Chewbacca (2015) 1

Chewbacca, Part I is the first of five issues of the Marvel comic book miniseries Star Wars: Chewbacca. It was published on October 14, 2015.

Publisher's summary
Known as the skilled co-pilot of the infamous Millennium Falcon, the legendary Wookiee warrior CHEWBACCA will star in his very own limited comic series! After the battle of Yavin, Chewbacca is on his own when he crash lands his ship on an Imperial occupied planet. Now stranded, Chewie finds himself caught in the middle of trying to return to the rebellion and helping a young and feisty girl in need. Writer Gerry Duggan (DEADPOOL, 1872, HULK) and artist Phil Noto (BLACK WIDOW, X-23, UNCANNY X-FORCE) bring us a never-before-seen tale of the heroic Wookiee we all know and love.

Plot summary
On the Outer Rim planet of Andelm IV, the alien gangster Jaum and his Shistavanen enforcer and bodyguard Tyvak visit the home of Human debtor Arrax and his daughter Zarro. With his client unable to pay off an overdue loan, Jaum forces Arrax and Zarro to work as indentured labor in the Andelm beetle caverns. Arrax and Zarro are forced to harvest the larva of Andelm beetles, whose chemicals are an economic commodity. Unwilling to see his daughter suffer, Arrax smuggles out Zarro in a cart carrying beetle larvae. He also tells her not to return to their home and to never return to the caverns. Upon reaching the surface, Jaum's guards discover she is missing but Zarro manages to flee on a speeder.

Elsewhere, the Wookiee Chewbacca rests on a bed of flowers after crash-landing his RZ-1 A-wing interceptor on the planet. His rest in interrupted when he discovers that the starfighter's engines have failed, causing to roar in frustration. Meanwhile, Zarro goes to a local councilor for help only to discover that Jaum has bribed the council. Meanwhile, Chewie tries to repair the A-wing. Elsewhere in an Andelm IV city, Zarro tries to sell her speeder to a Besalisk junk dealer. However, the Besalisk is in the pay of Jaum and confiscates the speeder on the grounds that it is stolen property. When the Besalisk and another henchman try to apprehend Zarro, she is forced to flee into the streets.

Shortly later, Chewbacca tries to by a flight stabilizer from the Besalisk, who is only willing to sell it for 100 Credits. Lacking sufficient funds to buy it, Chewie goes to a casino to gamble for funds. Chewie plays a game of sabacc with the casino's CZ unit and succeeds in doubling his credits. Shortly later, Zarro enters the casino to hide. Taking pity on the child, Chewie motions for her to hide behind his table. Shortly later, Tyvak and several other enforcers enter the casino hunting for the fugitive. Tyvak doesn't bother to search Chewie knowing the Wookiee species' reputation as fierce and strong fighters. Chewie lets Zarro share a bowl of broth.

Using the funds, Chewie is able to buy a flight stabilizer. Later, Zarro befriends Chewbacca and tells the Wookiee about her father's gambling debts and predicament. She tells Chewie that Arrax and several of their friends are in "big trouble" and that they need help from somebody scary-looking. Chewie roars in approval and gives her a piggy-back ride. Zarro tries to guide Chewie to Jaum's work camp but the Wookiee returns to his damaged A-wing. Despite not speaking the Wookiee language, Zarro tries in vain to secure a promise from Chewie to help her before he goes offworld. While watching Chewie repair his ship, Zarro reflects on her mother leaving Andelm IV on a starship.

After some haggling, Zarro manages to convince Chewie to help her after telling him that she and her father had been enslaved by Jaum. This strikes a chord with Chewbacca, who had experienced slavery at the hands of the Empire. Chewie raises his bowcaster in affirmation and Zarro hugs him. Meanwhile, Jaum and Tyvak travel on a speeder for a secret night-time rendezvous with an Imperial officer. Jaum has been trying to sell high quality dedlanite to the Galactic Empire and shows the officer a sample. After taking the sample, the officer asks Jaum if he has the infrastructure to deliver it in large quantities. Jaum replies that he has a "team that is ready to work itself to death for the Empire."

Development
In celebration of Star Wars Day on May 4, 2016, Marvel re-released Chewbacca 1 as part of its "True Believers" budget reprint program, which reprints popular comic titles for the suggested retail price of $1.