CLASSIC ART: THE DARK SIDE ASSEMBLES...

Led by the ultimate monster in Darth Vader, the ultimate villains of the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, whom we so love to hate, come together in all their might for evil and destruction, in this superb Celebration Convention art by Doug Wheatley.

CLASSIC ART: RAISING THE 'STAR WARS' BARR!

Ken Barr's classic 1978 magazine cover for the short-lived Questar magazine has now become a classic in original Star Wars art history. Here's a look at some other variations on a theme from the artist, before the final cover was green-lit and crafted so beautifully.

CLASSIC ART: TO ESCAPE AN APOCALYPSE!

The Empire has been defeated, the Death Star is ready to destroy itself, and a son, who has prior rescued and helped redeem his late father from darkness, rushes to escape with his armoured body, in this superb art celebrating the emotional ending to Return of the Jedi, in 1983. An emotional death scene that brought the cinema houses down with tears worldwide.

A super art piece by Michael Heath.

EPISODE VII: THE HAN SOLO LEGACY!

"I didn't really like Han Solo at all." So said Harrison Ford in an American press interview during the mid 2000's. But we don't care about that. We'll always enjoy the actor in his first greatest screen role on and off from 1977 to 2019 and captured here in all his smuggling hero glory via this terrific character celebratory art from Joe Corroney.

EPISODE II: THE ONGOING LEGACY...

Love, duty, honour, evil, war. Whether it's in artistic form here, or in its original live action, the icons and dramatic events of EPISODE II live on, winning new fans every year.

Great art, from 2022, by the talented Lyle Cruse.

CLASSIC ART: VOLCANIC CONFLICT!

The George Lucas equivalent of 'Hell' to be realised for the dramatic finale to Episode III, as the volcanic realms of Mustafar unleash their dark and terrifying powers of energy and destruction in this great concept art by Erik Tiemens. which also clearly makes Mustafar a firm part of the originally planned planet-spanning Clone Wars battle montage sequence to have started the film.

CLASSIC ART: THE WEEKLY ADVENTURES CONTINUE...

Our heroes assemble for the climactic action/adventure chapter of the Original Trilogy, as the dominant evil of Darth Vader looms large, in this lovely art I hadn't previously seen before that graced one of the later issues of the MARVEL UK's Return of the Jedi weekly comic back in May 1985, before the saga went fully into limbo. If anyone knows the artist/s of the piece, please let me know, though I suspect Tom Palmer's work on the faces of Lando and Chewbacca.

And does anyone out there still have the free Ewok transfers?

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: FORGING AN 'EMPIRE'!

Acclaimed artist Martin Ansin's stunning works covering the Star Wars saga have been published worldwide, and they continue on with this gorgeous piece covering the excitement, action and drama of The Empire Strikes Back.

CLASSIC ART: MIX AND MATCHING!

Light and darkness have never been pitted against each other more in the Star Wars saga than in The Empire Strikes Back, especially between Luke Skywalker and his relentless pursuer in the evil Darth Vader. The two characters, with other support, are well established in this fine Wayne Douglas Barlowe art for the US Random House published Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back Mix and Match story book, released in  1980.

EPISODE III: WAR IN THE HEAVENS!

An army of Republic Cruisers begin their attack on enemy forces, launching waves of fighters and accompanied by a Jedi Starfighter, in this terrific fan artwork linked to the Prequel saga, capturing the epic flavour of intergalactic war that the saga does so well.

If anyone knows the name of the excellent artist here, please get in touch.

CLASSIC ART: CLASHING 'SABERS!

The lightsabers used by the Jedi Knights of the Old Republic may have passed into history by the time of the original Star Wars' story showcasing Rebellion vs Empire, but the emergence of Jedi-to-be Luke Skywalker, and his mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi's duel with his former pupil Darth Vader, soon make the weapons iconic and a perfect representation of good vs evil for this unused American poster concept art from 1976/77. 

If anyone knows the artist (I assume it's Tom Jung), please get on touch...  

'THE FORCE AWAKENS' AT 10: BETRAYING A BIRTHRIGHT!

A birthright to evil, as personified by Kylo Ren, General Hux and Captain Plasma, striking new villains for the sequel universe's first adventure.

Manipulated during a time of emotional weakness and instability during his early Jedi training by Supreme Leader Snoke, ruler of the eventual scourge that is the First Order, young and impressionable Ben Solo, saddled with prior feelings of abandonment by his parents Leia Organa and Han Solo, has now become the bitter and twisted, all-power in the Force craving figure of the masked murderer Kylo Ren, determined to wipe out the Jedi, and his former master Luke Skywalker, at all costs, as played with ferocity, anger and twisted villainy within The Force Awakens by the well-cast Adam Driver, an acclaimed actor who has now pretty much worked with all the great Hollywood and international directors out there, and accumulating a fine and diverse body of work beyond his great contribution to the sequel Star Wars franchise, playing a character indelibly linked to the slaying of his onscreen father, Han Solo.. 

