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

star wars comic page detail image

‘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!

vampire bat

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?)

. . .

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