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Writer: Tom Veitch Artist: Cam Kennedy Letterer: Todd Klein Editor: Barbara Kesel Cover Artist: Dave Dorman CHARACTER Featured Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa Solo, Luke Skywalker Supporting Wedge Antilles, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian Other Syub Snunb, Scavengers Cameo Palpatine (appears as a Force storm manifestation) CREATURE nek DROID war droid (used by scavengers in Imperial City), C-3PO (See Threepio), R2-D2 (Artoo Detoo) LOCATION Coruscant (unnamed), Imperial City ORGANIZATION Stormtroopers, Rebel Alliance (including some Ewoks) STARSHIP Liberator, Millennium Falcon, various starships (as wreckage, including Blockade Runner, TIE fighter, Y-wing, Star Destroyer, TIE Interceptor), Rebel Star (destroyed, Captained by Huoba Neva), Antares Six, I-7 Howlrunners VEHICLE All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT walker), All Terrain Scout Transport (AT-ST walker), TIE crawler, WR-85 Tank droid | ||
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| Related Issues | ||
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| Trade Paperbacks and Alternate Covers | ||
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    "Dark Empire Trade Paperback (UK Edition)")  "Dark Empire 1 Gold Logo (Certificate of Authenticity)")  "Dark Empire 1 Platinum Logo (Certificate of Authenticity)") | ||
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This is the first Star Wars comic published in four-and-a-half years since the final issue of the Ewoks series came to an end. Published approximately six months after the hardcover release of Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire novel, this series helped usher in the new wave of Star Wars literature.
Includes a 4 page written behind-the-scenes book format section that fills in the gaps and brings people up to speed on the events happening in the galaxy since Return of the Jedi. As noted in issue #3, pages 2 and 3 of the text material were inadvertently reversed.
The Wizard Ace Edition #13 (from Wizard #67) reprints the story from this issue. There's also a 99¢ preview edition printed fully on newsprint that reprints most of this issue. A 2nd printing of this issue was released in August, 1992.
Six years after the destruction of the second Death Star, the Rebel Alliance created the New Republic which was threatened by remaining Imperials. Soon after civil war erupted between the Imperial factions, during which time the Rebels sowed confusion using captured Star Destroyers. During a raid over Imperial City, Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian crashed the Star Destroyer Liberator into the planet's surface.
Han Solo, Leia Organa Solo, Chewbacca, and C-3PO exit hyperspace, in the Millennium Falcon, into a large debris field in an effort to rescue the crew of the Liberator. One of the escort frigates that accompany the Falcon, the Rebel Star, crashes into the desiccated shell of a Star Destroyer, killing Captain Huoba Neva and all aboard.
The Falcon follows some Howlrunners into the atmosphere, towards Imperial City. There they discover mutinous Imperials battling against the Emperor's Inner Circle for possession of the planet. Luke and Lando, meanwhile, are pinned down by an Imperial Walker, which Leia proceeds to destroy as Han flies past.
Han sets the Falcon down and greets Lando and Wedge Antilles, but Luke, they tell him, took off after they crashed to check out a dark side emanation. Before the crew can reboard the Falcon, a pack of scavengers with hot-wired weapons droids and nek battle dogs begins dismantling Han's pride and joy. Leia uses the Force to sow confusion in their minds, but the neks are thrown violently across the battle field.
A shadowy figure resembling Darth Vader steps out of the shadows, destroying the weapons droids. It is Luke, dressed in a black outfit! He uses his lightsaber and the Force to make short work of another AT-AT advancing on the Rebels.
Luke asks his friends to leave Imperial City without him, having sensed a great emanation of dark side power heading towards him. He must accept his destiny. Captain Syub Snunb of the escort frigate Antares Six sees a force storm emerge from a hyperspace wormhole and head towards the planet. It rumbles across the surface of the planet, sucking up everything in its path. Leia begs Luke to come with them, but Luke orders her to leave and take care of her children; the future of the Jedi.
Artoo-Detoo rolls towards Luke as the others board the Falcon, and is sucked up along with the Jedi Master, into the force storm. As the Millennium Falcon departs, Leia admits that she was actually scared of Luke before they left. Han orders the escort to follow them back to Pinnacle base.