Star Wars: Tag & Bink Are Dead
Tag & Bink Are Dead 1 cover.
The two-part comic book series titled Tag & Bink Are Dead was crafted by the writer Kevin Rubio, with illustrations by Lucas Marangon. The story revolves around Tag Greenley and Bink Otauna. These characters, Tag and Bink, are depicted as officers of the Rebel Alliance, engaged in a conflict against Emperor Palpatine and his imperial forces. However, their lives take an unexpected turn on a fateful day when they find themselves aboard a freighter. This freighter is carrying Princess Leia Organa and the stolen blueprints for the first Death Star, forever altering their destinies.
The series was originally published as two separate issues, which were released in the months of October and December of the year 2001. Subsequently, these issues, along with other Tag and Bink tales, were compiled into a trade paperback edition titled Tag & Bink Were Here.
This particular series falls under the category of Infinities stories.
Plot summary
The comic's opening sequence presents a spoof of the iconic Star Wars opening crawl. It humorously describes Dark Horse's difficulties in "struggling to meet the demand for new STAR WARS comics," which is attributed to an insatiable fan base. It goes on to explain that the writer faced challenges in completing the book on schedule, while the artist felt overburdened by the "impossible visuals Kevin asked for." This is further emphasized by a page that is largely blank, save for a coffee stain and a hand using a black felt pen to fill in the starry space background.
The narrative then transitions to the beginning of Episode IV, depicting the Tantive IV under attack by the Devastator. The scene shifts to two rebel soldiers, Tag and Bink, who are portrayed as somewhat cowardly and humorous as they try to survive the overwhelming Imperial assault. They not only flee from the heavily outgunned rebels but also seek refuge in the same area where R2-D2 receives the Death Star plans from Princess Leia. This inevitably leads to their capture. They manage to escape by exploiting the limited visibility provided by the Imperials' helmets, knocking out their captors and donning their armor. This greatly annoys Tag, prompting him to express one of his many impending "bad feelings about this." The Tantive IV is subsequently docked within the Death Star.
From this point, Tag and Bink embark on an exploration of the Death Star, marveling at its immense size. Despite its vastness, one of them points out that neither can locate a restroom. Eventually, after irritating an Imperial officer (who asserts that it's his Death Star), Tag and Bink attempt to escape the Death Star in TIE fighters, with the intention of reaching Alderaan. As one of them criticizes the other, downplaying their chances of finding Alderaan in space, the planet suddenly appears in view (mirroring the scene in which it is soon destroyed). Subsequently, Tag and Bink attempt to flee, only to witness Alderaan's destruction and the Millennium Falcon, piloted by Han Solo, emerging from orbit behind them. This, in turn, triggers the sequence in the film that leads to Kenobi's famous line, "that's no moon."
Due to Solo's jamming of Tag's comm link (as depicted in the movie), Tag mistakenly returns to the Death Star and is hailed as a hero. However, Bink urges them to leave the apparent celebration, arguing that they are safer as anonymous individuals. Unfortunately, they are apprehended by another patrol and assigned guard duty at a shield generator (the same one that Kenobi deactivates). Following this perceived "failure of duty," an Imperial officer (the same one who claims ownership of the Death Star) confines them to their quarters as punishment. Enraged, Bink declares their intention to escape once more, only to be picked up by Vader, who designates them as his wingmen. The concluding scene of Episode IV then unfolds, with Vader being shot and the Death Star being destroyed. The final panel depicts the lifeless bodies of Tag and Bink floating in space, accompanied by the words "NEXT: Tag and Bink LIVE" (a parody of Tag and Bink Are Dead).