Star Wars #1 July 1977 "Star Wars, Chapter One", 17ppg, $0.30

Scripter, Editor: Roy Thomas
Illustrator, Cover Pencils: Howard Chaykin
Letterer: Jim Novak
Colorist: Marie Severin
Cover Inker: Tom Palmer

CHARACTER
Featured
Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa Solo

Supporting
Owen Lars, Beru Lars, Biggs Darklighter, Admiral Motti, General Tagge (appears as 'Commander' Tagge in this adaptation), Captain Colton Antilles (dies, unnamed), Commander Daine Jir (unnamed officer on Tantive IV)

Villain
Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, Darth Vader

Other
Fixer, Camie, Anchorhead citizen (almost run over by Luke), Stormtrooper (Tantive IV patrol) (stuns Princess Leia), Sandtrooper (Tatooine patrol) (on droid patrol), Stormtrooper Captain (reports to Lord Vader about the missing plans)

CREATURE
bantha

DROID
R5-D4 (referred to as R2 unit here), C-3PO (See Threepio), R2-D2 (Artoo Detoo)

LOCATION
Lars moisture farm, Tatooine, Anchorhead

ORGANIZATION
Stormtroopers

SPECIES
Jawa, Tusken Raider

STARSHIP
Escape pod (referred to as both lifepod and repair pod), Tantive IV, Imperial Star Destroyer (the Devastator as noted in the Expanded Universe)

TECHNOLOGY
electrobinoculars (as macrobinoculars), gaderffii (gaffi stick)

VEHICLE
sandcrawler, landspeeder

COMMENTS
This issue begins the official six issue adaptation of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.

Howard Chaykin and Tom Palmer are credited with the Cover art on the Star Warriors page (the letters page) of this issue, in an essay titled The Story Behind Star Wars: The Movie and the Comic-Mag by Roy Thomas. There is also an editorial page called Star Wars: The Ultimate Space-Fantasy that explains how Marvel landed the job of being the official comic publishers.

There are two cut scenes from the film that make their way into this issue. They both include Luke and Biggs on Tatooine. These sequences were cut from the film release, but still images, black and white footage, the novel adaptation and these pages still exist.

The original cover price for this issue was 30¢ but Marvel Comics printed a 35¢ version with a limited distribution of about 1500 copies (Marvel was experimenting with a price increase on some of their issues, so the printed both price covers. The cover price of 35¢ took effect with issue #5). The 35¢ version is a bit more valuable and rarer than the 30¢ one. There are also several reprint versions in print, easily identified by "Reprint" in upper left hand corner of the cover or on the inside indicia. These "Reprint" versions were found in the bagged comic three packs commonly found at department and drug stores back in the 1970's and 1980's.

As if that wasn't enough, issues can also be found with a diamond surrounding the number and price. This indicates an issue that was sold through the direct market (ie. comic specialty shops) instead of the newsstands. It is not a reprint as many assume, unless it bears the "Reprint" text on the upper left of the cover or in the indicia inside the front cover. Both the 30¢ and 35¢ issues exist with the "Reprint" tag, as direct market and newsstand versions. Some direct market issues will inadvertently have a UPC code (instead of the more common blank white box). They can always be identified by the diamond shape surrounding the price.

To read more about Marvel cover variants and reprints, please visit our Variation Gallery.

SYNOPSIS
Above the arid world of Tatooine, an Imperial Star Destroyer is pursuing a Rebel spacecraft, firing on it. The hull is breached and Stormtroopers being pouring in, firing at will. In the mayhem, R2-D2 and C-3PO head through the blaster bolts and flames toward safety.

On the planet below, young Luke Skywalker watches the battle through his macrobinoculars before leaping in his landspeeder and racing off to tell his friends in Anchorhead.

Meanwhile, Darth Vader demands information of the stolen data tapes from a rebel. He fails to comply and Vader chokes him.

Threepio stumbles onto Princess Leia fiddling with Artoo. When Artoo takes off and starts babbling about 'a mission', Threepio begins to fret his freedom. They make their way to an escape pod and are jettisoned into space. Princess Leia is not so lucky, as Stormtroopers stun her before she can make an escape.

In Anchorhead, Luke races in to tell Fixer and Camie the news about the battle and is surprised to see his old friend Biggs Darklighter. They look up at the ships in the sky, but see no battle and remind Luke that the rebellion is a long way from Tatooine.

Leia is brought before Vader, who threatens her to reveal the whereabouts of the stolen data tapes. When she stands her ground, Vader orders one of his commanders to send a detachment down to the planet to retrieve them.

On Tatooine, Artoo and Threepio wander across the Jundland wastes but decide to separate. Artoo is tracked by Jawas, stunned, restrained and taken to their awaiting sandcrawler.

Back at Anchorhead, Biggs confesses to Luke that he plans to jump ship and join the Rebellion. Luke is resigned to being stuck on Tatooine the rest of his life. They part company until someday.

On board the Death Star, a group of Imperial officers are discussing the merits of the battle station. Grand Moff Tarkin interrupts Commander Tagge, letting them know that the Senate has been dissolved and the stolen tapes will soon be back in their hands. Admiral Motti is vocal about his doubts that Vader can conjure up the tapes, but after Vader uses a Force choke on him, he ceases bickering.

The jawas, who have captured Threepio as well, unload their wares outside the Lars moisture farm. Owen and his nephew, Luke, pick out Threepio and another R2 unit, but when the R2's motivator explodes, they replace him with R2-D2. Luke begins to clean them up before dinner and finds part of a message for an 'Obi-Wan Kenobi'. He thinks it might be for old Ben.

Luke brings the message up with his aunt and uncle at dinner. His uncle becomes very upset at his mention of the old hermit and orders him to get the droids memories wiped. Luke storms off and Beru chastises Owen for keeping him here. She says there's just too much of his father in him. Owen tells her that's what he is afraid of.

Finding Artoo missing from the garage, Luke blames himself, but doesn't risk going out at night. He rises early the next day and takes Threepio with him to find the little droid. Elsewhere on the desert planet, a squad of Stormtroopers discovers the escape pod and realizes that there were droids inside.

Luke guides his landspeeder into a canyon, unaware that he is being watched by Sandpeople. They locate Artoo and he gives off a warning signal that there are creatures approaching. Luke makes his way onto a plateau to get a better look and is attacked by one of the Tusken Raiders. He falls to the rock as the Tusken Raider raises his gaffi stick for the kill.

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