Star Wars Omnibus: A Long Time Ago. . . Volume Five by various writers and artists

(pb; early 1980s, 2012: Collects issues #86─107, “the final twenty-two US-published issues of Marvel Comics’ Star Wars series)

From the back cover

“All your favorite Star Wars characters─Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewie, the droids, and others─are bringing peace to the recently liberated galaxy after Return of the Jedi. Even without the oppressive Empire, the young Republic is finding that there are still troubles to confront, and battles to be won!

“Collected here are issues #86 through #107, the final twenty-two US-published issues of Marvel Comics’ Star Wars series from the 1980s.”

Overall review

This last stretch of original Star Wars comics is uneven in quality. Many of the issues sport a familiar, singular plot structure: An alliance character goes on a diplomatic/rescue mission, is betrayed another trusted character, and encounters Imperial troops. The writers try to wring out as many variations of this plotline as they can, but it is clear they are running dry, creatively speaking. I sympathize with them, it must have been difficult trying to maintain fresh action-oriented tension after the fuzzy warmth that is Return of the Jedi.

There are other problem as well. The writing shows some of the characters─Luke and Leia especially─to be petulant, in a distinctly adolescent way. With all these characters have gone through, surely they have matured beyond such behavior? Not according to these writers.

Also, the artwork runs from barely tolerable to godawful.

That said, a few of the issues were fun, well-written and light, and there was an admirable mix of diverse alien types. I especially like Plif, a hoojib.

Bottom line: Is Volume 5 worth reading? Only if you are a die-hard, completist Star Wars fan. If you decide to read it, borrow it from the library before buying it, unless it is really, really cheap.

Story arcs/issue #s

“The Alderaan Factor” [#86]: While embarking on a diplomatic mission to the desert planet Yinchor, Leia is betrayed, meets a fellow survivor from her home world, and tangles with Imperials, led by the nasty Governor Wessel.

“Still Active All These Years” [#87]: Rik, Chihdo and Dani accidentally turn on a doomsday device on Shawken, impelling Luke, Plif and Kiro to shut it down.

“Figurehead” [#88]: On an unfamiliar planet (Herdessa), diplomats Leia and Mon Mothma (“leader of the Alliance of Free Planets”) discover Herdessa’s heinous secret─it is a slave-based economy. When some of the slaves revolt, Leia tangles with Lumiya, a cyborg security/battle droid who used to work in the service of the Empire.

“I’ll See You in the Throne Room!” [#89]: Luke aids an anti-Imperial revolution on Solay (“brilliant planet of ten suns!”). While doing so, he falls in lust with a flighty young woman (Mary) and learns an unexpected lesson about people, and what they are willing to do to achieve their goals.

This issue is one of my least favorite entries in this collection. Skywalker comes off as a rock-dumb boy who has never seen a pretty face. Usually my irritation with his character is limited to groaning at his sometimes-condescending attitude toward others.

“The Choice!” [#90]: Luke returns to Endor with Kiro─wounded  in issue #87─as well as Rik, Chihdo, Dani and the hoojib Plif. There, along with other Alliance of Free Planets members, wrestle with the problems of forging an interplanetary body.

“Wookie World” [#91]: Chewbacca’s homecoming on planet Kazhyyyk is a bitter and violent one: he, Han and Lando discover that it─recently freed from Imperial occupation─has fallen prey to brutal slavers, led by Knife (a Nagai) who hold Chewie’s family hostage. (His family: Mala, his wife; Lumpy, his son.)

This issue features the first appearance of corpse-pale slave trader Knife, a Nagai.

“The Dream” [#92]: This is one of the more sexist, at-times soap operatic issues in this anthology.

Luke and the gang try to help Prince Denin [from the planet Naldar] restore his capitol, occupied by the Imperials─and a Jedi Knight named Flint, last seen in the “King-Sized Annual #3” issue. Not only that, Luke is plagued by nightmares reminiscent of those he experienced in the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back.

