Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #45

Hello all,

It's time for me to discuss the forty-fifth issue of the first Star Wars comic book title. The cover, drawn by Al Milgrom and future G.I. Joe scripter Larry Hama, showed Luke Skywalker battling a large Imperial Probe Droid. The tale was titled "Death Probe." The issue had a publication date of March 1981. 

The story started with a blockade runner that was suddenly breached by an oncoming vessel. The blockade runner's sensors indicated that there were no life forms aboard the intruder, which was revealed as a massive Imperial Probe Droid. The robot started extinguishing the crew, and prevented one of the officers from radioing for help before it started integrating with the craft's internal systems. 

Its activities were reported to the crew onboard an Imperial Star Destroyer somewhere in outer space. The ship's commander was pleased with its progress and was convinced that it would make him look more favorable to the Emperor. Meanwhile, an X-Wing containing Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 was on a routine patrol.

This was one of Luke's first sojourns since the events that occurred in The Empire Strikes Back movie. As he flew, the former farmboy from Tatooine thought back to his training on Dagobah with the Jedi master Yoda, and his recent confrontation with Darth Vader at Cloud City on Bespin, where he lost his lightsaber and right hand in battle with the Sith Lord, who claimed that he was Luke's father. If that were true, then it meant that Obi-Wan Kenobi had deceived him.

Luke's reverie was interrupted by an alert that indicated a blockade runner was in the area. Without warning, the blockade runner fired on and quickly destroyed the X-Wing. Luke and Artoo jetissoned their ship in time, but were left floating in space. Skywalker grabbed a hold of his trusty astrodroid and fired his pistol to bring them closer to their attacker. 

While Artoo magnetized his body to the underbelly of the vessel, Luke used his lightsaber to cut them an opening. They found themselves under attack once more upon entering and ran toward the control center. Artoo detected incoming Imperial transmissions just before an automated repair droid lunged at them. 

Luke was able to keep the mechanoid at bay, and several fuel drums from an overhead compartment dropped on top of it after the robot slammed into a wall, instantly setting the mechanism on fire. Artoo learned that something had overridden the ship's computer system, so he and Skywalker had to rely on other ways to put out the blaze while simultaneously keeping themselves safe.

Meanwhile, Imperial Admiral Krell continued to be informed of the probe droid's status and instructed his subordinates to proceed to the final cycle immediately. Not long after that, Luke and Artoo finally reached the ship's bridge, where they saw the large probe droid that had now become an extension of the ship itself. It was linked to the main reactor in addition to its computer systems, so any attack on the droid could cause the craft to build to critical mass and detonate the reactor. 

As the hijacked blockade runner drew closer to the fleet, the Rebels had to think fast. Luke lashed out at a cockpit door with his saber, only to be knocked unconscious by a corresponding power overload from a nearby wall circuit. Knowing that he had Skywalker in his grasp, the probe droid countermanded the Imperial Admiral's orders and planned to deliver his prisoner to the Dark Lord instead.

Luke recovered after the blockade runner took out a few more X-Wings that were on scout patrol. Skywalker used his lightsaber once more to disable a particular console. That action impacted the probe droid's ability to guide his ship. Luke and Artoo ran to an escape pod and took off just in time to avoid the blockade runner's collision with the Imperial Star Destroyer, and the subsequent explosion that destroyed both ships.

The pod was found and recovered a while later by another X-Wing. As they headed back to base, Luke thought about his recovery from his battle with Vader. He expected a challenge, but didn't think that the mission would be nearly as dangerous as it actually was.

As far as I can recall, this is the last appearance of a Probe Droid in this series. It was interesting to have a rogue probe that exceeded the programming of most of its kind, especially one that defied direct orders from an Imperial leader. I'm still not a big fan of Carmine Infantino's work, but thankfully, this was one of the last issues he worked on in this series. 

That's it for this article. Next time, I'll recap the forty-sixth issue of this series. We'll find out what happened to Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca after the events covered in The Empire Strikes Back. We'll learn what they've accomplished thus far in their quest to find Han Solo and see their encounter with a former hero. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #44

Good evening all,

Today's focus will be on the forty-fourth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars comic series. This issue is the last part of their adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back. The cover showed Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker engaged in lightsaber combat. The story was called "To Duel a Dark Lord!" The issue had a cover date of February 1981.

