Star Wars Comic Collector: British Star Wars Weekly #57

Kingdom of Ice began in Pizzazz #10, but the magazine ended with issue #16 before the story was completed. The ending of the story was first published in the British Star Wars Weekly #60. Star Wars Weekly #57 - 59 contain the content from Pizzazz #10 - 16.

This story picks up where The Keeper's World ends. Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, C-3P0, and R2-D2 make it to the ice world of Akuria Two in their recently repaired spacecraft, but they are unable to contact the Rebels forces there. TIE Fighters suddenly appear and Luke lands the spaceship. Outside the craft, they witness one of the TIE Fighters being shot down but they do not know from where. They are then approached by big white ape-like snow creatures. An extremely large mobile fortress, called the War Sled, appears and helps drive the snow creatures back and Luke and Leia board the fortress and meet "Colonel Odan", leader of the Rebel on Akuria Two.

The captured C-3P0 and R2-D2 are carried off by the snow creatures and Luke pleads with "Odan" to return to rescue the droids. The droids are taken to an ice lair where they meet the real Colonel Odan who is working with the snow creatures. Luke and Leia are really with Imperials and the fake Odan is drilling Leia for details about the Rebel Alliance's plans. Luke distract "Odan" and reveals to Leia the War Sled had an onboard battle recently and Leia confirms this is not the real Odan. The Imperial Commander returns with troops and takes Luke and Leia prisoner. As the real Colonel Odan plans to rescue Luke and Leia, the Imperials scuttle the War Sled with Luke aboard. Colonel Odan along with C-3P0, R2-D2, and the leader of the snow creatures, Fafnir, rescue Luke from the War Sled by crashing a snow craft into the sled and using power skis hidden aboard to escape before the sled rams into an ice canyon wall.

An ice storm appears and the group burns a trench into the ground to escape the deadly winds. The ground collapses and they fall into an Ice Worm tunnel which they navigate using their power skis. R2-D2 detects the Imperials above and the group stops but are attacked by an Ice Worm. They drive the Ice Worm to the surface and use the tunnel it creates to exit the tunnel. They see the outcome of the battle between the Ice Worm and Imperial Stormtroopers. Back on the power skis, they chase after the Imperial Commander and the captured Princess Leia on an Imperial hover craft. Luke is able to catch up to the snow flyer and disables it. They quickly repair the flyer and use it to destroy the gate to an Imperial base. The snow creatures using power skis to attack the base and Luke steals a TIE Fighter to blast the base from above. After helping defeat the Imperial stronghold, Colonel Odan agrees to join forces with the Rebel Alliance.

This is an extremely fast paced story full of cliffhangers. What makes it most interesting are the parallels to the first half of The Empire Strikes Back. In one chapter of the story, a blurb reads "The Empire Strikes!" which would be used again by Marvel on the cover of Star Wars #18. This, along with an ice covered planet reminiscent of Hoth, ice creatures similar to Wampas, a giant worm-like creature similar to the Space Slug, a snowstorm, and craft specifically designed for a frozen environment, make this story a fun and interesting read. We will never know if George Lucas was inspired by situations from this story.

Walt Simonson and Klaus Janson provide the artwork for the first four chapters of the story, then Dave Cockrum and John Tartaglione take over to finish the story. Walt Simonson is also the guest artist for Star Wars #16 which introduces Valance the Hunter and provides the artwork for Star Wars issues #49 - 62 and 66 in the regular title. Dave Cockrum, best known as the co-creator of X-Men's Nightcrawler, Storm, and Colossus also worked on the cover for Star Wars issues #5, 6, and 17.

Two of the four issues contain photo covers. My opinion on this has changed over the years, but back in the 1970s, getting photos of the Star Wars movie were a treat for fans because the movies were not readily available for home viewing until 1982. Prior to that, I remember enjoying Star Wars photos on my school notebooks and folders, Topps trading cards, the inserts in the novel adaptation, the young reader storybook, and wherever else I could find pictures. These days, photo covers are not nearly as exciting and I much prefer art covers, but I'm positive if Marvel had published photo cover on the U.S. title back in the late 70s and early 80s, I would have devoured them with delight.