Star Wars

With the passage of time, and the amount of sequels and spin-offs that followed, it has become difficult to put into perspective how enormously huge the phenomena of the original 1977 movie was; the overwhelming popularity almost immediately inspired a subsequent saturation of various marketing, money-making and cash-in vehicles.

The industry was almost caught off guard, not really knowing if the public would embrace the movie, or if it would even do adequate box-office trade! For example, one had to buy a voucher, to redeem later, for Kenner’s original line of action figures because they could not get the physical product out before Christmas of ‘77!

It is not a stretch to say that the success of Star Wars changed how the motion picture industry would approach marketing from this point forward - it was a complete game-changer…

How lucky a coup it was for Marvel Comics in 1977 to obtain the official rights to issue a comic book adaptation and a continuing series based on the movie and its characters!

The first 6 issues of Marvel’s Star Wars was dedicated to an adaptation of the movie. Roy Thomas did the writing based on the script, and Howard Chaykin provided the artwork.

But beginning with issue #7, the title was essentially another original vehicle, just using the characters from the movie. Marvel was given free reign to write new storylines - which was smart - given the demand from fans clamouring for more!

That same creative team of Thomas and Chaykin stuck around for a few more issues, eventually handing it over to Archie Goodwin and Carmine Infantino with issue #11. Issues #11 through #38 filled the gap for the fans until The Empire Strikes Back came out.

Issues #39 through #44 (late 1980 -early 1981) were given over to the official adaptation of the second movie, with Goodwin adapting the script, and veteran Al Williamson providing some lovely artwork.

With issue #45, it was back to new stories with Infantino returning to the fold. This next run would feature a number of different writers and artists such as J.M. DeMattius, Mike W. Barr, and David Michelinie doing the writing, and Walt Simonson and Tom Palmer settling into the art duties.

When Return of The Jedi came out, Marvel decided to not adapt it in the established title, but to instead issue a giant sized “Graphic Novel” separately.

The regular series, however, soldiered on for a few more years with original stories and art, mostly by Jo Duffy and Cynthia Martin respectively, until issue #107, dated July 1986.

As far as the most-desireable issues to collectors go, it’s the movie adaptations and the last issue which are fetching the most on the market...

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