The tale began in the carbon freezing chamber of Bespin's Cloud City. Han Solo had just been frozen in carbonite. He was alive and in perfect hibernation. The bounty hunter Boba Fett claimed Solo, and Vader ordered the chamber to be reset for Skywalker. The pilot had just landed and was on his way soon. Vader adjusted his deal with Lando Calrissian by requiring that Princess Leia and Chewbacca (who had the disassembled C-3PO on his back) be taken to his personal ship.

Luke and R2-D2 happened along just as Solo was being led to Fett's ship, the Slave I. He engaged in a firefight with the Imperials guarding the block of carbonite, only to be warned by Leia that he was walking into a trap. Artoo was cut off from his master before Luke entered the carbon freezing chamber. There, he finally found himself face to face with the Dark Lord of the Sith all by himself for the first time.

As the long-awaited lightsaber battle began, Lando uttered a code that led several of his guards to surround the Imperials. They took the soldiers' blasters before leading the Imperials off to a detention area. Calrissian tried to explain that he was only trying to help, and that there was still a chance to save Han at the east platform, while being choked by the enraged Wookiee.

Artoo rejoined Threepio and his companions on the way to try to prevent Fett's ship from taking off. Meanwhile, the conflict in the carbon freezing area raged on. At one point, Vader engaged the carbon freezing unit controls as Luke fell in, only to see that Yoda's young pupil had jumped to safety before the mechanisms engaged. The two combatants moved on further, until Luke was sent flying backwards through a window after Vader used the Force to hurl objects at the unsuspecting lad.

While Luke was doing his best to remain calm, his friends were fighting their way through squadrons of Stormtroopers to reach the Millennium Falcon. Vader was the victor in his fight, after slicing the hand that held Luke's lightsaber from his body. As the weakened youth tried to retreat, Vader claimed that he was his father. Luke found this hard to believe, and eventually opted to take his chances by dropping into a lengthy pit rather than join the Sith Lord.

The Falcon had finally taken off, while Luke found himself hanging on an underhanging weather vane for dear life. Knowing Kenobi swore not to assist him, he called out with the force to Leia. Organa heard Luke's pleas through the Force and made Chewbacca go back to pick up their friend, just as he was about to fall. Lando brought him inside the ship just before TIE fighters rushed to attack.

Artoo was occupied with repairing Threepio when he noticed that the ship still wasn't able to go into lightspeed (which had been a constant issue throughout the film). He noted that the city's central computer told him that the system was deactivated, so he rolled over to the control and reactivated it. The Falccon burst out of view, just as Imperial Star Destroyers were preparing to use tractor beams to reel in the ailing vessel.

A while later, Luke was being fitted with a mechanical hand in one of the fleet's medical ships. He was there with Leia, Artoo, and Threepio. Chewie and Lando were about to depart on the Falcon on their quest to reclaim Solo. They promised Leia they'd find him. Luke wished them luck before promising to regroup with them on Tatooine, before the tale came to an end. 

The remaining content in this issue consisted of bonus pinups created by Walt Simonson, Joe Jusko, Fred Hembeck, Bob Layton, and Marshall Rogers. I felt like this was a satisfying conclusion of the adaptation. Writer/editor Archie Goodwin summed things up nicely and didn't leave anything essential out. Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon's art was magnificent throughout the entire adaptation. I'm glad that this creative team reunited to adapt the Return of the Jedi film. 

That's all the time I have for today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the forty-fifth issue of this series. Luke and Artoo embark on their first mission since the events in ESB. We'll see the return of a popular type of character, which acts in ways that are quite unexpected. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #43

Good afternoon all,

It's time for me to discuss the forty-third issue of the first Star Wars comic book title. This issue was the fifth of the six-part adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back. The cover showed Chewbacca, Princess Leia Organa, and Han Solo preparing to defend themselves against a trio of as yet unnamed people. The tale was titled "Betrayal at Bespin!" The issue had a cover date of January 1981.

Following the splash page exclusive to this issue, we saw the Millennium Falcon heading toward Cloud City, an artificial facility raised high above the planet Bespin. Solo's ship was allowed to land, and he soon greeted his old friend Lando Calrissian and his entourage. After a bit of agitation, the two old friends started laughing. Lando led Han and his companions around the city. On the way, C-3PO was distracted by the sounds of an R2 unit. He went off on his own to investigate and soon found himself in trouble, and the familiar whine of blaster bolts could be heard.

