AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: POSTER VILLAIN!

Boba Fett flame blasts away in this icon image used for publicity. Though the flame-thrower weapon was originally created to work, animated flames were ultimately added on to this specific image, likely by Ralph McQuarrie.

Following on from his prior and popular duties as poster photographer of selected characters linked to the 1977 release of the original Star Wars, esteemed music photographer Bob Seidemann would return to shoot images of the dangerous new villain Boba Fett for a new and very successful poster/merchandise campaign (via the Factors Inc poster company), taken at a time around, or near after, the character's memorable appearance in The Star Wars Holiday Special (Fett having appeared there in animated form, with a different colour scheme that had been conceived earlier in 1978).

Image used for Empire's merchandising posters in the US. In this shoot, Fett wears the brown gloves also worn during the Kenner figure character shoot. These would be changed by April 1979.

It's likely that another ILM staffer wore the costume for the photo shoot.