WHEN SITH'S COLLIDE! THE 'SHADOW LORD' MEETS HIS MATCH!

He's back, and badder than ever in Maul - Shadow Lord's gripping opening season finale.

It was the showdown worldwide Star Wars fans always wanted to see made a reality away from prior comic interpretations, as a non-speaking Darth Vader, a Sith Lord with slaying on his mind, menacingly took on the renegade Darth Maul, now out to build a new criminal enterprise for himself across the galaxy, and his reluctant fugitive comrades (including two runaway Jedi), all of them trapped within the jungle outskirts of the planet Janix, a world to which there now looked like no escape from. The confrontation/unleashing of Vader, returned to welcome animation form, was a big surprise and it proved a stunning action sequence to watch, certainly earning its place in the Saga's pantheon of classic scenes. It was a fine and exciting finale to Maul - Shadow Lord (one clearly acting as a tribute to a similar, if smaller in number, duel partaken by Vader against Luke and Leia on Mimban during the climax to 1978's Splinter of the Mind's Eye novel - the first Expanded Universe tale), whose opening season I thought started off quite dull, littered with mostly uninteresting supporting characters (who could have been in any bland police procedural drama ) and a thin overall story arc. Thankfully, as ever, Vader knows how to save the day and the streaming ratings! 

I'm sure the majority of fans will completely disagree with my assessment of the show as it so far stands. Nonetheless, as we all await the eventual second season, I hope it will ultimately prove more inventive in further showcasing one of the Prequel saga's greatest villains beyond the small-time criminality prior watched, and more of his fight against his once Sith Master whilst his own so far struggling empire builds further. Will there possibly be a Vader re-match? 

Scene Breakdown: Darth Vader Duels Maul | StarWars.com

One against many, but Vader will always get the upper hand!

Duelling in the forest of doom.

'

To slay a Jedi!

The clash continues!

The grip of evil!

Great character poster art promotion for the season finale.

CELEBRATING 45 YEARS OF 'SPLINTER OF THE MIND'S EYE'!

Forced to land on the swamp world of Mimban, our young heroes Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa must face the wrath of the pursuant Darth Vader, and unlock the mystery and power of a legendary Kaiburr Crystal, in Alan Dean Foster's seminal story, officially conceived with George Lucas, set after the events of the original Star Wars, Splinter of the Mind's Eye.

Lovely Dark Horse comic adaptation art by Chris Sprouse, and a perfect image to celebrate the original Del Rey hardback's 45th Anniversary this month, the adventure that launched the Expanded Universe fiction range into everything its become now...

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.

AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: (SPACE) SLUGGING IT OUT!

Returning to work at ILM on December 2nd 1979 after a month's break from having completed the Walker animation, Doug Beswick creates the notorious space slug creature from which the Falcon breathlessly emerges. Beswick would recall to CINEFEX in December 1980: “It worked like a hand puppet -- a return spring mechanism would close the jaws. You could stick your hand through the neck and grab it like a handgun or pistol grip. It was pretty heavy.” 

 

Views of the armature puppet slug.

More than fifty takes are ultimately shot of the slug creature over a week, giving it record status for a such a short scene in the film. Phil Tippett covers the slug armature with an exterior of his own design and Jon Berg puppeteers for the first version in a number of takes, with the puppet filmed in high speed by Richard Edlund. The footage is then slowed down in post to make the creature more realistic looking in its actions. In one space slug filming take the creature bursts into song courtesy of Tippett! Great pains had to be taken that the interior of the slug didn’t look like the inside of a creature and spoil the viewers surprise, and yet, at the same time, it had to resemble believable organic creature innards. The cave structure was ultimately ten-foot long and constructed from five-foot-tall segments supported by carved ribs. Joe Johnston created a technique in which strands of glue were littered over the model to look like cobwebs. Lorne Peterson built the hinged slug jaws which were four-and-a half-feet across, with the first five teeth (and others to follow) cast in clay.

