CELEBRATING TWENTY YEARS OF 'STAR WARS AFICIONADO'!

Twenty years from that first limited print run sell-out fan publication of 2003 - 2008, to the world popular evolving site you're now reading, Star Wars Aficionado would go on to witness much history linked to the franchise - the end of the George Lucas live-action movie era, the seeing-in of the superb animated series phase, and then going on to thoroughly cover the modern live-action cinematic franchise (and its television spin-offs) held by Disney since 2011.

SWA has proudly sourced the best imagery (1,000s of classics and rarities gathered from various sources) and behind the scenes information/research collected across forty-five years of the saga for readers (and certain Lucasfilm writers and researchers/industry veterans) to enjoy, whilst 2023 looks set to be another busy one for the site as it celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the beloved Return of the Jedi.

Thank You to George Lucas for this incredible gift he gave us, and Thank You to all the readers that have gone on the long and rewarding journey with Star Wars Aficionado in celebrating so many great aspects of this enduring and still creatively unbeatable franchise.

HAPPY TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY, Star Wars Aficionado!

WELCOME TO 'MOS EISLEY SPACEPORT'!

Matt Zed over at his nicely created Mos Eisley Spaceport website has kindly added STAR WARS AFICIONADO to his list of the Best 50 STAR WARS Blogs. Thank you very much, and May the Force Be With You!

Head over to his site and take a look at the diverse list here: Top 50 Star Wars Blogs

And make sure you Bookmark Mos Eisley Spaceport for past, present and future related STAR WARS news and articles: Mos Eisley Spaceport

Mos Eisley Spaceport (@MosEisleySpace) on Twitter

EXPLORE THE WORLD OF STAR WARS AFICIONADO MAGAZINE IN BACK ISSUE PDF's...

With the official STARWARS.COM website having newly revised itself to promote a more epic vision of the saga for younger audiences, and having also shed hundreds of pages of info and photos, especially on the behind the scenes front, in the process, now has never been a better time to sample the delights of STAR WARS AFICIONADO magazine on PDF. Each issue is absolutely jam-packed with great features, in-depth information, interview quotes, stats and the best and rarest images-colour and black and white- you can get from all six films and beyond. Our MAKING OF special issues contain info material and images spanning thirty years not found in a lot of the current official LUCASFILM books and magazines, including J.W. Rinzler's acclaimed works on STAR WARS and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. Our MAKING OF JEDI has been described by readers as an exhaustively researched and thoroughly enjoyable work for fans of that particular movie.

Here are a few page examples from Issue Ten (Prequels special), the recently released Best of Issues 1-4 (encompassing both Trilogies from the first four issues) and THE MAKINGs of STAR WARS, JEDI and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK- BEHIND THE SCENES COMPANION...

So, head over to this link to see our wide range of available back issues on PDF: BACK ISSUE PDF CATALOG  

And remember, each non-profit sale goes towards keeping the main STAR WARS AFICIONADO website (STAR WARS AFICIONADO MAGAZINE) alive for another year, too...

TEN YEARS OF 'STAR WARS AFICIONADO'!

Inspired by the work of Ralph McQuarrie, the 2007 onwards logo for STAR WARS AFICIONADO. With thanks to Chris Baker.

It started off as a small idea in my mind towards the end of Summer 2002, as the worldwide excitement grew for the then upcoming EPISODE III. But little acorns can grow into big trees, and I never guessed that STAR WARS AFICIONADO would still be here ten years on, thriving in the world of the web. It was very rough, and very early days back in the Spring of 2003 when that Padme/Vader first issue cover of the originally printed publication made its small but vital start into existence within fandom, of which its tiny but dedicated reader base always made sure that it was quickly out of stock alongside their generating the kind of positive feedback that helped to spur me on to hopefully bigger and better things (with the additional help of several key contributors and friends over time: most notably the hard work and dedication of Chris Baker (who's kindly providing some nifty web banners for this special 2013!) and autograph and toy collector enthusiast Ian Trussler). Lack of finances for this expensive, non-profit making venture ultimately killed off the magazine in its printed life, though most of the back issues are still available in PDF form and help to keep the first AFICIONADO website from disappearing. Meanwhile, this blog, originally launched in 2010, remains a consistent and welcome presence helping to represent both STAR WARS past, present and future beyond the official sites, and AFICIONADO in general.

In our past and present, AFICIONADO has revealed previously unknown behind the scenes filming information from cast and crew that hasn't yet appeared in official sources, published three exhaustive behind the scenes specials on the Original Trilogy movies before publication of any official LUCASFILM books covering them, and posted thousands of rare images from across all six (so far) films that have since gone on to appear on websites across the world. AFICIONADO has also inspired successive sites and fan projects covering the saga's behind the scenes legacy, ether in website or on FACEBOOK pages.

