Star Wars

1978. Cover price 75p.
132 pages. B&W contents.
Sphere Books Ltd.

Based on the film by George Lucas.

Cover by Rick Hoberg & Dave Cockrum.

Contents:

  7 Introduction by Stan Lee

  9 Preface by Roy Thomas

 11 Chapter One: Star Wars w: Roy Thomas, based on the screenplay by George Lucas; a: Howard Chaykin.

r: Star Wars (Marvel Comics) #01 (Jul 1977)

 30 Chapter Two: Six Against the Galaxy w: Roy Thomas, based on the screenplay by George Lucas; p: Howard Chaykin, i: Steve Leialoha.

r: Star Wars (Marvel Comics) #02 (Aug 1977)

 50 Chapter Three: Death Star! w: Roy Thomas, based on the screenplay by George Lucas; p: Howard Chaykin, i: Steve Leialoha.

r: Star Wars (Marvel Comics) #03 (Sep 1977)

 70 Chapter Four: In Battle with Darth Vader w: Roy Thomas, based on the screenplay by George Lucas; p: Howard Chaykin, i: Steve Leialoha.

r: Star Wars (Marvel Comics) #04 (Oct 1977)

 89 Chapter Five: Lo, The Moons of Yavin! w: Roy Thomas, based on the screenplay by George Lucas; p: Howard Chaykin, i: Steve Leialoha.

r: Star Wars (Marvel Comics) #05 (Nov 1977)

108 Chapter Six: The Final Chapter? w: Roy Thomas, based on the screenplay by George Lucas; p: Howard Chaykin & Rick Hoberg, i: Bill Wray, Rick Hoberg, & Dave Stevens (uncredited).

r: Star Wars (Marvel Comics) #06 (Dec 1977)

127 -Fin- full-page illustrations

ACROSS THE TEEMING REACHES OF A
GALAXY IN THE GRIP OF EVIL...

HURTLING HEADLONG THROUGH
HYPER-SPACE TO SUBDUE THE DARK
CHAMPIONS OF TYRANNY...

BLAZING THROUGH THE COSMOS ON A
MISSION OF VENGEANCE AND HONOR,
COMES

        LUKE SKYWALKER

PROUD YOUNG REBEL PLEDGED TO
RESTORE JUSTICE TO THE UNIVERSE
AND RESCUE THE BEAUTIFUL
PRINCESS LEIA FROM THE DEADLY
IMPERIAL FORCES!

JOIN HIM AND THE DAUNTLESS HAN
SOLO, OBI-WAN KENOBI, ARTOO
DETOO, SEE THREEPIO AND
CHEWBACCA IN THE GREATEST
SPACE FANTASY ADVENTURE EVER!

It must have seemed such a good idea, pulling together the entire story of the film in one handy little paperback. Unfortunately, the repro is simply too small to be anything more than a strain on the eyes. As a curio (and an interesting experiment in reusing the Marvel adaptation) this is delightfully strange, but to read it is to risk premature blindness. Some of the artwork, also, appears to have dropped out in resizing the strips.

Finding out more regarding the title had been problematic, with few references to its existence, and of those scant references none detail the reason this reprint appeared in the form it did. Adverts for the title's release are seemingly nonexistent, which makes accurate dating impossible at the moment.