Date: Tue, 22 Aug 1995 14:47:09 -0600 From: [0--06--2] at [mantaray.LANL.GOV] (Mark Martinez CIC-2) Subject: Re: Star Wars comics checklist Reply-To: [m l bm] at [lanl.gov] Subject: Star Wars Comics Checklist, Part 2/4 -- This is the second of four articles containing a checklist of Star Wars comics and was last modified 30 April 1995. The list is posted quarterly (Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct) to rec.arts.sf.starwars.info. Part Two (1977-1986) Marvel Comics Star Wars Star Wars Annuals Return of the Jedi -- MARVEL COMICS STAR WARS ARCHIVE 1977-1986 All issues of Marvel's Star Wars series are Copyright Lucasfilm Ltd. This archive was compiled by Jack Camden; notes Copyright 1995 Jack Camden; direct questions, comments, corrections, additions and miscellaneous criticism to [J--Ca--n] at [aol.com.] I. FORM OF THIS ARCHIVE [Issue #] [Date] [Issue title] [Writer(s)/Penciller(s)] [Story Description] [Notes on chronology, continuity problems, interesting aspects of the story, some random editorial comments.] II. ARCHIVE In 1976, Marvel Comics agreed to adapt what was then expected to be, at best, a modestly-grossing oddity of a film due from Twentieth-Century Fox the following year. ("Star Wars" received some of its best early buzz from audiences at science fiction conventions, largely because of Ralph McQuarrie's production paintings). "Star Wars" (now properly "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope") went on to become an entertainment empire, spawning two hugely-successful sequels, books, toys, trading cards, and several comic book series. And for nine years, Marvel adapted the films and filled the time between new movies with further adventures of Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, and their friends and enemies. In 1992, Dark Horse Comics brought Star Wars comics back with "Dark Empire." Later, Dark Horse reprinted newspaper strips written by Archie Goodwin and Russ Manning during the late 1970s and 1980s, as well as Marvel's movie adaptations and, in 1995, one of the old Marvel issues. George Lucas' saga is undergoing a renaissance as old fans and new prepare for a re-release of the first film and three promised prequels. But the Marvel stories -- good, bad, and ugly -- have gone thusfar unrevived and little-noticed. This archive is a guide to the 120-odd issues of Marvel's Star Wars. It is my hope that it will rekindle old memories in veteran collectors, intrigue a few new fans, and amuse Star Wars experts who may have forgotten a few of the odder twists, turns, and dead ends taken by various authors in exploring the Star Wars universe. SPOILER NOTE FOR THE TRULY OBSESSED: I have tried to keep the story descriptions somewhat vague in the interest of space and to avoid completely giving away what happens. Sorry if the results are a little TV Guide-ish. But for those who don't want to know ANYTHING about a given issue's plot, consider yourself warned. 1 July 77 "Star Wars" Thomas/Chaykin Story: The hopes of the Alliance reside with Artoo-Detoo and See-Threepio after the two droids are the only escapees from Princess Leia Organa's blockade runner. Trapped on the desolate desert planet of Tatooine, Artoo must find the Jedi Knight Ben Kenobi against all odds. Notes: Part 1 of 6-part adaptation of "A New Hope." 2 Aug. 77 "Six Against the Galaxy" Thomas/Chaykin Story: Luke Skywalker and Ben Kenobi hire two smugglers, Han Solo and Chewbacca the Wookiee, to take them to Alderaan and return the plans of the Empire's mightiest weapon, the Death Star, to the leaders of the Alliance. Notes: Part 2 of 6-part adaptation of "A New Hope." Includes the scene with Han confronting Jabba the Hut(t) -- Jabba is depicted as a walrus-faced biped, as he is in the Marvel series until "Return of the Jedi." 3 Sept 77 "Death Star!" Thomas/Chaykin Story: Trapped in the Death Star after the destruction of Alderaan, the crew of the Millennium Falcon struggles to free Princess Leia Organa and find a way to escape the battle station. Notes: Part 3 of 6-part adaptation of "A New Hope." 4 Oct. 77 "In Battle with Darth Vader" Thomas/Chaykin Story: Luke, Han, and Chewbacca rescue Princess Leia and escape the Death Star, but Ben Kenobi is struck down in a lightsaber duel with Darth Vader. Notes: Part 4 of 6-part adaptation of "A New Hope." 5 Nov. 77 "Lo, the Moons of Yavin!" Thomas/Chaykin Story: The Rebel Alliance studies the secret plans of the Death Star and prepares a desperate attack on the battle station, but can the Alliance destroy the Empire's greatest weapon before it destroys the Alliance's main base on Yavin IV? Notes: Part 5 of 6-part adaptation of "A New Hope." 6 Dec. 77 "The Final Chapter" Thomas/Chaykin Story: Luke Skywalker and the other Rebel pilots battle Darth Vader and the Empire's TIE fighters in a furious dogfight above the Death Star. Notes: Part 6 of 6-part adaptation of "A New Hope." 7 Jan. 78 "New Planets, New Perils!" Thomas/Chaykin Story: Leaving Yavin IV to pay off Jabba the Hutt, Han and Chewbacca are ambushed by Crimson Jack and his band of space pirates, who steal their reward money and leave the two looking for greener pastures on the rimworld of Aduba-3. 