And there's lots more to come from us online in this Tenth Anniversary year for STAR WARS AFICIONADO, and its unique niche place in fandom. As well as continued blogs, both new and revised, covering all aspects of the STAR WARS movies, there's also our celebration of Thirty Years of RETURN OF THE JEDI, and our keeping track on the pre-production gears for the hopefully incredible new worlds and characters that will be seen in EPISODE VII in 2015.

To all those have supported the magazine from the start, plus the subsequent website, blogsite and FACEBOOK pages along the way of these last ten years, a big and hearty Wookiee growl of salute goes out into the cyberspace skies: THANK YOU! for your support and kind words. But, most important of all, a big THANK YOU! to George Lucas and his empire of dreams for creating such an outstanding legacy of cinematic wonder and fantasy. The future looks brighter than ever, and STAR WARS truly is forever!

ENJOY 'STAR WARS AFICIONADO' AT CHRISTMAS!

It's Christmas!

Looking to get yourself, or a loved one, a special STAR WARS treat for the holidays, then why not sample a bit of home-cooked STAR WARS AFICIONADO magazine on PDF!

Each issue is packed to the brim with rare photos and behind the scene material of the six (so far) movies. There are also individual, thoroughly comprehensive issues dedicated to the making of the Classic Trilogy, packed with information not present in the official J.W. Rinzler books. And don 't forget, by getting hold of these, your non-profit contributions help to keep the two AFICIONADO sites alive in celebrating our landmark Tenth Anniversary next year, and for the next evolutionary phase of George Lucas's unforgettable and enduring saga...

Check out the available back issues here: BACK ISSUE PDF CATALOG

May the Force be with us all in the Holiday Season to come !

AFICIONADO BLOG 1,000: THERE AND BACK AGAIN...

The STAR WARS saga continues...

A picture tells a thousand words, and the late John Alvin's lovely and evocative art celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Classic STAR WARS Trilogy in 2007 is now more pertinent and relevant than ever, as it looks like the Skywalker family will be returning in one way, shape or form for the upcoming EPISODE VII. Looking to the stars for adventure and excitement has never been more romantic and compelling if you're a STAR WARS fan, of which the time until 2015 will surely fly by...

This wonderful image also makes a fine turning point representation for the STAR WARS AFICIONADO blog site, too, as it reaches its truly landmark 1,000th article. In just a little bit over two years since it started off as a companion to our main site, it's come a long way, and has more than proved an accomplishment worth celebrating prior to next year's Tenth Anniversary...

CLASSIC IMAGE: WISDOM NEVER DIES...

Sick he may have become-old and weak-but our beloved Master Yoda manages to hold on to life that little bit longer for a final revelation informing talk with former Jedi pupil Luke Skywalker, inside his small home on Dagobah, during a sad but memorable sequence from RETURN OF THE JEDI.

To find out more about Yoda's return for the STAR WARS finale, which almost never happened, and one of the last detailed interviews given by its visual creator, Stuart Freeborn, check out our comprehensive MAKING OF RETURN OF THE JEDI 25th Anniversary special issue available on PDF here: STAR WARS AFICIONADO ISSUE 14 - THE MAKING OF "RETURN OF THE JEDI"

STAR WARS AFICIONADO: BETTER THAN EVER!

With the recent release of the Blu-rays, the anniversary celebrations for the original STAR WARS, EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES and the recent THE CLONE WARS animated series, plus the sweeping changes made to the revamped official STARWARS.COM site, now has never been a better time to make the most of STAR WARS AFICIONADO across it's media platforms.

Enjoy our specialised and highly informative articles, interviews, rare photos and exclusive materials on our main site: STAR WARS AFICIONADO MAGAZINE

First launched in 2003, get hold of our features and rare photos packed PDF back issues here: BACK ISSUE PDF CATALOG

Check out and LIKE our FACEBOOK page: STAR WARS Aficionado Magazine and Web/blog sites - Wall | Facebook

Above all, enjoy STAR WARS AFICIONADO. To those regularly following us, THANK YOU! Watch this space for more great material to come, and, if you know anyone out there who hasn't seen us and should do, please pass on our links and let them know of our existence...


With thanks to Chris Baker for the above terrific composition...

'JEDI' REVELATIONS...

As we all await with anticipation J.W. Rinzler's next thrilling behind the scenes book: THE MAKING OF RETURN OF THE JEDI-packed with rare art, photos, and info (as well as new interviews with a  whole plethora of behind the scenes people), check out the authors audio interview with the website SHADOWLOCKED.COM for a sneak peek (link: Exclusive: J.W. Rinzler on 'The Making Of Return Of The Jedi' and more - Shadowlocked). Rinzler talks about some of the personal discoveries he made about the film in his writing journey, such as the critical "Black Friday" event that affected the films finale space battle, and which became a major challenge for ILM.

