CLASSIC ART: VALORUM MEETS THE COUNCIL!

With the trade routes dispute escalating into chaos throughout the Republic, the harried yet benevolent Supreme Chancellor Valorum liaises with the senior members of the Jedi Council about the expanding crisis, and to get advice, especially with the soon shocking news that a blockade has now been activated by the greedy Trade Federation against the peaceful world of Naboo.  

Terrific art by Chris Trevas showcasing the unseen lead-up to EPISODE I. 

CLASSIC ART: PROTECTING THE SUPREME CHANCELLOR!

The surprise attack on the heart of the Republic is ongoing, and brutal Separatist droid leader General Grievous has already launched his fiendish plan to kidnap the Supreme Chancellor from Coruscant, audaciously partaking in the scheme himself, now planet side and armed with the lightsabers of dead foes as he takes on Palpatine's current steadfast Jedi bodyguards in this truly dark time.

Super Expanded Universe art linked to the opening of EPISODE III from the ever-reliable Chris Trevas. 

CLASSIC ART: 'MELTDOWN ON HOTH'!

It's an incident referred to at the start of The Empire Strikes Back but sadly one never seen onscreen- as an angry Threepio berates his comrade Artoo for an earlier 'accident' in the Hoth hidden Rebel base - the thermal heater melting of ice within Princess Leia's quarters and the subsequent water damage done to her clothing. A fine moment for humour linked to the classic duo and Leia thankfully brought to life by that excellent artist Chris Trevas a few years back.

CLASSIC ART: 'THE PRINCESS' GAMBIT'

Getting into the heavily-protected, well-guarded stronghold belonging to the slimy Jabba the Hutt is not going to be an easy task, but the ever-determined Leia Organa will get her lover Han Solo back at all costs, as Lando and Chewbacca prepare for their infiltration phase of the operation...

The soon Fortieth Anniversary landmark of Return of the Jedi is celebrated on the artistic front with this absolutely superb and truly original entry from the always-innovative and original long time SW artist Chris Trevas, showcased during Celebration 2022: The Princess' Gambit.

'STAR WARS' AT 40: SUBDUING IMPERIAL BOARDERS!

Back in 1977, we heard but never saw our hidden heroes on board the Falcon taking out the Imperial scanning crew and the subsequent ramp Stormtroopers in the Death Star hangar. Thankfully, the talents of long-time STAR WARS artist Chris Trevas would happily rectify that by 2015, in the art The Folly of TK-421...

As to the subdued foes final fate we never found out on screen. I assume Han and Chewie dumped the unconscious or dead bodies somewhere in the hangar bay shortly afterwards, or kept them tied up in the Falcon's hidden compartments, later giving them over to the Rebels as prisoners of war. In Alan Dean Foster's adaptation novel of 1976, the unconscious Stormtroopers were stored in a locker on board the Falcon before eventually being discovered by their Imperial comrades.

CLASSIC ART: MOUNT TANTISS ENCOUNTER!

Its end game inside the Mount Tantiss stronghold for the insane but powerful rogue Jedi Jorus C'Boath, fascinated and delighted by the situation he has created for Luke Skywalker, now raising his lightsaber against an equally armed clone opponent, whilst a Force lightning injured and shocked Mara Jade looks on. A terrific piece of Chris Trevas (?) art capturing a super scene from Timothy Zahn's landmark THRAWN TRILOGY conclusion, The Last Command.

All three of the enduring and groundbreaking books are being republished later this month as part of the Legends banner in the US, from Del Rey, featuring all-new cover art courtesy via Rich Kelly, just in time for Thrawn's upcoming animated debut in STAR WARS REBELS.

AN 'EMPIRE' HITS 35!

Stalwart STAR WARS artist Chris Trevas latest work for the Illustrated series is another wondrous piece, capturing all the drama and coolness of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and its main characters, as the film, the first sequel, celebrates its superb 35th Anniversary today!

CLASSIC ART: BACK TO STARS' END!

