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The original Marvel Star Wars series — Page 15

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I just came across this…“pin-up” I guess?..of the battle of Hoth as visualized by Michael Golden.

Does anyone have any idea where this this from?

Regardless of where its from, it’s pretty neat to see Michael Golden draw AT-ST’s before anyone saw them in more detail in ROTJ. It doesn’t look like he Kenner toy so I’m guessing he had that one shot from ESB as his only reference.

Star Wars is Surrealism, not Science Fiction (essay)
Original Trilogy Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Beyond the OT Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Amazon link to my novel; Dawn of the Karabu.

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ZkinandBonez said:

I just came across this…“pin-up” I guess?..of the battle of Hoth as visualized by Michael Golden.

Does anyone have any idea where this this from?

Regardless of where its from, it’s pretty neat to see Michael Golden draw AT-ST’s before anyone saw them in more detail in ROTJ. It doesn’t look like he Kenner toy so I’m guessing he had that one shot from ESB as his only reference.

It was in one of the single issues of the Marvel TESB adaptation (which ran over six issues in the regular SW title). They had little pin-up galleries in the last few pages of each issue (as well as Archie Goodwin’s wonderful article on the making of the TESB adaptation). Off the top of my head there was a Frank Miller pic, Marie Severin, Bob Layton, Fred Hembeck, Walt Simonson etc etc.

And yes, it was very cool given that all we’d seen at that point were the couple of fleeting shots in TESB.

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Shopping Maul said:

ZkinandBonez said:

I just came across this…“pin-up” I guess?..of the battle of Hoth as visualized by Michael Golden.

Does anyone have any idea where this this from?

Regardless of where its from, it’s pretty neat to see Michael Golden draw AT-ST’s before anyone saw them in more detail in ROTJ. It doesn’t look like he Kenner toy so I’m guessing he had that one shot from ESB as his only reference.

It was in one of the single issues of the Marvel TESB adaptation (which ran over six issues in the regular SW title). They had little pin-up galleries in the last few pages of each issue (as well as Archie Goodwin’s wonderful article on the making of the TESB adaptation). Off the top of my head there was a Frank Miller pic, Marie Severin, Bob Layton, Fred Hembeck, Walt Simonson etc etc.

And yes, it was very cool given that all we’d seen at that point were the couple of fleeting shots in TESB.

Right, that makes sense. I’ve only read the ESB adaptation in modern reprints so I’ve never seen any of threse pin-ups before.

I was surprised though to hear that Frank Miller did one as well. I knew he did the cover for issue #47, but according to wookieepedia that was the only SW related thing that he did. It always weirds me out when I discover something SW related that wookieepedia doesn’t know about as they’re usually so thorough.

Star Wars is Surrealism, not Science Fiction (essay)
Original Trilogy Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Beyond the OT Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Amazon link to my novel; Dawn of the Karabu.

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ZkinandBonez said:

Shopping Maul said:

ZkinandBonez said:

I just came across this…“pin-up” I guess?..of the battle of Hoth as visualized by Michael Golden.

Does anyone have any idea where this this from?

Regardless of where its from, it’s pretty neat to see Michael Golden draw AT-ST’s before anyone saw them in more detail in ROTJ. It doesn’t look like he Kenner toy so I’m guessing he had that one shot from ESB as his only reference.

It was in one of the single issues of the Marvel TESB adaptation (which ran over six issues in the regular SW title). They had little pin-up galleries in the last few pages of each issue (as well as Archie Goodwin’s wonderful article on the making of the TESB adaptation). Off the top of my head there was a Frank Miller pic, Marie Severin, Bob Layton, Fred Hembeck, Walt Simonson etc etc.

And yes, it was very cool given that all we’d seen at that point were the couple of fleeting shots in TESB.

Right, that makes sense. I’ve only read the ESB adaptation in modern reprints so I’ve never seen any of threse pin-ups before.

I was surprised though to hear that Frank Miller did one as well. I knew he did the cover for issue #47, but according to wookieepedia that was the only SW related thing that he did. It always weirds me out when I discover something SW related that wookieepedia doesn’t know about as they’re usually so thorough.

I didn’t know Frank did the cover for #47! Much to learn have I!

The 6-issue adaptation is cool for the pin-ups, as well as Archie Goodwin’s piece on making the comic itself. He talks about the photographic reference and script and all that stuff, plus the fiasco with the paperback version featuring the original purple Yoda. There are also the letters pages where fans range from loving the adaptation to absolutely despising it, as well as interesting speculations about TESBs burning questions.

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Found a link to a gallery of all the pin-ups.

The Simonson one is definitely one of my favourites. As I’ve said before on this thead, I do enjoy his SW art in general, but I always wished we’d have gotten more “pure” Simonson art without someone else smoothing out his distinct style in the inking process.

It’s too bad that these pinups were never properly included in the re-prints (apparently some of them were). Around the time when I started properly collecting comics they at least had the sense to start including the original covers (which they didn’t before), but stuff like this was never or rarely included.

Now I’ll have to see if I can find some scans or photos of that Archie Goodwin article Shopping Maul described.

