Showing posts with label STAR WARS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label STAR WARS. Show all posts
Tuesday, 25 July 2017
1995: COMICS INTERNATIONAL ISSUE 61
From November 1995: COMICS INTERNATIONAL issue 61... just because it has a STAR WARS cover.
Tuesday, 11 July 2017
1980: MARVEL UK's FRANTIC SPOOFS THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
From October 1980: MARVEL UK's FRANTIC (think: Marvel UK knocking-off CRAZY which was knocking-off MAD) spoofs THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.
This is issue 8, on-sale in September 1980 with an October cover date.
I would guess this is one of the lesser-known Marvel UK STAR WARS tie-ins, even if it it is of a more unofficial nature than the regular weekly/ monthly and assorted spin-offs. Marvel NY were unaware of its existance until I alerted them. It remains to be seen whether this cover will appear in their upcoming omnibus (which will now - it seems - contain less than originally billed) of British STAR WARS material.
This is issue 8, on-sale in September 1980 with an October cover date.
I would guess this is one of the lesser-known Marvel UK STAR WARS tie-ins, even if it it is of a more unofficial nature than the regular weekly/ monthly and assorted spin-offs. Marvel NY were unaware of its existance until I alerted them. It remains to be seen whether this cover will appear in their upcoming omnibus (which will now - it seems - contain less than originally billed) of British STAR WARS material.
Thursday, 29 June 2017
1997: STAR WARS VILLAINS POSTER MAGAZINE
From 1997: the other half of the Titan Magazines double-act: the STAR WARS VILLAINS POSTER MAGAZINE, a one-shot published to make the most of 20 years of the release of the first STAR WARS movie.
Finally, fans everywhere could have the Emperor on their wall. Someone should get a large research grant to discover the long-term psychological effects of that...
Finally, fans everywhere could have the Emperor on their wall. Someone should get a large research grant to discover the long-term psychological effects of that...
Wednesday, 28 June 2017
1997: STAR WARS HEROES POSTER MAGAZINE from TITAN MAGAZINES
From 1997: As part of the STAR WARS 20th anniversary celebrations (read: marketing opportunity) the UK's Titan Magazines published two POSTER MAGAZINES: HEROES (see below) and VILLAINS (future post teaser).
I skipped these at the time (I've never been much of a Poster magazine fan) but spotted both recently whilst out-of-town and decided to grab them for STARLOGGED.
I skipped these at the time (I've never been much of a Poster magazine fan) but spotted both recently whilst out-of-town and decided to grab them for STARLOGGED.
Monday, 26 June 2017
1997: STAR WARS OFFICIAL 20th ANNIVERSARY MAGAZINE
From 1997: the official STAR WARS 20th ANNIVERSARY MAGAZINE, a one-shot published by Titan Magazines.
Monday, 5 June 2017
1981: MARVEL UK'S STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MONTHLY ISSUE 147
From July 1981: Luke Skywalker takes on an AT-ST 'Scout Walker' in a memorable issue of MARVEL UK's STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MONTHLY.
The Scout Walker had been a blink-and-you-miss-it ILM bonus (no doubt one that Kenner and Lucasfilm appreciated as it allowed them to shift more toys) in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK so this reprint (although publication dates were so close this may have actually hit just ahead of the States) of US issue 51 is the first time we really see one in combat.
This issue also kicks off, under the new creative team of Walter Simonson (previously of Marvel's BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) and David Michelinie, one of the most memorable story acs of the era. Pre-empting ROTJ, the comic book Empire decide that the Death Star, despite a little design flaw, was actually a jolly good idea and construct a stripped-down replacement. A mobile super weapon called the 'Tarkin'. I still think the producers of THE FORCE AWAKENS missed a trick by not borrowing that name for their own Death-Star-in-all-but-name super weapon. Which would have also looped nicely back into ROGUE ONE a year later.