They thought they were going on a nice, easy charter to Alderaan and finally pay off their sizable debts, but lovable rogue Han Solo and his life debt owing friend Chewbacca soon found themselves involved in "Imperial entanglements"! Though, in all honesty, before meeting Luke Skywalker, Ben Kenobi and friends on Tatooine, the duo weren't exactly strangers to danger, adventure and devil may care heroism, as Brian Daley's sterling 1979-81 trilogy of original, all-new adventures, fully approved by Lucasfilm, arrived thirty-five years ago, telling some of their pre- EPISODE IV antics with great readability and page-turning skill- beginning with the classic tale: Han Solo at Stars' End!

Modern STAR WARS artist supremo Chris Trevas captures the flavour of our heroes from that time with the above art, alongside their then unique new droid pal Bollux and mini super-computer Blue Max. The premiere STAR WARS REBELS novel A New Dawn may be getting all the attention right now, but let's not forget this classic book, which, alongside Splinter of the Mind's Eye, did so much to launch the saga's original fiction adventures range into what it is today.

Check out our previous AFICIONADO ARCHIVE PDF on Han Solo at Stars' End here: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B80ITjM31EVRX1JKUXFyb2hyOWs/edit

REBEL GENESIS: SPIRITS OF FREEDOM...

Art by Chris Trevas.

As a lead-in to STAR WARS REBELS, AFICIONADO presents a series of images featuring characters, events and history linked to the ultimate creation of the Rebel Alliance against the Empire.

She'd grown up within a tranquil world of beauty and peace on the snow capped Alderaan, but young Leia Organa, adopted daughter of Bail and Breha Organa, was not isolated from the oppression and tyranny waged outside her parents system by the Galactic Empire, often feeling sad and guilty about the poor, isolated and vulnerable people and worlds being exploited throughout the inner and outer rims by ambitious, corruptible evil minds. With a passionate and dutiful heart, firmly working alongside the distinguished and respected father she cherished so deeply, Leia would help the needy wherever possible, soon becoming a critical member of the fledgling secret underground movement that was the Rebel Alliance, using her mostly unrestricted status as a VIP rising star diplomat to travel the universe and secure weapons, technology and manpower as the Rebels began setting up their first critical base of operations, firstly on the wilderness plains world of Dantooine, then transferring to the equally remote and lucsious alien jungle world of Yavin IV.

Not afraid to muck in and help her colleagues, trained as a lethal markswoman and a pilot, powerful enough to resist the potential threat of Imperial capture and interrogation always hanging over her, Leia was one capable youngster who knew how to take care of herself. Her greatest chance to aid the Rebel cause would come with the news that spies had captured the plans to a new, all-powerful Imperial superweapon secretly under construction. Plans, in our heroes most desperate hour, that had to be retrieved under the most dangerous conditions and sent back to her father as soon as possible, accompanied with the equally urgent retrieval to action and resistance from a legendary Jedi Knight, now hidden far away on the backwater desert world of Tatooine...

CLASSIC ART: THE NEW JEDI ORDER...

Another classic Chris Trevas image, showing us Luke at the head of his New Republic-era Jedi, based within the Massassi Temples of the Fourth Moon of Yavin, as begun in the fateful events of Kevin J. Anderson's JEDI ACADEMY trilogy, and further cemented in other Expanded Universe books later down the line.

Whether Luke did indeed gather a new assemblage of Jedi outside the unofficial Expanded Universe, within the timeline of official events after EPISODE VI, and before the likely tumoultous 35 years after events of EPISODE VII, is unknown. Will young rising stars Daisy Ridley and John Boyega be the proper start of the next generation of Jedi from 2015?