8 Feb. 78 "Eight For Aduba-3" Thomas/Chaykin Story: Han and Chewie hire six motley star-hoppers, including a crazy old man who thinks he's a Jedi Knight and a six-foot green rabbit, to defend a peasant village on Aduba-3 from a band of pirates; Luke, Threepio, and Artoo leave Yavin IV in search of a new base for the Alliance. Notes: Thomas' take on the "Magnificent Seven" and "Don Quixote" was probably fun for him, but as for the rest of us.... 9 Mar. 78 "Showdown on a Wasteland World" Thomas/Chaykin Story: Fighting vicious man-birds and the raiders of Serji-X Arrogantus, Han and Chewie's band of star-hoppers awaken a reptillian behemoth from the depths of Aduba-3; when Luke's ship vanishes in the Drexel system, Leia rushes off to find him. 10 Apr. 78 "Behemoth From the World Below" Glut/Chaykin Story: Han, Chewie, and the star-hoppers fight the final battle for Aduba-3 against Serji-X Arrogantus and the creature awakened by the battle. Notes: Ends "Eight for Aduba-3" Series. Oddly, issue was written by Donald F. Glut, who wrote the novelization of "The Empire Strikes Back." 11 May 78 "Star Search" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Han and Chewie run afoul of Crimson Jack and his space pirates once again, only to discover the gang has captured Leia as well. Notes: Begins Goodwin's fruitful three-year association with the title. 12 June 78 "Doomworld!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Luke and the droids become servants of Gov. Quarg, master of a city-sized ship prowling the waters of Drexel One in a war against giant sea-dragons and their human masters; Han, Chewie, and Leia approach Drexel One on Crimson Jack's cruiser. 13 July 78 "Day of the Dragon Lords!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Han, Chewie, and Leia escape Crimson Jack, only to find themselves in the middle of a battle between Governor Quarg's pirates and the masters of the sea-dragons on Drexel. But when Han is apparently killed by one of Quarg's skimmers, Chewie thinks Luke has turned traitor and attacks him and the droids. 14 Aug. 78 "The Sound of Armageddon!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Han, rescued by the sea-dragons, turns the tide against Governor Quarg with Luke's help, but what of Crimson Jack's orbiting cruiser? 15 Sept 78 "Star Duel!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Crimson Jack finds himself in a stalemate with the Star Warriors (a bad, but useful term coined by Marvel)...his first mate has gone mad, his star charts have been erased, and he's trapped in an outer space duel with Han Solo -- from which only one man will survive. Notes: Ends "Waterworld" series. 16 Oct. 78 "The Hunter!" Goodwin/Simonson Story: A bounty hunter who hates droids and dreams of killing Luke Skywalker for befriending Artoo and Threepio comes to Aduba-3 in search of his quarry. Notes: Introduces Valance the Hunter, one of Goodwin's best characters. 17 Nov. 78 "Crucible!" Goodwin & Claremont/Trimpe Story: During ship's watch on the Millennium Falcon, Luke remembers a Tatooine adventure where he had to fly a seemingly-impossible route through Beggars Canyon to save a poisoned Biggs Darklighter and bring word to Anchorhead of an impending Tusken Raider attack. Notes: A flashback story which apparently takes place about a year before "A New Hope." 18 Dec. 78 "The Empire Strikes!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Pursued by TIE fighters and with Luke fallen into a catatonic trance while meditating, the Millennium Falcon flees to the Wheel, a space station casino where an Imperial commander has launched a scheme to discredit the Alliance. Notes: Presciently titled, to say the least. And great characterization of Han and Chewie. 19 Jan. 79 "The Ultimate Gamble!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Han and Chewie are captured, the droids pawned, Leia trapped, and Luke unconscious as the plans of former Imperial Senator Simon Greyshade and Commander Strom come to fruition on the Wheel. 20 Feb. 79 "Deathgame" Goodwin/Infantino Story: A desperate Han Solo finds himself fighting in the gladiator pits of the Wheel, unaware that Greyshade has rigged the game against him. 21 Mar. 79 "Shadow of a Dark Lord!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Luke breaks free of his trance and Leia and the droids escape their captors on the Wheel, but Han finds that his opponent in the gladiator arena is Chewbacca; on the planet Ultaar, Darth Vader makes his move. Notes: First appearance of Vader in the series since "A New Hope." 22 Apr. 79 "To the Last Gladiator!