Published: May 1, 1978
Writer/Editor: Archie Goodwin
Artist: Carmine Infantino, Terry Austin
Colourist: Janice Cohen
Letterer: Joe Rosen
Consulting Editor: Roy Thomas
The synopsis;
Han and Chewie are captured by space pirates while Luke takes on a monstrous Sea-Dragon!
The review;
This issue is a great start to the new story arc. One thing of note, this is the first of the Star Wars series of comics to have the legendary Carmine Infantino on artwork. There is something about the Infantino style that triggers memories from my youth. His style is synonymous with Star Wars comics for me.
Han and Chewie are reminiscing about the odd ball team they led to victory over Serji-X and the Cloud Riders, and the Behemoth. Mission accomplished on Aduba-3 see’s Han and Chewie heading back to Yavin in a very shiny Millennium Falcon. Bizarrely, the Falcon looks like it’s got the same chrome finish as a Naboo Star Cruiser in this issue. It’s nice to see a softer side given to Solo, the action with his band of misfits has obviously made him think of his recent escapades with Luke and Leia, but he still wonders if he’ll work with his new team again.
You could sort of guess that Crimson Jack was going to come back into things from how the first meeting ended. Getting one over on Solo and taking his reward from Princess Leia was always going to rankle. The big surprise is to see Leia captured and in the clutches of the space pirates. Han and Chewie start a skirmish as the chips are down. This seems to be a regular thing getting into proper dust ups with fist fights. Something actually rarely seen on screen. Our intrepid pairing fight well and overcome Jack’s forces, only to be invited to parley with him.
While Solo’s initial ruse to get aboard and steal Crimson Jack’s cruiser for the Rebellion has nosedived. Solo who is known for thinking on his feet reveals to Jack that him and Leia know each other, and they are item. Now this is something I didn’t see coming, but the reaction from Leia was. When Solo and Leia exchange whispers telling each other their plans. He starts to kiss her; Leia reacts with a knee and elbow combination that puts him to the floor. A brilliant piece of writing. There are precursors to their testy relationship we see in Empire and this is the start. Did this comic influence George Lucas? It would be nice to think so.
Their altercation garners the hoped-for reaction. Solo is now a trusted ally and Leia is escorted to the Retention Centre by Jack’s lieutenant Jolli. The poor princess, not long out of the Death Star detention centre and now back to square one! Leia’s thought’s go back to Luke leaving Yavin and how she hopes Han will now manipulate Jack to assist her search for Luke.
Han is at his charming best. He was won the trust of Jack and is now convincing him to set course for Drexel, Luke’s last known location. Jack is on board but allowing Chewie to hook up the nav computer from the Falcon to his cruiser isn’t being done without a chaperone. Trust won, but mistrust bubbling under the surface it a typical pirate stereotype. I love the way this analogy is placed, and the space pirates not only look like pirates, they are acting like them.
Now while I don’t remember the first four fifths of this comic from my childhood, but the artwork in the last 4 pages, I remember really well. I’m not sure why, they’ve just stayed with me. The story cuts to Luke and the droids on top of their ship. Ditched in the oceans of Drexel, Luke is firing his blaster at a large sea creature attacking them. Unable to repel the creature and his blaster charge running low they all clamber back inside and close the hatch.
The ship is flooding and the water level rising. Safe from the creature, but possibly about to drown, it’s Artoo to the rescue! Artoo activates an escape pod and they clamber inside. The astromech’s plan works and they escape the doomed ship. I love that Artoo does this and is the hero of the moment. It’s something that even now brings a smile to my face. An unsung hero of the Rebellion, living up to his reputation, with Threepio doubting his every move as usual!
With the pod now surfaced and at a safe distance from the creature and the ship, Luke takes a look out to assess everything. Another creature has risen from the sea, but this one has a rider.
Oh no, that’s it! That was the last frame. A great twist at the end with the rider appearing on another sea creature. It does bemuse me slightly how Threepio would really fare on the outer hull of a downed ship floating on the open sea. I think he’d be swimming sooner rather than later, or should that be sinking?
The one thing that stands out for me is the way the demographic between Han and Leia has been so well portrayed in this issue. Using a ‘fake’ relationship to hide their real intent from Jack is clever writing. This is the first issue so far, where I feel Archie Goodwin really does start to understand where the characters are going now.
As I mentioned earlier, Infantino’s work is something special, I just love his work.
The future of our heroes really is all to play for in issue 12, which is entitled “Doomworld!”.
Availability;
The original Marvel Star Wars series ran from 1977 to 1986, encompassing 107 issues. Star Wars (1977) #10 is currently available in digital format from the Marvel Online Comic Store, via the Marvel App, comiXology or by subscribing to Marvel Unlimited. A physical copy can be found in one of the many trade paperback releases from Marvel. Please check with Amazon UK and US or your local comic bookstore for availability.