Attending MARVEL's UK premiere of sci-fi comedy GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, Mark Hamill was interviewed by the BBC about EPISODE VII, and the contractually-obligated growing of his Alec Guinness-inspired beard: BBC News - Mark Hamill, aka Luke Skywalker, on Star Wars: Episode VII

CLASSIC ART: HAN AND LEIA AT 'RAZOR'S EDGE'

Stellar illustrator Chris Trevas delivers another slam dunk piece of official STAR WARS art, bringing together younger, pre ESB versions of Han and Princess Leia for a tense meeting scene, from the recent EMPIRE and REBELLION Trilogy's opening novel: Razor's Edge.

Great work from one of my all-time favourite commercial STAR WARS artists...

Will Star Wars Be Your Valentine This Year? | Star Wars Books

The Trevas Illustration Portfolio: Star Wars

Check out the AFICIONADO book review here: STAR WARS AFICIONADO MAGAZINE: AFICIONADO REVIEW: 'RAZOR'S EDGE' NOVEL

ROTJ AT 30: A 'CONVENIENT' WAY TO DIE...

Han and Chewie might be miserable at their upcoming feeding to the Sarlaac Pit, on this dust ball of Tatooine, but Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker is not quite so doom-laden. His alternate plan of battle and escape from Jabba the Hutt is moving towards end game now, and he has several aces still up his sleeve-including the disguised Lando Calrissian on the skiff with them.

A lovely piece by stellar STAR WARS artist Chris Trevas from RETURN OF THE JEDI, via the kind people at the RETRO STAR WARS and STAR WARS ARCHIVES FACEBOOK pages.

CLASSIC REVIEW: 'STAR WARS BLUEPRINTS - REBEL EDITION'

STAR WARS BLUEPRINTS: REBEL EDITION

Written by Ryder Windham

Illustrated by Chris Trevas and Chris Reiff

Published by DORLING KINDERSLEY books

Reviewed by Scott Weller

When the original, all defining space fantasy STAR WARS first came out in 1977 and spread its wings of popularity and imagination across the world, which boys and dads didn’t want to dream of the chance to be in an X-wing fighter and go off into both adventure and battle alongside Jedi-to-be Luke Skywalker and the brave men and women of Red Squadron. Just seeing that end scene in the film- pretty much 15 minutes of wall to wall dramatic space battle conflict the likes of which had never been seen before cinematically, and initiating similar scenes in sci-fi movies following in the films mighty wake, which really were just pale imitations- was pretty staggering, and you felt like you were in the middle of it all- almost like being in a real roller coaster ride at Disney. Alongside these soon to be legendary attack craft were the Rebel Y-wing fighters, equally intriguing to look at from a design directive and just as fast as their rival ships-both were the most sleek looking spaceship craft ever built yet, and it was their grubbiness, the looks of decay and wear and tear on them, the pitted scars and the oil leak mark on their hull that made them seem further realistic and even more visually attractive- the first time a science fiction/fantasy universe had had that intriguing quality, the lived in look, and the ships, alongside the films other technology and environments, proved relatable in the same way that the legendary British Spitfires were to us all in images and footage from World War II, or seen for real at air shows. I’ve always loved fighter craft and planes in general-though I’d be too terrified to pilot one. There would be one exception, though, and that would be within the STAR WARS universe-where I’d be a crack pilot capable of handling anything, and especially an X-wing fighter! Yep, I reckon that if I lived within George Lucas’s incredible STAR WARS universe I’d give one of those babies a try, and especially now that I have the incredible schematics and details of not just this ship, but others being used within the Rebel Alliance, plus related technology, in the new, second book batch of superb blueprints from DORLING KINDERSLEY. Like the superb previous ULTIMATE EDITION, the two Chris’s -Trevas and Reiff- return to add their distinctive graphic works to the mix, alongside the skilled STAR WARS history compiling talents of Ryder Windham. This new book, with their combined multi-media talents, tell us everything we’ll ever need to now about the formidable Rebel Alliance and the not new, but souped up to their best abilities technology they would use, against all odds and despite their beaten down conditions, piloted/used by brave men, women and aliens, to defy a galaxy spanning, totally overwhelming force of Imperial Tyranny.