You won't have to wait a year to find out about it, though, if you check out STAR WARS AFICIONADO: it already covered that tough sequence of game-changing events in its MAKING OF RETURN OF THE JEDI special from 2008, our biggest and then most ambitious issue ever undertaken-so far the best unofficial resource on the film that you're going to get until Rinzler's book hits the bestseller charts.

It's still available as a PDF, and you won't be disappointed by it: STAR WARS AFICIONADO ISSUE 14 - THE MAKING OF "RETURN OF THE JEDI"

NOW AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE - STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA!

There may have been some controversial changes made to them from LUCASFILM (so much so that the two additional Vader "No"s to RETURN OF THE JEDI have not only met almost universal derision worldwide but, with their implementation, may also have damaged Lucas's credibility as a film-maker), alongside some major friction and criticisms in fan circles about the films picture quality/conversions (notably the Classic Trilogy) and extras compiled for their release on the new STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA Blu-ray sets, but nothing can alter the fact that these six films, created by George Lucas, which have inspired three (now four) generations of enthusiasts the world over, are still superior entertainment for fans of all ages, and are the best you're going to get picture quality wise for the foreseeable future. STAR WARS fans look unlikely to ever get the ultimate box set of films and supplemental material they deserve, and lot of the extras on the new set have indeed been picked with the more casual and younger STAR WARS fans in mind rather than for the die-hards (like me!)- there's also the fact that some of the overlooked documentaries from previous DVD releases should have been on there!- but there's still some great rare material in the package to be discovered and savoured, and the majority of the deleted scenes finally released make it well worth the purchase.

STAR WARS endures and remains the ultimate science fiction and fantasy franchise.

To all those worldwide receiving the box sets this week, have a great time watching them and May the Force be with you...always!

Look out for more features and reviews regarding the box set, across all areas and beyond, within the entire STAR WARS AFICIONADO online platform.

STAR WARS AFICIONADO: NOW ON "FACEBOOK"

There's a lot of interest in STAR WARS AFICIONADO from the Rebel quarter.

Don't forget to pop by our new FACEBOOK page, which contains more info, trailers and clips on a regular basis, as well as photos-old and new-that aren't on this or the other AFICIONADO web sites...

Here's the link: STAR WARS Aficionado Magazine and Web/blog sites - Wall | Facebook

If you know any other STAR WARS fans who might be interested in the site, please pass on our details.

Thank you for your support!

Cheers to Chris Baker for the above composition.

CLASSIC IMAGE: ESCAPE FLIGHT!

Making last minute adjustments to his beloved Millennium Falcon, currently berthed in Docking Bay 94, Han Solo is soon perturbed by a squadron of attacking Stormtroopers.

Check out below the STAR WARS AFICIONADO magazine lead-in to Han's adventure:

OUT NOW! STAR WARS AFICIONADO: THE BEST OF ISSUES 1-4

Just in time to celebrate the upcoming Blu-rays, check out our latest edition- a compilation PDF magazine of numbers 1- 4, featuring the best articles, some of them slightly revised with additional material and photos, from our previously sold out printed editions of 2002 -2004.

BACK ISSUE PDF CATALOG

BEST OF ISSUES 1-4 INFO

"AFICIONADO" BACK ISSUE NEWS

Just to let any interested readers know that the STAR WARS AFICIONADO issues devoted to the making of RETURN OF THE JEDI (2008) and the Thirtieth Anniversary Special (2007) have finally been added to the main sites back catalogue area. That makes every issue of the magazine from number seven onwards now available in PDF form. 

Here's the link for more information:  http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/backissuepdfcatalog.html

As for issues before seven, there are no plans to re-release AFICIONADO double issue five and six, as it was revised as THE MAKING OF STAR WARS special issue in 2007, but there will be an exciting special announcement about issues one to four in the very near future, so keep checking both the sites out...

SEASONS GREETINGS!

Yoda at Xmas. Lovely art by Tsuneo Sanda.

A very Happy Xmas and a prosperous New Year to all our readers and to STAR WARS fans across the globe. 2011 looks set to be an exciting year, what with Seasons 3 and 4 of THE CLONE WARS, the awesome terror to come of Savage Opress, some intriguing new merchandise projects, especially tantalising new behind the scenes books and, of course, those shiny Blu-rays of all six films!!

Bring it on!

With thanks to our friend Andy Dukes for forwarding this little STAR WARS related Xmas ditty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMmaO6MzK4E&feature=player_embedded

MARK HAMILL: BACK IN ACTION!

