A few years ago I went into a comic books store to buy a book of reprints of Marvel comics from my remote youth (back when comics were printed in Latin on cheap papyrus) and happened to notice something in the glass display case under the cash register, namely, a model or sculpture or diorama or whatever the proper term is showing Jabba the Hutt in his palace surrounded by various supporting characters. Lounging back against him was Princess Leia in the nice desert outfit he bought her. (I gather it’s pretty warm on that planet, and it was probably a lot more comfortable than the white chador she wore in the first movie would have been.)

I casually remarked to the the young fellow working there that it was interesting how much my tastes matched Jabba’s. This he found hilarious for some reason.

The more I think of it, the more I realize we do have a lot of things in common. Granted, he was more successful than I am, but I resemble him rather more than I do, say, young Han Solo. He and I both found Carrie Fisher appealing, and I’ve been through bad break-ups as well.

I’m glad to see I’m not the only person who’d like to see Jabba get more respect. As this fellow points out, Jabba does a lot of good things:

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