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Simon Greyshade offers to expose the Empire's plot and rescue the Star Warriors if Leia will be his lover. 23 May 79 "Flight Into Fury" Goodwin/Infantino Story: The rebels escape the Wheel, but Darth Vader and his battle cruiser are waiting for them. Notes: Ends "Wheel" series. With the benefit of hindsight, Luke helps his friends escape Vader by using the Dark Side of the Force. But a fine series. 24 June 79 "Silent Drifting" Duffy/Infantino Story: Leia tells the Millennium Falcon's crew about how Obi-Wan Kenobi once saved a pleasure cruiser trapped in an asteroid belt from the feared Merson slavers. Notes: A flashback story of a younger Ben Kenobi before the Clone Wars. 25 July 79 "Siege at Yavin!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Escaping from the Wheel to Centares, Luke and Leia buy a starship to take them back to Yavin IV. But on the way, they discover a plot masterminded by the House of Tagge which could spell doom for the rebel base. Notes: Begins series of interconnected stories pitting the Alliance against Baron Orman Tagge (who was blinded by Darth Vader and now fights with a lightsaber and the benefit of "cybervision") and his family, which includes the commander choked by Vader aboard the Death Star. (In the movie, the Imperial officer choked is Motti; in the novelization and the Marvel series, it's Tagge.) 26 Aug. 79 "Doom Mission" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Luke volunteers for a desperate mission -- destroy an immense turbine base which the House of Tagge has built inside the gas giant Yavin. But with the turbine destroyed, Luke must use his untested skill with the Force to fly his fighter back out of the gas giant. Notes: One of Goodwin's best stories. 27 Sept 79 "Return of the Hunter" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Luke and Threepio are ambushed on the planet Junction by Valance, the cyborg bounty hunter, who is in a race with Darth Vader's spies to find the Death Star's destroyer. 28 Oct. 79 "Whatever Happened to Jabba the Hut?" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Han and Chewbacca are besieged in a cavern on the desolate planet Orleon by Jabba the Hutt and his pirates, but soon face a deadlier foe -- stone mites capable of eating through rock walls, the Millennium Falcon, and its trapped crew. Notes: A Goodwin/Infantino adventure, complete with the humanoid Jabba -- and the small problem that Han and Chewie get the Hutt to cancel their debt. 29 Nov. 79 "Dark Encounter" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Darth Vader and the bounty hunter Valance battle over a rebel deserter who holds the secret Vader wants most -- the identity of the pilot who destroyed the Death Star. Notes: One of the better stories told by any of the "non-canon" authors in the Star Wars universe. 30 Dec. 79 "A Princess Alone!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Princess Leia travels to an Imperial factory world to enlist the help of an old tutor from Alderaan against the Empire -- but runs afoul of a ruthless Imperial governor and Baron Tagge. 1 1979 "The Long Hunt" Claremont/Vosburg Story: In Marvel's first Star Wars annual, Luke battles a winged Imperial commander who uses the Force and swings a lightsaber, while Leia struggles to save Han and Chewie from an Imperial dungeon. Notes: In one of the bigger continuity goof-ups, the issue ends with a tale of how the planet of the Long Hunt was once visited by three Jedi Knights -- Ben Kenobi, Darth Vader, and Luke's father. 31 Jan. 80 "Return to Tatooine!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Luke returns to Tatooine to recruit star-hoppers for the Alliance, and uncovers an Imperial plot masterminded by the House of Tagge. 32 Feb. 80 "The Jawa Express" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Han, Chewie, Luke and the droids escape Imperial stormtroopers with the help of a band of jawas, only to run into a deadly test of the Omega Frost, the House of Tagge's secret project to cripple the Alliance. 33 Mar. 80 "Saber Clash!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Han, Luke, and Chewie follow the Tagges to Junction, where the Baron plans to devastate the planet with the Omega Frost and cripple the Alliance's supply lines. But when Luke is captured while on a spy mission, he is forced into a lightsaber duel with the Baron. 34 Apr. 80 "Thunder in the Stars!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: The Millennium Falcon and a rebel task force race towards Junction, but Han doesn't know he's leading the rebels into a trap, and a stranded Luke can't warn him. Notes: Ends "Omega Frost" series. 