It seems like Marvel originally pitched the construction of a second Death Star, a storyline they assumed the film series would not revisit. When they got notes asking for changes, they began to piece together the still-top-secret plot for the 1983 sequel.
This issue also featured Gundarks, another nice nod to the movie series itself.
The Scout Walker had been a blink-and-you-miss-it ILM bonus (no doubt one that Kenner and Lucasfilm appreciated as it allowed them to shift more toys) in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK so this reprint (although publication dates were so close this may have actually hit just ahead of the States) of US issue 51 is the first time we really see one in combat.
This issue also kicks off, under the new creative team of Walter Simonson (previously of Marvel's BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) and David Michelinie, one of the most memorable story acs of the era. Pre-empting ROTJ, the comic book Empire decide that the Death Star, despite a little design flaw, was actually a jolly good idea and construct a stripped-down replacement. A mobile super weapon called the 'Tarkin'. I still think the producers of THE FORCE AWAKENS missed a trick by not borrowing that name for their own Death-Star-in-all-but-name super weapon. Which would have also looped nicely back into ROGUE ONE a year later.
It seems like Marvel originally pitched the construction of a second Death Star, a storyline they assumed the film series would not revisit. When they got notes asking for changes, they began to piece together the still-top-secret plot for the 1983 sequel.
This issue also featured Gundarks, another nice nod to the movie series itself.
Wednesday, 31 May 2017
1983: STAR WARS RETURN OF THE JEDI PALITOY TOY PROMOTION
From 1983: A great double-page advert from Palitoy promoting - with a competition - the launch of their STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI action figure range.
I remember the excitement of going into the local independent toy shop (Child's Play) ahead of the film's release and seeing the new figures for the first time. And checking the card back to see all the new characters that would be in the next film. And wondering why two of them had been crudely blacked out. limited to one purchase, I settled for the Emperor's Royal Guard because - frankly - it looked so cool. Little did I know they would be little more than set dressing in the film.
I remember the excitement of going into the local independent toy shop (Child's Play) ahead of the film's release and seeing the new figures for the first time. And checking the card back to see all the new characters that would be in the next film. And wondering why two of them had been crudely blacked out. limited to one purchase, I settled for the Emperor's Royal Guard because - frankly - it looked so cool. Little did I know they would be little more than set dressing in the film.
Thursday, 25 May 2017
1995: BOXTREE'S CLASSIC STAR WARS VOLUME 3
From 1995: The third and - I think - final Boxtree books collection of the CLASSIC STAR WARS newspaper strips, reworked by Dark Horse Comics in the States into a more floppy-friendly format.
Friday, 19 May 2017
1981: MARVEL UK'S STAR WARS THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK ISSUE 146
From June 1981: STAR WARS THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MONTHLY issue 146 wraps up 'The last Jedi' (from US 49) with what i assume is a brand new, exclusive to the UK cover. It's almost neon...
The story may have been split over two issues as a buffer because the the British Bullpen were diverting the extended length 'The Crimson Forever' into the second ESB annual, leaving them short of material for the monthly. They didn't get around to running that strip, from US issue 50, in a regular comic until the ROTJ era.
Thursday, 11 May 2017
1995: CLASSIC STAR WARS VOLUME 2: REBEL STORM UK TRADE PAPERBACK EDITION
From 1995: The second trade paperback collection of STAR WARS NEWSPAPER STRIPS, reworked to work as comicbooks by Dark Horse.
This is a UK volume put together by the masters of the quickie media tie-in BOXTREE BOOKS.
A hefty (including the price) hardback of the original strips has just been issued by IDW. As far as I know, it represents the first time the strips have been widely distributed in their original format since they were first published.
The reworked Dark Horse versions were recently reissued (along with some previously unpublished strips in a weird hybrid combo) by Marvel. I'm not sure how much overlap there is between the two in terms of the strips reprinted.
This is a UK volume put together by the masters of the quickie media tie-in BOXTREE BOOKS.
