Upcoming new comic features Han Solo's search for the Millennium Falcon before The Force Awakens

The Millennium Falcon never stopped being one of the most recognizable Star Wars properties in all the 50 years of its existence. First introduced as Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca's (Peter Mayhew) trusted ride in A New Hope, the ship appeared in all six movies of the original and sequel trilogies, as well as in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

When the fan-favorite vehicle showed up in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, it was quite the crowd-pleasing moment. However, it was surprisingly not in possession of Han and Chewie. We never got much explanation as to how Han lost the Falcon. All we knew until now was that it changed a few hands of thieves and smugglers before ending up with Unkar Plutt, the junk boss on Jakku, to whom Rey (Daisy Ridley) sold scrap.

We may now have an answer to the mystery.

According to GamesRadar, Star Wars is releasing a new five-issue limited comic series titled "Han Solo: Hunt for the Falcon." It will explore Han Solo's retirement years after Return of the Jedi and how he came back to look for the lost Millennium Falcon. The series, written by Rodney Barnes and illustrated by Ramon Rosanas, will also feature Leia Organa, Lando Calrissian, and, obviously, Chewbacca.

Marvel's official description for the comic series says, "Less than satisfied with a settled life, Han Solo lands on the idea of reclaiming the Falcon and returning to a life of adventure. The problem is, he can't find it."

The description further reveals that Han recruits a "less than enthusiastic" Chewbacca, and the iconic duo set off on the quest for the Falcon. A "laundry list of rogues" stands in their way, staking claims to the ship, including the "villainous scoundrel" who first stole it from Han, Ducain.

Writer Rodney Barnes is as excited to have penned the comic series as fans are about the return of Han, Chewie, Lando, and Leia on the pages of Star Wars. "Han Solo - Hunt for the Falcon is a dream come true. Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and Lando were my heroes when I was a kid," he said. "To write an adventure that includes that quartet (and more!) is truly an honor. One huge check off my bucket list!"

The fate of the Falcon is not a big enough plot point to be explored in any of the live-action or animated Star Wars productions that are lined up. But a comic miniseries is just the perfect medium to tell the story and give an answer to the fans. A similar plotline was explored in a 2020 comic series revealing what happened to Luke Skywalker's (Mark Hamill) blue lightsaber after he lost it during the battle in The Empire Strikes Back.