Let’s take a look at another non-canon Star Wars record from the “Further Adventures” line-up from Buena Vista Records, Planet of the Hoojibs.
Like Droid World, Planet of the Hoojibs is based on an issue of the Marvel Comics ongoing Star Wars comic book, this time issue #55, published in 1981. The comic book story was actually called “Plif!”, taking its name from the spokesman for the hoojib race. But just what is a hoojib anyway?
Hoojibs are, essentially, white, telepathic, energy-consuming bunny rabbits with an antenna on top of their head. A handful of Rebel scouts, including Princess Leia and Chewbacca, encounter the hoojibs on their home planet of Arbra, where the Rebels are considering establishing a new base after the one on Hoth was destroyed.
David Michelinie
The comic was written by David Michelinie who got his start in the business in the early-1970s working on Swamp Thing and Aquaman at DC. In the late-70s, he began writing for Marvel, working on some of the most influential Iron Man issues, like those dealing with Tony Starks’ alcoholism, as well as co-creating the character War Machine.
From 1978 until 1982, Michelinie was one of the writers for The Avengers, where he introduced Ant Man. And, during his run on The Amazing Spider-Man, from 1987 until 1994, he co-created Venom and Carnage. This also makes him one of the longest-running writers for Spider-Man, second only to Stan Lee.
Since the 1990s, Michelinie has bounced between many different publishers, but he’s currently back writing for Marvel, most recently on the 2024 limited series, Venom: Separation Anxiety.
Michelinie wrote 19 issues of the Star Wars comic, with his longest run being from issue #55 through #69.
Walter Simonson
The artwork for issue #55 was created by Walter Simonson. Simonson started his career in comics after first getting his degree in geology. He had aspirations to be a paleontologist, but decided that writing and drawing comics might be an easier way to make a living. So, he signed up for art school and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1972. During art school, Simonson wrote, penciled, lettered, and inked his own comic, The Star Slammers, which he sold at sci-fi conventions. Simonson would revisit Star Slammers more than once during his career, releasing old and new adventures at various publishers.
Shortly after graduation, Simonson picked up freelance work penciling for DC Comics, and, later in the 1970s, began working with Marvel, too. Simonson’s best-known work began with Thor #337, where he took on the roles of both writer and artist for a very influential run on the God of Thunder’s book. During his tenure, he introduced the fan favorite alien, Beta Ray Bill, as well as Throg, the frog variant of Thor, who, by the way, was once a human named Simon Walterson. Simonson gave up art duties on Thor with issue #367, but stayed on as writer until #382.
Later, Simonson joined his wife, Louise, a comic book writer, on the title X-Factor, where the duo worked on classic storylines like “Mutant Massacre”, “Fall of the Mutants”, and “Inferno”. Since the 1990s, Simonson has jumped around from various publishers and special projects, and is still active in the comic book industry today.
Back in the 1970s and 80s, Simonson wrote 10 issues of the Star Wars comic, did the penciling for 19 issues, and drew the covers for 16 issues, including issue number 55.
Hoojib History
While readers of the comic were introduced to the Hoojib leader Plif in issue #55, this story is not the end of Plif’s journey in the Marvel Comics Star Wars Universe. Plif would go on to become the representative of the planet Arbra as part of the Alliance of Free Planets, the transitional government that formed after the Empire fell, but before the New Republic was founded. In his capacity as representative, Plif and Luke Skywalker traveled to a handful of different planets on diplomatic missions where they often got into dangerous situations. Later, Plif became a military leader under Mon Mothma, who placed him in charge of several Hoojib operatives during the Nagai-Tof wars.
I’d just like to remind you that Hoojibs are white, telepathic bunny rabbits with an antenna on their heads.
As of right now, the Hoojibs have not made the leap from the Star Wars Legends category to official canon, but I think we need to start an online campaign for Dave Filoni to make that happen.
The Read-Along Record Book
While Walter Simonson was the artist for the Marvel comic that the Planet of the Hoojibs record is based on, Greg Winters provided the artwork for the record book. And I have to say, Winters work here is amazing. The colors are bright and beautiful, the page compositions are really unique, and his likenesses of Leia, Chewie, and C-3PO are exceptional. Seriously, this is one of my favorite record books.
If you’d like to listen to Planet of the Hoojibs, I’ve presented it as part of my record book podcast, When You Hear This Sound!
