The green rabbit from Marvel “Star Wars” is back ... and he’s planning the biggest heist in galactic history! Remember Jaxxon, the six-foot-tall green rabbit who fought alongside Han and Chewie in Marvel’s “Star Wars” comics? Well, he’s fresh out of prison ... and he’s looking for payback. Jaxxon has a plan: He wants to steal the legendary Kaiburr Crystal from Jabba’s Palace Hotel & Casino. Working with Han, he builds a heist team that includes Chewie, Lando and a rogue’s gallery of characters from Marvel’s “Star Wars” run — including Dani, Simon Greyshade, Master-Com, The Starkiller Kid, Don-Wan Kihotay and at least one guy named “Jabba the Hut.” Can this middle-aged pack of idiots pull off the ultimate score in the Expanded Universe — right under the nose of family-friendly casino mogul Bib Fortuna? This ashcan collects the first 68 pages of David Stroup and Mike Russell’s fan webcomic.“Jaxxon’s 11” is a salute to a by Mike Russell long time ago, when “Star Wars” comics were free to make up their universe as they went along — meaning that universe sometimes featured talking rabbits, men in breeches and lizards shooting laser beams out of their heads. & David Stroup www.jaxxons11.com Vol. 1: Eleven Against A Casino! Story Mike Russell and David Stroup Script Mike Russell www.CulturePulp.com Art David Stroup www.webcomicsnation.com/dstroup yossarian.org Scenes 1. Return to Mos Eisley ..................................................2 2. Jabba’s Palace and Casino ..................................... 8 3. “I ain’t no rodent.” ................................................... 13 4. Hut vs. Hutt ................................................................19 5. Watto’s Junk n’ Java............................................... 25 6. Lando and Libido ..................................................... 29 7. Siegfried and Robot ................................................ 36 8. Everybody Comes to Vol’s ....................................44 9. Smells Like Jedi Spirit ........................................... 53 “Star Wars” and its characters are TM and © Lucasfilm Ltd. This is an ashcan for a fan-webcomic that goofs on Marvel’s late-’70s “Star Wars” comics. We aren’t making a dime on this. And by all means, go buy “Star Wars: A Long Time Ago...” — Dark Horse Comics’ trade-paperback collection of the entire Marvel “Star Wars” run. Half the references in “Jaxxon’s 11” will suddenly make sense if you do. www.jaxxons11.com 69 So here’s what happened... t was 2003 (if memory serves). David “I always kind of wanted to have Jaxxon Stroup and I were working as com- round up Han and some old Marvel I munity-news journalists in Milwaukie, characters for one last heist,” I said, Oregon, which also happens to be home half-joking. to Dark Horse Comics headquarters. Within a minute, “Ocean’s 11” was our David and I were sitting in a Milwaukie narrative crutch. coffee shop. In walked an editor who “They’re stealing something,” I continued. worked on Dark Horse’s “Star Wars” “I don’t know, maybe the Kaiburr Crystal comics. from ‘Splinter of the Mind’s Eye’ —” I told this editor, as a joke, that I wanted “— from Jabba’s Palace Hotel and to write a comic about Jaxxon. Casino,” David replied. If you’re reading this, you probably It sort of snowballed with terrifying speed from there. already know that Jaxxon was a seven-foot-tall, talking green rabbit who fought alongside Han Solo and Chewie David and I had cracked the basic storyline by the time in a few of the early issues of Marvel’s “Star Wars” comic we’d gotten back to the office — filling it with little details book in the 1970s. Wookieepedia tells us that like a one-tentacled Bib Fortuna trying to run Jabba’s Jaxxon was created by Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin for use former palace as a legitimate entertainment business, in Marvel Star Wars’ “Star Wars 8: Eight for Aduba-3.” A large a giant animatronic Rancor Pit Beast, and of course the anthropomorphic bunny, he was created in homage to Warner ineffable melancholy of revisiting old “Return of the Jedi” Brothers cartoon star Bugs Bunny who often addressed strang- haunts and finding them filled with family-friendly kitsch. ers with the generic nickname “Jackson” in his 1940s cartoons. A few months later, on a whim, I faxed a pitch to (BTW, the Marvel issues are all being collected by Dark TheForce.net, the mammoth “Star Wars” fan site: Would Horse in a trade-paperback series called “Star Wars: A they run a “Jaxxon” comic strip as a piece of fan fiction in Long Time Ago...” You should buy them.) TFN’s “Humor” section? Then-Humor-section editor Jaxxon was