On the planet Dagobah, Luke Skywalker was about to enter a cave. Master Yoda advised him that it was a domain of evil, and what lay in store was only what the young student took with him. Luke entered it with his weapons and soon encountered what he thought to be Darth Vader, only to see his own face staring back at him after defeating his foe.

Back on Bespin, Leia was wondering about Threepio's disappearance. Han offered to have Lando search for him, only for Chewie to arrive with a box full of droid parts. The Wookiee explained that he'd found the protocol droid in a dumpster. Han said that Lando's men could fix him, but Leia was still a bit wary of their host, who arrived moments later to invite his guests for some refreshment.

Luke continued to learn and could now see visions of the future. He saw a city in the clouds, and grew concerned about the well-being of his friends. Yoda advised that the future was always in motion, and there was no guarantee that what he'd witnessed would come to pass. 

On their way, Leia and Han asked Lando more about his affiliations. The administrator stated that he'd just made a deal that would keep the Empire out of his city for good, right before opening a chamber door that revealed the Dark Lord of the Sith sitting at the head of a banquet table. Lando apologized, saying the Empire had arrived right before they did. That was little consolation to Han, who pulled his blaster from its holster and squeezed off several shots, all of which were deflected by Vader before using the Force to grab the weapon from his hand. With Boba Fett at his side, the Imperial leader said that they would be honored if Lando's guests would join them.

Meanwhile, on Dagobah, Luke continued to despair for his friends. He felt like he had to help them. As he and R2-D2 readied his X-Wing for flight, Yoda and the ghostly apparition of Ben Kenobi reminded Luke of the dangers he faced if he rushed to confront Vader. Kenobi said that he could not interfere, which Skywalker understood. He wasn't about to sacrifice Han, Leia, or Chewie, but promised to return to finish what he'd begun. As the fighter took off, Obi-Wan said that Luke was their last hope, to which Yoda replied that there was another.

In another section of Cloud City, Han was being hooked up to a torture device. His pained screams could be heard outside the chamber by several Imperial Stormtroopers, Fett, and Calrissian. Vader promised Solo to Fett after he had Skywalker. Leia and Chewbacca were not to leave the city, which was an alteration Vader made to his deal. It was an arrangement that Lando confided to his associate Lobot was getting worse all the time. 

Inside a holding area, Chewie was working on repairing Threepio. The protocol droid could see, but was incensed over being backwards. Moments later, troopers tossed Han into the cell. He was weakened by torture, and noticed that he was never asked any questions. Lando entered then, stating that Han was being given to the bounty hunter. He added that they weren't Vader's real target, and that the Sith was after someone called Skywalker. Leia remarked that they were the bait, but it was a trap well seet, since Lando noted that Skywalker was already on his way there. Han struck his friend, only to be battered by several Bespin guards who were protecting their superior. They left the cell minutes later, leaving Leia to console Han while commenting on his interpersonal skills.

Vader had moved on to the city's carbon freezing chamber. He thought it would be sufficient to preserve Skywalker for his journey to the Emperor. However, it still needed to be tested, and Captain Solo would be the test subject. 

Luke and Artoo were just about to land on Cloud City when Han and his friends were herded to the carbon freeze chamber. Fett wondered about his payment if Solo didn't make it. Vader assured him that the Empire would compensate him properly in that instance. Han was about to face his fate, just as Skywalker started making his way toward his friends. 

The last content pages in this issue were pinups drawn by Terry Austin, Michael Golden, John Byrne, Marie Severin, and Frank Miller. Some of them have been reprinted in Dark Horse collections of this series, but it's nice to see them in their original issue. I felt like this issue was paced well, and although some things weren't in the exact order as they were in the film, they still moved the story along well, and no key parts were missed.

Well, that's all I have for today. Tomorrow, I'll wrap up this adaptation with my recap of the forty-fourth issue of this series. We'll find out what happened to Han and what his friends did afterward. There'll also be the long-awaited battle between Luke and Vader, and a startling revelation that happens during that meeting. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #42

Good morning everyone,

This morning's topic is the forty-second issue of Marvel's first Star Wars series. It's the fourth part of their Empire Strikes Back adaptation. The cover showed bounty hunters Dengar, Boba Fett, and Bossk. The story was called "To Be a Jedi!" The issue had a cover date of December 1980.