35 May 80 "Dark Lord's Gambit" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Darth Vader drives the Tagge family to its knees, while Luke finds himself waging a battle of diplomacy against the Dark Lord for the loyalty of the cloistered world of Monastery and its mistress, Sister Domina Tagge. But whose side is Domina on? 36 June 80 "Red Queen Rising!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Leia, Han, Chewie, and Threepio are trapped on Vader's star destroyer, while below on Monastery, Sister Domina and the Dark Lord weave a trap for Luke. 37 July 80 "In Mortal Combat!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Hoping to destroy both Luke and Vader, Sister Domina arranges a lightsaber duel between them in a dangerous, eldritch valley, while the Star Warriors and Baron Tagge race to intercede. Notes: As an epilogue, Jabba the Hutt (still on two legs) discovers Crimson Jack's derelict pirate ship, which he financed. Furious, the Hutt puts a price back on Han and Chewie's heads, and a bounty hunter guns for the two on Ord Mantell. 38 Aug. 80 "Riders in the Void!" Goodwin/Golden Story: A malfunctioning hyperdrive hurls Luke and Leia beyond the galaxy, where they are caught in a strange, living starship intent on their destruction. 39 Sept 80 "The Empire Strikes Back" Goodwin/Williamson Story: Darth Vader and the Imperial fleet search for the Alliance's new base on Hoth. Notes: First part of 6-part adaptation of "The Empire Strikes Back." 40 Oct. 80 "Battleground Hoth!" Goodwin/Williamson Story: The Alliance battles Imperial walkers and snowtroopers on the frozen planet Hoth. Notes: Second part of 6-part adaptation of "The Empire Strikes Back." 41 Nov. 80 "Imperial Pursuit!" Goodwin/Williamson Story: Escaping the rout on Hoth, Han, Chewie, Leia and Threepio are pursued into an asteroid field by the Imperial fleet; Luke lands on the swamp planet Dagobah in search of a Jedi Master to complete his training. Notes: Third part of 6-part adaptation of "The Empire Strikes Back." 42 Dec. 80 "To Be A Jedi!" Goodwin/Williamson Story: Luke begins his training under the Jedi Master Yoda; the bounty hunter Boba Fett trails the crippled Millennium Falcon after it eludes the Imperial fleet. Notes: Fourth part of 6-part adaptation of "The Empire Strikes Back." 43 Jan. 81 "Betrayal at Bespin" Goodwin/Williamson Story: Han, Chewie, and Leia are betrayed by Lando Calrissian in Cloud City, where Darth Vader and Boba Fett await them -- and set a trap for Luke. Notes: Fifth part of 6-part adaptation of "The Empire Strikes Back." 44 Feb. 81 "Duel A Dark Lord!" Goodwin/Williamson Story: Luke battles Darth Vader in a lightsaber duel in Cloud City; Lando Calrissian frees Chewie and Leia and the three race to save Han from Boba Fett's clutches. Notes: Sixth part of 6-part adaptation of "The Empire Strikes Back." 45 Mar. 81 "Death Probe" Goodwin/Infantino Story: While testing himself to see if he's recovered from his defeat at the hands of Darth Vader, Luke encounters a blockade runner taken over by a monster probot -- and intent on sabotaging the rebel fleet. 46 Apr. 81 "The Dreams of Cody Sunn-Childe" Lombego/Infantino Story: While searching for Han Solo, Lando and Chewie are catapulted into another dimension, where a long-lost rebel warrior has built a utopia out of the stuff of his own dreams. 47 May 81 "Droid World!" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Trying to fix a damaged war droid, Threepio and Artoo travel to an artificial moon manned only by robots, where they find themselves caught in the middle of a revolution. Notes: Story was later adapted into a children's book and tape of the same name. 48 June 81 "The Third Law" Hama/Infantino Story: Leia and Darth Vader fight a war of diplomatic intrigue on the neutral world of Aargau. Notes: Entertaining, though its tongue-in-cheek tone and bloodless intrigues are more James Bond than Star Wars. 49 July 81 "The Last Jedi!" Barr/Simonson Story: Luke and Leia help Prince Denid of Velmor in his quest to regain his throne, but are caught up in palace intrigue surrounding a brain-damaged old alien who may or may not be the last of the Jedi Knights. 50 Aug. 81 "The Crimson Forever!" Goodwin/Simonson/Williamson Story: Attempting to save Luke from a strange disease, Leia, Lando, Chewie, and the droids travel beyond the galaxy retracing an old adventure of Han and Chewie's. Notes: Double issue brings back the bounty hunters from "The Empire Strikes Back" and Sister Domina Tagge. Goodwin's last issue until #98, four years later. 51 Sept 81 "Ressurection of Evil" Michelinie/Simonson Story: The Star Warriors attempt to sabotage the construction of "the Tarkin," a warship built around the Death Star's planet-destroying laser cannon. Notes: A different twist on the much-abused "new Death Star" idea. 52 Oct. 81 "To Take the Tarkin" Michelinie/Simonson Story: The Star Warriors battle Darth Vader aboard the Tarkin, where a cadre of Imperial officers plot to betray the Dark Lord of the Sith. 53 Nov. 81 "The Last Gift From Alderaan" Claremont/Simonson Story: Leia battles an inhuman Imperial Warlord and his anti-matter bombs on Shiva IV. Notes: A not-particulary successful homage to "John Carter, Warlord of Mars" by Claremont, a former writer for that title. Additional art by Infantino. 