A hefty (including the price) hardback of the original strips has just been issued by IDW. As far as I know, it represents the first time the strips have been widely distributed in their original format since they were first published.
The reworked Dark Horse versions were recently reissued (along with some previously unpublished strips in a weird hybrid combo) by Marvel. I'm not sure how much overlap there is between the two in terms of the strips reprinted.
Tuesday, 9 May 2017
1981: MARVEL UK PUBLISHES 'STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI'
From 1981: STAR WARS THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MONTHLY, from MARVEL UK, issue 145.
I'm sure I wasn't the only old-skool STARLOGGER to experience a tinge of recognition as soon as the title of the next instalment of the STAR WARS screen saga was announced. We've been there before. Around this time back in 1981 to be more accurate. If you lived on both sides of the Atlantic.
Marvel's seat-of-the-pants transatlantic publishing schedule meant US issue 49 (cover-dated July 1981 but on-sale in late April) and UK issue 145 (cover-dated May but on sale sometime in the previous month) both hit at about the same time. Long gone was the luxury of having months as a buffer between the two editions.
The UK edition wisely dispenses with the pink colour scheme of the original cover for a can't-go-wrong green design. The interiors were - of course - all in black & white.
I think we can be pretty confident that the new movie will be similar in-name-alone to this issue. But it is still a good bit of fun to know that Marvel got there first.
I'm sure I wasn't the only old-skool STARLOGGER to experience a tinge of recognition as soon as the title of the next instalment of the STAR WARS screen saga was announced. We've been there before. Around this time back in 1981 to be more accurate. If you lived on both sides of the Atlantic.
Marvel's seat-of-the-pants transatlantic publishing schedule meant US issue 49 (cover-dated July 1981 but on-sale in late April) and UK issue 145 (cover-dated May but on sale sometime in the previous month) both hit at about the same time. Long gone was the luxury of having months as a buffer between the two editions.
The UK edition wisely dispenses with the pink colour scheme of the original cover for a can't-go-wrong green design. The interiors were - of course - all in black & white.
I think we can be pretty confident that the new movie will be similar in-name-alone to this issue. But it is still a good bit of fun to know that Marvel got there first.
Thursday, 4 May 2017
1977: STAR WARS DAY: MAJOR STARLOG MAGAZINE ARTICLE
STAR WARS DAY continues... with this epic preview of the movie, published in STARLOG MAGAZINE issue 7 in the summer of 1977. You certainly can't argue they ignored it...
1977: STAR WARS DAY: EARLY NOVEL ADVERT
STAR WARS DAY continues...
Here is an early plug for the STAR WARS NOVELISATION, published in STARLOG issue 7 (on sale in the summer of '77... the year everything changed).
Here is an early plug for the STAR WARS NOVELISATION, published in STARLOG issue 7 (on sale in the summer of '77... the year everything changed).
1977: STAR WARS DAY: STARLOG PREVIEWS STAR WARS
Happy STAR WARS DAY! To mark the annual event, STARLOGGED has unearthed some early sightings of the original movie from the pages of STARLOG MAGAZINE.
From Issue 6, coverdated June 1977 but on-sale several months earlier, here is possibly the earliest references... a reader's letter (is this the guy that broke the news about STAR WARS to the world?) and a one-page colour preview using - obviously - some of the yummy concept art. The same concept art that convinced Marvel to (reluctantly) take the plunge and launch the four-colour comic that saved the company...
From Issue 6, coverdated June 1977 but on-sale several months earlier, here is possibly the earliest references... a reader's letter (is this the guy that broke the news about STAR WARS to the world?) and a one-page colour preview using - obviously - some of the yummy concept art. The same concept art that convinced Marvel to (reluctantly) take the plunge and launch the four-colour comic that saved the company...
Tuesday, 25 April 2017
1994: CLASSIC STAR WARS VOLUME 1 - UK EDITION
From 1994: the first of the CLASSIC STAR WARS trade paperbacks, published in the UK by Boxtree (the masters of flooding the market with quick-and-dirty reprints).
