STARLOGGED - GEEK MEDIA AGAIN: 1977: STAR WARS WEEKLY LAUNCH ADVERTS

Tuesday, 22 May 2012

1977: STAR WARS WEEKLY LAUNCH ADVERTS - PART TWO

A while ago, we ran some early Marvel UK in-house advertisements for the just-launched STAR WARS WEEKLY (along with a few other adverts for early SW merchandise). Another rummage around the vaults uncovered a whole bunch more, including M-UK's pre-launch promotional campaign for SWW and, what we suspect to be, one of the very first adverts for Star Wars merchandise in the UK: imported copies of the first US STAR WARS TREASURY EDITION, shipped across the Atlantic a good couple of months ahead of the film's Christmas '77 UK premiere (it wouldn't have reached many areas outside London until the first months of 1978, coinciding with SWW going on-sale at the beginning of February).

It seems strange to think that the kids of 1977 really wouldn't have had a clue who Luke Skywalker was...

The first part of this feature can be found here.

TREASURY EDITION TEASER

5 October 1977

ADVERT FOR STAR WARS TREASURY EDITION 1

5 October 1977

The treasury edition reprinted the first three parts of Marvel's movie adaptation. Along with the novelisation, this was the first chance for most Brits to sample the saga ahead of its UK release. The same material, published in black & white, was serialised in STAR WARS WEEKLY 1-6.

First promotion for STAR WARS WEEKLY and the one-shot STAR WARS COLLECTORS' EDITION magazine.

7 December 1977

STAR WARS TREASURY EDITION 2

7 December 1977

The second tabloid-sized treasury edition, reprinting the concluding three chapters (US 4-6) of the movie adaptation. The same material, this time in black & white, was serialised in STAR WARS WEEKLY 7-12 in 1978.