The ILM model shop team would cast additional teeth and give them as gifts to visitors who came to see them at the time of Empire’s filming. Ken Ralston recalls some of the fun had during the intense bout of filming effects scenes on the audio commentary for the Star Wars: The Definitive Edition Laserdisc Collection release in 1993: “On Empire, I shot a lot of gag footage... I built my own space slug out of an old sock. and made a terrible stupid-looking puppet. So there's this shot looking down, it's in the movie, where you're looking at the surface of the asteroid and there's a couple of TIE ships above it...What's not in there is the very last moment when you get to the last crater, this gigantic stupid sock puppet comes out and attacks one of the ships...we were on the night shift so we spent nine months six nights a week on Empire.” 

Lorne Peterson at work on the bottom row of space slug teeth at ILM.

Inside the slug tunnel!

Ken Ralston preparing to film the view inside out.

Of the final completed effects sequence, George Lucas would recall in his 2004 DVD audio commentary for The Empire Strikes Back: “This scene in the snake's mouth worked better on the page than how it finally turned out. It's a very hard concept to pull off. I think it works, but I always expected it would get a laugh when the ship flies out of the creature's mouth. As it turns out, most people are astonished, and slightly confused, I think. We never really got the reaction we were looking for at the end of this scene. It was based on a mythological motif...” 

The iconic monster may have been prior inspired by the bulky slug/worm-like creature attacking Luke and Leia on the swamp world of Mimban, the Wandrella, during the events of Splinter of the Mind's Eye, the storyline of which was conceived by George Lucas with writer Alan Dean Foster in 1978.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: YOUR WEAPON FOR LIFE!

Having rescued him from pursuant Battle Droids, Qui-Gon Jinn mildly scolds his Padawan learner Obi-Wan Kenobi for not looking after his protective Jedi weapon, its power temporarily unresponsive after swamp water submergence. An early deleted scene and interesting character moment on Naboo which, surprisingly, has not so far been released on DVD or Blu-ray.

This scene would be echoed between Master Kenobi and his own apprentice Anakin Skywalker ten years later, during events of EPISODE II- "This weapon is your life!"

The idea of a lightsaber having to be 'charged up' was conceived by George Lucas with Alan Dean Foster for the classic first Expanded Universe novel, Splinter of the Mind's Eye, back in 1978.

"George was always keen to say that this was a character (Obi-Wan) in development. Because a lot of the time I'd just be behind Liam here, or here... And George would say, "Now listen, this is a character in development, so by the time we get to the second movie..." And I always knew that was the case. But the way he described it was that he was an apprentice Jedi Knight, but he was very straight, very "by the book," and was frustrated by his master, who bent the rules."

Ewan McGregor - Entertainment Tonight TV/Internet interview - 1999

CLASSIC ART: WHEN 'SPECTRUM' MET 'SPLINTER'!

Finally adapted to exciting comic form, Alan Dean Foster's Splinter of the Mind's Eye, part of The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, was well worth the wait in 1997, from Dark Horse. An event celebrated in the US sci-fi/cult media magazine Spectrum via this great exclusive art by the mini-series co-artist Chris Sprouse. Note that Leia adorns a different hairstyle here to the one shown in the comic adaptation.

'SOLO': FIERCE CREATURES!

Fighting for their lives and their world, now under attack and planned takeover by Emperor Palpatine and his overwhelming Imperial war machine, the alien swamp warriors of Mimban prove an effective fighting force, once more echoing the might of the primitive against the high-tech concept that has been seen through the saga over the years. 

It was great to see the creatures of Alan Dean Foster's 1978 gem novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye make it to cinematic reality during the opening to Solo: A Star Wars Story.

THE MIMBAN ENCOUNTER! CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF 'SPLINTER OF THE MIND'S EYE'!

Very cool early layout concept from Ralph McQuarrie, for what eventually became the dramatic cover of Splinter of the Mind's Eye. Love that prototype logo idea!

It was the book that showed Princess Leia piloting a Y-wing fighter, introduced the swamp world of Mimban (mentioned in The Clone Wars animated series and now about to be given reality in Solo- A Star Wars Story) plus the notion of 'Kiburr/Kiber' crystals (later seen for real with Rogue One), provided an excellent and quirky support character in Halla (who should come back one day!), and unleashed the Yuzzum beasts before they became a singular shrunken Muppet-like creation officially seen in Return of the Jedi. Additionally, we were witness to Luke getting early hots for Leia (before the bad news came along!), and saw the young duo partake in an epic finale lightsaber duel against a genuinely merciless Darth Vader- a conflict which would see the dark lord lose his arm. Plus the glorious image of Leia taking the saber against her former torturous captor: the kind of cool action moment/idea for our heroine we'll now be cruelly denied from ever seeing onscreen, what with the truly sad passing of Carrie Fisher.

