THE FORCE AWAKENS

Beyond the movie! Beyond the galaxy!

The SF movie of the decade had been bought for a song by Marvel, ahead of box office mania. With expectations low, George Lucas even permitted them to draw likenesses of the actors. 1977’s smash hit six-issue colour adaptation was reprinted as blackand-white UK title Star Wars Weekly from February 1978, its phenomenal success boosting the ailing publisher both sides of the Atlantic.

Now drawn “the Marvel way”, our heroes were all clenched teeth and rippling muscles, but storylines enthralled fans between the first two movies. These included Han Solo recruiting a green rabbit to a makeshift Magnificent Seven (plus One), a waterworld of dragon-riders, a space wheel casino and “last” Jedi Baron Tagge. Even Darth Vader’s return was sanctioned, long before his big screen revival in The Empire Strikes Back.