Lit Original Marvel Series

Well that's at least actually drawing on the look of the ANH poster. I'm thinking of things more like the Tagge mining ship in the picture above, which doesn't look Star Wars at all and seems like it could have come out of any generic comic with spaceships of the time.

I get that there was limited reference material, so I don't hold it against the comic too much, but it's just... frustrating, given how much of a breath of fresh air Star Wars was visually, to see the way the comics kept falling back on traditional sci-fi visuals.

 

Not even that, actually! They made the ANH adaptation without visual reference, hence all of the multiple discrepancies.

 

Ah, Marvel 1.0 ... good times. This was my SW between movies when I was young - yes, I'm dating myself, I don't care.

As other posters have noted, the Marvel run was fun, without care for the weirdness that it sometimes reveled in - or, the weirdness made things more fun.

(George could've taken a cue from the Hiromi - silly, semi-villainous, decidedly ridiculous aliens that ingratiated without being annoying. at you, Mr. Binks.)

Without the first Marvel, we wouldn't have had Zeltrons, which means no Deliah Blue in Legacy. Nor would we have had Lumiya, Metalorn, Fenn Shysa, the Tofs, the slivilith, or the Nagai (and thus, no Darth Nihl, or a radically different one).

Think of Marvel 1.0 as the comic book equivalent of WEG - both broke ground with few, if any, limits, and left a great deal of EU lore.

 

Volumes 5, 6, and 7 of the Marvel compilation have some of my favorite Star Wars stories of all time, so yes, I'd say they're definitely worth reading. Simply put, they're a hell of a lot of fun.

 

I've been reading most of the original Marvel stuff for the first time recently, having read DH's "A Long Time Ago ... " Volume 1 last year and bought the rest digitally. As others have said, it's a lot of fun and quite typical of that (great) era of Marvel. It's dialogue-heavy and very silly, but it's so refreshing to read SW unencumbered by continuity.

 

Re: the original SW Marvel series, I truly enjoy these issues and actually prefer them to most of the SW comics that have come out since (continuity problems notwithstanding, i.e. a green humanoid JTH). A lot of this is because my favorite SW EU time period takes place between ANH & ESB, since that's when the Empire was at it's height and I feel it gives these stories an increased sense of drama & also a far different tone than most of the post-ROTJ EU. I also liked the stories in the issues taking place between ESB & ROTJ.

Also, there is a strong sense of nostalgia associated with these comics for me, since I was a kid at the time, and read many of them when they originally came out in the late '70's - '80's. And, yes, there are some cheesy moments, but I just think that adds to the charm of these issues. Also, more recent fans of the SW saga (who started reading the DH comics & novels in the '90's) wouldn't necessarily remember these early days - but, at the time the Marvel SW comic was practically the only EU out there, outside of the novel SOTME, the B. Daley H. Solo novels, and the L. Neil Smith LC novels.

Comments on the artwork:

- I really liked the way C. Infantino drew the stromtroopers, i.e. very evil and menacing (maybe even more so than in the films). IMHO his work on this Marvel SW series was exceptional.

- Walt Simonson's artwork in this series was amazing - especially impressive were the issues with Fenn Shysha and the Mandalorians - incredible detail.

- Al Williamson's artwork on the ESB & ROTJ adaptations & issue #50 was truly amazing - superb and very much in keeping with the tone of the films. He also illustrated issue #98, which was one of the best post-ROTJ issues.

Comments on specific issues/storylines:

- Annual #1 was truly awesome - great sci-fi pulp "feel", as well as being a good story. The winged aliens reminded me slightly of the Hawkmen in the old "Flash Gordon" comic strips, but they were also very original.

-Issues #7-10 were great - this really fit into the "western in space" motif that we saw in ANH. Very good stuff. Star Wars #7 especially amazed me when I first saw this; first of all, the cover was incredible, and IMHO is one of the best SW Marvel covers - Han Solo & Chewie fighting unknown enemies on some desolate planet with their wanted posters in the background....And, I remember when I first saw the comic back in the day, I was surprised that it even existed, since at that time I didn't know that there was a SW comic series that continued the characters' adventures beyond the films. This was definitely my first exposure to the EU, and as such I have fond memories of these particular issues.

Years later, after seeing the excellent western film The Magnificent Seven, I realized that this #7-10 Aduba storyline was "inspired" by that film, which gave the storyline another dimension.

