Star Wars Annual #1

Marvel Comics has a tradition of publishing annuals going back to its early days in the 1960s.  Annuals are longer than standard issues and when used properly, give writers the freedom to tell more epic stories.  Chris Claremont, best known for writing the Uncanny X-Men title, used the extra pages to good effect in the Star Wars story, The Long Hunt, in Star Wars Annual #1.

Star Wars Annual #1a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (December 1979)
Newsstand

Star Wars Annual #1b - Marvel Comics, U.S. (December 1979)
Direct

Han Solo, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and the two droids stop at the planet Tirahnn to pick up supplies for the Millenium Falcon.  Luke and Leia visits the galaxy renowned bazaar where they run afoul of Kharys, the Majestrix of Skye, and narrowly escape the pursuit of her Catuman body guards although Luke is injured during the ordeal.  Back on the Falcon, Han Solo is visited by an old smuggler friend Katya and when Han and Katya hear Luke and Leia's description of Kharys, a bald winged female alien, they immediately recognize her.  Later, as Katya and the others are sleeping aboard the Falcon, a smoke demon boards the Falcon and kills Katya and the injured Luke kills the demon.  Han Solo decides to confront Kharys on Skye and en route to the planet, he recounts a tale of his smuggling days where he and Katya were part of a Correllian smuggling crew that is captured by Kharys on Skye and only he and Katya escaped.  Above Skye, the Falcon runs into a squadron of TIE Fighters and Luke, Leia, and the two droids use the Falcon's lifepod to escape while Han and Chewie stay aboard the Falcon to fight off the TIE Fighters.  On Skye, Luke and Leia are captured by more winged aliens of the same species as Kharys, the S'kytri.  The S'kytri are reluctant servants of the Empire and when they learn who Luke Skywalker is, they believe he the person foretold in a prophecy who was meant to free them from Imperial rule.  They offer assistance to Luke and Leia in freeing Han and Chewbacca who were captured by Kharys who is in league with the Imperials.  Luke and Leia mount an aerial assault on the fortress of Kharys with the S'kytri's help and Leia frees Han and Chewie.  Luke Skywalker engages Kharys in the sky above the fortress in a lightsaber battle and dispatches Kharys, fulfilling the prophecy.  Our star warriors are told one more tale by the S'kytri about a Jedi Knight named Obi-Wan Kenobi who visited the planet with two students during the Clone Wars and saved Skye.  One student was named Skywalker and the other, Darth Vader, returned to the planet years later to subjugate it and install Kharys as the Imperial liaison.

This story delivers on many levels for Star Wars fans.  First of all, it does a good job showing Luke and Leia as young adults and Han as an older, more seasoned companion.  The tale and associate from Han's past was especially welcome and the different aliens, the S'kytri, the smoke demon, and the Catuman, could easily have fit in the movies.  The idea of the Falcon having a lifepod makes sense with what we know of other ships in Star Wars and the Imperials are reasonably competent.  The Clone Wars mention along with Obi-Wan and his two apprentices, while not correct with what unfolded in subsequent movies, no doubt raised debates among fans eager for more back story to Obi-Wan and Darth Vader.  Chewbacca gets treated reasonably well and his devotion to Han Solo is displayed several times in the story.  The only weakness was the lack of a real purpose for the two droids, C-3PO and R2-D2.  Additionally, while Luke fulfills the prophecy, one cannot help but think the Imperials will return to Skye and impose even harsher control over the population.