54 Dec. 81 "Starfire Rising" Claremont/Infantino/Simonson Story: Luke helps Leia and Warlord Aron defeat General Sk'ar, but the Millennium Falcon is trapped between a Star Destroyer and a black hole, and only Luke's skill with the Force can save them. 55 Jan. 82 "Plif!" Michelinie/Simonson Story: A rebel scouting team investigates the planet Arbra as a possible new base for the Alliance; Lando returns to Cloud City and finds it mysteriously deserted. Notes: Adapted as "Planet of the Hoojibs," a children's book and tape. 56 Feb. 82 "Coffin In the Clouds" Michelinie/Simonson Story: Lando contends with time bombs, an Imperial explosives team, and a beserk Lobot in the deserted Cloud City. Notes: Introduces Lieutenant Shira Brei (sometimes Brie), Michelinie's best character -- and a rare love interest for Luke. 57 Mar. 82 "Hello, Bespin, Goodbye!" Michelinie/Simonson Story: Lando journeys to the surface of Bespin and enlists the aid of the ugnaughts in retaking Cloud City from the Empire. 58 Apr. 82 "Sundown!" Michelinie/Simonson Story: Threepio and Artoo are Leia's last hope to save the rebel fleet from destruction inside Arbra's sun; Luke, Lando and Chewbacca run into trouble on the space station Bazarre. 59 May 82 "Bazarre" Michelinie & Simonson/Simonson Story: Luke and Lando are trapped on the disposal planet of Patch-4 with a giant worm invulnerable to blasters. 60 June 82 "Shira's Story" Michelinie & Simonson/Simonson Story: On a mission to uncover plans for an Imperial armada under construction on the edge of the galaxy, Luke and Shira Brei run into trouble on Shira's homeworld of Shalyvane. 61 July 82 "Screams in the Void" Michelinie & Simonson Story: Luke leads the mission to destroy the Empire's armada and its latest secret weapon, but has he destroyed what he loves, too? Notes: Simonson pencils. 62 Aug. 82 "Pariah!" Michelinie & Simonson/Simonson Story: Stripped of his commission for shooting down Shira Brei's fighter, Luke returns to Shalyvane with Chewbacca looking for answers. 63 Sept 82 "The Mind Spider!" Michelinie & Simonson/Palmer Story: Luke and Chewbacca raid the Imperial data bank on Krake's Planet in search of the information about Shira Brei which could clear Luke's name. 64 Oct. 82 "Serphidian Eyes" Fleisher, Michelinie/Brozowski Story: Luke and two fellow officers travel to a quasi-medieval world to oust its Imperial-allied king. 65 Nov. 82 "Golrath Never Forgets" Michelinie/Simonson/Palmer Story: The rebels scramble to destroy Golrath Station, an obscure outpost which could betray their new base to the Empire. 2 1982 "Shadeshine!" Michelinie/Infantino Story: Luke and Lando uncover a tale from Han Solo's past, in which a smuggling run for sansanna spice lands the Corellian in the midst of a power struggle between a strange priesthood and an alien satrap. Notes: Second annual. First was in 1979. 66 Dec. 82 "The Water Bandits" Michelinie/Simonson & Palmer Story: Trapped on the backwater planet of Beheboth, Luke strives to rescue a friend from a band of brigands who control the planet's water supply. 67 Jan. 83 "The Darker" Michelinie/Frenz Story: As the Star Warriors begin the search for Han Solo, Threepio, Artoo, Chewie, and the hoojibs battle an ancient foe lurking in the deepest caves of Ambra. 68 Feb. 83 "The Search Begins" Michelinie/Day & Palmer Story: Leia and Threepio travel to Boba Fett's rumored homeworld of Mandalore, where they fall in with Fenn Shysa, one of the last three Mandalorian supercommandos. Notes: Continuity problems will one day abound -- Fenn Shysa tells Leia that the supercommandos were charged with the defense of Mandalore before the Empire and that, of 212 commandos, three survived -- chief officer Boba Fett, Fenn Shysa, and Tobbi Dala. In a major howler, story also has Palpatine briefing the commandos on Princess Leia's rebel activities during the Clone Wars. 69 Mar. 83 "Death in the City of Bone!" Michelinie/Day Story: Fenn Shysa tries to rescue Leia from the strange City of Bone on Mandalore. 70 Apr. 83 "The Stenax Shuffle" Duffy/Frenz & Gammill Story: As Lando, Chewie and Luke head for Stenos in search of the bounty hunter Bossk, Luke recalls an early adventure which brought the Star Warriors to the planet shortly after "A New Hope." Notes: Duffy's best effort -- a fine, witty adventure. 71 May 83 "Return to Stenos" Duffy/Palmer & Frenz Story: Luke and Lando's search for Han leads them into danger on Stenos, but they finally find Han -- or do they? 72 June 83 "Fool's Bounty" Duffy/Palmer & Frenz Story: Luke, Lando, Chewie, Artoo, Rik Duel and Dani struggle to destroy the bounty hunters' base on Stenos. 