IDW is about to publish a classy compilation volume of the STAR WARS NEWSPAPER STRIPS... so Marvel NY beat them to market by issuing their own trade paperback compilation of the old Dark Horse series from the early Nineties... which (heavily) reworked the US newspaper strips (which i don't think ever had an outing on this side of the Atlantic) into comic book format.
The strips - both original and reworked versions - have, until this year, languished untouched for several decades. But the return of the movie series, and Marvel's energised publishing programme, has obviously renewed interest.
The new Marvel book is a curious mix of some of the pages reworked by DH and some - previously unpublished - strips in their original 'newspaper' format. I'm assuming the IDW effort will preserve the strips as they were originally intended/ published. Let the comparisons begin.
Boxtree published three volumes (that I know of) of the DM monthly series way-back-when. Some of the strips also appeared in the short-lived Dark Horse International published UK monthly. Which shuttered after less than a year.
The strips also appeared in the earliest issues of the US magazine AMAZING HEROES.
IDW is about to publish a classy compilation volume of the STAR WARS NEWSPAPER STRIPS... so Marvel NY beat them to market by issuing their own trade paperback compilation of the old Dark Horse series from the early Nineties... which (heavily) reworked the US newspaper strips (which i don't think ever had an outing on this side of the Atlantic) into comic book format.
The strips - both original and reworked versions - have, until this year, languished untouched for several decades. But the return of the movie series, and Marvel's energised publishing programme, has obviously renewed interest.
The new Marvel book is a curious mix of some of the pages reworked by DH and some - previously unpublished - strips in their original 'newspaper' format. I'm assuming the IDW effort will preserve the strips as they were originally intended/ published. Let the comparisons begin.
Boxtree published three volumes (that I know of) of the DM monthly series way-back-when. Some of the strips also appeared in the short-lived Dark Horse International published UK monthly. Which shuttered after less than a year.
The strips also appeared in the earliest issues of the US magazine AMAZING HEROES.
Monday, 24 April 2017
1983: STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI AIRFIX MODEL KITS ADVERT
From 1983: a UK advert for the Airfix STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI model kits. With free poster offer... and the Marketing department were very smart in their selection of stills to adorn young boy's bedrooms across the land. Those sticky fingers weren't just because of the glue don't-you-know.
Wednesday, 19 April 2017
1981: MARVEL UK'S STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MONTHLY ISSUE 144
From 1981: STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MONTHLY issue 144, reprinting Starfire Rising from issue 54 of the US run.
This issue boasts another unique-to-the-UK cover. Curiously it also omits the issue number and hedges its bets over the month of publication, suggesting that the British Bullpen were having some production and scheduling issues around this time.
The main story is, as with the last issue, an old John Carter inventory story left on the shelf when Marvel lost the license and closed the title. Marvel tried to stockpile stand-by strips that could be slotted in at any time if a title looked like it would drop behind schedule... but these were often left unpublished when a title closed. This wasn't a problem when Marvel owned the character as the one-shot story would eventually see print in one of the 'spotlight' anthologies or - in the 1980s - in the pages of MARVEL FANFARE. But licensed books were more of a challenge. And Marvel's accountants demanded that everything paid for had to appear somewhere.
So the unpublished strip was rather crudely reworked into a STAR WARS two-parter. And it stood out a mile. I suspect sales, on both sides of the Atlantic, took a hit when casual browsers spotted that the main strip barely looked like a dispatch from the galaxy far, far away.
Marvel, of course, had previous form in this area: famously, an issue of the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA run reworked an unpublished TARZAN story... recasting Apollo in the role of the Lord of the Apes. And then there was Apeslayer....
This issue boasts another unique-to-the-UK cover. Curiously it also omits the issue number and hedges its bets over the month of publication, suggesting that the British Bullpen were having some production and scheduling issues around this time.
