Star Wars: The Screaming Citadel # 1 2017 NM

Star Wars: The Screaming Citadel #1, published by Marvel Comics on May 10, 2017, is a special oversized one-shot comic that launches a major five-part Star Wars crossover event. Written by Kieron Gillen and illustrated by Marco Checchetto, the issue steers the franchise into an unconventional, gothic-horror aesthetic.

The primary draw of the story is the highly entertaining and unusual dynamic between a naive Luke Skywalker and the brilliant, untrustworthy rogue archaeologist Doctor Chelli Aphra. 

The Plot: A Dangerous Bargain

• The Proposition: Set chronologically between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back (around 0 ABY), Doctor Aphra tracks down Luke Skywalker in an Outer Rim cantina. She offers him a deal he can't refuse: she claims she can unlock an ancient Jedi artifact she possesses—the Crystal of Eternal Rur(which holds the archived personality of a long-dead Jedi). Because the artifact requires a living Force-user to activate, she needs Luke's help.
• The Castle at the Edge of Space: To power it up, they must travel to the Screaming Citadel, an infamous castle located on the secluded planet of Ktath'atn. Once a year, the reclusive and incredibly dangerous Queen of the citadel hosts a rare, high-society gathering. Aphra intends to present Luke to the Queen as a unique "gift" to gain her favor and secure her advanced technology.
• The Royal Reception: Arriving alongside Aphra's psychotic droids (Triple-Zero and BT-1) and the Wookiee bounty hunter Black Krrsantan, Luke disguises himself in formal clothing and hides his lightsaber to protect his identity. However, during the royal audience, one of the Queen's symbiote-corrupted attendants aggressively approaches them. Reacting on instinct, Luke uses the Force—instantly revealing his Jedi abilities to the entire court. 
• The Horror Reveal: While the public gathering is dismissed, the Queen's true nature is unveiled to the reader at the end of the issue. She steps out onto a balcony and uses dark telepathic powers to violently siphon the life-energy out of her own emaciated townspeople to sustain herself. Thrilled by the sudden discovery of a Force-sensitive intruder, she hungrily targets Luke as her next victim.
• The Rescue Party: Concurrently, back on the regular smuggling lanes, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Sana Starros realize Luke has gone missing. Intercepting a transmission link from Aphra, they discover where he has been taken and desperately head toward the Citadel to rescue him.