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.
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