175: Darth Vader enters the Fight
c.1982/83? | age 14/15? Poor Blue Leader gets it today: it seems that Darth Vader has joined the fray!
In the Marvel adaptation we actually get to see Vader climb into his TIE fighter. But not here—nor in the (ahem) film version of SWa9. No, Vader’s appearance here is very all-of-a-sudden. Maybe a preceding page was lost along the way?
Art Notes: Very Fancy
‘Things in the mirror may look less scary than they really are’
This page is very similar to the Marvel version in some ways—especially with Vader lining up his sights on his quarry. But what seems to be original to SWa9 is the creative intertwining of the two men’s words. Who’s saying—or thinking—what? You know reader, I’m quite proud of young me, looking at this. I doubt that I’d come up with such a dramatic device now! (Even if it is a little confusing)
Holy TIE Fighter Batman!
The Vampire Bat
When young Johnny and I were watching bats at dusk, on our summer holiday in West Cork; it suddenly occurred to me that Vader’s modified TIE fighter is somewhat reminiscent of a bat! I don’t know if it was intended by the designer (Joe Johnson?) but I bet it enhanced its visual impact on viewers—subliminally. What do you think yourself?
The Beginning of the End?
There are only a few pages left until the the end of the comic, readers. I do feel sad about it. However—I wrote the following on Facebook last week (years ago), after leafing through loads of non-comic childhood Star Wars drawings:
“I am truly mad to even dare suggest this (SWa9 has taken over 2 years to bring to this point) but, looking through a TONNE of old Star Wars artwork in the attic: I could literally re-tell the entire film all over again. They just need speech bubbles. And you know what? It’d be 10 times dafter, and most of it is REALLY early stuff of ’77/78. Very contemporary with the actual phenomenon as it happened.”
I’m still giving it serious consideration! (Update: or perhaps when I retire in 20+ years time?)
. . .
Hey this page is too well done to pick on! 🙁
Aw come on – there must be SOMETHING! You’re just not trying anymore Tom. How about:
Vader: “Turn off that infernal Dinosaur rock or face the consequences!”
Or:
“He’s approaching our vulnerable point that we’ve apparently KNOWN about but didn’t bother stick anything infront of as a very effective short-term solution.”
He’s got bad company.
Love the final panel.
Thanks Neil – poor Blue Leader.
I wonder what other ‘tapes’ he has in in his deck? Grand Funk Railroad?
Fantastic art and arrangement here! Could this page be that much newer?
Regarding the retelling of the movie with additional artwork, I say go for it! I love seeing SW through the eyes of a kid, and with all the Special Editions, Platinum & BluRay remixes, you could post either mixed with the pages you’ve already posted, or a whole separate feature (like the “deleted scenes” that Lucasfilm has never bothered to try restoring and integrating in the movies… Biggs!).
Thanks for the kind words, Scot.
This is from around 1982 or ’83, so it’s 4 or 5 years after I started adapting the film. I would LOVE to do a re-telling via all the other masses of artwork.
Funny you should mention Biggs, I don’t think he makes much of an appearance in the non-comic drawings. Have you seen this though?
http://starwarsage9.com/comic/we-meet-biggs-016/
I’ve been lurking on-and-off since then (wow! has it been that long?!). I missed some stuff, so I’m re-reading from the compactor scenes. Just ran into your comic about “Aliens”; is there a lot of drawing for that one?
And I totally remember that…odd… scene you did with Biggs & Luke. Maybe some bits of the movie are better left on the cutting room floor? 😛
I’m delighted you’re re-reading it Scott. Makes it even more worthwhile.
Loads of pages in A L I E N ! But…I never finished it. Ripley’s just changing into the spacesuit in the locker and it just – stops. I’ll have to finish the story off with new pages.
The Biggs and Luke one just LOOKED odd. I swear.
If you don’t have the low angle shot of Ripley in the locker, there’ll be hell to pay.
Ha ha. But those saggy little knickers? Euwww… 😡
Oh you HAVE to do a new Star Wars one. It’s not just the drawings that are great but the commentary!
I would actually have to quit my job and get divorced to take on a project like that!
If I get rich from these comics – ha ha, yeah right – and no longer have to be a wage slave: I’LL DO IT.