The skillfully designed schematics are, as before, excellent, and Windham’s notes are all encompassing in their detail within the ever expanding framework of the STAR WARS Expanded Universe. You’ll find out where these ships come from (in a now official history that, since the nineties and the Prequels, has always been different and adjusted to how I originally read them from when STAR WARS was released, especially with the X-wings (I always recall reading that the X-wings, and not just the Y-wings, were old types of fighter from before the Empire (long before EPISODE III’s introduction of the similar looking ARC-170 fighters), yet now the X-wings had been specially made for use with the birth of the Rebel Alliance). Why and who made these changes I don’t know, but I’m guessing it was indeed the early nineties that the revisionism happened and LUCASFILM have stayed with it), how they work (in which readers can finally discover where everything is inside them and all their vital functions), and their defining battles within the saga, past and present, with further info on some of the bold star warriors that have used them. And it doesn’t just stop with the fighters, we also get the same insider depth with the wonderful Rebel Blockade Runner from STAR WARS (the first vehicle and technology seen in the original 1977 film) and REVENGE OF THE SITH, the heavy weaponry used by our heroes (including Chewbacca the Wookiee’s distinctive Bowcaster and crack shot Princess Leia’s retro cool-looking defender blaster), and, in a special treat for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK fans, complete schematics of every facet of the incredible Echo Base facility on the fifth planet in the Hoth system, where Luke, Han and the others took refuge-find out where the command center and medical areas are that played viotal parts in the film’s early beginning, alongside areas of the base we never saw, and find the correct locations of the Millennium Falcon smuggling vessel, fighters, transport ships and Snowspeeders in the various hangar levels (which, I’m assuming took a lot of work and planning, bravely tries to explain all the differing visual continuity changes with the vehicles seen in the film’s Hangar bay scenes), and discover more about the intriguing, powerful defense systems and devices used to protect them from what will eventually be overwhelming Imperial attacks both from above and on the ground.

With such excellent notes and superb technical details/layouts which are pleasing to eye, their printing up as high quality large scales posters is a terrific bonus, and they make you want to delve into them constantly for lots of close-up examination, as well as proving very durable as wall hang ups. There’s also some very nice rare photos that I hadn’t seen before accompanying the text (including a deleted scene – perhaps in recognition of the upcoming Blu-ray release of EMPIRE), which will be of note to archivists like me.

As with the prior ULTIMATE EDITION, you’re guaranteed to be looking at this 32 page book and blueprints for hours, enjoying the high dedication to detail that these STAR WARS projects have initiated (where you’ll also re-admire the beautiful work done for the films in 1979, 1982 and 2003 by Lucas’s very talented art teams). We look forward to further exciting volumes in the continuing series, though I think the Classic Trilogy is the area that should be examined the most-its more iconic and intriguingly accessible design wise.

AFICIONADO RATING: With such unparalleled research and access to the craft and other visual materials from LUCASFILM,  great care, attention to detail and love of the project can be seen within this new blueprints edition. Another smashing book that’s a worthy addition to the collection, and a further STAR WARS project that breathes new life into an old idea. Now, the only things missing from our lives now are the fully function technology and vehicles themselves! 9 out of 10   