After the splash page, the tale began on Dagobah, where Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 had arrived in their X-Wing to find Yoda, the Jedi Master who had once trained Obi-Wan Kenobi. Just as Luke was setting up camp on the swampy planet, a diminutive being interrupted them, who later said that he could take them to Yoda.

In another part of the galaxy, Imperial Star Destroyers were firing laser beams at an asteroid where the Millennium Falcon was hiding. C-3PO learned from the ship's computer that its power coupling had been polarized, so Han Solo and Chewbacca went to replace it. A little later on, Han had another run-in with Princess Leia Organa, and the pair had their first kiss, which left each of them feeling something for the other. 

Darth Vader's Super Star Destroyer moved out of the asteroid field for a while so that the Sith Lord could communicate with the Emperor. The Empire's leader informed his subordinate that the son of Skywalker posed a significant threat, but if he could be turned, he might become a great asset. Vader vowed to his master that Skywalker would either join them or die.

Back on Dagobah, Luke grew impatient inside their host's hut. He wanted to find Yoda, not realizing he'd been with him all along. His impatience wearied the wizened Jedi Master. It wasn't until he spoke aloud and was answered by Kenobi's voice that Luke learned the truth. Yoda expressed doubt over Luke's ability to become a Jedi, but Luke tried to assert his confidence, stating that he wasn't afraid. That was something Yoda was sure would change.

After finding out that something was crawling outside the Falcon, Chewie and Solo went out to investigate, followed by Leia. Han spied and shot a Mynock, who had probably been chewing on power cables. He was convinced that there were probably more of them close by. The trio noticed the unusual nature of the cave until Han decided to shoot at the cavern floor. That action caused an unearthly rumbling, and he ordered everyone back inside the ship. As the Falcon prepared to leave, it seemed like the cave entrance was collapsing. However, this was no cave. The Falcon had roosted inside the mouth of a large space slug and narrowly escaped as it soared into outer space.

At the same time, Luke was beginning his Jedi training. The exercises Yoda planned for him tested his mental and physical strengths and abilities, but he continued to improve over time. Unfortunately, when Artoo alerted him of their ship sinking into the swamp, Luke was unable to raise the X-Wing, and it sank even deeper. Yoda was able to raise the vessel and lift it onto solid ground. Luke found that feat to be unbelievable, which is why Yoda said that his student had failed. 

Back on Vader's Star Destroyer, the Sith Lord was talking to the bounty hunters who had been recruited to find the Falcon. Vader gave instructions to Dengar, IG-88, Bossk, Boba Fett, 4-LOM, and Zuckuss (not pictured). He wanted the ship's crew alive, with no disintegrations. No sooner had those words been spoken than an Imperial officer ran toward Vader, decrying that they had their quarry.

The Falcon was now within firing range of the Star Destroyers. Han got creative and made what appeared to be an attack run, flying toward one of the Star Destroyers. Afterward, the ship no longer appeared on any of their scopes. What they didn't know was that the vessel in question was positioned on one side of the ship's command tower.

On Dagobah, Luke was learning the difference between the light and dark sides of the Force from Yoda. Yoda stated that the Dark Side was quicker, easier, and more seductive. Once someone went down that path, it would forever dominate their destiny, like it did to Obi-Wan's apprentice, Darth Vader.

Still unable to find the Falcon, Vader instructed his fleet to calculate possible paths along its last known trajectory. The Imperial ships then dumped their garbage into space before going into lightspeed. The Falcon then detached from the Star Destroyer it had been sitting on, and floated along with the refuse. As they did so, Han looked for a place to hide out, and came up with Lando Calrissian, a name from the past who Han was sure had no love for the Empire. Unbeknownst to the Falcon and its crew, Boba Fett's ship, the Slave I, was also lying hidden in the garbage, waiting for the Falcon to make its next move. 

The rest of this issue's content was cover pages from the British Star Wars Weekly magazine. Some additional covers from this publication were also shown in the first Star Wars annual. Because of the popularity of the Mandalorian and Boba Fett, this issue and issue #68 are two of the issues in this series that are the hardest for collectors to find, and can run a pretty penny for copies in good condition or better.