Star Wars is Surrealism, not Science Fiction (essay)
Original Trilogy Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Beyond the OT Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Amazon link to my novel; Dawn of the Karabu.

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Wow, looks like someone read Alan Dean Foster’s graphic descriptions of blaster damage. I didn’t even know blasters had a chestburster setting. 😉

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Where were you in '77?

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^ lol . And yeah , I dig Simonson’s style on it’s own as well …his covers for the series were his pure art and they were fantastic ! He also did the full page splash of the Tarkin battle station in issue 51 by himself . Great link ZkinandBonez ! I see it originated from a fan of the Two True Freaks podcast , That one also covered this entire series in their Star Wars Monthly Mondays segments , I listened to the whole thing years ago and it is truly a delight . I had almost forgotten about it . And they came back with a review of the new/retro issue 108 ! I will have to give that one a listen . Here is a link to their stuff…http://www.twotruefreaks.com/shows.php?show=6

https://screamsinthevoid.deviantart.com/

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I was reading SW #56 for the first time and noticed that Simonson/Palmer had designed a new type of bomb squad stormtrooper (or “bombtrooper”), which according to Wookieepedia only appeared in this one issue (they didn’t do their job particularly well either I might add).

According to the article the design, especially the helmets, were based “unused concept sketches” for ESB. I googled it, but couldn’t find anything that resembled this design. Does anyone know which concept art these helmets are based on?

(The Wookieepedia picture didn’t show the whole design so I took a photo of my Norwegian edition of the issue.)

Star Wars is Surrealism, not Science Fiction (essay)
Original Trilogy Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Beyond the OT Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Amazon link to my novel; Dawn of the Karabu.

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I would guess something by Joe Johnston or Nilo Rodis-Jamero out of the ESB sketchbook?

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Where were you in '77?

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Some of the early Snowtrooper sketches, undoubtedly. I’ve seen early concept art of snowtrooper armor which has those little horns based on samurai kabuto helmets. (Costume designer John Mollo proposed something similar for Vader’s helmet on the first SW film as well.)

“That Darth Vader, man. Sure does love eating Jedi.”

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they also used concept art in several other issues of the series , off the top of my head , I remember in issue 25 they used some of Johnston’s Death Star trench sketches for the background of Jorman Thoad’s used Starship lot , in issue 61 , the rebel tech who explains the T.I.E. fighter modifications to Luke and Shira is based off of Ralph Mcquarrie sketches in the art of Star Wars books , and in issue 59 , Lando’s outfit is based off of ROTJ concept sketches . I am sure there are more examples .

https://screamsinthevoid.deviantart.com/

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screams in the void said:

Most likely inspired by Joe Johnston concept art …https://www.pinterest.com/pin/430023464400062317/

Thanks. I knew I had seen those helmets somewhere before.

I found this picture of just the orig. Snowtrooper;

Seems like Johnston gradually toned down the Samurai influence until he ended up with the more simple design from the movies.

It’s a pretty neat design overall so its a shame that it hasn’t been used more in other EU material. Although it didn’t make too much sense for a snowtrooper, the “hardhat” made more sense for the bombsquad. It almost has a firefighter look to it.

BTW: Walt Simonon did a sketch of the Bombtrooper again i 2011.
Someone even made a custom Kenner figure based on SW #56.

Star Wars is Surrealism, not Science Fiction (essay)
Original Trilogy Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Beyond the OT Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Amazon link to my novel; Dawn of the Karabu.

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 (Edited)

screams in the void said:

they also used concept art in several other issues of the series , off the top of my head , I remember in issue 25 they used some of Johnston’s Death Star trench sketches for the background of Jorman Thoad’s used Starship lot ,

Interesting, do you mean this one? It’s the only one I could find that resembled the original comic panel.

screams in the void said:

in issue 61 , the rebel tech who explains the T.I.E. fighter modifications to Luke and Shira is based off of Ralph Mcquarrie sketches in the art of Star Wars books , and in issue 59 , Lando’s outfit is based off of ROTJ concept sketches . I am sure there are more examples .

Now that you mention it that outfit on the cover does have a ROTJ feel to it. Though that must have meant that Marvel was seeing concept art for ‘Revenge of the Jedi’ as early as 1982. Or was there some kind of pre-release concept art book or something similar that I’m unaware of?

screams in the void said:

^ nice finds man ! always love seeing Simonson’s pure art . There was also a Joe Johnston concept of those troopers leaning against the legs of a walker and one was even enjoying a smoke !

Lol, yeah it does kind of look like he’s smoking. I’m guessing you meant this sketch?.

It kinda reminds me of the three panels in the ANH adaptation where Vader levitates a coffe cup (or some other hot drink) over to himself and holds it as if he was about to start drinking it. I remember seeing that as a kid and wondering how he was going to drink it with his helmet on.

Star Wars is Surrealism, not Science Fiction (essay)
Original Trilogy Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Beyond the OT Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Amazon link to my novel; Dawn of the Karabu.