73 July 83 "Lahsbane" Duffy/Palmer & Frenz Story: Luke, Leia, Chewie, Dani, and the droids are sent to the planet Lahsbane to recover tapes from a downed rebel pilot's ship, but run into one problem after another. Notes: Lucasfilm blew the whistle on the issue after Marvel's first depiction of the Lahsbees looked too much like Ewoks. 74 Aug. 83 "The Iskalon Effect" Duffy/Frenz & Palmer Story: The Star Warriors travel to the waterworld of Iskalon in search of missing rebel agent Tay Vanis and his droid. 75 Sept 83 "Tidal" Duffy/Frenz Story: Lando and company infiltrate the planet Gamandar; Luke and Leia fight for their lives on Iskalon's ocean floor. 76 Oct. 83 "Artoo-Detoo to the Rescue" Duffy/Frenz Story: Artoo struggles to save his friends on Gamandar while Luke, Leia, and Kiro are caught in the chaos of war-torn Iskalon. 77 Nov. 83 "Chanteuse of the Stars..." Duffy/Frenz Story: Luke and Leia, investigating a lead about Han Solo, take desperate measures during a delegation of planetary representatives on the space station Kabray. Notes: Leia sings, and the results are as embarrassing as the "Star Wars Holiday Special," even though you can't hear them. 3 1983 "The Apprentice" Duffy/Janson Story: The Star Warriors and the Empire clash on the dismal planet of Belderone, where Darth Vader finds a new apprentice. 78 Dec. 83 "Hoth Stuff!" Michelinie & Layton/McDonnell Story: Luke and Leia hunt for Wedge Antilles, missing since "The Empire Strikes Back" on Hoth. Notes: Curiously, the first non-movie issue to include Wedge. But Marvel confuses Wedge with Biggs, describing Rogue Squadron's chief as Luke's oldest friend, whom he grew up with on Tatooine. 79 Jan. 84 "The Big Con" Duffy/Frenz Story: Lando and Chewie hunt for clues to Han Solo's fate on the dreary world of Arcan IV. 80 Feb. 84 "Ellie" Duffy/Frenz Story: Luke, Leia and Threepio finally find Tay Vanis -- or what's left of him -- and the Bothan tapes which hold the secret of the Empire's new superweapon. Notes: Last issue chronologically before "Return of the Jedi." 1R Oct. 83 "In the Hands of Jabba the Hutt" Goodwin/Williamson Story: Luke, Leia, Chewie, and the droids finally free Han Solo from carbonite, only to find themselves Jabba the Hutt's prisoners. Notes: Part one of a 4-part limited series adapting "Return of the Jedi." 2R Nov. 83 "The Emperor Commands!" Goodwin/Williamson Story: Having escaped from Jabba the Hutt, Luke travels to Dagobah to find Yoda dying; Emperor Palpatine arrives at the partially-completed new Death Star. Notes: Part two of a 4-part limited series adapting "Return of the Jedi." 3R Dec. 83 "Mission to Endor" Goodwin/Williamson Story: The rebels launch a commando raid on the Endor Moon, where they win over the native Ewoks; Luke surrenders to Darth Vader. Notes: Part three of a 4-part limited series adapting "Return of the Jedi." 4R Jan. 84 "The Final Duel" Goodwin/Williamson Story: The Imperial and rebel battle fleets clash over the Endor Moon while Luke duels Darth Vader and the Emperor within the new Death Star. Notes: Part four of a 4-part limited series adapting "Return of the Jedi." 81 Mar. 84 "Jawas of Doom" Duffy/Frenz Story: Han, Leia, and Artoo return to Tatooine to recover some of Han's money, but when Artoo is stolen by jawas, they're forced out into the Dune Sea in pursuit -- and they discover that Boba Fett is very much alive. Notes: A delirious Fett escapes the Sarlaac and is found by jawas, who think he's a droid. But by issue's end he's fallen back into the Sarlaac, no doubt to re-emerge a second time ready for action in the West End Games sourcebooks and "Dark Empire." 82 Apr. 84 "Diplomacy" Duffy/Frenz Story: Seeking to gather emissaries from the former systems of the Empire, Luke returns to Iskalon. 83 May 84 "Sweetheart Contract" Grant/McLeod Story: Lando is caught up in a disagreement between the Queen of Drogheda and her rebellious sister. 84 June 84 "Seoul Searching" Richardson/Mazzucchelli Story: Han and Chewie run into remnants of the Imperial military while treasure-hunting on the ancient world of Seoul Five. 85 July 84 "The Hero" Duffy/McLeod Story: Han, Chewie, and Lando run afoul of Bossk and IG-88 on Keyorin, the Hunter's World. 86 Aug. 84 "The Alderaan Factor!" Stradley/McLeod Story: In an adventure taking place shortly before "Return of the Jedi," Leia is betrayed on the planet Yinchor and must try to win over a young stormtrooper from Alderaan. 87 Sep. 84 "Still Active After All These Years" Duffy/Palmer Story: The Rodian smuggler Chihdo trips a terrible trap in the catacombs of Shawkan as Luke rushes to save his friends. Notes: A Duffy/Palmer effort. 88 Oct. 84 "Figurehead" Duffy/McLeod Story: Mon Mothma and Princess Leia fight surviving Imperial forces led by the mysterious Lumiya on the planet Herdessa. 89 Nov. 84 "I'll See You in the Throne Room" Nocenti/Blevins Story: Luke searches for a traitor to the New Republic on the exotic world of Solay. 