One fun fact about the bounty hunters: Kenner initially incorrectly mislabeled the 4-LOM and Zuckuss action figures. I remember receiving the Zuckuss action figure, which was labeled on the package as 4-LOM. The real 4-LOM action figure was a C-3PO body with a different head sculpt. Neither of these two featured prominently in this series, but would play larger roles and be more fleshed out in the Bounty Hunters comics in recent years by Marvel.

The action really ramped up in this issue. We finally got to see Yoda, the bounty hunters, and the Emperor, although he only appeared in a shadowy form in a single panel. The original version from the film was rather rough and was spruced up for the special edition years later. This issue covered some of the key plot points from the movie and kept moving the story along at a good pace.

Next time, I'll cover the forty-third issue of this series. Part 5 of the adaptation shows us where the Falcon went next. We'll meet Calrissian and his crew and learn what the new character had in store for his old friend. We'll also see more of Luke's Jedi training and what tempts him to leave Dagobah. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #41

Good afternoon,

This afternoon's focus will be on the forty-first issue of Marvel's first Star Wars title. This issue is the third installment of their six-issue adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back. The cover showed the Millennium Falcon entering an asteroid field with an Imperial Destroyer and several TIE fighters close behind. The tale was titled "Imperial Pursuit!" The issue had a cover date of November 1980. 

After the opening splash page, the story started right where the previous issue had left off. Luke Skywalker was emerging from his crashed snowspeeder as a pair of Imperial All Terrain Armored Transports (AT-ATs) were headed his way. Luke ducked inside the cockpit to grab a couple of items before his vehicle was crushed underneath one of the walker's legs. He used a harpoon gun to fire a slender cable that he ascended quickly. Skywalker then used his lightsaber to cut a hole in the vehicle's underbelly and tossed a proton grenade inside the newly created opening. Luke jumped to safety moments before the Imperial transport began buckling from internal explosions and eventually crashed to the snowy ground on Hoth.

Inside the Rebel command center, Leia Organa was giving evacuation instructions. Han Solo arrived to ensure that she and C-3PO got out before the Empire arrived. A cave-in prevented the trio from reaching the Rebel ships, so they headed toward the Falcon and a waiting Chewbacca. The trio entered the Correllian vessel just as Darth Vader and his snowtroopers were infiltrating the headquarters.

Han had a few tricks up his sleeve, which defended his ship as they prepared to launch, and soon left Hoth's atmosphere. Their departure was noticed by Luke and several of his fellow pilots. A pair of Star Destroyers was right in the Falcon's path, and the TIE fighters they dispatched meant that Han and Chewie had to think of something fast. 

After departing the planet, Luke informed his X-Wing copilot, R2-D2, that they weren't going to rendezvous with the fleet like originally planned. He set a course for the Dagobah system. Meanwhile, the Falcon's crew was occupied with more repair work until they ran into another obstacle. This time, they noticed that they were approaching an asteroid belt. Despite Threepio's announcement of the odds against it, Han decided to enter the belt, thinking that it would pose a bigger problem for their pursuers.

Inside his Super Star Destroyer, Vader's meditation was interrupted by the announcement that the Falcon had entered the asteroid field. The Dark Lord of the Sith wasn't concerned by that. He wanted the ship, not excuses. After a bit of careful navigation, Solo found a hiding spot that might work for a while. At the same time, Luke and Artoo were entering Dagobah's atmosphere, where they wanted to find the Jedi master who'd instructed Ben Kenobi. It was someone whom they'd encounter before they even realized it. 

The rest of the content in this issue was a five-page bonus print and pictorial section about Marvel's development of the adaptation for this film. It was a nice insight into the creative process and their interactions with Lucasfilm. It also showed how the concepts evolved, and was something that wasn't included in the Marvel Super Special adaptation of the movie. 

By now, you probably know how much I admire this adaptation. It was wonderfully done. It was one of my first introductions to the Star Wars universe, and it was very faithful to the film in most aspects. A few details here and there were added or omitted, but I know it's not easy to include everything in an adaptation, especially if there are differences between the script and the final film. It can also be difficult to interpret things that aren't fully described or fleshed out before a movie is released. This adaptation was a significant upgrade in storytelling from the regular monthly stories, and I felt that the quality continued to improve for the most part afterward. Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon would also illustrate the Return of the Jedi adaptation, and Williamson, the regular artist for the Star Wars newspaper strip at the time, would pencil an additional issue of this title post-ROTJ. 

