Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Oct 31, 2015 7:08:03 GMT -5
Does the Wild Space Volume 1 contain all the UK stories? Yes it does, tex1272. It also includes all the Pizzazz strips too. |
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Post by tingramretro on Oct 31, 2015 11:14:41 GMT -5
Are you sure the cover isn't actually by Buylla? Wutzek looks exactly the same to me on the cover as it does in the story, and the style looks pretty much like Buylla's 90s Marvel UK work (I think the only other job I can recall him doing for them back in the 80s was inking a Doctor Who). I have no idea who it is, but that's a good suggestion about Buylla because you're right that the demon does look exactly the same as in the interior artwork. However, the figures of Han, Leia and the fleeing members of the Five look very different to how they do inside the comic. I'm thinking that maybe it's Buylla's pencils, with inking by someone with a much more strident and (dare I say it) simplistic style. I think I'll update the credits of my review, with a question mark in brackets to show that I'm not 100% sure. The figures struck me as possibly being a bit of a rush job, to be honest. |
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Post by rebeljedi on Nov 1, 2015 12:54:11 GMT -5
Kind of wished Marvel had included the original Black & White artwork for the Pandora Effect and the other colorized UK issues in their Original Marvel Years Vol.3 Omnibus because after seeing some pages from the original B&W versions of those issues they seem a little easier on the eyes to read,at least for my aging eyes. Yeah, I have the colourised versions in the Devilworlds series and, while they're interesting, for my money those strips should be experienced in black & white because that's how they were originally intended to be viewed. While we're on the subject, are the pre-ESB UK exclusive stories like "The Way of the Wookiee", "The Day After the Death Star" and "World of Fire" colourised in the Marvel Years omnibus or are they in their original black & white? Also, is "Death-Masque" in black & white? That story was not colourised in the '90s because it was omitted from the Devilworlds mini-series. It was reprinted in its original black & white in Dark Horse's Wild Space, Volume 1 collection, so I'm just curious as to whether Marvel had coloured it for its 2015 reprinting. "The Way of the Wookie" "The Day After the Death Star" "World of Fire" "Death-Masque" "The Weapons Master" and the last part of "Kingdom of Ice-Pursuit" are in their original black & white while all the other UK & Pizzazz stories are in color. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Nov 1, 2015 19:01:29 GMT -5
Yeah, I have the colourised versions in the Devilworlds series and, while they're interesting, for my money those strips should be experienced in black & white because that's how they were originally intended to be viewed. While we're on the subject, are the pre-ESB UK exclusive stories like "The Way of the Wookiee", "The Day After the Death Star" and "World of Fire" colourised in the Marvel Years omnibus or are they in their original black & white? Also, is "Death-Masque" in black & white? That story was not colourised in the '90s because it was omitted from the Devilworlds mini-series. It was reprinted in its original black & white in Dark Horse's Wild Space, Volume 1 collection, so I'm just curious as to whether Marvel had coloured it for its 2015 reprinting. "The Way of the Wookie" "The Day After the Death Star" "World of Fire" "Death-Masque" "The Weapons Master" and the last part of "Kingdom of Ice-Pursuit" are in their original black & white while all the other UK & Pizzazz stories are in color. Right. That's what I expected, to be honest. Thanks for the info. Oh, and the Pizzazz strips were in colour originally. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Nov 3, 2015 3:31:48 GMT -5
Star Wars #54Cover dated: December 1981 Issue title: Starfire Rising!Script: Chris Claremont Artwork: Carmine Infantino (pencils)/Walter Simonson (pencils)/Frank Giacoia (inks)/Tom Palmer (inks)/Al Milgrom (inks) Colours: Glynis Wein Letters: Ray Burzon Cover art: Walter Simonson Overall rating: 5 out of 10  Plot summary: In an Imperial warship above the planet Shiva IV, Princess Leia and Aron Peacebringer are brought before General Sk'ar. The general reveals to the captured pair that Aron's comrade Ygal Delois has turned traitor and joined forces with the Empire, with the promise that he will be installed as ruler of the planet. Ska'ar also reveals that the Empire's plan is to break the will of the Calian people and subjugate them by destroying the capital city of Illyriaqüm with an anti-matter bomb. As Sk'ar's ship blasts off towards the capital carrying the bomb, Aron and Leia escape their Imperial captors and pursue the general in a desperate attempt to thwart his plan. A fierce battle ensues, during which Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca, along with the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, make a sudden appearance, having finally located Leia after many weeks of searching. Leia defuses the bomb, while Chewbacca destroys Sk'ar's ship and kills the general by throwing a steel projectile at it as it blasts off. A ceremonial party is thrown in Illyriaqüm in celebration of Sk'ar's defeat, but during the festivities, R2-D2 detects that an Imperial Star Destroyer is approaching Shiva IV. Boarding the Millennium Falcon, the Rebels lead the Imperial ship away from the planet and towards the outer edges of a nearby black hole. Using the Force, Luke