Scans_Daily

Released by Marvel Comics in April 1983, just a month before Return of the Jedi's release. Written by Mary Jo Duffy, drawn by Kerry Gammill and Tom Palmer.

The Star Wars Marvel series began with the comic adaption of the original film, and continued as a regular monthly, relating adventures of the gang in between the films, finally grinding to a halt a couple years after Jedi's release. Sales were down, and everyone pretty much felt like the Star Wars phenomenon was over (ho ho ho). It's now become one of the relics of the SW Expanded Universe, with a lot of its continuity largely ignored or forgotten, with a few major exceptions. This isn't surprising, as some of the early issues, under the auspices of old Roy Thomas, not only had some ridiculous ideas (the deluded would-be Jedi Don-Wan Kihotay and the legendary rabbit warrior Jaxxon) but were badly hurt by later changes in continuity (Luke/Leia romance was hinted at, and Jabba the Hutt was depicted as a bipedal, rodent-looking thing). But particularly after Empire, the stories, largely under Duffy's writing, took a much less "wacky" tone, concentrating on characterization and tight plotting, with arcs spread over several issues that tied the comics to the films.

This issue starts with Luke, Lando and Chewie on the Falcon approaching a so-far unidentified world. They're on a mission to find out information about Han's whereabouts after being captured by Boba Fett. And if you need further explanation about that, you have no business reading this entry in the first place. Anyway, Lando says that they've found out Fett was working with another bounty hunter to capture Han, but sandbagged him after the job was done. They think it was either Bossk or IG-88, and they're looking for either of them, hoping that they're pissed enough at Fett to spill the beans about where he took Han. Lando says that both he and Luke followed different trails, both of which led to the planet Stenos. Luke mentions that he and Han were on Stenos before. Flashback time! Suddenly it's the old gang back in their Mickey Mouse Club days:



Way to loudly dissemble your purpose here while teen feet away from an Imperial Governor, Han. Stealthy.



Threepio finding the heiroglyphics on the wall "fascinating," is something of a stretch; when did Threepio ever find anything fascinating except an oil bath and a power feed? Artoo's the inquisitive one.



You can tell Rik is no damn good because he has a beard and a goatee. And oh, Luke, for the days when you were just a brash, clumsy farmboy instead of a near-omnipotent cosmic guru.



What's with Han and Luke casting these really adoring looks at Threepio? What are we, planting the seeds for all the slash fans who were in diapers when this was written?

Rik asks Han to get the Falcon so they can operate out of it more comfortably, saying his ship needs repairs. He segues from this to a clumsy come-on to Leia, picking up on Han's designation of "your highness" used earlier. Leia brushes it off as a joke. Meanwhile, Dani is glomming onto Luke. Leia says that Dani is a Zeltron and "they get like that." They get to be a tiresome, slightly sexist running gag? Sucks for them.

Han corrals Luke to go help him get the Falcon. On the way down, Luke haltingly muses that there might be something not quite trustworthy about Rik and his crew. Hone those Jedi skills, Luke. Han says he's got faith: "Faith that Chewie'll pull that clown's arms off if he tries anything funny."

Once the Falcon is in, the gang busies themselves clearing away rubble from, uh, something. Everyone is bitching, except Han who's noticeably faking repairing the ship, and Dani, who's hitting on Luke. In fact, let's just assume for the remainder of the recap that whenever Dani's in a scene, she's hitting on someone; it'll save us all a lot of time. And pain.

Rik explains that they're looking for the statue of Vol, the God of the Stenaxes. Apparently the Stenaxes believe they're in deep doo-doo with their god for losing his statue and are very anxious to find it. Threepio finds a new set of heiroglyphics which Rik says will help them find the statue. Leia now asks what good the statue will do for the Rebels, and Rik, looking rather annoyed now, starts to make up some bullshit story, but thinks better of it and yells at Dani instead.

Threepio announces he's translated the panel and it doesn't give a specific location of the statue, but it says where the altar that the statue was kept on was. He states it's got something to do with the constellations blah blah astrologycakes, basically Artoo can compute where the thing is supposed to be. He does, and it's under a bigger pile of rubble than the last one.

Rik tells Han and Chihdo to go to town and get tools to move the rock. I personally have trouble believing that with a galaxy to save and stormtroopers two towns over, the gang has nothing better to do than engage in backbreaking labor on some yahoo's say-so without even asking why, but whatever. While they're in town, Han gets the skinny from Chihdo; the Stenaxes are forbidden to fly until they get their god back, and if they do, they might be so grateful that they'll join the Rebellion. Han asks why the Stenaxes would be valuable to the Rebels. Uh, Han, have you looked at these scary-ass buggers? Would you really rather have them on someone else's side?



Wow, those first three panels were really suspenseful. Or would have been if I'd never encountered any storytelling media ever. And Leia's seeming jealousy of Dani's attentions toward Luke must have arose from, um, sisterly protectiveness. Right. Must go scrub brain now.



And the ne'er-do-well's scram with the loot. Han wants to go after them, Leia wants to head back to the Rebellion, but just then Chihdo appears at the temple entrance with a squad of stormtroopers and fingers the Rebels. Fortunately, stormtroopers still can't shoot for shit. Top fifth of all recruits, my ass. Threepio states he hears something, "almost like a great wind." What, is Lucas giving an interview nearby? Nope, it's the Stenaxes, who fly in from above and attack the Imperials, in a big splash page!





Rik and the others are climbing to their own ship, the Moonshadow. He muses that he could probably sell Vol to someone else other than Matrin for more money. As he gets to the top of the cliff, he sees Matrin and a bunch more stormtroopers between him and the ship. Matrin heard what Rik just said and he's pissed. Rik tries to sweet-talk his way out of it, but Matrin grabs the statue out of Rik's hands and trains his blaster on him:



Rik screaming "Solo!" is a very "Khaaaaan!" moment. In fact, wouldn't it have been better if he'd said, "Haaaaaan!" No? Okay.

Back in the present, Luke finishes his tale; he figures the Stenaxes killed Matrin, his troops, and Rik's gang, and retrieved the statue. Lando asks if the Stenaxes would be grateful enough to the Rebels to help them find Bossk or IG-88. Luke doesn't look very certain.

Next issue: more fun with those wacky Stenaxes!