Drebble is certainly one of the more unusual characters to appear in Star Wars' expanded universe. The pudgy, effete crimelord vexed Lando Calrissian during his first trip to the planet Stenos in issue 71. Soon after, Lando took his revenge on Drebble by adopting Drebble's identity during his undercover missions against the Empire. Lando first started using Drebble's name in issue 75, and the disguise he wore in issue 79 is inspired in no small amount by the look of Leiji Matsumoto's Space Pirate Captain Harlock.

In issue 85, Lando's plan backfired. After the fall of the Empire, all the good works Lando did as "Captain Drebble" were attributed to the real Drebble. The Alliance declared him a hero of the galaxy and awarded him commendations and a decoration for bravery. This acclaim caused Drebble to have a dramatic change of heart, and despite their past rivalry, the suddenly reformed Drebble aided Lando on at least two occasions: once on Keyorin, the so-called "Hunter's World", and later back on Stenos.

It should be noted that there is more to Drebble than his buffoonish appearance and impulsive demeanor would suggest. He persuaded two Stenaxes, a notoriously recalcitrant species, to act as his bodyguards, and he regularly had in his employ two of the galaxy's elite bounty hunters, Bossk and IG-88. Drebble is an easy man to over-estimate, but a potentially dangerous one to cross.

Drebble's first appearance and Lando's exploits as Captain Drebble can be found in "Fool's Bounty", the fifth volume of Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... , Dark Horse Comics' trade paperback series reprinting the entire Marvel run. Drebble's return and reformation are printed in the subsequent volumes 6, "Wookiee World," and 7 "Far, Far Away."

Drebble made a brief return to the modern Star Wars era in "Lady Luck" a story from the third issue of Dark Horse Comics' Star Wars Tales anthology. That story was reprinted in volume one of the Star Wars Tales trade paperback series.

Drebble

The docking bay of the space station above the planet Kabray was bustling with activity as Lando Calrissian strode down the entry ramp of his ship, Cobra. Kabray was playing host to the first assembly of the provisional government of the Alliance of Free Planets, and delegates and dignitaries from across the galaxy were arriving to discuss the fate of the galaxy after the fall of the Empire.

"Han!"

Han Solo gestured at Chewbacca to keep working on the Millennium Falcon's repairs as he strolled over to greet his old buddy.

"Lando. Welcome to the party."

Calrissian smiled. "I wouldn't have missed it for all the money on Aargau. You're here early."

"We got here a couple days ago."

Lando turned to Han with mild surprise. "Really? I thought Leia hated Kabray."

"Tell me about it." Han nodded. "I'm still tryin' to convince her to tell me what happened the first time she came here, but no luck. But Leia figured she should be here to greet the delegates as they arrive."

"This place has been bad luck for her, but maybe..." Lando's voice trailed off as he saw a familiar face moving through the crowd. He suddenly felt himself one card short of an Idiot's Array.

On the other side of the docking bay, a rotund human dressed in gaudy robes adorned with garish jewelry harangued a hapless protocol droid for its indelicate handling of his luggage. The droid shuttered fearfully not from the human's rude treatment, but rather from the glare of the fellow's bodyguard, a fearsome winged Stenax.

"Shards of the Sharu!" Lando cursed. "What is Drebble doing here?"

Han laughed and slapped Lando on the back. "I thought you knew. You're looking at the new senator from Stenos."

Lando shook his head. "No."

"Yup. Leia said his election was a landslide. The people love the guy. Rik Duel told me he flew back to Stenos just to vote for Drebble."

"And I thought nothing surprised me any more."

"Are you gonna go over and say hello?" Han asked sarcastically.

"No. I am not gonna go over and say hello." Lando snapped back.

"He's going to be at your security briefing. You'll have to deal with him sooner or later."

"Later, then," Lando snarled. "He's only here because of me."

Han rolled his eyes. "Here we go again."

"I never get the credit. Only the blame. I helped topple an Imperial fortress on Gamandar. I brought an entire band of cutthroat thieves to their knees on Arcan IV. I saved Life Day on Celanon. I helped cure the population of the planet Godo." With each exploit, Lando thumbed his chest for emphasis. "But who gets the credit? Drebble."

"Maybe you shouldn't have used his name when you did all those things," Han suggested helpfully.

Lando continued on, ignoring Solo. "Oh, but when there's blame, it always seems to be dealt into my hand. Everyone thinks I'm the one who got Cody Sunn-Childe killed, ruined property values on Patch IV, and started the revolution on Drogheda. And I'm still wanted on Spira for something I'm pretty sure you did." Lando pointed at Han.

Han looked innocently at Lando. "The thing with the regatta? Naw, that wasn't me. You know how I get seasick. Besides, GENERAL Calrissian, given my visit to YOUR carbon freezing chamber, maybe you could do with a little more blame and a little less credit."

Lando relented. "All right! All right! Still, I'm not sure what to make of the new Drebble. Do you think he's really changed?"

"Who knows?" Han shrugged. "We changed; maybe he can too. I'm sure there's room enough in the galaxy for one more reformed scoundrel."

Lando regarded Drebble suspiciously. "Maybe you're right."

Drebble
Type: Reformed Crimelord
Height: 1.6 meters
Species: Human
Sex: Male

DEX 2D+2                PER 4D
  Dodge 4D+2              Bargain 5D
                          Command 6D
                          Gambling 5D+1
                          Persuasion 4D+1
KNO 4D                  STR 3D+1
  Alien Species 5D
  Bureaucracy 6D
  Business 6D+2
  Streetwise 5D
  Value 6D
MEC 2D                  TEC 2D

Force Points: 1
Move: 10
Equipment: Fashionable muumuu, sparkling jewelry.
Description: Drebble is a short, pump human whose nearly bald head is topped 
by a carefully coifed pompadour. He generally prefers to wear loose, 
comfortable robes, but since becoming a hero of the Alliance, he has started 
losing weight and dressing better.
A Quote: "Can you believe it? Me, decorated for bravery? And by the Alliance 
too! They're a big organization, you know. Powerful. And they've given me a 
title. Made me an officer. 'Captain Drebble.' I like the sound of that. Has a 
nice ring to it, don't you think?"

Drebble was created by Jo Duffy and Ron Frenz.

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