manages to successfully navigate a safe passage out of the black hole, as the Star Destroyer is seized by the huge gravitational pull of the singularity and is crushed, killing all those on board. Comments: "The Last Gift From Alderaan!" storyline concludes in this issue, which features a real hodge-podge of artistic talent in its pages. Like last issue, much of this comic is actually an unused story that artist Carmine Infantino had originally drawn for Marvel's cancelled John Carter: Warlord of Mars series, retooled by Chris Claremont and Walt Simonson as a Star Wars story. However, the Infantino and Simonson halves of this story don't quite hang together as well as they did last issue. For one thing, Simonson returns to his signature style of drawing once Infantino's section of the issue is done with, whereas in the last instalment, he and inker Tom Palmer did an excellent job of imitating Infantino's style on the pages that they drew, which in turn lent things a cohesion that's unfortunately absent here. Of course, it probably doesn't help that the majority of Simonson's pages in this issue are inked by Al Milgrom, whose work looks decidedly messy and rushed. Nonetheless, despite the somewhat jarring transition from Infantino's pages to Simonson's, the latter's artwork has its usual great storytelling flow and perfectly captures the fast pace of the Star Wars galaxy. For example, in these two panels depicting the Millennium Falcon deftly escaping a Star Destroyer and a black hole, Simonson gives a real sense of movement to the action. You can almost see the panels come to life in your imagination and hear the sound of the Falcon's engines, as it streaks past the windows of the Imperial ship...  Another nicely drawn sequence is to be found in the celebration party scenes, following General Sk'ar's demise. In particular, the way in which Chewbacca barges his way through the crowd, throwing startled guests out of his path, in order to reach Lando Clarissian and bring to his attention the approaching Star Destroyer, is full of humour and a favourite moment of mine from this comic. Chris Claremont continues his powerful portrayal of Princess Leia as the duty-bound victim of the Alderaan holocaust. More than ever, we see Leia questioning the cost of her role in the Galactic Civil War. At one point, after she's forced to take an Imperial officer's life with a blade, we see her tearfully agonise about it, noting that death at close quarters like this is very different to the remote killing of ship to ship combat. Again, at the story's conclusion, we see Leia question whether the deaths of thousands of Imperials aboard a Star Destroyer is any real reason for celebration. While its certainly interesting to see Leia questioning her role in the Rebellion like this, I've always thought that Claremont over-eggs the pudding somewhat, with the princess coming across as a bit weak and whiny at times. Leia's interactions with Luke Skywalker are problematic and a bit uncomfortable too. I'm not sure if Claremont is writing Leia as having feelings for Luke or if she's just very glad to be reunited with an old friend. To be honest, it could be interpreted either way, but it's clear that Aron Peacebringer suspects there is some romantic affection between the two of them. More explicit is the panel in which Luke wonders to himself whether he and the princess might one day be more than friends. Although this is a bit icky in hindsight, the revelation that Luke and Leia were brother and sister was still a closely guarded secret when this comic was written, so I guess we can't really blame Claremont. However, the fact that there's no mention of Leia's romance with Han Solo either, makes me wonder whether Claremont was properly taking the events of The Empire Strikes Back into account when he wrote this story. Another criticism of this issue is that the ending, after the bomb is diffused and Sk'ar is killed, feels a bit tacked on. Of course, we know that it was tacked on in order to conclude the story begun in Infantino's pages, but it really feels different to the first half of this issue. Especially as Aron isn't even involved in the final battle against the Star Destroyer and is instead relegated to narrating the events of this final sequence. Also, Aron fails to save Leia's life in the end, with it being left to the late arriving Luke to take care of that. It all feels as if Aron is unceremoniously dumped from the storyline, once Infantino's artwork featuring him is no longer being used. Claremont also over-estimates Chewbacca's strength somewhat in the sequence where the Wookiee throws a steel gun mount at Sk'ar's rapidly departing ship. Ships in the Star Wars galaxy take off fast – just look at the Falcon leaving Mos Eisley or Boba Fett's Slave 1 leaving Cloud City in the films. Chewie would need to be fantastically strong – and we're talking Superhero levels of strength here! – to hurl a steel object far enough, and with enough velocity and precision, to hit and destroy Sk'ar's ship. Overall, this instalment of the story is inferior to last month's. That's mostly due to the Simonson-drawn second half not really gelling too well with the story that Claremont crafted around Infantino's old pages. Still, this issue has a satisfying ending to it, which ties up the loose ends and nicely illustrates Leia's stoic heroism and innate courage. Continuity issues: None Favourite panel:  Favourite quote: "Hey! Be gentle with the material! Do you have any conception of what this outfit cost?!" – An irritated Lando Calrissian admonishes Luke Skywalker for manhandling him and his clothes.