AFICIONADO CLASSIC REVIEW: 'STAR WARS - BLUEPRINTS' BOOK

STAR WARS BLUEPRINTS: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION

Written by Ryder Windham

Illustrated by Chris Trevas and Chris Reiff

Published by Dorling Kindersley, August 1^st 2008

Reviewed by SCOTT WELLER

I’ve always liked sci-fi blueprints. Ever since I was seven, when I opened up an early issue of the US science fiction magazine STARLOG MAGAZINE. Within its crisp new pages, the first blueprints that ever caught this seven year olds eye at that time were a special blue pages pull out spread of the SPACE:1999 Eagle Transporter vehicle, designed by British Special Effects wizard Brian Johnson, later to work in that position on THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. Intriguingly, both SPACE: 1999 and STAR WARS would have unusual ties to one another-not only hadJohnson originally turned down the first STAR WARS due to his commitments to the first series of that TV show, but also because of his visual design for the grasshopper like vehicle, in which Lucas would make the critical decision of changing his original design for the Millennium Falcon- his ILM completed craft being just too similar to the vessel that was already in the show that had been airing on television during 1975. The Eagle would be one of my favourite non STAR WARS spaceships and, looking back at those now moth eaten blueprints, I’m as still impressed now as I was then by them, and the way the ship was brought to believable life, the beautifully crafted schematics making logical sense and explaining how its systems would work if it was a real machine being used for everyday life on Moonbase Alpha. It was things like that that made me a fan of science fiction and when STAR WARS came along the look of it’s unique universe, it’s peoples, and most importantly, it’s amazing spacecraft, literally blew me away!! And it all seemed so real!!

When the film deservedly became a mega success, all of us STAR WARS fans hungered for more information on everything that saga had to offer, and that’s when DEL REY, with their keen foresight that the film would be a success, were quicker off the mark than most in releasing books and other tie-ins relating to it that soon struck good in the publishing world. When the JoeJohnston blueprints for the movie were put together in a lovely package from BALLANTINE BOOKS (well done Lester Del Rey!!) I, like thousands of other impressed fans, knew they were a required, downright essential purchase-not just at the chance to see drawings of the amazing ships in the film, but, like the Eagle of a few years before, to see where all the devices were within them and what they all did- extending my grasp and knowledge of things like the Millennium Falcon-surely the coolest vessel around-and it’s cockpit, deflector dish, engines, gun ports, even things like the landing struts appealed to me! And then there were all the other craft-the harsh and terrifying looking shape of the TIE fighter, the sleek beauty of the X and Y-wing  fighters, and the dirt trodden locomotive type vehicle that belonged to the Jawas. It was all such a fascinating universe. These blueprints were fantastic. Sadly, I never got the chance to get any more blueprints for ships and craft, not only in STAR WARS but in science fiction in general, so when I heard the news that there was going to be a special release from DORLING KINDERSLEY, taking a fresh new look at selected blueprints for vehicles and characters from the STAR WARS universe, I had a smile on my face as it brought back very happy memories of my youth-this was one new product I couldn’t wait to see. I’m very happy to say that my expectations for the blueprints have been more than exceeded with this premiere release, another terrific addition to a ton of newly released, and important, STAR WARS books over the last two years that have been, on the whole, superb.

Basically, once past the beautifully hardcover book like box, which is equally beautifully designed and printed, you open it up to find five lovely double side posters/blueprints of some of the most iconic characters, weapons and vehicles of the saga-THE DEATH STAR, DARTH VADER, R2-D2, C-3PO, THE MILLENNIUM FALCON, LIGHTSABERS and BLASTERS. All of the subjects presented have been beautifully rendered by artists Chris Trevas (we miss you and your SET PIECE features for the INSIDER terribly…please come back soon!!) and Chris Reiff, the pair have truly done their visual homework (working from some of the best material housed within the LUCASFILM ARHIVES)-all of their artwork for the project is amazing. And the detail is just incredible-just check out all the work on the mechanics of the DEATH STAR, or the suit that keeps Darth Vader alive. You’ll be going back and looking at these drawings again and again for ages. There’s also all the great ancillary blueprints around the main designs-loved that back cockpit shot of Artoo in the X-wing, the Tractor Beam Control booth in the DEATH STAR, and the Vader vision art shot showing him strangling one of his victims.. And as for thatMillennium Falcon schematic, well that is just AWESOME-l loved finding out where it keeps its missiles and all the listed controls on the cockpit. If the first film’s original Production Designer, the late John Barry, was alive today to see how his, Joe Johnston’s and Ralph McQuarrie’s work was being revisited and revitalized, and how it was still being loved by people the world over thirty years on, I think he’d be absolutely blown away and thrilled by it all!!

