins their attack run. Imperial gunners inside the station start to scoff at what they believe to be a futile attempt.

Vader soon realizes their danger. He decides to board his own fighter, knowing that they will probably have to destroy the fighters ship-to-ship. Those reinforcements are soon picked up by Rebel command back on the planet of Yavin 4. 

The TIE fighters pose a challenge to the Rebels. Biggs Darklighter's friend Porkins is the first Rebel casualty in the war. While Vader and his crew zero in on the intruders, the Rebel flight leader makes his attack run. Unfortunately, his proton torpedoes didn't enter the thermal exhaust port. They simply impacted on the surface. His craft is swiftly disabled, and the commander makes a last lunge at the station, sacrificing himself and his ship in the process.

Luke soon hears a familiar voice in his head, belonging to Ben Kenobi, the Jedi who took on Vader (in issue #4) and briefly taught the young farmboy in the ways of the Force before his ultimate defeat at the Dark Lord of the Sith's hands. He quickly assumes a leadership role and guides the remaining fighters down the trench toward the exhaust port.

The next casualty is Darklighter, one of Luke's wingmates and oldest friends from Tatooine. Vader's TIE Fighter is about to have Luke's X-Wing in his crossfire when a bolt from behind knocks out his TIE escorts, one of which crashes into his ship and sends Vader's craft careening helplessly out into space.

A hoot can be heard from the comms from the Corellian pilot Han Solo. It was his ship, the Millennium Falcon, that fired at the Imperials, clearing a path for the final blow. Luke turns off his targeting computer and trusts in the Force before releasing his proton torpedoes.

The missiles find their mark, and the Death Star erupts in a blinding flash of light minutes after the Falcon and the remaining Rebel fighters escape. A festive ground crew awaited the heroes back on Yavin. The only immediate concern was getting R2-D2 patched up after being blasted by a laser bolt from Vader's TIE.

A while later, a grand procession awaits the saviors. Luke and Han are awarded medals for their bravery by Leia, as Chewbacca, C-3PO, and a restored Artoo watch as those gathered around them cheer loudly. This was the first significant victory in the war against the Empire.

Although this issue skipped a few details from the movie, it did wrap up the adaptation in a satisfying manner. The inking really cleaned up Howard Chaykin's pencil art. The cover was nothing like the action inside the book, but that happens frequently in comics, especially when the cover artists aren't the same as the artists for the story.

This was just the beginning of Marvel's coverage of the Star Warriors. The series continued with issue number seven, which I'll cover tomorrow. Han and Chewie embark on a new adventure. We'll see where they end up and what happened to their earnings after delivering their passengers safely to Yavin. Until then, have a great day and don't forget to be kind to one another.