Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire #1

Part one of this six-issue Dark Horse series arrives with a sweeping painted cover by Hugh Fleming that assembles the full Rebel ensemble — Luke Skywalker stands front and center, with Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 clustered around him, while the looming figures of Darth Vader and a mysterious armored figure dominate the fiery background alongside streaking starfighters. It's a confident, cinematic opening image that sets the scope of the story John Wagner, Kilian Plunkett, and P. Craig Russell are bringing to life within. For Star Wars fans in 1996, this first issue promised an ambitious bridge between the saga's most beloved chapters.