Star Wars Comics: Splinter of the Mind's Eye, Heir to the Empire, The Sith War, X-Wing Rogue Squadron

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Splinter of the Mind's Eye #1

Originally Published December 26, 1995

Writer: Terry Austin

Artist: Chris Sprouse

Based on the novel of the same name by Alan Dean Foster

In-Story Timeline: 2 ABY

via Amazon

• Splinter of the Mind's Eye was the original backup plan.  Just in case Star Wars didn't succeed at the box office with its initial cinematic offering in 1977, Lucas wanted a low-budget sequel in his back pocket.  Of course, we all know now that things played out quite differently for the franchise but Splinter was still published as a novel and, in fact, provided important cornerstones for the Expanded Universe.  My review of the novel can be found here.
• Due to this history, inconsistencies with canon material are abundant.
• While on a diplomatic mission, Luke, Leia and the droids crash land on Circarpous V only to find an illegal imperial mining operation there.
• Once there, they meet Halla, a Force-sensitive woman who agrees to help them if they will join her quest to find the Kaiburr crystal.
• The issue ends with our friends getting in a bar brawl with some of the miners.

Splinter of the Mind's Eye #2

February 27, 1996

Austin/Sprouse

via Wookieepedia

• Luke and Leia are arrested by the Imperials for brawling.
• Captain-Supervisor Grammel's attention is drawn by the crystal shard Luke got from Halla.  He contacts the regional governor who recognizes Leia, too.  The governor contacts Vader.
• Halla helps break them out of jail, along with the two enormous and friendly Yuzzem in their cell.
• The full party sets off in a stolen swamp crawler towards the Temple of Pomojena to find the crystal.
• This month's cliffhanger: they are attacked by a wandrella.

Heir to the Empire #4

January 2, 1996

Mike Baron/Olivie Vatine and Fred Blanchard

Adapted from the original novel by Timothy Zahn

9 ABY

via Wookieepedia

• Luke escapes from Karrde's base before Admiral Thrawn arrives to "interview" him.  Mara Jade catches up with him, though and makes him her prisoner.  Somehow, she has stripped him of his Jedi powers and his lightsaber.  She hates him but Luke still doesn't know why.  Fortunately, she needs him alive.
• Han and Lando arrive.   They make friendly with Karrde.  They don't know where Luke is yet and Karrde is being coy about it.

Heir to the Empire #5

March 12, 1996

Baron/Vatine and Blanchard

via Wookieepedia

• Luke learns why Mara hates him.  She was the Emperor's "Hand" and lost her position when (as she believes) Luke killed Palpatine on the Death Star.
• Han and Lando discover Karrde had been holding Luke prisoner.  But now that he's escaped and lost in the wilderness with Mara, there's nothing to be done.
• The Noghri get through to Leia but she fights them off, also taking one of them prisoner in hopes of learning more about what's going on.  She convinces him to take her to his homeworld.

Tales of the Jedi - The Sith War #6: Dark Lord

January 16, 1996

Kevin J. Anderson/Dario Carrasco, Jr.

3996-3994 BBY

via Wookieepedia

• Ulic helps the Jedi defeat Exar Kun on Yavin 4.  However...
• Kun sends one of his Massassi warriors into an isolation chamber beneath the temples, setting up a comic strip story set nearly 4,000 years later.
• In their effort to defeat Kun, the Jedi trigger a massive fire which incinerates the entire room.
• While Kun is defeated, he is not killed, though the Jedi don't realize that.  Thus, the door is open for a sequel.  Eventually.

X-Wing Rogue Squardorn #5: The Phantom Affair, Part 1

February 13, 1996

Michael A. Stackpole and Darko Macan/Edvin Biukovic

4 ABY

• Wedge and friends discover an historical revisionist group, the AEA, who seek to deny that the Battle of Endor never happened and the Rebellion never defeated the Empire.

X-Wing Rogue Squadron #6: The Phantom Affair, Part 2

March 12, 1996

Stackpole and Macan/Biukovic

• Wedge must persuade the Mrissi to sell their cloaking technology to the New Republic rather than the Imperials.
• One of the negotiators for the Imps is Loka Hask, a pirate who killed Wedge's parents.