The main story is, as with the last issue, an old John Carter inventory story left on the shelf when Marvel lost the license and closed the title. Marvel tried to stockpile stand-by strips that could be slotted in at any time if a title looked like it would drop behind schedule... but these were often left unpublished when a title closed. This wasn't a problem when Marvel owned the character as the one-shot story would eventually see print in one of the 'spotlight' anthologies or - in the 1980s - in the pages of MARVEL FANFARE. But licensed books were more of a challenge. And Marvel's accountants demanded that everything paid for had to appear somewhere.
So the unpublished strip was rather crudely reworked into a STAR WARS two-parter. And it stood out a mile. I suspect sales, on both sides of the Atlantic, took a hit when casual browsers spotted that the main strip barely looked like a dispatch from the galaxy far, far away.
Marvel, of course, had previous form in this area: famously, an issue of the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA run reworked an unpublished TARZAN story... recasting Apollo in the role of the Lord of the Apes. And then there was Apeslayer....
Tuesday, 18 April 2017
1981: MARVEL UK'S STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MONTHLY ISSUE 143
From February 1981: another excellent cover from the British STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MONTHLY, published by Marvel UK.
This issue reprints Number 53 in the US run, with a new cover which isn't a million miles from the US design but manages to be more dramatic and makes Leia less of the passive victim.
The appearance of the double-bodied T.I.E Bomber created something of a playground thrill back in the day.
This issue reprints Number 53 in the US run, with a new cover which isn't a million miles from the US design but manages to be more dramatic and makes Leia less of the passive victim.
The appearance of the double-bodied T.I.E Bomber created something of a playground thrill back in the day.
Monday, 10 April 2017
1980: MARVEL UK'S STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MONTHLY ISSUE 142
From 1980: long before the TV show, the STAR WARS DROIDS go solo in MARVEL UK's STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK MONTHLY issue 142, published in November/ December 1980... despite the muddled cover date.
It 'reprinted' US issue 47, on sale Stateside in February 1981. Another British premiere.
The same strip, published here in b&w, also (by virtue of its done-in-one nature) appeared in the fifth British annual (published in 1982). It was also - weirdly - adapted as a 'Read Along Adventure' audio.
It 'reprinted' US issue 47, on sale Stateside in February 1981. Another British premiere.
The same strip, published here in b&w, also (by virtue of its done-in-one nature) appeared in the fifth British annual (published in 1982). It was also - weirdly - adapted as a 'Read Along Adventure' audio.
Friday, 7 April 2017
1991: THE STAR WARS DEATH STAR TECHNICAL COMPANION (WEST END GAMES)
From 1991: THE DEATH STAR TECHNICAL COMPANION, another of the many STAR WARS reference books published during this period by WEST END GAMES.
It's a softcover with black & white interiors weaving a fictional background to the battle station. The contents, always geared to players of the RPG as well as non-player SW fans, have been rendered obsolete by the prequel trilogy and by ROGUE ONE... but it remains a fun read for fans who enjoyed the idea of the Expanded Universe. At least until it got too complicated...
The West End line of games, supplements and sourcebooks were mostly sold through games hobby stores - or comic book stores with a games section - so i think many fans would have been oblivious to the range at the time. Which is a shame, if they had arranged better distribution they could have had a much larger audience. I used to buy my copies from the local independent games store as well as branches of Virgin Games (remember that?)
It's a softcover with black & white interiors weaving a fictional background to the battle station. The contents, always geared to players of the RPG as well as non-player SW fans, have been rendered obsolete by the prequel trilogy and by ROGUE ONE... but it remains a fun read for fans who enjoyed the idea of the Expanded Universe. At least until it got too complicated...
The West End line of games, supplements and sourcebooks were mostly sold through games hobby stores - or comic book stores with a games section - so i think many fans would have been oblivious to the range at the time. Which is a shame, if they had arranged better distribution they could have had a much larger audience. I used to buy my copies from the local independent games store as well as branches of Virgin Games (remember that?)
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