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Writer: Kevin Rubio Penciler, Cover Artist: Lucas Marangon Inker: Howard M. Shum Colorist, Cover Colorist: Michelle Madsen Letterer: Steve Dutro Book Design: Darcy Hockett Assistant Editor: Philip Simon Editor: Dave Land Publisher: Mike Richardson CHARACTER Featured Tag Greenley, Bink Otuana Supporting Death Star announcer (voice only), Boba Fett, Lando Calrissian, Cloud City citizen, Mon Mothma Guest Chewbacca Other Stormtrooper (Death Star patrol) Cameo Admiral Ackbar, Lobot, Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa Solo, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, Darth Vader, Kevin Rubio, Lucas Marangon, Dave Land DROID C-3PO (See Threepio) LOCATION Death Star, Yavin 4, Bespin, Cloud City ORGANIZATION Stormtroopers, TIE fighter pilots, Imperial Gunner, Wing Guard SPECIES Ugnaught STARSHIP Mon Calamari Star Cruiser, Slave I, Imperial Lambda-class shuttle | ||
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This two issue series was written by Kevin Rubio, the creator behind the widely successful Star Wars COPS parody called TROOPS. It is is 3rd foray into writing for Dark Horse, also having penned "A Death Star is Born" from Star Wars Tales #4 and "Force Fiction" in Star Wars Tales #7. It is, in essence, a parody of the Tom Stoppard play "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead", which is a play about two minor characters from Hamlet and their adventures.
While the names Tag and Bink are used between each character in this issue, it is usually while they are in Stormtrooper armor, and cannot tell who is actually speaking. For the record Tag is the lighter skinned humanoid and Bink is the darker skinned humanoid. Tag's full name is given in issue #2 while Bink's full name has only been revealed in the solicitation write-up at Dark Horse Comics.
There are a lot of hidden and silly jokes throughout the issue (one reason this book falls under Dark Horse's Infinities line). Here's a list of the in-jokes:
- The monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey can be seen broken on the floor of the Yavin temple.
- Tag finds Chewie's medal.
- Dave Land and Lucas Marangon can be seen walking through the corridors of Cloud City
- Lando's apartment has a Lava lamp rocket, a Schlitz bull poster (after the Malt Liquor commercials that Billy Dee Williams made), and an autographed poster of Mace Windu.
Some other information about these references can be found at the Kevin Rubio interview at EchoStation and are as follows:A brief opening crawl reveals the trouble that it took to make the second issue and a recap of the end of issue #1.
The panels of Vader asking Tag and Bink to join him are reprised, but instead they take off down another hallway, while a second pair of TIE pilots go off with Vader.
Kevin Rubio informs the reader that he planted a red herring as old movie serials would do, and the story continues. Tag and Bink find an Imperial Shuttle and decide to steal it. This should allow them to rejoin the Rebellion, if they can manage to return the shuttle in one piece.
As they prepare for lightspeed, the Death Star explodes, damaging the shuttle. They realize the hyperdrive is out, and they are about two to three months from Yavin.
Much, much later on Yavin. They arrive to find the temple deserted, and the aftermath of a wicked party. Tag discovers a medal that says "Chewie" and tries it on. A blaster bolt deflects off it and the two return fire on a lone gunman.
The pairs shots cause a piece of the temple to collapse on the shooter — Boba Fett! They tie him up and when he awakens Fett apologizes for the mistaken identity. When they refuse to untie him, he asks if they know who he is? They do, but he doesn't know them! They take off in the Shuttle Tydirium narrowly avoiding a missle from Boba's wrist gauntlet as he escapes from the ropes.
Tag flies the shuttle to Cloud City where he knows Lando (who dated both of Tag's sisters). Thinking that the shuttle is an Imperial patrol, Lando greets them very uneventfully. But seeing that it's his old friend, he brightens a bit. Tag's not as happy noticing that Boba Fett's ship has beat them to the city.
The two dress up in Stormtrooper armor again to avoid any problems and enter a room where they are surprised by C-3PO and blast him into pieces. Lando questions them about this later, and asks them for a favor. He needs them to help him take a rebel princess away from Cloud City. They agree.
Dressed in the Stormtrooper armor, they accompany Leia and Chewie to the Carbonite Freezing chamber, but Tag gets in the way and is knocked off the platform by an angry wookiee.
They manage to escape with the shuttle and return it to the Rebel Fleet. Mon Mothma thanks them for their bravery. Tag looks out the window and notices something, but when Bink asks what is it, he says it's probably nothing. Boba Fett's ship slowly closes in on the Mon Calamari cruiser.