That's all I have for today. Tomorrow, I'll cover the forty-second issue of this series. It's part four of The Empire Strikes Back adaptation, where we'll see Yoda for the first time. This highly-sought after issue also features a brief appearance of six bounty hunters, and the debut of the mysterious Emperor, as well as some more bonus material. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #40

Good morning,

This morning's topic is the fortieth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars series. This issue is the second part of the company's adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back movie. The cover showed Luke Skywalker wielding his lightsaber in front of a downed snowspeeder as an Imperial All Terrain Armed Transport (AT-AT) points its guns at him. A few more AT-ATs and snowspeeders can also be seen in the background. This chapter was called "Battleground Hoth!" The issue had a cover date of October 1980.

After the initial splash page (these splash pages were only found in the monthly magazine, and not the Marvel Special Edition movie adaptation), we see several Rebel soldiers preparing for incoming Imperial troops. The attention then shifts to C-3PO and R2-D2, as they listen to a captured Wampa before heading to see their master, Luke Skywalker, who was in the medical wing, recovering from his recent encounter with one of those creatures (as shown in the last issue).

Luke's scars are healing well, according to medical droid 2-1B. Princess Leia, Artoo, Threepio, Han Solo, and Chewbacca soon arrive to check in on their colleague. We see a bit of a romantic triangle form among the three movie leads before attention is averted to Darth Vader's Super Star Destroyer.

The Sith Lord was just informed by General Veers that the Rebels have erected an energy shield on the fourth planet in the system by General Veers. Vader realized that Admiral Ozzel brought their fleet out of lightspeed too close to the system. He made sure that the admiral paid the ultimate price for his failure before promoting Captain Piett to fill the now late admiral's role. 

Meanwhile, Leia and other Rebel leaders are preparing for the imminent Imperial assault. The base's ion cannon is being activated to defend outgoing ships, and ground staff are being instructed on their leaders' strategy. Han and Chewie are still working on repairs to the Millennium Falcon, which aren't going as well as hoped.

The ion cannon proves to be effective, as its blast strikes one of the Star Destroyers in the path of the first Rebel transport to leave the system. Luke and Han wish each other well before Skywalker goes to join his snowspeeder gunner, Dack Ralter. Luke will be leading Rogue Squadron in their aerial defense of the Rebel base. 

It doesn't take very long for the first AT-ATs to arrive on the scene. The large Imperial Walkers pose a formidable threat to the relatively smaller Alliance forces. Luke and his squadron try an aerial assault, only to find that the walkers' armor is too strong for blasterfire, as Chewbacca and Solo see the falling rubble above them and know they have to leave sooner rather than later.

While General Rieekan and Leia advise the remaining ground staff to evacuate, things turn for the worse outside. Luke loses his gunner, but his friend Wedge decides to attack from below, using his speeder's tow cables to successfully constrict and bring one of the AT-ATs down. However, Luke has little time to celebrate that victory, as his ship is soon hit. He navigates as best as he can with a damaged ship as the remaining walkers continue to advance, including one that appears to be heading right for him. 

I can't say enough good things about this movie adaptation. Although there are a few bits and pieces from the film that are omitted or were shown in this adaptation but cut from the movie's final draft, it's still a very accurate and beautiful story. The artwork is superb, and the story pacing is just right. It's a significant upgrade over the adaptation for the first film and shows just how seriously Marvel took this project. 

That's all I have for now. Next time, I'll recap the third part of this six-part adaptation from Star Wars #41. We'll see the conclusion of the Battle of Hoth, and find out what happens to the movie's major stars as they go their separate ways. The Empire remains in hot pursuit of their targets, and another popular character makes their debut. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #39

Good afternoon,

It's finally time for me to tackle Marvel's Empire Strikes Back adaptation. They released a Marvel Super Special (which I still have in my collection) and adapted the movie into six parts in their monthly Star Wars comic. This article will touch on the first part of that adaptation in the thirty-ninth issue of the title. It featured Darth Vader on the cover, with a Super Star Destroyer and several other smaller Star Destroyers in the background. This was also the first issue to feature R2-D2 and C-3PO in the front corner box, instead of the usual image of Luke Skywalker with an ignited lightsaber. The issue had a cover date of September 1980.

