Star Wars #70: From the Humdrum Adventures of Luke Skywalker

This series has periodically suffered from having dry spells of uninteresting issues, and this is one of those times. Much that can be said of this issue can also be said of the last one. Issue #68 promised a new story arc, art, and writing by Greg Pak and Phil Noto. Their first issue did well in establishing missions and directives for the main characters. But after three issues, the story hasn’t really progressed much further. The past two issues have suffered from “Canto Bight syndrome.” They are full of pointless conversations, no action, and seem to only prolong the story as filler.

Threepio and Chewbacca deal with the same moral dilemma they have had since landing on the planet K43. They have rigged the seemingly uninhabited planet to blow in an effort to take out vital Imperial ships. They realize quickly that the planet is indeed full of rock people who don’t register as life forms. They then spend two issues either in the falcon escaping and discussing what to do, or on the ground discussing what to do. Leia and Han meanwhile pretend to be a newlywed couple on Lanz Carpo. Their mission seems to be awkwardly pretending to a couple without any of the charming tension they will eventually have in The Empire Strikes Back. The only interesting  part of this issue involved Luke’s mission and a young woman who claims to have some Force abilities. Anyone who is familiar with 90’s Star Wars books knows that whenever Luke meets a girls his age who is not Leia, it’s almost certainly means death for her. It’s the Star Wars equivalent of being a “red shirt” in the original Star Trek. However this time it’s refreshing to see that this young woman, with the unfortunate name of Warba Calip, is not being used as a possible love interest for Luke, but more like a teacher to help him focus his Force powers. But like with the rest of this issue, it’s all talk and no action.

Of course, they can’t stretch this lack of story too much longer. Seeds of what’s to come show up in the end of the issue. Chewbacca and Threepio get separated on K43. Above the planet, the Super Star Destroyer Executor looms. Of course, only one Dark Lord of the Sith commands the massive ship. Perhaps this arc will finally get the action it desperately needs once Darth Vader makes his return to the series.