Leia takes on Vader. A classic scene from Splinter made reality by Adam Hughes.

All that exciting material was in Alan Dean Foster's Splinter of the Mind's Eye- the first officially sanctioned adventure set after and beyond the original 1977 film, once planned as a cheap-to-make sequel by Lucasfilm should the first movie only be a moderate box office success. It was the beginning of a legend in science fiction/fantasy tie-in book publishing.

If you haven't already read this terrific adventure (originally published on this date (1978) in the US by Del Rey, and later in the UK by Sphere), or the 1995 four-part DARK HORSE comic adaptation, showing us a time before the STAR WARS universe/franchise was cemented, altered, then re-cemented, then go out and do so now!

Check out our original PDF archive on the story:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B80ITjM31EVRX3hFdUpvWFFyTk0/edit

Happy Fortieth Anniversary!

NOW AVAILABLE IN E-BOOK: 'EPISODE VII - THE FORCE AWAKENS'

He's an acclaimed and successful science fiction author in his own right, but we'll always love him for his work in ghost writing/adapting George Lucas's original STAR WARS into book form in 1976, plus his never made "alternate" sequel in the hugely entertaining, 1978 released continuance that was Splinter of the Mind's Eye. Now, Alan Dean Foster is back to adapt THE FORCE AWAKENS, and I think that this is one plum, and surely challenging, assignment which he'll give to the world with the kind of page-turning excitement and extra character depth for readers that will resonate just as strongly as the film unspooling into movie theatres this Christmas and beyond.

The adaptation is now available in electronic format here: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Star Wars the Force Awakens) eBook: Alan Dean Foster: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Then becomes available in novel form in the UK from CENTURY from 1st January, 2016: Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Amazon.co.uk: Alan Dean Foster: 9781780894768: Books

The 11 Biggest Differences Between the Book and Movie Versions of The Force Awakens

Look out for Alan Dean Foster's all-new short story lead in to THE FORCE AWAKENS in the STAR WARS INSIDER special issue to the film, available from December 18th, 2015.

Official website: ALAN DEAN FOSTER

The Most Interesting Man in the World - YouTube

CLASSIC ART: OF MIMBAN AND THE MIND'S EYE!

Their important mission for the Rebel Alliance put on the back burner, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa survey the lush but not so silent jungle environment of Mimban to which they've now fatefully arrived, in this lovely art by Hugh Fleming for the first issue of DARK HORSE COMICS sterling adaptation of the classic 1978 novel/unmade sequel to the original Star Wars, Splinter of the Mind's Eye.

FACEBOOK: (1) Hugh Fleming

STAR WARS AFICIONADO was thrilled to hear the recent news from LUCAS BOOKS that Alan Dean Foster will be returning to the STAR WARS literary universe, penning the all-important adaptation of THE FORCE AWAKENS, out for Xmas/New Year 2016, meaning that he has now written books for all three movie trilogies (so far).

Alan Dean Foster talks about his novelisation career, STAR WARS and STAR TREK, the state of Hollywood and much more, in this great five-part talk:

▶ Alan Dean Foster- "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" Book Talk- 1 of 5 - YouTube
▶ Alan Dean Foster- "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" Book Talk- 2 of 5 - YouTube
▶ Alan Dean Foster- "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" Book Talk- 3 of 5 - YouTube
▶ Alan Dean Foster- "Splinter of the Mind's Ey"e Book Talk- 4 of 5 - YouTube
▶ Alan Dean Foster- "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" Book Talk- 5 of 5 - YouTube

LAIR OF THE DARK SIDE. CELEBRATING 35 YEARS OF 'SPLINTER OF THE MIND'S EYE'!

