Star Wars (1977) #19 and Star Wars: la Guerra de las Galaxias #1 (Ediciones Surco)

Marvel's Star Wars #19 is the second part of the six part The Wheel saga.  This issues starts with C-3PO, R2-D2, and an incapacitated Luke Skywalker escaping from the Imperial Stormtroopers when R2-D2 lowers a containment door between the heroes and the Imperials.  Han Solo and Princess Leia are pinned down by Stormtroopers when the Wheel security intervenes and Han and Leia surrender to the security.  Han is taken to have his ship searched for the missing Wheel profits and Leia is taken to Senator Greyshade's quarters.  Chewbacca makes it to the upper casino level where he gets into a fight with another burly alien and is taken captive by the Wheel security.  Leia explains to Greyshade the Imperial's plan, "The Empire never dared interfere with The Wheel... for fear of ruining its popularity and value as a source of taxes.  But if it appears to have become a target of the Rebel Alliance-- --They can justify a complete takeover in the guise of offering protection and everyone will accept it!"  Just as Greyshade is pondering this information, Commander Strom enters and destroys Greyshade's droid, Master-Com.  Master-Com, in a new body, disarms Commander Strom and Strom and Greyshade go off to talk, leaving Leia alone in the suite.  Greyshade tells Strom he knows about the Imperial's plan for The Wheel and offers to assist in exchange for Leia.  We see Luke being cared for in the Wheel medical facility and C-3PO and R2-D2 are taken captive by the Wheel security who explain Han pawned them while gambling.  A captive Chewbacca is told he has a choice between entering the Big Game or being handed over to the Empire.  Han, released by the Wheel security for not pirating the Wheel's profits, is losing at gambling while trying to raise money for an impounded Millennium Falcon due to unpaid docking fees.  He considers entering the Big Game.  The issue ends with Greyshade and Strom monitoring Han as he makes up his mind and signs up for the Big Game.

The cover to Star Wars #19 shows The Wheel with a skull signifying death at it's center.  Our heroes' floating heads surround it.

Star Wars #19a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 1979)

The cover to Star Wars: la Guerra de las Galaxias #1 published by Ediciones Surco is a similar image.

Star Wars: la Guerra de las Galaxias #1a - Ediciones Surco, Spain (May 1983)
Star Wars #19 and 20

Star Wars #19 has a cover that I'm not very fond of.  Floating heads are not my favorite, but they are a staple of comics from this time period.  I could live with those if the rest of the cover was better.  The red skull at the center of The Wheel is just goofy and this cover would have been better if the skull was not there.  I'm also unsure why the cover shows a ship that is similar to a Rebel Blockade Runner, since one does not appear inside the story.  I'm a fan of space scenes and that is the one bright spot on an otherwise bad cover.  The cover to Star Wars: la Guerra de las Galaxias #1 is not any better.  The skull is nicer, but the way the floating heads are arrange around it like a crown is strange.  Leia, Luke, Chewbacca, and C-3PO are easy enough to recognize, but I'm not entirely sure who that is suppose to be grinning next to Leia.  Is that suppose to be Han Solo?  Is the floating head in the center really Solo and Luke has the grinning head?  This art is sitting on a white background making this debut cover from Ediciones Surco a poor start to an otherwise fantastic 8-issue run.