Star Wars 39

"Believe me, you could use a good kiss. You've been so busy giving orders, you've forgotten how to be a woman."

- Han Solo

"The Empire Strikes Back: Beginning" is the title to the thirty-ninth issue of the first Star Wars ongoing comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The story was written by Archie Goodwin with artwork and inks by the team of Al Williamson and Carlos Garzón. Williamson and Garzón also rendered the cover art illustration to this issue. The book was colored by Glynis Wein and lettered by Jim Novak. The story was edited by Archie Goodwin with Jo Duffy and Danny Fingeroth as assistant editors. This issue shipped with a September, 1980 cover date and carries a cover price of .50 cents per copy.

Appearances

 * Luke Skywalker
 * Leia Organa
 * Han Solo
 * Chewbacca


 * C-3PO
 * Carlist Rieekan
 * Obi-Wan Kenobi
 * R2-D2


 * Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker
 * Firmus Piett
 * Kendal Ozzel


 * Bren Derlin
 * FX-7
 * Jabba the Hut
 * Tigran Jamiro
 * Yoda


 * Alliance to Restore the Republic
 * First Galactic Empire
 * Imperial Navy


 * Ghosts
 * Force spirits


 * Humans
 * Alderannians
 * Corellians
 * Tatooinians


 * Tauntauns
 * Wampas
 * Wookiees


 * Dagobah System
 * Hell
 * Hoth System
 * Hoth
 * Echo Base


 * Ord Mantell


 * Bacta tank
 * Blaster
 * Blaster pistol
 * DL-44 heavy blaster pistol


 * Comlink
 * DF.9 Turret
 * Lightblade
 * Macrobinoculars
 * Robots
 * Droids
 * Astromech droid
 * KPR servant droid
 * Medical droid
 * 2-1B surgical droid
 * FX-7 medical assistant droid
 * Protocol droid
 * Viper probe droid


 * Imperial Star Destroyers
 * Imperial Star Destroyer Executor


 * Snowspeeder
 * T-47 airspeeder


 * T-65 X-wing starfighter
 * YT-1300 light freighter
 * Millennium Falcon


 * Bounty hunter
 * Captain
 * Commander
 * General
 * Major
 * Princess


 * 3 ABY
 * Alien animals
 * Dead animals
 * Galactic Civil War
 * Planet
 * Telekinesis

Notes & Trivia

 * This is the first chapter in the official comic book adaptation of the 1980 feature film Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Based on a script by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan from a story by George Lucas.


 * This issue was originally printed in the Marvel Super Special #16 illustrated magazine edition in the Spring of 1980.


 * Beginning with this issue, the cover price on the series raises from .40 cents per copy to .50 cents per copy.


 * This issue identifies Jabba as Jabba the Hut. In most sources, he is identified as Jabba the Hutt (with two "T"s).


 * This issue shows a scene that is not in the theatrical release of the film. It is revealed that at least one additional Wampa had been captured and contained at Echo Base. A shot of the Wampa's left arm smashing through an ice barrier can be seen. A later scene shows Rebel soldiers blasting away at a partially obscured Wampa.


 * Luke Skywalker's lightsaber is referred to as a "lightblade" in this issue.


 * Han Solo tells the deck officer "I'll see you in Hell", which is a line taken directly from the movie. It is a topical anachronism implying that some form of a Christian concept of Hell also exists in the Star Wars galaxy and carries the same name.


 * In the comic, Luke Skywalker slashes at the Wampa with his "lightblade", causing an indeterminate injury. In the film, he clearly cuts off the creature's arm.