Danger and darkness await Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa within the ruins of a long-lost Mimban Temple, as the evil Darth Vader emerges from the shadows to claim the Force-powered Kaiburr crystal for the Empire, and exact his revenge on the bold Rebel Alliance leaders that destroyed the Death Star, in this truly gorgeous original art by Ralph McQuarrie, that has since become the stuff of artistic history, for the 1978 Del Rey book cover of SPLINTER OF THE MIND'S EYE-then the first all-new original novel featuring the main STAR WARS characters, written by Alan Dean Foster and approved by George Lucas- to generate continued interest in the saga in the eventual build-up to the next feature adventure, which was then a few years off. The Expanded Universe of STAR WARS had well and truly begun!

The new adventure was a huge success internationally, as seen her with its UK Sphere Books release media publicity.

Originally published on the February 12th, 1978, next month's STAR WARS INSIDER, celebrating the classic book's 35th Anniversary, has an exclusive original transcript meeting between George Lucas and Alan Dean Foster from 1977 about the book and what it should be about, that will surely prove a terrific read!

And don't forget our original, highly detailed AFICIONADO ARCHIVE from a few years back on the book and its later DARK HORSE comic adaptation: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B80ITjM31EVRX3hFdUpvWFFyTk0/edit?usp=sharing

Note: To see the PDF in its best viewing quality, please download the file to your desktop.

2015 UPDATE: The 'Star Wars' Sequel That Never Happened

GOODBYE, RALPH McQUARRIE...

Master of dreams made artistic reality: the late Ralph McQuarrie.

There's an old idiom that you can tell what a race of people are like through their art. I believe that's also true for the actual individual talents who create that art, too. And, in the case of the supreme STAR WARS conceptual talent that was Ralph McQuarrie, who sadly left us yesterday at the age of 82, his evocative, beautiful, colourful and nuanced work will live forever, and continue to inspire, uplift and resonate in the hearts and minds of all of his fans, film-buffs and lovers of art.

I never had the pleasure or privilege to meet Ralph, but through his generous and helpful artistic agents (most notably John Scoleri and Paul Bateman) he could never have had more enthusiastic and passionate representatives, and very good friends, to help him preserve and showcase his talents for generations now and to come.

My first proper introduction to Ralph McQuarrie: THE STAR WARS PORTFOLIO.

On a more personal note/tribute regarding Ralph's work, I'll never forget in the summer of 1978 receiving that original STAR WARS ART PORTFOLIO-published in the US by BALLANTINE, and a gift from my brother who had come back from attending a science fiction convention at Brighton Beach. With that stunning cover shot of an overwhelming Darth Vader fighting Deak Starkiller with laser swords, it comprised 22 pages of McQuarrie's stunning conceptual pieces for the first STAR WARS movie from 1975 and 1976 pre-production-the images that had helped creator George Lucas sell his vision for the movie to the suits and executives at 20th CENTURY FOX (interestingly, Lucas, with no support from FOX at that time, only had the money to pay McQuarrie for the first five concept paintings, the rest came later). I had prior seen some of this marvellous artwork printed in magazines post the films release but they had always appeared in varying crops and printed quality that never truly showcased it as well as it should have. Now, to see this art properly printed and giving us the full canvas of McQuarrie's imagination...well, it took my breath away. It made me want to draw STAR WARS environments, characters, key scenes and action, and beyond. And draw I did (though badly). But, I admiringly thought, if he could do such incredible work, there was a chance that I could do something like that and follow in his footsteps, too. Such dreams were soon impossible for me as an individual, and never to ultimately materialise, but I can at least help celebrate Ralph's indomitable talents with all of you out there. A talent in the case of McQuarrie so rare that it should never be underestimated, and will always be savoured and enjoyed.

A 1975 (?) image of Lucas with the Ralph McQuarrie conceptual art for THE STAR WARS, which helped sell the film to nervous 20th CENTURY FOX execs.

An unused but lovely poster art concept by McQuarrie for STAR WARS.

The now very rare first STAR WARS paperback from late 1976, with powerful art from McQuarrie.  It quickly sold out at the time, and with a cover like this, I'm not surprised.

Ralph at work in 1979/80 at ILM on a matte painting of the Millennium Falcon at Bespin for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

Ralph made the visually impossible possible in his incredible and expressive body of work for film, TV and books, and showed us a rich, exciting and atmospheric future in STAR WARS that we always, primordially in our collective hearts and minds, wanted to see and love with the revolutionary space saga now sprung into being from George Lucas' imaginative gestalt.