“Catspaw” [#93]: Leia, Han and Luke try to solve the mystery of who is killing the feline-biped aliens of Cantros Seven, a capitol city in a distant part of the galaxy.

“Small Wars” [#94]: When an Ewok’s jealousy sparks an armed conflict between the Ewoks and the Lahsbee, Leia and the gang try to defuse it─unaware there is a Hiromi plot behind it. (The Hiromi are tall, cricket-like aliens.)

This is an especially fun, silly issue.

“No Zeltrons” [#95]: Han, Leia, Admiral Ackbar and some Zeltron male assistants visit Kabray, a planet, to woo more possible allies. Once there, they find that the Nagai─slave traders─have dominated Kabray.

Meanwhile, Luke, Kiro and Dani head to planet Kinooine, in search of a scouting party who have not checked in at their appointed time. Luke also battles a sword-mistress, Lumiya, who bears a long-burning hatred toward him.

This is one of the better issues: it has a lot of effective humor; its storytelling balances tone, character and storytelling in an admirable way, with a cliff-hanger finish.

“Duel with a Dark Lady!” [#96]: Luke crosses his light saber with Lumiya’s electric whip, is imprisoned by her and Den Siva, is rescued by Kiro, and battles Lumiya─whose true identity is revealed, someone familiar to Luke.

“Escape” [#97]: On Kinooine, Luke and Kiro, with Lumiya as their prisoner, try to elude Imperial and Nagai soldiers, and rescue Dani from Den Siva. (Lumiya, in the last issue, revealed that she used to be called Shira Elan Colla Brie, last seen in issue #63, “The Mind Spider”).

Meanwhile, the leaders of the Alliance of Free Planets decide to go to war with the Nagai, after the latter race’s slaver activities are exposed.

“Supply and Demand” [#98]: Han is sent out to escort a princess and a child from Vandhelm, a planet where another secret Imperial battalion is holed up. This issue has a warm, fuzzy feel.

“Touch of the Goddess” [#99]: Luke mourns Kiro, who is presumed dead. Han, Chewie, Lando and Luke revisit old─perhaps dangerous─”associates” in order to retrieve two statues, seen in earlier issues. Han shows how ruthless he can be.

“First Strike” [#100]: The Alliance of Free Planets has its first official battle with the Nagai. The Alliance is aided by Fenn Shysa (former friend of Boba Fett), The Nagai are supported by Maccabree Warriors, seemingly indestructible robots.

Also: Han discovers a dark truth about his mentor and friend, Bey.

“Far, Far Away” [#101]: Han, after having a serious argument with Leia, goes on a mission to help another royal family on another distant planet.

“School Spirit!” [#102]: Lando and Luke return to Iskalon to tell Kiro’s people about his passing, and find out he is alive─and that the Nagai are stalking and killing his people.

“Tai” [#103]: Leia and her Zeltron assistants take a Nagai prisoner, with unexpected results. Tragic ending to this one.

“Nagai and Dolls” [#104]: Den Siva and some of his soldiers invade a fancy dinner on planet Zeltros, where Han, Leia and others are at. Luke and Plif are taken prisoner by stumble-about Hiromi hit-insects. One of the lighter, more humorous issues.

“The Party’s Over” [#105]: Tofs─green-skinned burly aliens in pirate garb─take Luke, Plif and his former captors (Hiromis) prisoner. Luke, Plif and the Hiromis fight the Tofs.

In another part of the castle, the rest of the gang, along with the Zeltrons, deal with Den Siva and his race-mixed troops, as well as the Tofs. This issue, along with the next one, is also humorous.

“My Hiromi” [#106]: Luke and his new friends, the Hiromi, assault a Tof ship in Zeltros orbit─and rescue Leia’s male Zeltron attachés.

“All Together Now” [#107]: The Alliance work with a motley group of Nagai (Knife, Den Siva), as well as Fenn Shysa, Dani, Bey (Knife’s half-Corellian brother and Han’s mentor), Zeltrons and others. They attack a Star Destroyer commandeered by the Tof leadership. This is the final, optimistic-as-Star-Wars-gets issue of the original series.