Promotional merchandise art poster by Joe Corroney showcasing Kylo Ren and the First Order for Episode VII.

Ren is determined to follow in the dark and powerful footsteps of his late grandfather, Darth Vader, within the Force. Art by Brian Rood,

With the discovery of the Force-latent powers of the mysterious Rey, Ren is determined to use her in finding Luke Skywalker. But her power in the Force is growing...

Behind the scenes on the memorable moment.

CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF 'THE FORCE AWAKENS'!

Art by Tsuneo Sanda.

It debuted to acclaim on its original release back in December 2015, but such positivity to The Force Awakens ten years on seems to have waned somewhat since the arrival of its subsequent sequels. A shame really, as this launch film for Disney/Lucasfilm's new sequel era of the franchise held so much promise and remains a finely crafted movie, with a strong script, fine direction and excellent casting for a new batch of heroes, despite its obvious remake elements linked to the original Star Wars. Like what happened with Daniel Craig's outstanding debut as James Bond 007, 2006's Casino Royale, perhaps the bar was just too high for subsequent films to match it in terms of quality storytelling and character development... 

But let's go back in time to that hopeful promised future of December 2015, and celebrate the then joyous return to a galaxy far, far away...

Happy Tenth Anniversary!

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: A UNIVERSE OF DRAMA AND ADVENTURE...

The long-running commercial artist John Alvin's work on the original Star Wars films have become highly beloved and respected over time. None more so than the super 1995 work he did for the films on their uncut VHS release before the debut of the Special Editions, of which all the key successful character ingredients for The Empire Strikes Back would be well represented.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: THE DUEL BEGINS!

The moment has finally come for Luke Skywalker to face his demon, as personified by the brutal presence in the Dark Side of the Force that is his nemesis, Darth Vader, the man/creature who helped wipe the Jedi Knights out of existence and whom supposedly killed his father. This duel will not just be a test of Luke's skill, but also his character, physical and psychological strengths. He'll need all of that not just to stay alive against such an experienced and lethal duellist, but also for the disturbing and shocking revelation that the Sith Lord will impart to him at the worst possible time...

Superb Marvel Comics art by the legendary Daredevil writer/artist Frank Miller back in 1980, celebrating one of the The Empire Strikes Back's greatest and most intense-to-watch sequences.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: INTRODUCING A BOUNTY HUNTER...

Ready to take the bounty, Boba Fett, as special art personified by his visual co-creator, Joe Johnston. 

"George (Lucas) wanted a new trooper. The original idea behind Boba Fett was that he was going to be an army of super troopers. There was going to be 40,000 of these guys. He's sort of a bad guy but he's not on the Empire's side and he's not on the rebels' side. He's like a free agent, and he goes around the galaxy arresting people and bringing them back to justice or bringing them back to Jabba the Hutt or whoever. He's a mercenary. He'll do anything for money, and his outfit, the way he looks, should reflect that."

Joe Johnston, on the conception of the greatest Star Wars saga bounty hunter, Boba Fett, who debuted in live action form within the drama of The Empire Strikes Back.

Empire at 40 | Designing an Icon: Joe Johnston on the Journey to Create Boba Fett | StarWars.com

Fett on a speeder bike, in another original art piece by Joe Johnston.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: WHEN VALLEJO MET 'STAR WARS'!

From escaping near death on the frozen realms of Hoth, to facing the trials and tribulations of becoming the first of an eventual new Jedi Order, The Adventures of Luke Skywalker and his galactic friends have never been better realised than during the chapter that is The Empire Strikes Back, as art rendered in these great concept pieces by the acclaimed Peruvian-American talent Boris Vallejo, for an eventual 1980 Coca-Cola poster promotion that would soon be a sell-out and become iconic. 

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 45: THE RETURN OF LUKE SKYWALKER!

Two years on from being that once farm boy who dreamt of adventure and excitement amongst the stars, Luke Skywalker has finally become a person of significance and heroism for the Rebel Alliance, of which his skills as a pilot, seeing-in the destruction of the Death Star space station, has naturally made him a fine leader as well as respected commander of his own unique Rogue Squadron of fighters. Now, with his Jedi powers slowly building, and relocated with his comrades to the Hoth system, Luke's courage and initiative have proved inspiring, along with great tenacity, in helping to set-up the secret base away from the grip of the evil Empire...

Great 1980 merchandising art for The Empire Strikes Back, by Gerry Daly.

'EPISODE III' AT TWENTY: THE DUELLISTS!

Once good friends, now opponents in light and darkness, the epic end of a friendship, of spiritual brotherhood, between Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his former apprentice now hero Anakin Skywalker, is brilliantly rendered in this great art that touches on this front and centre storytelling aspect that would capture fans imaginations with Episode III's soon descent into fiery darkness and violence.

If anyone knows who the artist of this piece is, please get in touch.