I'm starting to read through the old reprints of the Marvel series. Good stuff! While the writers were obviously hampered by the fact they had no idea where George Lucas was going with this whole thing, they did manage to create a bevy of interesting scenarios and characters. As you may expect, the series is at its most interesting when it plays with its original characters (Valance the Cyborg Bounty Hunter, Baron Tagge). While Comic-Code approved, the series was also rather bloodthirsty for a '70s comic book, with a high body count in every issue (although almost entirely consisting of stormtroopers, aliens, and droids).

The series is occasionally completely out of whack with revelations that come later in the films and the prequels. An entertaining issue that flashbacks to the Old Republic days makes absolutely no sense with the info from the prequels. Luke's lusting for Leia is, of course, downright skeevy. Vader is obviously not intended to be Anakin (he talks like Doctor Doom!). Jabba the Hutt is a yellow humanoid who is rather clever and nothing like the lazy slug in ROTJ.

It's also sort of astonishing how, given what thin ice the comics were on regarding Vader's true identity, that it is isn't blown (all it would take is one poorly timed flashback showing Anakin and "Darth" in one scene together). In Annual #1 (written by none other than X-Men scribe Chris Claremont), there are flashbacks that strongly hint that Anakin and Darth are two different people, but you can interpret it so that they are the same...from a certain point of view.

"Jabba the Hutt is a yellow humanoid who is rather clever and nothing like the lazy slug in ROTJ."

A yellow PRIMATE with whiskers.

Also in one issue we flash back to a younger Obi-Wan in a black uniform any self respecting fascist would envy.

Clearly Marvel were NOT hooked up to Lucasfilms like Dark Horse are.

"While Comic-Code approved, the series was also rather bloodthirsty for a '70s comic book, with a high body count in every issue (although almost entirely consisting of stormtroopers, aliens, and droids)."

Plenty of humans got wiped, too. Vader wasn't above using his pet torture droid to work somebody over who wouldn't talk; in one issue he got so medieval on a rebel spy that the stormtroopers guarding the door to the torture chamber moved down the hall so they couldn't hear the screaming, and had to be ordered back to their post by an officer.

In another he questioned a wounded rebel about Valance, and then killed him after he gave with the info Vader wanted.

Speaking of Dark Horse: They used some elements and people from the Marvel series. Senator Simon Greyshade figured in a three part Republic series starring Obi-Wan, Anakin and the Senate Guard; and the Wheel, which he would go on to administer, was the setting for another issue of Republic.