CLASSIC ART: DARKNESS FALLS, AS AN 'HEIR TO THE EMPIRE' IS REVEALED...

Deservedly acclaimed sci-fi novelist Timothy Zahn's epic relaunch of the Star Wars saga post ROTJ with The Thrawn Trilogy back from 1991 onwards hasn't diminished either in its imaginative and thrilling storytelling power or via its enduring fan popularity. The thrilling tale of the Empire's fight back, led by iconic alien tactician Grand Admiral Thrawn, certainly made for a great transfer to comic book series adaptation, from Dark Horse, back in 1996. Here's one of the great cover spreads for the Heir to the Empire compilation, featuring stunning art by Mathieu Lauffay.

Lucasfilm, isn't it about time that The Thrawn Trilogy was finally made into a (non-canon if necessary) animated mini-series for Disney+? In general, what is stopping the two companies from making the kind of exciting animated adventures for the Classic Trilogy era that we all want to see? Or is the upcoming Ahsoka series, with our main hero's search for Grand Admiral Thrawn, planning some kind of alternate live-action version of Heir?

CLASSIC ART: THE YUZZEM BREAKOUT!

It's time for our Rebel heroes to escape their Imperial captors on the swamp world of Mimban, and this time they have mighty, ferocious help from several formidable Yuzzem creatures, in this terrific cover issue art by Hugh Fleming and Mark Harrison for the splendid Dark Horse comics adaptation of Alan Dean Foster's excellent Star Wars continuation of 1978, Splinter of the Mind's Eye.

SOLO: A LITTLE SABAAC?

He's dabbled a little bit in its game-playing, now the raw skills of the young Han Solo will surely be tested against legendary super-smooth pilot and 'adventurer' Lando Calrissian in this great cover art for the now classic Sabaac match between the iconic rivals, captured by Phil Noto for the Solo: A Star Wars Story comic adaptation.

EPISODE VIII: NEW LEADERSHIP...

Art by Phil Noto for Marvel Comics.

A respected rebellion/resistance leader in her own right, Vice Admiral Holdo was a distinctive new addition to The Last Jedi's dramatic space pursuit scenes, and well cast with Laura Dern in the role. It's a shame her character was killed off with just one film appearance, buying the Resistance critical escape time via her incredible sacrifice against the First Order. 

Let's hope we get more backstory for the character in the future, especially with Leia Organa, beyond what we've so far read and enjoyed in the Expanded Universe realms... 

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: CARBON HELL!

Our shocked heroes are witness to the living death inflicted on Han Solo by Darth Vader, in this memorable specially created cover for one of the UK issues of The Empire Strikes Back Weekly comic, from famed classic comics artist Carmine Infantino, himself a regular artist on the US Marvel Comics Star Wars monthly colour comics for the previous two years.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: ENTER THE IMPERIALS!

'Imperial troops have entered the base...'

Terrifying words for our heroes as the final stages of the evacuation of Echo Base continue, and the death-bringing forces of Darth Vader arrive, in this great cover art by comics legend Carmine Infantino exclusively created for the UK's The Empire Strikes Back Weekly comic, published in June 1980.