Han Solo vs. Crocodile in Space

The Star Wars universe outside of the films was a weird landscape throughout the late 70s and 1980s. Star Wars comics brought us oddities such as Jaxxon theSpace Rabbit and books such as “Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu” felt more Science Fiction than Space Opera. Even Alan Moore (of Watchmen fame) contributed to Star Wars during this period where non-cinematic Star Wars was finding its footing and that stuff got strange…

And it was in this period of strangeness that Han Solo fought a crocodile in space. “Han Solo at Stars’ End” was a 1979 novel by Brian Daley (the first in the “Han Solo Adventures” trilogy). A short time later the novel was adapted into a newspaper comic strip which ran from October 1980 – February of 1981. The strip was then colorized in 1997 and collected into a volume. The digital version of the colorized collection is now sold online by Marvel for $4.99, which is how it got to me.

In “Han Solo at Stars’ End”, Han and Chewie are sent on a mission to recover the father of Han’s old girlfriend, Jessa. The problem is that he is being kept on an Imperial prison planet at Mytus VII. The planet is supposedly located furthest from the core of the galaxy (thus “Stars’ End).

Han’s mission takes him to some interesting places including the farming planet of Orron III. It looks exactly like the America Midwest including tractors, but it’s a whole planet!!! Han also makes friends with some Cat people and a droid called “Blue Max” which is a little blue cube (like the one from Animorphs). But Blue Max is actually a droid within a droid because he is housed inside of BLX-5, or Bollux (which sounds like a British curse word).

Eventually Solo and Chewbecca make it off of the farming planet and find “Stars’ End” where they attempt to rescue Jessa’s father, but things go a little wrong and the whole prison facility is inadvertently turned into a rocket and launches into space. This is when the Crocodile (named Uul-Rha-Shan) suits up in space gear and attempts to take down Han Solo once and for all. However, as we all know, it is hard to get the drop on Han Solo….

“Stars’ End” is and odd story for an odd era of Star Wars. Remember that this was the time that “The Star Wars Holiday Special” was made. Eventually Timothy Zahn’s “Thrawn Trilogy” would set the standard for what Expanded Universe stories should actually look like. The “Wildspace” days of late seventies and eighties would come to an end. But we can still look back at those times. There are a lot of little gems to discover. So, dig deep, Star Wars fans. We have not yet begun to unearth all things Star Wars.

Dark Horse Comics (Link)

Dawn of the Jedi  Dawn of the Jedi

Tales of the Jedi Tales of the Jedi

Knights of the Old Republic Knights of the Old Republic

Star Wars: Republic Star Wars: Republic
Dark Times Dark Times
Empire & Rebellion Star Wars: Empire & Star Wars: Rebellion
Brian Wood's Star Wars Brian Wood's Star Wars
Dark Empire Dark Empire
Crimson Empire Crimson Empire
Invasion Invasion
Legacy Vol. 1 Star Wars: Legacy
Vector Star Wars: Vector
Legacy Vol. 2 Legacy Volume 2
Infinities Infinities
The Star Wars The Star Wars

Star Wars Tales Star Wars Tales

Marvel Comics

Original Marvel Comics Original Marvel Comics
Star Wars #108 Star Wars #108
Alan Moore's Star Wars Comics Alan Moore's Star Wars Comics

Han Solos Vs. Space Crocodile Han Solo vs. Crocodile in Space

Marvel's New Star Wars Line Catching Up With Comics

Age of Republic Age of Republic
Age of Rebellion Age of Rebellion
Age of Resistance Age of Resistance

Star Wars #1... Again Star Wars #1... Again
Ewoks in Comics Ewoks in Comis
Who is Doctor Aphra Who Is Doctor Aphra

The Last Jedi Expanded Universe The Last Jedi Expanded Universe
Who is Jaxxon Who Is Jaxxon

IDW Comics
Tales from Vader's Castle Tales from Vader's Castle

Return to Vader's Caslte Return to Vader's Castle