Thursday 5 July 2012

REMEMBERING THE UK 'STAR WARS' POSTER MAGAZINES...

The 1978 UK edition of STAR WARS poster magazine issue 4 with a new Vader posed photo overlaid on a classic Blockade Runner scene. Note how the Vader helmet has not been attached properly!

With the STAR WARS merchandise blitzkrieg of 1978 in the UK, one of my first essential purchases with the weekly pocket money from my much missed Grandma were the colourful, picture-packed monthly poster mags, printed here by GALAXY. Only four were officially published in the UK, but the line continued in America well into 1979. (One of it's final issues having a preview of the then upcoming THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.)

Those four UK issues may have had the same features as their US counter-parts, but three of them (issues 2-4) had different covers that were deemed more appealing to the UK buying public-most notably showcasing the droids, villains and technology, as seen in the covers above and below.





One of the most important writing contributors to the poster magazine series, and the subsequent EMPIRE limited run that followed in 1980, was the work of British journalist John May. Check out this terrific blog article by the man himself, where he fondly recalls the incredible period he spent writing for the title, being involved with LUCASFILM, going to the ESB set at ELSTREE and meeting George Lucas: The Generalist: Star Wars: Memories of A Galaxy Far, Far Away




May talks about a lot of interviews he conducted with some of the Classic Trilogy's top names of the time. Lets hope one day that May and LUCASFILM (J.W. Rinzler, perhaps?) can work together in getting the full interview transcripts/tape conversations of this fascinating time period/capsule released for public enjoyment.

With thanks to STARWARSMAGAZINESONLINE website (The Star Wars original trilogy magazines reference guide - Poster Monthly) for selected scans.

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