Added to the design beauty, the printing of the illustrations is on very nice high gloss paper and will prove durable with time. And they are perfect for framing as well! On the opposite side of the blueprints, the reproductions of the mammoth all encompassing main images for the poster are also nicely done, the stills reproduction holding up very well for that size, and the photo selections are good-there are even a couple of rare photos amongst them all that I hadn’t seen before…

Let’s not forget the text either, which has the all important task of bringing together the worlds of the filmed STAR WARS universe and that of the Expanded Universe into one believable mesh, and writer Ryder Windham does a fine job navigating and solving any potential continuity problems, presenting us with a straightforward carrying prose that is essential for such an epic project like this. Each poster and text also gets some of the best quotes from the movies as well…

With this amazing work, model replica builders now have the greatest research tools available to them in creating their beloved props, models and costumes-there’s no excuse not to build a perfect copy of Darth Vader’s Meditation Chamber now!! And I’m expecting someone to build a full size Millennium Falcon replica before I turn fifty! Again, no more excuses!!

Yep, this BLUEPRINTS collection is mighty fine-my only complaint, if you can call it one, being that I wish it had just a few more blueprints inside it. I hope it is successful enough to create further releases of this high quality, covering even more material on the other films. Well done to the writer and artists, and for DORLING KINDERSLEY /LUCASFILM, for bringing back to life an area of STAR WARS publishing that I thought had died out...

And don’t forget, to celebrate the books release today, head over to DORLING KINDERSLEY’s official website at http://www.dk.com/starwars and check out their stunning new blueprint from the book, free for download use, of the charming droid duo of Artoo Detoo and See-Threepio. You won’t be disappointed!!

AFICIONADO RATING: THE NEXT STAGE IN THE EVOLUTION OF STAR WARS BLUEPRINTS AND SCHEMATIC ARTWORK, THIS A BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED ITEM, AND A WORTHY ADDITION TO ANY TRUE FANS COLLECTION.  9 OUT OF 10.

CLASSIC REVIEW: 'MILLENNIUM FALCON - 3-D OWNER'S GUIDE'

STAR WARS: MILLENNIUM FALCON YT -1300 - A 3-D OWNERS GUIDE

Written by Ryder Windham

Illustrated by Chris Trevas and Chris Reiff

Published in large format book scale by SCHOLASTIC

Reviewed by Scott Weller

She’s the ship that always manages to beat the odds and save the day for our heroes.

She’s the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, specially modified to help her escape from trouble and succeed in her tasks by the best space smuggler this side of the Kessel run-Han Solo.

She’s a maverick vessel for a maverick space captain. Theirs is a symbiotic relationship that has seen them through the best of times and the worst of times, but they’ve always just about managed to survive unscathed, bar the occasional few bumps, bruises and replaceable solenoids!

Now, discover more about the infamous and incredible Millennium Falcon space freighter, and others in her original production model, in this new 3-D layered owner’s guide book now available from SCHOLASTIC.

It’s certainly one of the most novel and exciting new innovations into the realms of 3-D book publications I’ve seen in a while, and is a STAR WARS fans dream as it takes you deep into every distinct, unusual and downright amazing detail of this iconic ship-layer by layer and inside and out-from its hidden belly guns, to its temperamental internal computer system core that protocol droids don’t like communicating with (and vice versa), to those infamous smuggling compartments, and the functions of the upgraded deflector dish, its all there to be enjoyed in the very finest detail. The book/model even shows you where the escape pods are which Solo jettisoned whilst captured by the Death Star’s tractor beam!

The original half to three-quarter constructed prop of the Millennium Falcon, built at Elstree Studios for the original STAR WARS.

