A Princess Alone! from Star Wars #30 shows just how evil the Empire really is and why there is a Rebellion. The entire population on the planet Metalorn are literally slaves working in Imperial factories. The society is very George Orwellian where the Empire controls every aspect of a workers life including when they work, eat, and sleep. It is the first of several issues in the Star Wars title that has Leia performing a mission alone.
Star Wars #30a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (December 1979)
The cover for Star Wars #30 shows Princess Leia running from Imperial Stormtroopers with a soldier hiding behind the doorway that Leia is about to pass thru.
Star Wars Weekly #71a - Marvel Comics, England (July 4, 1979) second third of Star Wars #30
The cover for the British Star Wars Weekly #71 is a very similar situation, except the roles are reversed. On this cover, a squad of Imperial Stormtroopers are passing by a doorway which Princess Leia is hiding behind. It looks like one of the troopers is about to pass thru the doorway. Leia is dressed in a similar jumpsuit, except this one is mauve instead of white. Inside Star Wars #30, the jumpsuit is white. British readers had no way of knowing this because the story inside is in black and white.
Considering the dates on these two comics and the similarity between them, it is probable that both covers were created around the same time. It was not uncommon for editors to have artists make changes to the cover artwork, thereby creating several pieces. I like that the doorway on both are trapezoid in shape, another detail that makes me believe they were created around the same time.
Both covers do a good job of showing Leia's plight. Neither depict a scene from the story but it is easy to see either situation occurring as Leia spends several pages in the story evading Stormtroopers. I have a hard time determining which I like better. I like that Leia is obviously fearful of being discovered on the cover of Star Wars Weekly #71, but I also like that she is taking action on the cover of Star Wars #30.
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