THE LOWDOWN ON STAR WARS AFICIONADO
Launched back in 2003, STAR WARS AFICIONADO
is the brainchild of British fan SCOTT WELLER.
Sad at seeing the death of many STAR WARS fanzines with the astonishing growth
of the internet, and fed up with the continuing lack of interesting material
presented within the pages of official STAR WARS related magazines, Scott
decided to take the bold step of creating a new, non-profit making fanzine,
covering the kind of wide ranging features that he had always wanted to see in
the monthly magazines since his childhood-articles that would include rare
behind the scene information and interview quotes, great on set rare colour and
black and white photography from the movies, and detailed archives on STAR WARS
related stories (whether they be comics, books, storybook records, etc.), as
well as features on the various people who, over the years, have helped shape
the making and destiny of the Saga alongside it's creator George Lucas.
The result was STAR WARS AFICIONADO. As
Anakin Skywalker would say: "Yippee!"
Professionally printed in full colour, with high printing costs that,
five years on, have still not been recouped, AFICIONADO's
printed life, on a once quarterly basis, would happily go from strength to
strength after it's premiere issue, with a core group of writers and photo
researchers (including intrepid INDIANA JONES meets STAR WARS explorer Ian
Trussler and the extensive powerhouse of photos and information that is Chris
Baker-my continuing thanks to you both) working together on the magazine who
have provided a constant stream of appealing articles and images for
publication within the magazine's pages (of which we have also revealed many
pieces of rare behind the scenes filming information on the movies to readers
several years before they would be made officially available through
official LUCASFILM approved magazines and web-sites!!). STAR WARS AFICIONADO, though very small in circulation, has been a
consistent cult success, acquiring a very loyal fan readership over ten years
(of which we are very grateful for your continuing support). With it's
continued popularity, the magazine's printed editions are now no longer
available and have since sold out as the publication marches on into new
frontiers.
No longer able to afford the cost of printing, and, to this day still
trying to recoup previous production costs, AFICIONADO,
realizing that it had to join the technological race, decided to carry on in a
PDF file format release. The first issue to undergo this change was our revised
MAKING OF STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE issue, followed by our THIRTIETH
ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE. In early 2008 we celebrated the Thirtieth Anniversary of
RETURN OF THE JEDI with our most exhaustively researched MAKING OF issue yet,
whilst 2009 saw our celebrations for the Tenth Anniversary of STAR WARS EPISODE
ONE: THE PHANTOM MENACE and 2010 for the Thirtieth Anniversary of THE EMPIRE
STRIKES BACK, with our new Behind the Scenes Companion. Additionally, we would also decidd to start making available selected back issues of STAR WARS
AFICIONADO on PDF, such as seven (the Vader issue), eight and nine (our
popular EPISODE III related double issue), ten (our STAR WARS television
issue), an issues 1-4 compilation, and our earlier special, equally exhaustive
issue from 2005 on the making of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.
Complimenting this site and the now ceased magazine is the blog site you’re looking at now, launched in July 2010, and full of additional rare photos, quality
info and nostalgia you've come to expect from AFICIONADO.
To our ever loyal, continuing readers worldwide, we would like to thank all of you
for your support and encouragement. To our new readers, we hope you like what
you see here and that we've tickled your interest fancy enough for you to continue
reading the site or wanting to get hold of an issue of the magazine.
And if you like it, tell more people about us-we want everyone to enjoy
every aspect of the STAR WARS saga. We hope AFICIONADO manages
to be a little part of that enjoyment!!
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU... ALWAYS!
ENJOY STAR WARS!
ENJOY STAR WARS AFICIONADO!