The highly insightful, lovingly crafted art by regular STAR WARS scribe/artistic genius Chris Trevas (whose work continues to excel, and much admired by AFICIONADO for a long time) and Chris Reiff-you could say they were a very talented bunch of Chris’s indeed!- has left no stone unturned (and they’ve obviously pored over every screen grab image or photo of the ship from the films that they could find-much to their research credit), accompanied by text from the reliable Expanded Universe writer Ryder Windham which is just right for the readers-hitting the spot as one part corporate users guide and instructional manual, the other featuring in person commentary/diary-like notes brought to life with a typically roguish and intriguing commentary from none other than a certain Han Solo himself. Windham captures the quirky independence, tenacity and smugglers charm of STAR WARS most popular space captain for hire well, in what proves to be a perfect compliment to the terrific visuals as you keep turning the pages. A special mention must also go to the construction designers of the book for showing an obvious love and careful planning in the assembling process for its ultimate practical realization and final printing.

For anyone who’s a modeler and wants to give their ship the greatest detailing ever, or to the fans who want to know simply everything there is to learn about the greatest freighter in Corellian history, this 3-D OWNER’S GUIDE is the one for you-put together in a fantastic package that shows the ship in the kind of intricate detail and depth it both requires and deserves. I’m sure Joe Johnston, the original designer for the last minute shape that ultimately became the Falcon, will be very proud to see his creation so vividly displayed. The book is a great addition to any serious STAR WARS fans collections, and let’s hope its successfully enough to be the first of many large scale productions, delving into the depths of STAR WARS greatest spaceships in a way never before realized, or in such stunning depth.

Basically, we just wanna see one devoted to an Imperial Star Destroyer!

AFICIONADO RATING: the finest, most lovable space vehicle in STAR WARS history gets the profiling it deserves in this superlative and warmly rendered new book. 9 out of 10

MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU!

A New Hope, by Chris Trevas.

Happy STAR WARS DAY to all readers of STAR WARS AFICIONADO worldwide!

That first trailer that launched a phenomenon: Star Wars - Episode IV - Trailer (original 1977) - YouTube

Celebrating May 4th and the upcoming release of their newly revised STAR WARS: THE ULTIMATE VISUAL GUIDE, chock a block with new material, including an exhaustive and colourful section on THE CLONE WARS animated series, why not join the DORLING KINDERSLEY UK fun with their new quiz/competition, and a Blu-ray STAR WARS set and DVD player up for grabs: Star Wars: May The 4th Be With You | Culture & Entertainment | Cult | Quizzes | DK Quiz

The revised ULTIMATE VISUAL GUIDE will be reviewed soon.

"STAR WARS" AT 35: DEPARTURE TO DESTINY...

Thirty five years ago in 1977, the young and brave Rebel Alliance leader Princess Leia Organa (played by Carrie Fisher) undertook a bold and dangerous mission to become custodian of stolen plans for a top secret Empire project: the Death Star. Upon successfully achieving the first stage of her mission and beginning its second aspect (to retrieve the pariah Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi, from hiding, so as to aid the Rebel cause against evil), she would unfortunately be tracked to the isolated desert world of Tatooine by her enemies: the sinister agents and Imperial Stormtroopers led by the evil Lord Darth Vader. The story of STAR WARS, created by George Lucas, had spectacularly begun and a legend was soon born, capturing the hearts, minds and imaginations of audiences young and old. Artist Chris Trevas's beautifully rendered image for STAR WARS GALAXIES showing Leia saying goodbye (sadly for the last time) to both her adopted father Bail Organa (as had been played in the Prequels by Jimmy Smits) and her adopted homeworld of Alderaan, watched by Captain Antilles, is a wonderful and touching interpretation of important events leading into that classic first film.

This year, as the saga hits a new respected landmark, keep a regular eye out on the AFICIONADO blog as we celebrate the classic original STAR WARS in all its majestic and inspiring glory...

STAR WARS BLUEPRINTS: REBEL EDITION

If you love all the cool fighter craft and technology of the Rebel Alliance, especially from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, then you're gonna want to get hold of DORLING KINDERSLEY's recently released STAR WARS BLUEPRINTS: REBEL EDITION book/posters.

Here's our review link: STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: CLASSIC REVIEW: 'STAR WARS BLUEPRINTS - REBEL EDITION'