Star Wars (1977) 81


Publisher's summary


What a homecoming! When Han, Princess Leia and Artoo return to Tatooine to tie up some unfinished business, it's hardly business as usual—when some of Tatooine's deadliest surviving citizens form the welcoming committee! "Jawas of Doom" is written by Jo Duffy, penciled by Ron Frenz, and inked by Tom Palmer.

Plot summary


Just after the Battle of Endor, Han Solo finds himself short of ready credits. Unfortunately, his credit isn't very good among his fellow Rebels. When Leia suggests that either the House of Alderaan (of which she's a member) could loan him credits or the Rebel Alliance could give him an advance, Han storms off because he says he was on his own long before he joined the Alliance. He returns to the Millennium Falcon for the first time since the battle and breaks down.

Han, Leia, and R2-D2 take the Falcon to Tatooine where Solo has an account with a bank in Mos Eisley. On his arrival, he learns that his account was frozen because the bank was notified that the customer (Han, who had been frozen in carbonite for a year) had been frozen. Without being able to explain to the bank computer what had happened, Han storms from the bank and rendezvouses with Leia in a cantina.

Meanwhile, Boba Fett has been spewed from the mouth of the Sarlacc into which he had fallen (as shown in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi). He awakes on the sands of Tatooine, but he has completely lost his memory. A Jawa sandcrawler finds Fett unconscious and believes that he is a droid when they spy his armor. The Jawas have become increasingly aggressive since Jabba the Hutt's death, even to the point that they're willing to engage the Sand People. They store Boba Fett in the sandcrawler and approach Mos Eisley.

Back in the cantina, Leia realizes R2-D2 could talk to the bank's computer and help fix the error. She goes with Han back to the Falcon to pick up the droid. However, Artoo is missing from the hangar, and several small footprints can be seen around the Falcon. The dockmaster, Garrick, informs them that he didn't see anyone come into the dock because he was working on his landspeeders. Unknown to the group, Artoo was picked up by the same Jawas that picked up Boba Fett. Han and Leia steal two landspeeders from Garrick and catch up to the sandcrawler being pursued by sand people on banthas since it had skirted their territory. As the Han and Leia catch up to the sandcrawler, it is accelerating toward the Great Pit of Carkoon with the sand people approaching.

Han leaps from the moving landspeeder and enters the sandcrawler's cargo hold to find Artoo and Boba Fett; he's surprised the bounty hunter was able to survive the Sarlacc. Fett, still without his memories, doesn't remember Han, and Solo is able to coerce the bounty hunter into helping Artoo out of the sandcrawler and onto the racing landspeeder. After rescuing Artoo, Han decides to go back for Fett and rescue him as well. However, when Leia calls out Han's name as he is ready to help Fett out of the sandcrawler, Fett's memory is jogged and he fires his blaster at Han. Han dodges the attack and jumps from the sandcrawler back to the landspeeder. As the Rebels drive away, the sandcrawler—with Boba Fett inside—falls into the Sarlacc's maw.

Behind the scenes


The issue marked the official return of Han Solo to the Marvel Star Wars; Solo had been vetoed from appearing in any issues following his encasement on carbonite in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, but his release in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi allowed the writers to bring him back.

The story in this issue was originally intended to appear in the previous issue but was pushed back when Hoth Stuff! was published in issue 78.

This is the first Marvel Star Wars issue to take place following Return of the Jedi. It is also the first appearance of Boba Fett following the conclusion of the films.

Collections


  • Classic Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... 4
  • Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... Volume 5: Fool's Bounty
  • Star Wars Omnibus: A Long Time Ago.... Volume 4
  • Star Wars: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus Vol. 3
  • Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Original Marvel Years Vol. 5

Sources


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