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Nov 4, 2015 13:40:52 GMT -5
Star Wars #55Cover dated: January 1982 Issue title: Plif!Script: David Michelinie Artwork: Walter Simonson (pencils)/Tom Palmer (inks) Colours: Don Warfield Letters: Joe Rosen Cover art: Walter Simonson Overall rating: 10 out of 10  Plot summary: Princess Leia leads a Rebel survey team, which includes Chewbacca and the droid C-3PO, to the forest planet of Arbra, in the hope that it will provide a suitable location for a new Rebel base. The scout team soon discover that the planet is overrun with small, furry, rodent-like creatures known as Hoojibs. Unbeknown to the Rebels, the Hoojibs feed on energy and, as the team make camp for the night, the creatures surreptitiously drain all of the energy from their weapons and gear. The next morning, a spokesman for the creatures named Plif informs the princess that the Hoojibs usually feed on geothermal crystals in a nearby cave, but they have recently been forced to flee their home by a large, flying creature known as the Slivilith. Leia agrees to help the Hoojibs rid themselves of the monster, in order that they can return to their home and the Rebels can use the energy crystals to recharge their blasters and communications equipment. Following an attack by the Slivilith on the Rebel's encampment, Plif leads Leia and the rest of her team to the mouth of the grotto where the winged creature resides. The Hoojibs gather in front of the cave and begin to make a shrill, high-pitched noise in order to draw the beast out. Once it appears, Leia and the Rebels attack the Slivilith with improvised spears and the few working blasters that they have. The creature swoops after Leia, as she leads it back inside the cave, where Chewbacca is waiting. The Wookiee grabs hold of the flying beast's tentacles and swings it down into a pit containing the energy crystals, which shatter with the impact and pierce the Slivilith's body, killing it. With the creature destroyed and the Hoojibs' home returned to them, Leia elects to continue the search for a new Rebel base elsewhere, rather than displace the small creatures. As the scout team turns to leave, Plif invites the Rebel Alliance to set up a new permanent base on Arbra, where they can live in harmony with the Hoojibs. Meanwhile, Lando Calrissian has been troubled about the state of affairs at Cloud City, ever since the tibanna gas mine was overrun by the Empire and he abdicated as its administrator. Taking the Millennium Falcon, Lando returns to the Bespin system and lands on Cloud City, where he explores the deserted gas mine, unaware that he is being watched. Comments: The new regular creative team of David Michelinie and Walt Simonson return for this issue, which is a pretty important one, at least within the context of the ongoing Marvel Star Wars continuity. It sets up the Rebel Alliance's new permanent base on the planet Arbra and it also introduces Plif, who will remain a part of the central cast until the end of the run in issue #107, and his race, the Hoojibs, who will be a major Rebel ally for the remainder of the series. Personally, I like the Hoojibs a lot, although I suspect that there are many Star Wars fans who would find them annoying and overly-cutesy. But I've always felt that, at its heart, Star Wars is a classical fairy tale dressed up in space-fantasy trappings, which makes the Hoojibs the cute, magical, talking bunny rabbit that the heroes meet at the side of the road or something. To me, they seem like a very Star Wars-y idea: a seemingly primitive race that ends up helping the Rebellion in its fight against the Empire. Sound familiar? There are definite parallels between the Hoojibs and the Ewoks from Return of the Jedi: both races play a similar role within the overall Star Wars story, both races are small, cute, furry creatures, and both races live on a forest world. However, Star Wars #55 was published a good 18 months before either the Ewoks or Endor were introduced to the movie-going public, once again demonstrating (just like in the Tarkin story arc) what a good feel Michelinie had for Star Wars and how in tune with George Lucas's intentions for the saga he could be. While we're talking about him being on the same wavelength as Lucas, Michelinie also shows the Rebels using landspeeder-esque bikes. That is, floating motorcycles that hover a foot or two above the ground in much the same way as Luke's old landspeeder did on Tatooine. This is an almost identical concept to the one that we would later see in Return of the Jedi, with the Imperial speeder bikes, and in the expanded universe literature as swoops. Michelinie got