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^ yes , that is the Death Star concept sketch I was referring to , and the snowtrooper sketch is the one I meant as well . As for Lando , I remember seeing that design in an art of book or a magazine article, I will have to try and hunt down the source .

https://screamsinthevoid.deviantart.com/

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ZkinandBonez said:

screams in the void said:

they also used concept art in several other issues of the series , off the top of my head , I remember in issue 25 they used some of Johnston’s Death Star trench sketches for the background of Jorman Thoad’s used Starship lot ,

Interesting, do you mean this one? It’s the only one I could find that resembled the original comic panel.

screams in the void said:

in issue 61 , the rebel tech who explains the T.I.E. fighter modifications to Luke and Shira is based off of Ralph Mcquarrie sketches in the art of Star Wars books , and in issue 59 , Lando’s outfit is based off of ROTJ concept sketches . I am sure there are more examples .

Now that you mention it that outfit on the cover does have a ROTJ feel to it. Though that must have meant that Marvel was seeing concept art for ‘Revenge of the Jedi’ as early as 1982. Or was there some kind of pre-release concept art book or something similar that I’m unaware of?

screams in the void said:

^ nice finds man ! always love seeing Simonson’s pure art . There was also a Joe Johnston concept of those troopers leaning against the legs of a walker and one was even enjoying a smoke !

Lol, yeah it does kind of look like he’s smoking. I’m guessing you meant this sketch?.

It kinda reminds me of the three panels in the ANH adaptation where Vader levitates a coffe cup (or some other hot drink) over to himself and holds it as if he was about to start drinking it. I remember seeing that as a kid and wondering how he was going to drink it with his helmet on.

I think the bit with the cup was in the novel as well. Although Spaceballs pretty much answered that question, I presume there could be some apparatus inside Vader’s helmet that could allow him to drink? 😉

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Where were you in '77?

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The scene of Vader using the Force to fetch a drinking cup was in the third & fourth script drafts. In the third draft it’s during Vader’s first meeting with Leia aboard her ship, and Vader drinks from the cup (!). In the fourth draft it’s during the conference with the admirals on the Death Star, and he uses the Force to crush it instead.

As for how Vader could drink from the cup… well, in the third draft Ben Kenobi has a prosthetic right arm, so apparently the idea of including a cyborg character hadn’t fully merged with Darth Vader’s character yet.

“That Darth Vader, man. Sure does love eating Jedi.”

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ATMachine said:

The scene of Vader using the Force to fetch a drinking cup was in the third & fourth script drafts. In the third draft it’s during Vader’s first meeting with Leia aboard her ship, and Vader drinks from the cup (!). In the fourth draft it’s during the conference with the admirals on the Death Star, and he uses the Force to crush it instead.

As for how Vader could drink from the cup… well, in the third draft Ben Kenobi has a prosthetic right arm, so apparently the idea of including a cyborg character hadn’t fully merged with Darth Vader’s character yet.

Interesting, thanks for letting me know. I really have to get around to reading the old drafts one day.

Now I always figured Roy Thomas had the 4th draft script when writing the comic, but its interesting that they omitted Vader crushing it. Could that be due to the “Marvel Way” of writing/drawing that the crushing cup part got cut? I always forget exactly how the Marvel Way worked, but I know it often lead to inconsistencies and even contradictions between what was written and what was drawn.

Anyway, I like to imagine Vader with a built in cup-holder and straw for these occasions.

Star Wars is Surrealism, not Science Fiction (essay)
Original Trilogy Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Beyond the OT Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Amazon link to my novel; Dawn of the Karabu.

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ZkinandBonez said:

Now I always figured Roy Thomas had the 4th draft script when writing the comic, but its interesting that they omitted Vader crushing it. Could that be due to the “Marvel Way” of writing/drawing that the crushing cup part got cut? I always forget exactly how the Marvel Way worked, but I know it often lead to inconsistencies and even contradictions between what was written and what was drawn.

Basically the writer types up with a basic plot rather than a full script, hands it over to the illustrator who fleshes the plot out in their illustrations, hands the finished artwork over to the writer, who finally adds in the dialogue/descriptions.

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screams in the void said:

yet another example of concept art being used in the series…Admiral Giel’s flagship in issues 60-61 was based on a Joe Johnston sketch for Vader’s Executor…https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Helmsman_(battlecruiser)

That’s a pretty cool design. It’s interesting that version shown at the top of the wookieepedia article resembles the comic version more than the reverse-angle sketch, so in a sense the “canonical” design is more Smonson/Palmer than Joe Johnston.

This makes me wonder if some of Infantino’s wacky star destroyer designs were based on anything pre-existing as well;
http://www.battlegrip.com/9-incredible-star-destroyers-by-carmine-infantino-found-in-marvels-star-wars-comics/

Star Wars is Surrealism, not Science Fiction (essay)
Original Trilogy Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Beyond the OT Documentaries/Making-Ofs (YouTube, Vimeo, etc. finds)
Amazon link to my novel; Dawn of the Karabu.

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It’s very possible, considering Infantino repeatedly uses that design of a SD with four “shield generator” spheres.

“That Darth Vader, man. Sure does love eating Jedi.”