Way back in 2004, Ian Trussler wrote a very nice career overview feature for AFICIONADO's issue 5/6, long since out of print from its original limited edition run, called MARK HAMILL: WHAT HAPPENED?

With Mark's recent convention appearance at Celebration V this year, I thought it would be a nice idea to revise and update Ian's feature with a new design and additional pictures.

Here's the link to it on the main site: http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/markhamillwhathappened.html

And here's another great feature on Hamill's varied film and TV career that's worth a look:

http://www.toplessrobot.com/2008/07/mark_hamills_10_greatest_poststar_wars_roles.php

UPDATE: 3/10/2011 And check out this great post-WARS career feature via the AVCLUB:
Mark Hamill  | Film | Random Roles | The A.V. Club

And if you're a fan of Mark's performance from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, check out this rare audio recording of his appearance on the UK BBC 1 Children's series ASK ASPEL, from May 1980, where he talks to presenter Michael Aspel about working on the saga and reveals the then title for the final Classic Trilogy STAR WARS film! With thanks to Robkizzy for all his work in putting it on Youtube.

Ask Aspel part 1 (1980) with Mark Hamill - YouTube

WELCOME TO 'STAR WARS AFICIONADO'!

THE LOWDOWN ON STAR WARS AFICIONADO

Launched back in 2003, STAR WARS AFICIONADO is the brainchild of British fan SCOTT WELLER. Sad at seeing the death of many STAR WARS fanzines with the astonishing growth of the internet, and fed up with the continuing lack of interesting material presented within the pages of official STAR WARS related magazines, Scott decided to take the bold step of creating a new, non-profit making fanzine, covering the kind of wide ranging features that he had always wanted to see in the monthly magazines since his childhood-articles that would include rare behind the scene information and interview quotes, great on set rare colour and black and white photography from the movies, and detailed archives on STAR WARS related stories (whether they be comics, books, storybook records, etc.), as well as features on the various people who, over the years, have helped shape the making and destiny of the Saga alongside it's creator George Lucas. 

The result was STAR WARS AFICIONADO. As Anakin Skywalker would say: "Yippee!"

Professionally printed in full colour, with high printing costs that, five years on, have still not been recouped, AFICIONADO's printed life, on a once quarterly basis, would happily go from strength to strength after it's premiere issue, with a core group of writers and photo researchers (including intrepid INDIANA JONES meets STAR WARS explorer Ian Trussler and the extensive powerhouse of photos and information that is Chris Baker-my continuing thanks to you both) working together on the magazine who have provided a constant stream of appealing articles and images for publication within the magazine's pages (of which we have also revealed many pieces of rare behind the scenes filming information on the movies to readers several years before they would be made officially available through official LUCASFILM approved magazines and web-sites!!). STAR WARS AFICIONADO, though very small in circulation, has been a consistent cult success, acquiring a very loyal fan readership over ten years (of which we are very grateful for your continuing support). With it's continued popularity, the magazine's printed editions are now no longer available and have since sold out as the publication marches on into new frontiers.

No longer able to afford the cost of printing, and, to this day still trying to recoup previous production costs, AFICIONADO, realizing that it had to join the technological race, decided to carry on in a PDF file format release. The first issue to undergo this change was our revised MAKING OF STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE issue, followed by our THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE. In early 2008 we celebrated the Thirtieth Anniversary of RETURN OF THE JEDI with our most exhaustively researched MAKING OF issue yet, whilst 2009 saw our celebrations for the Tenth Anniversary of STAR WARS EPISODE ONE: THE PHANTOM MENACE and 2010 for the Thirtieth Anniversary of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, with our new Behind the Scenes Companion. Additionally, we would also decidd to start making available selected back issues of STAR WARS AFICIONADO on PDF, such as seven (the Vader issue), eight and nine (our popular EPISODE III related double issue), ten (our STAR WARS television issue), an issues 1-4 compilation, and our earlier special, equally exhaustive issue from 2005 on the making of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

Complimenting this site and the now ceased magazine is the blog site you’re looking at now, launched in July 2010, and full of additional rare photos, quality info and nostalgia you've come to expect from AFICIONADO.

To our ever loyal, continuing readers worldwide, we would like to thank all of you for your support and encouragement. To our new readers, we hope you like what you see here and that we've tickled your interest fancy enough for you to continue reading the site or wanting to get hold of an issue of the magazine.

And if you like it, tell more people about us-we want everyone to enjoy every aspect of the STAR WARS saga. We hope AFICIONADO manages to be a little part of that enjoyment!!

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU... ALWAYS!

ENJOY STAR WARS!

ENJOY STAR WARS AFICIONADO!