there first though, as the gorgeously drawn and coloured splash page that I've chosen below as my favourite panel shows. The fact that the rodent-like Hoojibs are not only sentient, but telepathic too, is a really nice idea that makes them much more memorable than a lot of the other alien races we've seen in the series. Interestingly, the Hoojibs can actually make simple, high pitched noises with their mouths – represented here by the sound effects "Sree!" and "Yi!" – but they communicate with each other and outsiders telepathically. They're also energy eaters and don't need to consume food in order to metabolise their energy, but instead ingest it directly. Michelinie starts introducing us to recurring Rebel characters in this issue too, such as Gemmer, who we'll see again in the not-too-distant future. He also shows us that there are female members of the Rebellion, other than Leia. This fleshing out of the Rebellion beyond the members of the central cast gives the entire organisation a much more three-dimensional feel and serves to draw the reader into the daily lives of those that work alongside Leia and Luke Skywalker, and that, in turn, draws you further into this fictional setting. Simonson's artwork here is as gorgeous as ever. He really is a good fit for the Star Wars comic, excelling at both the fast-paced, dynamic action sequences and the more character-driven moments, while making sure that everything looks suitably Star Wars-y. This issue has some tightly packed panels, with plenty of detail and a real cinematic quality to the artwork. I also love his design for the Slivilith. You get a real sense of the beast's mass and its surprisingly graceful movements, as it glides menacingly down towards the Rebels...  Tom Palmer's inking is superb in this issue as well, with his usual slick style and some nice use of Zip-a-Tone. In particular, I like how Palmer uses the Zip-a-Tone for the shadowy tree shapes in the woodland backgrounds. When this effect is combined with the Benday dots that colourist Don Warfield chooses you get a really effective evocation of the dense, enclosing woodland terrain on the surface of Arbra, as seen in these two panels...   Regarding the epilogue of this issue, in which Lando Calrissian goes back to Cloud City, I'm not sure why he's so surprised that the place is deserted. After all, it was he that instructed the population of the gas mine to leave before more Imperial troops arrived in The Empire Strikes Back. What did he expect would happen?! Overall, this is another fantastic Michelinie/Simonson issue of Star Wars and I really like the message that we get at the story's conclusion. Leia and the Rebels saved the Hoojibs from the Slivilith, in part because they needed the geothermal power crystals in the cave to re-energise their communications equipment, but they also realise that taking the Hoojibs' home from them would make them almost as bad as the Empire. The Hoojibs are impressed enough by the princess's integrity that they invite the Rebels to share their home, with the two races living and working together for mutual benefit. That's a nice message of respect and tolerance to put forth, and it's well delivered too. It doesn't feel hokey or overly sentimental. It's a generous and pragmatic solution, and one that warms the cockles of your heart. One tiny criticism of Star Wars #55 is that I find the front cover to be a bit jumbled and not terribly clear. But all in all, this is such a well rounded, done-in-one, stand-alone story – which simultaneously manages to be tremendously important to the rest of the series – that I'm gonna give it full marks anyway. As an aside, just like the earlier "Droid World!" story from issue #47, "Plif!" was adapted by Buena Vista Records (Rainbow Communications Ltd. in the UK) into a book-and-record set in 1983, where it was retitled Star Wars: The Further Adventures – Planet of the Hoojibs...  I had this set as a kid and really enjoyed it. There are a few minor differences to the story when compared to the original comic, such as the Hoojibs actually speaking instead of communicating via telepathy and the scenes featuring Luke and Lando having been removed to streamline the plot. You can listen to Star Wars: The Further Adventures – Planet of the Hoojibs on YouTube below... Continuity issues: None Favourite panel:  Favourite quote: "Very well, fellows, let's show that grotto-grabbing villain what it means to incur a Hoojib's wrath!" – Plif rallies the Hoojibs against the Slivilith.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 4, 2015 15:12:17 GMT -5
I remember that issue, and thinking "okay, they finally made it to a forest".
