Inspired by a wonderful exchange I had with Silverwook a while back (thanks Silver!) I finally tracked down a copy of Marvel’s paperback edition of the TESB adaptation. I had it as a kid back in '81 or so, and had acquired it primarily for the famous ‘original Yoda’ that had been based on a Ralph McQuarrie painting and been Marvel’s only visual reference at the time (and obviously amended for later editions). Of course the book was lost to me over time, so it was super cool to have it again some 38 years later!
The interesting thing while reading (or rereading) this amazing little artifact was just how acutely those feelings came back to me - feelings of a time that predates my having a VHS of TESB where I could memorise every piece of dialogue, a time when the burning questions about Vader and ‘the other’ had not been answered, a time when this comic book was pretty much my only version of the film. I guess it’s like getting your favourite old Led Zeppelin album on vinyl again - no matter how many times you’ve played the CD (or Spotify!) there’s something about experiencing its original format that brings back those feelings in such a vivid way.
I haven’t read this adaptation in quite a while (I do have the regular 6-issue version packed away in a box somewhere) so it is/was quite a trip reliving the different dialogue, the inclusion of such extras as the Wampa subplot, Luke’s lightsaber training with (purple) Yoda, the greater emphasis on the love triangle etc etc. One cool little detail I had completely forgotten was Luke thinking he’d spotted a beacon as he began his descent into the Dagobah swamp - indeed a neat way of explaining how he managed to land in just the right vicinity for Yoda’s entrance!
It also brought back memories of the many times I would do side-by-side comparisons of the Williamson/Garzon artwork with photo stills from the movie (usually TESB bubble-gum cards). Some panels were also clearly derived from McQuarrie paintings, and comparing the artworks was endlessly fascinating to me.
So anyhow, I just thought I’d share this little nostalgic moment with you guys while the tingle was still fresh, and again - thanks to Silverwook for lighting the way.
May the Force…etc