screams in the void said:
I envy you getting to read this series all the way through for the first time and look forward to your further reviews . Great scans by the way ! I think you are in for a real treat . While there were some duds along the way , the series was a hell of a lot of fun and also had some very serious and poignant stories ,especially between TESB and ROTJ , as well as post ROTJ ,with issues like 92 and 86 . Anyway ,as you go along , I think you will find that a lot of these comics fit very well around the OT films . The first time I read the issues between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back , when I got to watching the scene in Empire when Luke says farewell to Han ,just before the battle of Hoth ,that scene had a lot more resonance for me . Due to the comics filling in the 3 year gap, I really got the sense that these two had a long history of adventures together . It’s also fun seeing the writers come close to adding things that ended up in the later OT films after TESB , going so far as a forest world , small furry aliens on hang gliders , speeder bikes ,and even what basically amounted to a second Death Star ( with some modifications mandated by Lucasfilm ) !
I’ve read some brief details about some of those post ESB stories and I’m really looking forward to those. Especially Leia and Shira Brie’s stories. From what I’ve read so far of the earlier issues, there’s already a decent number of similarities to Empire! It’s very fun seeing what sorts of ideas and scenarios the writers may have presciently included.
I’ve been a bit busy lately, but I’ve managed to read up to issue #24. Let me just say- I’ve been having a blast! It’s classic Star Wars with classic comic book goodness! What’s not to like?
Anyway, here are my thoughts and feelings… Spoilers for 40+ year old comics ahead!
Issues 11-15: Doom World
Continuing up on a plot thread from Issue #7, we see Han, Leia, and Chewie captured by the fearsome, speedo-wearing pirate, Crimson Jack! Meanwhile, Luke crash-lands on a water world and is caught between two warring factions, one of which being the dreaded serpent masters!
Though I did not enjoy this story-arc as much as the last one, it was still woven together wonderfully, and I loved how Goodwin kept upping the ante with each turn of the page. The space battle and star duel in issue 15 were especially exciting.
Which brings me to one of the key players in this storyline- Jolli the pirate. I’ll be honest- I did not particularly like Jolli’s characterization for much of this arc. She’s overly obsessed with men in an old fashioned and cliché way. However, the final issue of the story shows more of Jolli’s backstory and has her partake in a tragic yet heroic sacrifice to save our heroes, thus elevating the character.
Also, this was the first story arc to feature work by the great Carmine Infantino! I mentioned this briefly last time, but Infantino’s art at this point had greatly changed and became very stylistic. I would say the art is an acquired taste, but it definitely gives theses early stories a unique identity among other Star Wars comics. I didn’t mind it at all, even if some panels look off.
Issue 16: The Hunter
A new antagonist is revealed in Valance the Hunter- a mysterious bounty hunter with a strange personal vendetta against Luke Skywalker!
When it comes to Valance, we really only get a taste of what’s to come with this issue. From what we get here, he’s your typical Bronze Age, overly dramatic Marvel comics character with a tragic backstory. He reminds me of Punisher and the Terminator combined- a comparison I have seen others make. I’m interested to see where his story takes him in future issues.
This issue also sees the return of Amaiza Foxtrain, Jaxxon, Don-Wan Quixote (albeit only brefly), and Jimm the Starkiller Kid from the Aduba-3 arc. I appreciate this little inclusion. As far as I know, these characters don’t pop up much throughout the rest of the series.
Lastly, there’s another cool space battle between Valence and Jaxxon/Amaiza. So far, the space battles have been very fun to see.
Issue 17: Crucible
This issue is hands down my favorite so far.
In it, we see Luke reminisce about his past on Tatooine- particularly of a recent party which got crashed by Tusken Raiders!
I really love seeing more of Luke’s time growing up before he left and became a galactic savior. One particularly great moment was seeing him daydream about a life of adventure and excitement. I also love seeing Biggs again! It’s always nice to see more stories featuring him.
There isn’t a whole lot else to say about it since it was a straightforward issue, but I did want to point out that a soldier from the local Tatooine Militia does appear. I thought this was a cool inclusion since most EU material tends to overlook them.
Issues 18-23: The Wheel
In one of the series’ most well-known storylines, the Star Warriors are caught on a dangerous space station while two mad men of power scheme and plot against each other!
Once again, Goodwin spins an engaging tale of drama, tension, and ever-increasing stakes. One of my favorite moments included Han’s quick thinking in the zero-g arena, where he secretly hides a ray shield under his shirt in order to fake his death at the hands of Chewie- the only other contestant remaining in their gladiator duel to the death.
Another great moment was Darth Vader’s menacing and long-awaited return to the series. As soon as he enters the page, the story takes on a whole new level of edge. Also, Luke trapped in a comatose state and confronting Vader in his inner mind was nice. I liked seeing him confront his fear.
Another notable aspect was the idea of friendship blooming in unexpected ways. Even a sleezy creeps like Senator Grayshade finds friendship in the form of Mastercom, the Wheel’s central computer.
Lastly, Infantino’s art continues to be dynamic and energetic. However, the one piece I want to highlight is the cover for Issue #19. So stylized and eye-catching. Very cool.