It had been a constant with the Star Wars films up to then to use a succession of very distinct environments: a desert world, an artificial world, an ice world, a swamp world and a cloud world. Still to be used, friends and I thought, were a forest world, a water world, a volcanic world and maybe a very mountainous world.
We later got the forest with RotJ, but I was happy to see it first in Plif.
(The water world and the volcanic world, much to my chagrin, were seen in the prequels. As for the mountain world, I believe it has still to be seen in Star Wars... it did, however, make an appearance in Dan Simmons' Rise of Endymion.)
That Simonson artwork hasn't aged one bit.
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Nov 4, 2015 15:56:14 GMT -5
I remember that issue, and thinking "okay, they finally made it to a forest". It had been a constant with the Star Wars films up to then to use a succession of very distinct environments: a desert world, an artificial world, an ice world, a swamp world and a cloud world. Still to be used, friends and I thought, were a forest world, a water world, a volcanic world and maybe a very mountainous world. We later got the forest with RotJ, but I was happy to see it first in Plif. (The water world and the volcanic world, much to my chagrin, were seen in the prequels. As for the mountain world, I believe it has still to be seen in Star Wars... it did, however, make an appearance in Dan Simmons' Rise of Endymion.) You're absolutely right in your assessment of how the the various and distinctly different worlds seen in the Star Wars saga were worked through, but I'm gonna be a nitpicky nerd and remind you that, actually, we first got to see a forest world in the infamous 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special in the form of the Wookiee homeplanet of Kashyyyk. However, I'm not sure if that was ever shown in Canada (it certainly wasn't shown here in the UK, where Thanksgiving means less than nothing), so that might not have been on your radar at all as a kid. It certainly wasn't on mine. I don't remember being quite as cognisant about the way in which Lucas was working his way through a list of different types of world as you were, but I do recall thinking it was a bit lame that the worlds in the Star Wars saga mostly had just the one type of terrain or climate. There was a desert world and it was entirely covered in desert; there was a swamp world and its entire surface was swamp; there was an ice world and its entire surface was ice etc (with Endor being a rare exception, which had desert areas as well as forested ones, as seen in the Ewok Adventure movies). Of course, these days I realise that, actually, that's a very realistic depiction of alien worlds. Even in our own solar system, Earth is the only planet that has more than one distinct type of surface terrain. That Simonson artwork hasn't aged one bit. Agreed. The man was firing on all cylinders here. |
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 4, 2015 16:35:36 GMT -5
I remember that issue, and thinking "okay, they finally made it to a forest". It had been a constant with the Star Wars films up to then to use a succession of very distinct environments: a desert world, an artificial world, an ice world, a swamp world and a cloud world. Still to be used, friends and I thought, were a forest world, a water world, a volcanic world and maybe a very mountainous world. We later got the forest with RotJ, but I was happy to see it first in Plif. (The water world and the volcanic world, much to my chagrin, were seen in the prequels. As for the mountain world, I believe it has still to be seen in Star Wars... it did, however, make an appearance in Dan Simmons' Rise of Endymion.) You're absolutely right in your assessment of how the the various and distinctly different worlds seen in the Star Wars saga were worked through, but I'm gonna be a nitpicky nerd and remind you that, actually, we first got to see a forest world in the infamous 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special in the form of the Wookiee homeplanet of Kashyyyk. However, I'm not sure if that was ever shown in Canada (it certainly wasn't shown here in the UK, where Thanksgiving means less than nothing), so that might not have been on your radar at all as a kid. It certainly wasn't on mine. Good call! Although I admit that I didn't see the Christmas special the one and only time it aired; it took Youtube to give me a second chance. (I must however admit that I never developed the fortitude to watch it to the end... it is painful! It is however very ironic that bad as it was, the Christmas special looked more like an actual Star Wars story than the prequels eventually did). Very true. And naturally, it might be that parts of Hoth are way colder than we were shown, and that parts of Tatooine don't look equally sandy; even Dune had very rocky parts and frigid polar regions. |
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Post by tex1272 on Nov 5, 2015 16:52:15 GMT -5
I for one like the Hoojibs. I think they are clever additions to the SW universe. I even like the Ewoks. Now the Gungans...