90 Dec. 84 "The Choice!" Duffy/McLeod Story: As the New Republic's leaders meet with representatives of many newly-freed worlds, trouble breaks out between Rik Duel and the Republic. 91 Jan. 85 "Wookiee World!" Duffy/Salmons Story: Han, Lando, and Chewie discover that the slave trade has been reactivated on Chewie's homeworld of Kazhyyyk. Notes: Fairly daring, considering the draconian plot and subject constraints Marvel had to work with after "Return of the Jedi." Mala, Itchy, and Lumpy, Chewie's family from "The Star Wars Holiday Special" and "The Wookiee Storybook," appear, working overtime for their place in Star Wars apocrypha. 92 Feb. 85 "The Dream" Duffy/Duursema Story: A desperate refugee leads the New Republic to an Imperial stronghold run by Darth Vader's last pupil, a self-styled Dark Lord. 93 Mar. 85 "Catspaw" Duffy/Buscema Story: Luke, Leia, and Han investigate rumors of Imperial activity in the Cantros system. 94 Apr. 85 "Small Wars" Duffy/Martin Story: A traitorous aide to Admiral Ackbar stirs up war between the Ewoks and the Lahsbees, the New Republic's smallest warriors. 95 May 85 "No Zeltrons" Duffy/Martin Story: Leia, Han, and a Zeltron band run across a villainous new race from beyond the galaxy -- the Nagai; Luke and Lumiya clash on the borderworld of Kinooine. 96 June 85 "Duel With a Dark Lady!" Duffy/Martin Story: Luke fights for his life against Lumiya and her Nagai allies and discovers the Dark Lady's secret as a Nagai invasion fleet arrives. Notes: An extra-galactic alien race invades just after "Return of the Jedi," shades of Kathy Tyers. 97 July 85 "Escape" Duffy/Martin Story: Luke, Kiro, and Dani fight to elude the Nagai on Kinooine. 98 Aug. 85 "Supply and Demand" Goodwin/Williamson Story: Han Solo is sent to the planet Vandelheim to check out a supply problem for the New Republic, and winds up battling an Imperial scheme. Notes: Goodwin and Williamson return for a one-shot which briefly interrupts the series' virtual free-fall. Reprinted as Classic Star Wars: The Vandelheim Mission by Dark Horse in 1995. 99 Sept 85 "Touch of the Goddess" Duffy/Frenz Story: Luke, Han, Chewie and Lando search for missing components to a mystical machine which could be the only hope for the inhabitants of a dying world. 100 Oct. 85 "First Strike" Duffy/Martin Story: The New Republic tries to fight off the Nagai invasion as they leave Endor. Notes: A double-sized issue. Features a flashback of Han's childhood with his friend and mentor Bey. 101 Nov. 85 "Far, Far Away" Duffy/Martin Story: Accompanied by droids and hoojibs, Han Solo takes a little detour while on a mission for the Alliance. Notes: Takes place before issue #97. 102 Dec. 85 "School Spirit!" Duffy/Buscema Story: Luke and Lando battle Nagai invaders on Iskalon. 103 Jan. 86 "Tai" Duffy/Martin Story: Leia and the Zeltrons learn a little more about the enemy when they run into a wounded Nagai youth on the planet Trenwyth. Notes: First bi-monthly issue. 104 Mar. 86 "Nagais and Dolls" Duffy/Martin Story: The Nagai invade Zeltros, catching the New Republic off-guard. 105 May 86 "The Party's Over" Duffy/Martin & Leialoha Story: Chaos reigns on Zeltros as the Tofs, aliens from the Nagai's galaxy, invade the planet right on their old enemies' heels. 106 July 86 "My Hiromi" Duffy/Martin Story: Luke and the Hiromi try to rescue Leia's attaches from the Tofs. 107 Sept 86 "All Together Now" Duffy/Martin Story: The New Republic joins Nagai warriors and Imperials in an attempt to stop the Tof invasion before it can start. Notes: Last issue. III. THE MARVEL ILLUSTRATED BOOKS AND THE U.K. ISSUES Marvel also published its Star Wars adventures in weekly form in Great Britain, leading to inevitable scheduling problems. According to Marvel, six complete stories were published in the British weekly and pencilled in for the U.S. comic after "The Empire Strikes Back," but were then shelved. Four stories were reprinted in the U.S. in "Star Wars," a Marvel Illustrated Book dated Nov. 1981, and copyrighted 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1981. In October 1982, "Star Wars 2: World of Fire," a three-issue, black-and-white series also apparently written for the British weekly, was released by Marvel Illustrated Books. How the seven total issues in those two books equates to the six missing Star Wars stories first mentioned by Marvel is beyond me. And to further complicate things, "War on Ice" clearly begins in the middle of the story. That raises the possibility that some other part of "War of Ice" remains uncollected. If anyone is familiar with the British Star Wars Weekly and whether or not other Marvel Star Wars stories appeared in it, I'd like to know. Star Wars (Nov. 81): -- ??? "Way of the Wookiee" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Days before "A New