Schedule Monthly Genre Science fiction Number of issues 107 (and 3 annuals) | Format Ongoing series Publication date April 1977 – May 1986 Publisher Marvel Comics | |
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Artist(s) Howard Chaykin (1977–1978)
Carmine Infantino (1978–1982)
Al Williamson (1980–1981)
Carlos Garzon (1980–1981)
Walt Simonson (1981–1983)
Ron Frenz (1983–1985)
Cynthia Martin (1985–1986) Writers Roy Thomas (1977–1978), Archie Goodwin (1978–1985), Jo Duffy (1979–1986), David Michelinie (1981–1983) | ||
Star Wars is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics from April 12, 1977 to May 27, 1986. Featuring classic Star Wars characters Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2, the first six issues adapt the May 1977 film Star Wars. The series chronicled their subsequent adventures for 107 issues and three annuals, including a six-issue adaptation of the 1980 sequel film The Empire Strikes Back in 1980–1981. The Star Wars comic was originally written by Roy Thomas with art by Howard Chaykin.
Contents
Development
Charles Lippincott, Lucasfilm's publicity supervisor, initially approached publisher Stan Lee at Marvel Comics in 1975 about publishing a Star Wars comic book prior to the film's release as a means to appeal to its most likely audience. Lee initially declined to consider such a proposal until the film was completed, and was only persuaded otherwise in a second meeting arranged by Roy Thomas, who wanted to edit the series. Since movie tie-in comics rarely sold well at that time, Lee negotiated a publishing arrangement which gave no royalties to Lucasfilm until sales exceeded 100,000. At that point, legal arrangements could be revisited.
Publication
Issue #1 of Star Wars was released for sale on April 12, 1977, and Marvel published the series from 1977 to 1986, lasting 107 issues and three annuals. According to former Marvel Editor-In-Chief Jim Shooter, the strong sales of Star Wars comics saved Marvel financially in 1977 and 1978. Marvel's Star Wars series was one of the industry's top selling titles in 1979 and 1980. The only downside for Marvel was that the 100,000 copy sales quota was surpassed quickly, allowing Lippincott to renegotiate the royalty arrangements from a position of strength.
Issues #1–6 featured an adaptation of the events of Star Wars by Roy Thomas and artist Howard Chaykin. Original stories began appearing as of issue #7 (January 1978) by the same creative team. Writer Archie Goodwin and artist Carmine Infantino took over the series as of #11 (May 1978). The series occasionally included stories which took place before the events of the film, such as issue #17 (November 1978) featuring Luke Skywalker on Tatooine, and #24 (June 1979) with Obi-Wan Kenobi. A six-issue adaptation of the 1980 sequel film The Empire Strikes Back by Goodwin and artists Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon appeared in issues #39–44 (September 1980–February 1981). Williamson was offered the Empire Strikes Back adaptation upon Lucasfilm's specific request, as Star Wars creator George Lucas had an appreciation of Williamson's EC Comics and Flash Gordon work. Goodwin said in 1996:
There was also the comfort of knowing that I would be working with Al Williamson, an old friend that I've worked with over the years. He was absolutely the best Star Wars artist you could ever want to have. That makes it easier because you feel that whatever you do as a writer, you have an artist that will make it look great. He's also an artist that Lucasfilm kind of begged and pleaded for and always wanted to have do Star Wars material. There was that comfort factor in it as well.
The Empire adaptation appeared in three other formats: as a magazine (Marvel Super Special #16), an oversized tabloid edition (Marvel Special Edition Featuring Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back), and as a paperback book. Writer David Michelinie and artist Walt Simonson became the new creative team with issue #51 (September 1981). An unused John Carter, Warlord of Mars story, which had sat in inventory after Marvel had cancelled that series, was rewritten and redrawn, and published in Star Wars #53 (November 1981). Ron Frenz became the regular artist of the title starting with #71 (May 1983). Marvel's adaptation of Return of the Jedi (October 1983–January 1984) appeared in a separate, eponymous four-issue limited series as well as in Marvel Super Special #27 and in a mass market paperback. Starting in 1984, the Star Wars series was primarily written by Jo Duffy. Art for the final year-and-a-half of the series was by Cynthia Martin.
Some copies of issues #1–4 were printed with "35 cent" variant covers. Marvel typically tested price increases on a limited basis before rolling out the increase over all their comic titles. In an attempt to conduct market research on the pricing elasticity of the market, Marvel printed an estimated 1,500 copies of Star Wars #1 with a "35 cents" cover price, and reputedly sold these in only four states, none of which were major markets. Such experimentation continued until issue #4, and starting with issue #5, all comic books were sold for 35 cents.