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 5, 2015 17:16:16 GMT -5
I for one like the Hoojibs. I think they are clever additions to the SW universe. I even like the Ewoks. Now the Gungans... Yousa no lika da Gungans??? (Can't say that I like 'em much myself...) |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Nov 6, 2015 8:16:14 GMT -5
I for one like the Hoojibs. I think they are clever additions to the SW universe. I even like the Ewoks. Now the Gungans... Agreed. THe Ewoks and the Hoojibs are fine with me. The Gungans, however, do annoy me a tad. |
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Post by tex1272 on Nov 6, 2015 10:56:44 GMT -5
And I am, like everyone else here, still waiting on a Jaxxon action figure! Come on Hasbro!
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Nov 7, 2015 10:30:58 GMT -5
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Monthly #153Cover dated: January 1982 Issue title: Dark Knight's DevilryScript: Steve Moore Artwork: Alan Davis Letters: Jenny O'Connor Cover art: Alan Davis Overall rating: 3 out of 10  Plot summary: On the planet Jerne, Luke Skywalker, R2-D2 and Princess Leia have been captured by Imperial Captain Vant and are being transported to the Empire's nearby base. The Imperial transport is suddenly attacked by native guerrilla fighters, who kill the stormtroopers, while Vant escapes using a jet-pack. The Rebels are then taken to the guerrillas' base, where they are brought before their leader, Meeka Reen, who is keen to know why Luke and Leia are on Jerne. Luke explains that he recently found a derelict starship once belonging to the extinct original inhabitants of the planet and, on board, image tapes telling of the Eternity Crystal, which has the power to reverse time. Leia wished to see the crystal used to prevent the destruction of her home planet of Alderaan by the Empire or even to stop the Empire from forming in the first place, which is why they have both travelled to the planet. Elsewhere, Captain Vant arrives back at the Imperial base and reports to Darth Vader, explaining that he has lost the Rebels, but did manage to put an electronic tracer on R2 before he fled. Vader is displeased at Vant having lost Luke and Leia, but reveals that the tracer is not needed, since he knows exactly where the Rebels are heading. Meanwhile, Meeka has decided that the Eternity Crystal could be used for her own selfish ends and transports the Rebels to Adony station, where the crystal is supposedly located. After breaking into the building which holds the crystal, Meeka and her guerrillas are all killed by a direct hit from an Imperial TIE bomber flying overhead. The craft lands and Vader and Vant disembark, as the Dark Lord reveals to his companion that the spaceship Luke found, the image tapes and the Eternity Crystal itself were all fakes made by him, as part of a trap to lure Leia to the planet. Unbeknown to Vader, Luke and Leia have survived the TIE bomber's blast and, as Luke throws a grenade at the Imperials – injuring or possibly killing them both – the Rebels escape aboard Vader's ship. The princess asks Luke if he thinks Vader was killed by the grenade, to which Luke replies, "with all that armour, you can't be sure." Comments: Unlike Steve Moore's last story for Marvel UK's The Empire Strikes Back Monthly comic ("Death-Masque!"), this adventure is pretty mediocre and, frankly, a bit dull. The story just never seems to really capture my imagination and the guerrilla fighters and their leader, Meeka Reen, are all completely forgettable antagonists. In addition, the whole reason for Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia being on Jerne makes little sense to me. For one thing, while the Rebellion is concerned with the positive applications of the Eternity Crystal – which allows you to go back in time and then forward again, creating an alternate timeline – they don't seem to have considered the glaringly huge dangers associated with it, which seems a bit idiotic, to say the least. Then there's the fact that the crystal, the derelict alien ship and the image tapes were all fabrications by Darth Vader as part of an intricate trap to lure Leia to the planet. That seems like a highly convoluted way of capturing the princess, not to mention one that relies far too heavily on dumb luck to succeed. I mean, what if some other Rebel had been sent to investigate the crystal, for instance? Even if Leia did immediately think of the possibility of saving Alderaan, that doesn't mean that she would definitely be on the first reconnaissance mission to investigate the Eternity Crystal. Something else that doesn't sit well with me in this tale is the fact that at the story's conclusion, having clearly injured or, at the very least, stunned Vader with a proton grenade, Luke and Leia hightail it off planet as fast as they can. That doesn't strike me as particularly heroic. You would think that, considering how important the Rebellion is to them, Luke and Leia would take the opportunity to finish Vader off, rather than simply running away. This ending portrays them both as being pretty cowardly and is consequently way out of character. Another problem with this issue is Alan Davis's sub-standard artwork, which looks more than a little rushed and sloppy. It's also sometimes a little unclear what is going on in certain panels, at least in the original black & white version of the adventure. However, the colouring job that Matt Web did in Classic Star Wars: Devilworlds #1 in 1996 does make the art look better and a lot clearer. Still, there's a general lack of detailing here and, at times, Luke's face looks weirdly Neanderthal. In fact, looking at this comic, it's hard to recognise it as Davis's work at all...   