- The "Valance The Hunter" issues were very well-done. Great origin story, and I liked how he squared up against DV...

- "Droid World" (post-ESB?) - one of the best stand-alone stories in the series - extremely well-done, and this put a human face on the robots in the SW universe.

- The storyline(s) taking place between ESB & ROTJ when the heroes were searching for Han Solo were very entertaining. Though I know these contradicted Shadows of the Empire and ROTJ (since Luke had his blue lightsaber, and we know he lost it at the end of ESB), they were still interesting and I liked how the heroes searched for the other bounty hunters that we saw on DV's ship in ESB.

 

I had a Droid World read-a-long record book when I was kid.



Kinda freaked me out at times, to be honest, but I read / listened to it top to bottom excessively.

 

I grew up with the old original Marvel Comics Star Wars series after I saw Return of the Jedi in theaters during 1983. I wasnt old enough to know about the other half of the older issues of the comic back then.

Thanks to the older Omnibuses A Long Time Ago volumes 1 through 5 I get to read the crazy funky wild space adventure stories that Luke, Han, Leia and the droids went through.

also there were some strange alien characters from the weird fish humanoids that wore bowls over their heads to stay alive with water and Lando and his disguises.

 

I had this also, along with "Planet of the Hoojibs". I listened to those for years and years before I had any idea they were adaptations of Marvel comics.

 

The original Marvel series often gets remembered as "goofy" but even the earlier stories had some fantastic stuff. Especially after Archie Goodwin took over - his tenure on the newspaper strip deserves attention as well. Valance the Hunter was a great and interesting character, and all the stuff with Tagge was a lot of fun. I do feel like the series entered its prime post-TESB. Some may feel the Hoojibs are silly, but I think they're a perfect Star Wars concept - a very intelligent and emotional species who only appear to be cute little animals. I fondly remember the storyline about Lando retaking Cloud City, and the whole Shira Brie story arc throughout the whole run is just great. Mary Jo Duffy's run is my favorite - the stories and concepts will always be not only some of my favorites in the EU but in the whole Star Wars franchise.

They feel like Star Wars. I consider them far superior to pretty much any of Dark Horse's later Rebellion-era stuff - the characters didn't feel like themselves, and they were too deathly serious. They weren't fun. The Marvel series was extremely fun, and could be plenty serious when called for, and had surprising emotional depth at time. These are stories which definitely deserve to be remembered.

 

I didn't have it - but a friend of mind did. I didn't listen to the tape - but I did read the book. It came as quite a pleasant surprise when, reading through one of the "A Long Time Ago" omnibuses far more recently, I came upon Droid World.

 

I just read #24 (a flashback to General Kenobi pre-Empire) for the first time, it was so good! He looked badass with his X-Men-style outfit and sharp goatee, I'd love to see a figure of this design.

Great story too, it must have blown fans' minds to see the Force used so impressively at that point.

 

You don't see much of the Empire or Rebels. It's mostly just the Big 3 going on adventures. I remember Vader being in the Aargua (yes, Aargua!) arc though. It doesn't feel like SW but more like a regular comic book. I pray that today Marvel isn't treating SW like it did back in the day.

 

I love the old original Marvel Comics Star Wars series from 1977 to the mid 1980s.

I didnt get into the series since I wasnt born until 1980 so after seeing Return of the Jedi at the drive in theater back then, thats when I started getting into the old original Marvel Comics Star Wars comic series.

Nowadays I have the Omnibuses to read stuff that I missed out on.

Weird crap lol such as fish people wearing bowls with water, odd space pirates where they looked like more like they were space pirates from the X-Men comic book back then.

Heck Lando and Luke were doing their own pre-Shadows of the Empire to look for carbonite Han

 

It doesn't appear so, they have a little more guidance compared to the Classic era!

The weird stuff is great, but it IS quite like the X-Men space stuff. The psychedelic colors really add to the surrealism too, I suspect Marvel's recent reprints lose a lot of that charm.

I'm really excited to get to the post-ESB era, since I've heard that Lando essentially takes over Han's role. I also want to see how Luke reacts to Vader's revelation.

