Way back in the long ago days, Star Wars was in movie theaters, on the comic book stands, and in your local newspaper. Now thanks to an agreement between IDW Publishing and Lucasfilm, those classic newspaper strips are being collected for the first time.
Star Wars: The Classic Newspaper Comic contains 575 sequential strips from its premiere run March 11, 1979 to October 5, 1980. Included are every Sunday’s title header and “bonus” panels in meticulously restored original color, making this the first-ever complete collection of this comics classic as they originally appeared. During the five years Star Wars Comics first appeared, early fans were treated to a total of twenty-seven storylines that remain some of the best “Classic Star Wars” era tales ever told.
This will be the first volume released, with two more arriving later for a total of three volumes of Star Wars newspaper comics to entertain you.
Initially the color Sundays and B&W dailies told separate stories, but within six months the incomparable Russ Manning merged the adventures to tell brand new epic seven-days-a-week sagas that rivaled the best science fiction comics of all time. When the strip launched, Russ Manning accurately predicted that “People today can’t get enough science fiction, especially if it is original and full of creative adventure. The Star Wars characters are like Mickey Mouse. They will be loved forever.” These strips reflect a simpler time in the franchise’s history and are a “must-have” for both the hardcore and casual Star Wars fan.
I’ve been really impressed with the Library of American Comics IDW Publishing has released. It’s been a while since I’ve picked a collection up – the last was Bloom County – but I am oddly interested in grabbing Star Wars: The Classic Newspaper Comic Volume One when it arrives in May. The landscape hardcover will have a $49.99 cover price, but I bet you can find it for less if you look.
