Star Wars 3: Death Star!

Star Wars 3: Death Star! is the third issue in the Marvel Star Wars series of comics and is featured in issues five & six of Marvel UK's Star Wars

Plot summary
Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin destroys the planet Alderaan with the Death Star I, while the captive Princess Leia Organa looks on in despair. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker with their droids R2-D2 and C-3PO are being transported to the planet Alderaan in the Millennium Falcon, piloted by Han Solo and Chewbacca. As they approach their destination they discover the remnants of the destroyed planet and are soon captured by the Death Star. While on the Death Star, they find that Princess Leia is being held there and they attempt to rescue her from her captors.

Behind the scenes
This is part three of the six-part adaptation of A New Hope.

In the film version, when the prison officer asks Luke Skywalker, "Where are you taking this... thing?", Luke responds, "Prisoner transfer from cell block 1138." In this comic, he says, "Prisoner transfer from Block TX-138". Both are references to George Lucas's first film, THX 1138.

Tom Orzechowski is credited as "Orz" for this issue. Steve Leialoha is credited as himself as illustrator and as "Leia" in the colors credits.

The original cover price for this issue was 30 cents. There were also several reprint versions, easily identified by "Reprint" in the upper left hand corner of the cover or on the inside indicia, or by the price and number appearing inside a diamond on the cover with no date or UPC. These "Reprint" versions were found in the bagged comic three packs commonly found at department and drug stores in the 1970s and 1980s. The first eighteen or so issues of this series are available in the bagged three packs.

In 1994, Dark Horse Comics acquired the rights to reprint this issue and the other parts in the adaptation.

In 2007, this issue was reprinted and included in Hasbro's Comic Packs, which included action figures of Chewbacca and Han Solo.

Along with the first two issues in the series, this is one of the most reprinted comics of all time. It has been reprinted along with the other five parts of the adaptation in standard formats and also large treasury size and small novel size editions.

Collections

 * Marvel Special Edition Featuring Star Wars 1
 * The Marvel Comics Illustrated Version of Star Wars
 * Marvel Special Edition Featuring Star Wars 3
 * Marvel Movie Showcase 1
 * Classic Star Wars: A New Hope 1
 * Classic Star Wars: A New Hope (TPB)
 * Classic Star Wars Box Set
 * Classic Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... Volume 1: Doomworld
 * Omnibus: A Long Time Ago... Volume 1