Lit Marvel's adaption of the original Star Wars (1977) film is my favorite SW comic ever

I know this might be very controversial and I'm probably fit for a mental institution, but I can't help but love this comic to death!

I think it's an absolute wonderful adaption of the original film with some very cool and funny quirks.

Darth Vader using the force to levitate a beverage cup WHILST chocking the imperial officer, Han Solo brutually and cooly shooting Greedo first, Chewbaca looking like a very angry, Hulk-like carpet badass, some incredibly great and action packed covers, Jabba with two legs, some cool extra dialogue etc.

And imo it's beatufiully drawn. I love its (flawed) style.I definitely enjoy Howard Chaykin's art more than that of Carmine Infantino who draws really weird faces...

 

They are very funny, and I agree about the art being better than in many later issues.

But don't forget the covers, like this one:

No one likes you, Skywalker.

 

You won't like Trevagg when he's angry...

TC

 

They were good–but I hated He-Man Luke. Seriously. Take the shirt off and put a metal blade on his lightsaber. Yep. He-Man.

 

Luke in the final Marvel issue is channeling Conan with a sniper rifle. I like Obi-Wan's death in the film adaptation. Vader's lightsaber seems to melt him. Plus when Leia kisses Luke for luck, they have a full on make out session.

 

I just reread it. The art is dodgy, Chaykin wasn't really up to it and relied on another artist to "finish" his pencils and bring it up to snuff. But it holds up & still fun & fascinating to read. Love the "original" Jabba!

 

Enjoyed this adaptation, and back in the day (late '70's) as a little kid I remember getting the large-sized "Marvel Super Special" version & reading it over & over again. I remember that the art improved after the first issue. Favorite panels/sequences include:

-The cover to #2 - though this "scene" never happened in the film, it was typical of Marvel comics at the time to exaggerate/sensationalize their covers. In any case, it made for a great memory, despite the fact that none of the aliens on the cover were actually in the film itself - though there is a slight Walrus-man look alike .

-Also in #2, the full-panel page of Luke lying unconscious on the ground while the Sand People go through the landspeeder, presumably looking for things to rip off. Great art.

- The Biggs/Luke/Camie/Fixer sequence in #1, and the meeting between Biggs & Luke on Yavin right before the DS battle (issue #5 or #6). It was nice to see these, especially since they were edited out of the original film (I didn't see either sequence until the 2011 Blu-ray deleted scenes & the 1997 ANH:SE, respectively).

In looking over it again years later, I am dissapointed that there is very little detail re: the background aliens during the cantina scenes (probably due to the artist not having much source material at the time).

Note that I've never read (in it's entirety) the 1997 ANH SE comic adaptation, by Dark Horse. I remember skimming through it at the time, but I never got it. I think this has been reprinted since then, somewhere...

 

Heh, I was just thinking that when I read your post! I remember getting mine from the 7-11. Wish I'd kept it!