Star Wars age 9 Comic Book

c.1982/83? | age 14? The drawing’s pretty good in this one—especially in the bottom panel. My God, it’s almost like… a photograph!

I don’t know why, but for some reason I always liked Howard Chaykin’s image of Luke’s fist scrubbing the muck off the door plate. There’s a tangible real-life quality to it. I also like the toughness of the gesture: a quick single scrub. Better than a finger-tip inside a spit-moistened hankie. I know, I’m odd.

Howard Chaykin/Marvel 1977

Art Notes

Lots of pasted-in images in this one. You’d wonder why someone who loved drawing so much would do this wouldn’t you? I’ve said it before, I think it was just a love of the photographic imagery and a wish to make it all seem even closer to the film itself. I must have had spare/duplicate trading cards (top-right) and the black and white image at the bottom would’ve been a prize catch from a newspaper or someplace. Not, I hope, cut from one of the comics! It also turns the comic into a bit of a scrap-book at times, which is charming too.

Keep the Site Alive!

Feedback

(wriitten in Aug 2011) Just another plea to you folks to give feedback when you can. My free time’s going to be scarce once I start the new job next week so, much as I love working on SWa9 I might have to cut-back on updates. I can’t even begin to guess how many thousand hours I must have spent on it by now, for the sheer enjoyment of it. I’m a bit crazy I think.

“I love it!” Even Mark Hamill’s had a read

Encourage me to keep at it! – through times when I’m exhausted and can’t face going up to the attic office after a day of burning my eyes out web-designing, and parenting duties. All you need to do is to keep in touch through the site Comments (below) and the Facebook page. I’ll also just add that I’m not fishing for compliments – but just some kind of feedback so I know you’re dropping by and enjoying the site. Witty comments a la Neil Baker and Tom Gatto especially, give me the energy to keep on with this Epic. No hidden fees to give support—it’s free! Also, thanks to the Hannahs of BlueMilkSpecial.com who have showcased this site many many times – seemingly unafraid of ridicule by association!

My Appreciation for You

“And it’s still fun the second time around, at a more leisurely pace!”
–Steve Sansweet on SWa9

Steve Sansweet (L) and me (R) in Easter 2011

(wriitten in Aug 2011) Finally, I appreciate those of you who’ve stuck by the site, commented, clicked those ‘Like’ links and suggested the site to friends. Special thanks go to Neil Baker: because of him, official Star Wars follows SWa9 on Facebook and Twitter, and Mark Hamill himself «even enjoyed a read! Neil saw a limited opportunity to tweet Mark and used it to tell him about SWa9! Incredible! «Steve Sansweet couldn’t get enough of the 34 year old comic when I met him early this year (though you have to be nice to the fans eh?).
Hello, Mark and Steve – are you still getting your 3 times weekly doses of SWa9?