At a US 501st event in 2008, Ralph has fun with his visual conception made real, the mighty Darth Vader. Image: STARWARS.COM

On behalf of the millions of fans out there, thank you, Ralph McQuarrie, for all your incredible work and your iconic contributions to the original STAR WARS saga, which also delightfully continue to impact into THE CLONE WARS animated series and beyond. Our condolences go out to his wife Joan and his friends across the world. Ralph, you will be greatly missed...

Tributes: THE ART OF RALPH McQUARRIE Home - News


George Lucas pays tribute: StarWars.com | Ralph McQuarrie Remembered


BBC News: BBC News - Star Wars artist Ralph McQuarrie dies aged 82

Here's AFICIONADO's visual tribute to Mister McQuarrie, presenting some of our favourite pieces of his work related to STAR WARS, plus other rarities...

Early work on Luke Skywalker, aka Luke Starkiller, when he was a boy and a girl!

An early older version of Han Solo with Chewbacca the Wookiee.

An early Darth Vader/Stormtrooper/Dark Lord hybrid.

An insect-like, but no less dangerous, early version of Darth Vader.

A work in progress for Artoo and Threepio, as seen in THE ART OF RALPH McQUARRIE.

The evolving form of the Millennium Falcon starship, as seen in THE ART OF RALPH McQUARRIE.

The evolving X-wing fighter, as seen in THE ART OF RALPH McQUARRIE.

Early poster art and other ideas for STAR WARS.

A wonderful poster art idea later given 30th Anniversary life in 2007 by artist/adaptor Lawrence Noble.

Superb art from Ralph of the Death Star trench run, specially commissioned by the STAR WARS FAN CLUB.

Dark times for Luke and Leia on Mimban in 1978's SPLINTER OF THE MIND'S EYE. The first STAR WARS Expanded Universe book, by Alan Dean Foster, with superb cover art from McQuarrie.

More of McQuarrie's distinctive art- VADER IN FLAMES- for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

Ralph at London's Elstree Studios, working on various conceptual/production art for EMPIRE in 1978/79.

Early art showing a Rebel scout (or Luke?) on a Tauntaun escaping Imperial Walker fire on Hoth

Luke and Tauntaun buddy on patrol in a world famous piece of art from McQuarrie.

Rebel X-wings depart their base on Hoth in this McQuarrie thumbnail sketch.

Ralph would make a cameo in EMPIRE as General McQuarrie, alongside fellow matte painter Rebels Harrison Ellenshaw (left) and Michael Pangrazio (right).

On the very cool blue ice world of Hoth, a Rebel Ion Cannon weapon blasts upwards at the Imperials.

An angle I wish had been in the actual film, as a Rebel Snowspeeder makes its bold bid to snare an Imperial Walker.

Rare pencil art of Luke's confronting Vader on Bespin.

Our heroes make a break for the Falcon in an exciting 1978 conceptual painting.

Bounty Hunters assemble on Bespin in another wonderful STAR WARS FAN CLUB art commission.

Santa Yoda makes an appearance on one of Ralph's STAR WARS Xmas cards for LUCASFILM.

Not one but two Death Star's would make an appearance in an early version of REVENGE OF THE JEDI.

Through the gates of hell, Artoo and Threepio meet Bib Fortuna in RETURN OF THE JEDI.

One of several lovely conceptual art ideas by Ralph for Jabba the Hutt's palace on Tatooine.

On the brink of death above the Sarlaac Pit, Luke Skywalker soon makes his escape bid.

Han wrestles with an alien warrior, as the rest of his friends continue their skiff fight.

Check out our other Ralph McQuarrie related features here: STAR WARS AFICIONADO MAGAZINE: RALPH McQUARRIE

Recently found poster icon art for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

Video footage linked to Ralph and STAR WARS: Star Wars: The Art Of Ralph McQuarrie - YouTube
Ralph McQuarrie induction into the 501st Legion - YouTube

Ralph McQuarrie: June 13th, 1929 - March 3rd, 2012.