After the front splash page, the tale began on the ice planet Hoth. Skywalker was on patrol astride a native Tauntaun. He had just radioed to Han Solo that he was going to check out a meteorite strike when a large arm knocked him off his mount. Luke didn't get to see the strange robot that had emerged after arriving on the planet.

A little while later, Solo and his Tauntaun returned to the Rebel base. After dismounting, he yelled up at his copilot, Chewbacca, who was busy working on repairs to the Millennium Falcon. A nearby officer offered remorse at Han's decision to leave, which Han replied to by saying that the bounty hunter they ran into on Ord Mantell (a tale that was covered in the Star Wars newspaper strip by this issue's artist, Al Williamson) had changed his mind. 

Han then ran into Princess Leia in a hallway, and the two engaged in a spirited debate about Solo's decision to leave the Alliance. Afterward, we saw another similar-looking alien arm break open one of the interior walls of the base. Meanwhile, Luke awoke and found himself hanging upside down inside an icy cavern. He spotted his lightsaber on the ground and used the Force to bring the blade to his waiting hand.

He then used the laser beam to free himself and to swing defensively at his captor before running for safety. While their master was trying to make his way back, Artoo and Threepio were on their way to the Falcon. Threepio wondered if anyone had heard from Luke. Han certainly hadn't, but wanted the latest from the deck officer closest to his ship. 

Moments later, Solo was conferring with a pair of Rebel officers who were inspecting a Tauntaun that had been attacked. Han couldn't take a speeder to find his friend, since they hadn't been properly adjusted to the cold weather just yet. He decided to go out on Tauntaun, knowing that the weather was becoming an increasing danger to his friend. 

Luke had just about reached the point of exhaustion when an apparition appeared in front of him. It was the image of his former mentor, Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi. The Jedi instructed him to go to the Dagobah system to learn the ways of the Force from Yoda, the Jedi master who had instructed him. Luke passed out moments before Han found him.

 Solo raced to Skywalker, just before his Tauntaun collapsed from the cold. Han worked feverishly to erect a portable shelter, while Artoo tried to use his limited scope to find their friends. Major Derlin (played by the future Cliff Clavin, John Ratzenberger) advised Leia that nothing more could be done and that the shield doors had to be closed. She reluctantly agreed, hoping for the best for her colleagues.

The next morning, a Rebel pilot out on patrol in his speeder located the missing Rebels. Luke was soon rushed to the base's medical facility and was placed in a bacta tank where his progress was monitored by the droids 2-1B and FX-7. Luke's friends knew that he'd run into some kind of trouble but weren't sure just what as of yet.

As Luke was improving, more danger loomed. Several soldiers fended off an attack by the same type of creature that attacked Luke (which was in a scene that was cut from the movie). Later, technicians detected a metallic visitor. Han and Chewie went out for a closer look. The droid blasted at them, before a lucky shot fired from Han's pistol caused a self-destruct.

The unwanted guest was an Imperial probe droid. It was a good guess that the Empire now knew of the Rebels' hiding place, and General Rieekan ordered the beginning of their evacuation. On board a massive Super Star Destroyer somewhere in the galaxy, Imperial Admiral Ozzel was informed of a possible lead in the Hoth system. While the commander demanded proof instead of leads, Darth Vader was convinced that was where the Rebels, including Skywalker, were hiding. He ordered an immediate course direction to that system. 

This adaptation was developed by writer/editor Archie Goodwin and artists Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon. It's said that Garzon and Williamson would take turns on pencils and inks in this adaptation, as well as the one for Return of the Jedi. Goodwin and Williamson had already been working together on the Star Wars newspaper strip, so this felt like a natural evolution. I loved the artwork in this adaptation and wished that Williamson had drawn more Star Wars comics after the newspaper strip ended. He sets scenes wonderfully and was a marvelous artist for many years. 

Well, that's it for this article. Part two of this adaptation will be in the fortieth issue of this title. The battle for Hoth begins as both Rebel and Imperial forces wage a ground war. Find out how this battle begins, and what roles the major characters from the movie play in this conflict next time. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.