Given how accomplished and, frankly, gorgeous Davis's work on such books as Captain Britain, ClanDestine and Excalibur was, it makes me wonder what went wrong here. Maybe Davis is just really dialling it in. On a side note, Davis gives us another appearance of an Imperial Troop Transporter, which was originally a toy that Kenner had released in 1979. Imperial Troop Transporters had previously been seen in Star Wars Weekly #95 and in Star Wars #31 and #32. Just to get a bit geeky for a moment, it's difficult to know exactly when "Dark Knight's Devilry" is supposed to be set. According to Wookieepedia.com, this issue takes place before the events of Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, but Leia isn't sporting her famous "cinnamon bun" hairstyle: she's wearing her hair like she did in The Empire Strikes Back and subsequent issues of the Marvel comic. However, the fact that Leia is still concerned about turning time back to prevent the destruction of Alderaan, but never mentions her lover Han Solo having been frozen in carbonite (which is something she could also undo), makes me think that this is a pre-Episode V story. I should also note that Vader knows Luke's name here, which is something that he only found out in Star Wars #35, shortly before the events of The Empire Strikes Back. However, Vader's main interest is in capturing Leia and, had this been post-[/i]Empire[/i], Luke would surely have been his number 1 target. Based on all those factors, I think we can safely conclude that this adventure is set just before the adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back in the Marvel Comic's chronology; maybe just after the "Riders in the Void!" story in Star Wars #38. Overall, this story is simultaneously dull and, artistically speaking, a bit of a mess, with Davis's artwork being well below par for him. In addition, the basic set up for the adventure and Vader's ridiculously convoluted trap seem really contrived. As a result, this has got to be a contender for the worst Marvel UK exclusive Star Wars story of all. Continuity issues: None Favourite panel:  Favourite quote: "Well Vant, say something … say something articulate. I become annoyed with men who whimper." – Darth Vader intimidates the quivering Imperial Captain Vant.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,222
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Post by Confessor on Nov 11, 2015 10:39:13 GMT -5
Star Wars #56Cover dated: February 1982 Issue title: Coffin in the CloudsScript: David Michelinie (plot, script)/Walter Simonson (plot)/Louise Jones (plot) Artwork: Walter Simonson (pencils)/Tom Palmer (inks) Colours: Glynis Wein Letters: Joe Rosen Cover art: Walter Simonson Overall rating: 7½ out of 10  Plot summary: Having returned to Cloud City, high above the planet Bespin, Lando Calrissian discovers that the floating mining outpost has apparently been abandoned. As he ponders the reason for this, he is attacked by his former aide, Lobot, who is malfunctioning and believes Lando to be a threat to the city. Fleeing from Lobot's attack, Lando spots a platoon of Imperial troops, led by Captain Treece, the new governor of Cloud City, arriving in a shuttle to disarm a series of bombs that have been left behind by disgruntled Ugnaught workers. However, in attempting to defuse one of the bombs, the Imperials accidentally set it off, which leaves Treece as the only surviving Imperial on Cloud City. Lando and Treece make a temporary truce, as the Imperial explains that the Ugnaughts planted the bombs because they wanted the tibanna gas mining operation to return to the surface of Bespin, where they could proudly work as miners instead of being treated like menials in Cloud City. Calrissian and Treece manage to capture and fix the rampaging Lobot, returning him to his normal self. Lando then commands Lobot to disarm the remaining bombs, but as soon as he does, the treacherous Treece kicks Lando through a safety railing, sending him plunging down towards the surface of Bespin. Meanwhile, back at the new Rebel base on Arbra, Luke Skywalker is becoming concerned about Lando, since he hasn't checked in with the Alliance since he left for Bespin. Luke decides to take Lieutenant Shira Brie with him on a mission to Cloud City to investigate Lando's communications silence. Comments: The two-part Return to Bespin story arc begins in this issue, which, although it's a really enjoyable read, is unfortunately flawed with some fairly glaring continuity problems. For one thing, as I mentioned in my review of last issue, why is the fact that Cloud City is deserted so surprising to Lando? After all, it was he, in The Empire Strikes Back, who instructed the population of the city to