a mercenary like Han, had a ship called the Chris Hanel (now a good friend) called me at work a few “Rabbit’s Foot,” wore a bright red spacesuit, ate meat, days later and said, “Let’s DO this!” The rest is flirted with this female human called Amaiza, and hated (as yet unfinished) history. being called a “rodent” like it was some kind of racist This ashcan contains the first 68 pages of “Jaxxon’s 11” epithet. — everything we’ve completed thus far, and roughly the Nearly 30 years later, Jaxxon was still stuck in my head, first half of the story. Our collaboration goes something because (a) a large, green, mildly terrifying rabbit will like this: I write the initial script. David then adds his own tend to do when you’re 8 years old and obsessed with all jokes and ideas as he draws the script, inserting little things “Star Wars,” and (b) Jaxxon is without a doubt one background details that really reward a second reading. I of the most awesomely goofy characters in the history of take a final pass at the dialogue while I letter the pages. the Expanded Universe. I’d like to think the end result is richer than a “Jaxxon’s 11” that either of us would write and draw alone — and that Anyway. The editor gave a mild chuckle and went back it’s also richer than if we’d each held fast to the tradition- to work. But for some reason — the coffee? the hour? our ally rigid roles of “writer” and “illustrator.” deep-seated geekdom? — David and I kept riffing on the idea. And somewhere along the way, it sort of ceased to Updates are posted every once in a while at be a joke. www.jaxxons11.com. We hope you dig it. — Mike Russell, March 2011 68 1 KESSEL CORRECTiONAL FACiLiTY PAROLE HEARING. A long time ago. 10:30 A.M. Now, Mr. Jaxxon…. This board is recommending your You’ve release with no small given us assurances amount of concern. I understand that you’re reformed, but let’s be frank... that, sir. ...“turning a new leaf” isn’t exactly a hallmark of LEPUS Well, sir, most CARNiVORUS. your species is Yes... Lepans haven’t known across the galaxy for And for done hard time in its love of smuggling - being green. the Spice Mines of Kessel, have they? and the ears. We appreciate that, Mr. Jaxxon. And while you have - your heart- felt pledge - - that you don’t have been a MODEL any More tricks up prisoner, this board your your sleeve. nevertheless needs vow - your solemn oath - Gentlemen, Please … … Tricks are for kids. TheForce.net JAXXON’S presents 11 starring JAXXON HAN SOLO CHEWBACCA LANDO CALRISSIAN BIB FORTUNA AMAIZA with and introducing SEN. SIMON GREYSHADE (ret.) and MASTER-COM JACEN JAINA DON-WAN KIHOTAY JIMM, the “STARKILLER KID” as those adorable DANI Solo Twins JABBA the HUT JABA the HUTT and R5-D4 Story by DAVID STROUP and MIKE RUSSELL Script by MIKE RUSSELL Art by DAVID STROUP Lettering font by WWW .BLAMBOT .COM “Mos Eisley: you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy - not at these prices!” - Mos Eisley Tourism Development Commission Man, this place is going to seed ... and not in a There he is. good way.... Thanks for showing up, Your Highness. Heh. That’s “General Solo” to you, pal. is it just me, or did this place kind of turn into a SPORTS BAR? it did. After you blasted your way I’m not. These days Those geeks into history a few years ago, Mos Eisley’s got who dress up in Tatooine turned into a tourist museums, theme parks, clonetrooper trap. Chalmun sold out while the casinos…. They’ve even got a “living-history” suits and stage selling was good. society. battles in You’re parks? man, kidding. That’s just sad. I know. The Clone Wars were bad enough the first time around without a bunch of overweight droid salesmen running around GRONK. in plastic armor commemorating it. By the way - hi, Chewie. Hi, Kids. ! ? Uh, Listen, Jax - I’m just Excuse me? passing through. Leia’s on her May the force be with you! Does any of way to this big delegation I’m Steve, and I’ll be your server! that come with thingy, And I’m keeping an eye Can I interest you in some Bantha “Skywalker Sauce”? on the kids, So, you know, I’m blasters, Salacious Crumbs or always happy to help an old Force Lightning Shooters? friend, but - Uh, No, but - Heh May the force be with Then coffee’s you! fine, Thanks. would you get a load of these theme drinks? It is fun! Look at this - I mean, what’s a “grand I bought it outside! It looks malt tarkin”? What? like obi-wan when he was Oh, relax; young, but it’s really a this place used to lollipop holder! You push be really seedy, the button and his head and now it’s kind spins around! check it out! of fun! I could bring Leia and the kids! There’s one Han, han, Han..