Age 12/13? | 1980/81? Han and Luke are on patrol on icy Hoth

This comic has begun with the Imperial Star Destroyer above the planet Hoth, lauching probes, as I think the movie does. But neither the Marvel comic adaptation, the ‘Storybook’, nor the novelisation do. Which leads me to believe that I saw the film, then started this comic of my own before I saw those other adaptations. Thing is though, this artwork looks a bit too advanced for a 12 year old!

detail image of luke skywalker on hoth

Still vibrant colour after over 35 years! Was I really this good when I was only 12 and a half years old?

So was this a a repeat of what I did on the ‘Star Wars’ adaptation three years before? I.e., See the film and then make a comic of it before having anything tangible but newspaper and magazine clippings to refer to.

It seems possible, which really surprises me. I always thought that I knew the story before seeing the film. But as I turn it over in my head, I seem to recall that my friend John S and I bought our copies of the novelisations in McGuire’s newsagent in Ballymore Eustace village during the summer. I’m pretty sure I was reading in near darkness in bed, with the curtains drawn, as my dad was outside mowing the lawn. So that’d be summer 1980, and then the long wait until December–probably–to see the film; or summer 1981 after we’d seen the film. That UK publisher ‘Sphere’ books copy of the novelisation which I still have (over 35 years later!) was published in 1980, but maybe it wasn’t sold in Ireland for another year? Hmmm. Maybe as we go along we’ll figure it out.

“Cheez… This is what I call cold! (…) What the da..?”
–Was this space language? Cheez=Jesus, Dack=F**k

If you look at this page, there really isn’t much–or any–of the dialogue from the movie or those other adaptations.

Later in this comic, you will see the direct influence of Al Williamson’s brilliant artwork for the Marvel version though.

I’d love to read your comments below. What were the first images that you saw from The Empire Strikes Back? Tell us all about it.

↓ Transcript
On the planet Hoth, we see Han Solo and Luke Skywalker and a tauntaun.

Panel 1:
Han: "See you later kid, eh?"
Luke: "Yeah, sure."

Panel 2:
Luke: "Cheez, this is what i call cold. Brrr..."
(Whoooosh!) Something falls form the sky in flames.
"Solo, you read me? I... hold it!"

Panel 3:
The missile strikes the snow.
Luke: "What the da..?"
Solo (on the comlink): "What's wrong kid?!?"

Panel 4:

The tauntaun growls.
Luke" Nothing Han. I'm just going to investigate a meteor. It's just hit. Don't worry."