Good afternoon everyone,
Today's topic is the fifteenth issue of Marvel's first Star Wars comic book. The cover showed Han Solo squaring off against Crimson Jack and his commandos outside a Star Destroyer in space. The tale was titled "Star Duel!" The issue had a cover date of September 1978.
The story started in outer space. Jack's captured Star Destroyer was orbiting the planet Drexel after being lured there by Solo's story that the Rebel treasury was on the water world. The massive vessel had been locked in place by General Quarg's sonic jammer, which ceased functioning after the events from the previous issue.
Jack wanted revenge on the Correllian, and his assistant Jolli was preparing three fighters that Han and his friends had sabotaged (during their escape in issue #13). Meanwhile, Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia Organa were on Quarg's ship after defeating the pirate and his crew (as depicted in issue #14). The dragon riders, Quarg's former technicians who had since formed a bond with the native creatures, were more than willing to let their new allies stay with them, but they already had other plans.
Threepio had no sooner started checking out the Millennium Falcon when the ship was under attack by Jolli, who was flying a commandeered Y-Wing fighter. Luke, Leia, and Han dove into the water to rescue him, not knowing that he was okay. Chewbacca and R2-D2 were still on board. Threepio soon used an overhead firing toggle to blast the rogue ship.
The Falcon soon burst free from the planet's atmosphere and engaged in combat with Jack's other two fighters. The trio of fighters was small and speedy, but none of them posed much of a threat. While renewing her attack, Jolli thought back to her youth, when her father abandoned her and her mother before declaring that they weren't good enough. Her initial interaction with Han evoked some of those long-lost feelings, which inspired her actions in part.
In attempting to evade the Star Destroyer, the Falcon brushed up against the larger craft, damaging its gyro control module in the process. After learning that the module had to be replaced and couldn't be fixed, Solo offered Jack a trade: the navi-computer charts that Chewie had stolen while on board their ship in exchange for the parts that they needed.
A bargain was struck, and the two pilots agreed to make the exchange outside their own ships. Before that encounter, Jack said that Jolli, whose ship had been damaged in the battle, could find her way back to them if she was good enough. Han expected betrayal and was prepared to fight.
What neither of them anticipated was Jolli's ire at her captain's remark, which was similar to the last words that her father ever spoke to her. She went on a rampage, firing at the Star Destroyer before ramming her battered ship against its control tower. The exchange had taken place beforehand, and now Jack found himself without a vessel to take him anywhere.
Solo fired a blast at the old pirate before giving Jolli her first and last kiss. He perceived how her feelings toward men had changed after their first meeting. Han then reboarded the Falcon, and he and his comrades finally left the system in peace.
This issue wrapped up both the Crimson Jack and Drexel storylines. It was a quick battle. My only regret was Jolli's sacrifice. She could have chosen to reform and join the Alliance. Crimson Jack was an interesting character who was largely forgotten until Marvel reacquired the license in 2015. This was the last issue that he and his crew were featured in during the initial run.
Well, that's all for now. Tomorrow, I'll recap a new story in issue #16. Walt Simonson and Bob Wiacek are the guest artists, and they teamed with writer Archie Goodwin to present a new bounty hunter, the very first one to be included in this series. We'll find out more about this character and just what his mission is. Until then, have a great week, and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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