 

Marvel's original comic series is fantastic for the most part and for those of us who grew up and read comics in the 70s and 80s, this series along with the Kenner toys did more to cement our love of Star Wars than anything that has come since. This series is important for several reasons. First of all, the main characters are fleshed out from what was presented in the ANH adaptation. In the comic series, Luke Skywalker is the farmboy from Tatooine, Han Solo is the rogue mercenary, and Princess Leia is the strong and capable leader. These personalities are cemented for the reader and by the time ESB comes out, there is no ambiguity about who these characters are. Secondly, the Imperials are ruthless in the comics and this helps drive home why there is a Rebellion in the first place. Populations are subjugated and Imperial leaders are shown to be conniving and corrupt. Darth Vader eventually returns in the series and has a singular focus on finding the identity of the pilot that destroyed the Death Star. Finally, criminal elements such as bounty hunters, pirates, and bandits operate freely outside of Imperial jurisdiction. The Imperial reach is limited at this point and in the void left by the fall of the Old Republic, a criminal element has flourished.

The series prior to the ESB adaptation was my favorite. During this period we had lengthy story arcs with several standalone issues intermixed, but overall there was one narrative that flowed through the issues. We started off with Han and Chewie having their treasure stolen so they found themselves on the planet Aduba-3 defending a village against local bandits. This was followed by Luke's mission to a water world to find a location for the Rebellion. There the big 3 are reunited and soon find themselves on the Wheel fighting local Imperials and Simon Greyshade. Afterwards, they return to a blockade of Yavin 4 and we are introduced to our new antagonist Orman Tagge. Before too long we are introduced to the scientist brother Silas and the Imperial brother Ulric who are bent on destroying the Rebellion using the Omega Frost weapon. And just before the ESB adaption we are introduced to Domina Tagge, the not so innocent sister, who would be the only Tagge to return after the ESB adaptation. Along the way, we are treated to a flashback story of Luke on Tatooine, Ben Kenobi during the Clone Wars, Han and Chewbacca's confrontation with Jabba the Hutt, the introduction and demise of the droid hating Valance the Bounty Hunter, and even a return to Tatooine.

What made this period interesting are the small things that Marvel picked up on from the movie and expanded on. The citizens of the galaxy have a distrust if not immense hatred of droids which we see in the very first tale with Han and Chewy on Aduba-3 and culminates with the Valance the Bounty Hunter story line. Simon Greyshade was a Imperial Senator who had dealings with Leia in her former role. The Empire is shown to be ruthless especially in a standalone story where Leia visits a mining planet. We are introduced to several Imperial leaders, all of which display character flaws that are necessary for us to view the Imperials as villains. Jedis were the guardians of peace throughout the galaxy, but they are only hinted at with the character of Don Wan Kihotay and the standalone Ben Kenobi issue.

After the ESB adaptation and prior to ROTJ, the Star Wars title initially meanders for a few issues until my favorite story in the original Marvel title begins in Star Wars #51 titled Resurrection of Evil. The story concludes in Star Wars #52 titled To Take the Tarkin. Afterwards, the Rebels are out again looking for another location, Lando returns to Bespin, and Luke Skywalker is accused of murdering a fellow Rebel, Shira Brie. After Luke is found innocent, our heroes spend the rest of the time looking for Han Solo until ROTJ.

After ROTJ, the Star Wars title struggles to find direction. There are some initial promising situations with Shira Brie returning as the Dark Lady Lumiya and the introduction of the Nagai. Unfortunately, a new semi-regular artist Cynthia Martin takes over in Star Wars #94 and the ultimate demise of the title is sealed; the art is cartoony and the stories match it by taking an over the top humorous bent. The silly Horomi introduced in Star Wars #94 return several more times until the series is mercifully cancelled with Star Wars #107.

Marvel would go on to publish the Droids and Ewoks comics (also humorous in nature but aimed at a younger crowd) but it was clear by this point that Marvel was not treating the Star Wars brand as important to their publishing plans. Dark Horse would step in and show Star Wars fans that Star Wars stories could be mature and under their stewardship would helped propel the franchise to new heights.

 

I've read the first two epic marvel collections of this series and I've come to see it as the "Batman 66" of star wars comics

 

Apropos to this thread, just today Comic Book Resources posted an article about Luke and Leia's, um...evolving relationship and how it was presented in the old Marvel series both before and after it was revealed they were siblings. And it comes complete with the best title ever: Stop Making Out With Your Sister, Luke!