Hope," Han and Chewie run afoul of an Imperial colonel, Jabba the Hutt's traitorous operatives, and Chewie's vendetta with another Wookiee while smuggling spice on the Kessel Run. Notes: Continuity disagrees with Kevin J. Anderson's account of Han and Chewie's fateful Kessel Run in "Jedi Search." -- ??? "The Day After the Death Star" Goodwin/Infantino Story: On the day after the Death Star battle, a giddy Luke goes for a joyride in his X-Wing -- and learns a difficult lesson about war. -- ??? "Weapons Master" Goodwin/Infantino Story: Leia tells Luke the story of Giles Durane, who taught her how to wield a blaster -- and how idealism can turn sour. -- ??? "War on Ice" Goodwin/Cockrum Story: Luke must rescue Leia from a huge Imperial fortress on the ice world of Akuria Two. Star Wars 2: World of Fire (Oct. 82): -- ??? "World of Fire!" Claremont/Infantino Story: After stealing the Staraker, an prototype Imperial warship, Luke, Leia, and rebel operative Mici Shabandar find themselves stranded on the haunted, deadly world of Alashan. -- ??? "The Word for World is Death!" Claremont/Infantino Story: Luke and Leia join forces with a stranded team of Imperials to explore the ruins of Alashan. -- ??? "The Guardian of Forever!" Claremont/Infantino Story: Luke, Leia and Major Grau's Imperials duel with an alien sentinel in Alashan's underworld. IV. THE STAR WARS CANON -- A MODEST PROPOSAL In an unfortunate parallel with Star Trek, fans of Star Wars are becoming increasingly concerned with questions about what Star Wars adventures are canon -- and, in a related debate, how various chapters in the constantly-expanding Star Wars saga fit together. One easy way out of the canon dilemna is what could be called the "Robin Hood defense." The adventures of Luke Skywalker and his friends, as we all know, take place "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" -- time enough for any number of legends to have sprung up arpund them since. In a peaceful galaxy ruled by the restored Jedi Knights, it is logical that every backwater planet would claim to be the site of some adventure or other of Luke, Han, Chewie, or even Darth Vader. And it's equally logical that, over thousands of generations, some inconsistent or downright contradictory legends might be sprung up. Thus, the inhabitants of Bespin boast that Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader's first lightsaber duel took place in the carbonite chamber of Cloud City. But the natives of Mimban tell a different story, one featuring a grim battle in the Temple of Pomojema. And the people of Monastery recall how Luke and Vader met in single combat at the bidding of Sister Domina. (This is nothing compared to the disputes on Ord Mantell, where different factions tell the tale of "the Bounty Hunter of Ord Mantell" four of five different ways!) On the other hand, Kevin J. Anderson is at work on a James Michener-style history of the Star Wars universe; efforts like his and the forthcoming "Shadows of the Empire" are fueling the debate over, and desire for, a single "canonical" chronology. The Archie Goodwin/Al Williamson newspaper strips reprinted as "Classic Star Wars" by Dark Horse have been very well-received; not a few fans, in fact, greeted them more warmly than the grittier "Dark Empire." The West End Games sourcebooks, while themselves "non-canon," have already accepted the newspaper strips as fact. And Dark Horse is reprinting the only Goodwin/Williamson issue (#98) from the regular run of the Marvel series. No small amount of the appeal of the "Classic Star Wars" stories is Williamson's fine art -- but credit should also go to Goodwin, who captures the Flash Gordon spirit of Star Wars without neglecting the epic sweep of the galactic civil war, the spiritual demands of the Force, or the real love between Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie. One partial answer to the canon/chronology debate would be to elevate Goodwin's stories (nearly all of which take place between "A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back") to canon status, and let the other (decidedly inferior) Marvels remain apocrypha (most of the others have been, or will be, supplanted by the new novels and "Shadows of the Empire," anyway). The rebels' betrayal on the Wheel, Han Solo's duel with the space pirate Crimson Jack, Darth Vader's search for the name of the pilot who destroyed the Death Star, the treachery of the House of Tagge, the lonely quest of Valance the Hunter -- these are exciting, entertaining stories which are worthy additions to the Star Wars saga. There is time enough between "A New Hope" and "Empire" to fit them and Archie Goodwin's newspaper strips into a logical timeline, and ample reason for a new crop of Star Wars fans to enjoy learning what befell the heroes of the movies between their victory on Yavin and their defeat on Hoth. -- eof