evacuate before more Imperial troops arrived. I guess that we must assume that most of the people living and working there ignored him because in this story we learn that the population evacuated to the surface of the planet when they learned that the Ugnaughts had planted bombs in the city. Which leads us to another continuity issue: Bespin is a gaseous planet and therefore has no solid surface. The fact that the planet was a gas giant had already been established in Donald F. Glut's novelization of The Empire Strikes Back and in issue #43 of the Star Wars comic, both of which were published in 1980, so there really is no excuse for this mistake. While we're on the subject of Bespin, it's stated here that tibanna gas, which is the substance that Cloud City mines, is an anti-gravity gas and it is this gas that evidently keeps the city afloat above the planet. I assume that David Michelinie got this information from the Art of The Empire Strikes Back book, which was published in late 1980, but later expanded universe sources have established that tibanna gas is, in fact, used in heating and also as a coolant for hyperdrives. On the plus side, Walt Simonson and Tom Palmer's artwork is as gorgeous as ever, with some nicely inventive panel layouts from the former. Simonson also helps out with the plotting for the first time in this issue. This is something that he would continue to do for the remainder of his time on Marvel's Star Wars series. Speaking in Amazing Heroes #13 from 1982, Michelinie explained why he decided to include Simonson in the writing process: "I like working with the artists – the penciller specifically, both artists if possible. The main advantage to that – especially in Walt's case – is that he has a lot more enthusiasm, puts a lot more into it, has a lot more fun doing it, than if I just handed him a plot and said, 'Do this.' As a result his art's a lot more fun and I can have a lot more fun writing it and I can put more energy into it." Michelinie's scripting is really good and, in particular, he's creating a character for Lando that fits in perfectly with what we will see of him in Return of the Jedi. Michelinie writes him as a brave and cunning warrior, who uses his gambler's instincts to play the odds, which, as far as the comic is concerned, prevents him from simply becoming a Han Solo clone. I must say that it's really quite impressive that Michelinie was able to read Lando's character so well from his somewhat brief appearance in The Empire Strikes Back and then build on that in the comic. It's also great to be taken back to Cloud City and to see Lobot again, although I'm not convinced that he should really have the ability to telekinetically manipulate electronic machinary like he does here. Still, I remember getting a real kick out of seeing ol' baldy again as a kid. Also, having Lando freeze a group of Imperial stormtroopers in the city's carbon freezing facility is especially gratifying, given what happened to Han in that very room in Empire. In addition, the talking bomb left by the Ugnaughts and the vaguely Samurai-esque Imperial bomb disposal troops are both nice touches on Michelinie and Simonson's part. Captain Treece is a fairly forgettable, cookie-cutter Imperial officer, but he makes for a reasonable enough antagonist for Lando. The brief interlude in this issue showing us how the Rebel Alliance is settling into its new base on Arbra is really nicely done. We get to see Rebel airspeeders being given a camouflage paint job for the arboreal world, which nicely demonstrates how the Rebellion adapts to different locales. This is another example of what I talked about in my review of last issue, about how Michelinie writes a living, breathing Rebel Alliance that feels very three-dimensional and draws the reader into the daily lives of those that work alongside Luke and Leia. Speaking of Luke and Leia's fellow Rebels, undoubtedly the most important aspect of this issue is the first appearance of Shira Brie (initially spelled as "Brei" here), an auburn-headed female Rebel pilot that accompanies Luke on his mission to Bespin. Shira will become a major recurring character during Michelinie's run and would also re-appear in the post- Return of the Jedi issues and in some of the later expanded universe novels of the early 21st century. Her debut in this issue is fairly unspectacular, but already there are hints of Princess Leia's jealousy over Shira's burgeoning relationship with Luke. Overall, this is another enjoyable issue of the Michelinie/Simonson run. It's just unfortunate that it's somewhat marred by a couple of continuity problems. Continuity issues: - Bespin is a gaseous world with no solid surface, yet it's stated in this issue that the Ugnaughts and the population of Cloud City are currently residing on the planet's surface.
- Tibanna gas is described here as an anti-gravity gas, but in accepted Star Wars canon it is used as a heating fuel or a coolant for hyperdrive engines and has no anti-gravity properties.
Favourite panel:  Favourite quote: "That's one for you, Han." – Lando Calrissian chalks up three carbon frozen stormtroopers as revenge for the Empire's freezing of Han Solo.
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