Illustrated satirical magazines were commonplace when Star Wars was released in 1977, so it is not surprising that the movie sensation was a frequent target of these publications. The four main U.S. satirical magazines are Mad, Cracked, Crazy, and Sick and all four published several issues over their run that would feature Star Wars content. The Sick issues featuring Star Wars are the hardest to acquire as it undoubtedly had the lowest circulation of the four magazines.
Sick #1 was published by Crestwood Publications in August 1960. Hewfred Publications was the publisher of Sick from issue #63 in November 1968 until issue #108 in February 1976. Charlton Comics would take over and be Sick's final publisher when the magazine was cancelled in August 1980 with issue #134. Charlton Comics would go out of business in 1985. Sick #118 contains a 5-page Star Wars parody titled Star Bores by Dave Manak. Unlike Sick's peers, this issue does not contain a Star Wars themed cover, but instead features mundane artwork with a blurb that reads: "Plus Star Wars".
Sick #118a - Charlton Comics, U.S. (January 1978)
With uninspired covers like this, it isn't any wonder Sick was not long for the world.
Star Wars #45 is one of my favorite issues in the original title's run. In the story, Luke Skywalker battles with 13-K, an augmented Imperial Probe Droid, intent on detonating a captured Rebel Blockade Runner once it joins the Rebel Fleet.
Star Wars #45a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 1981)
The cover shows the Probe Droid firing on an incorrectly white garbed Luke. Inside the issue, Luke is wearing his familiar orange jumpsuit. There are several panels where Luke is sneaking around the Runner hiding in shadows and the colorist mutes the color palette and relies on black and white to highlight this. If this is what the colorist is going for on the cover, the effect fails, because inside the comic not only is the jumpsuit colored white with heavy black shadowing, but so is Luke's flesh and hair.
Star Wars #45a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 1981) page 13
The cover for the French Titans #45 is similar to the first panel on page 13 as Luke recoils from flames as R2-D2 attempts to override the cargo bay exit door. Interestingly, on the cover, R2-D2 appears to be using his flame extinguisher instead of opening the door. In the story, a repulsor lift controlled by 13-K attacks Luke and R2-D2 in the cargo hold. As the pair is distracted, an automated conveyor system overhead drops drums of liquid propellent on them which ignites the cargo bay leading to the situation shown on the cover. Ultimately, R2-D2 is unable to open the door, so Luke uses his lightsaber to short circuit it while R2-D2 tries to extinguish the flames, allowing them to escape.
Titans #45a - Editions Lug, France (October 1982) Star Wars #45
While the cover for Titans #45 is an interesting curiosity due to the subtle embellishments to the interior panel it is inspired from, I find the cover for Star Wars #45 to be superior. It is more dynamic and shows the antagonist attacking our hero.
Star Wars: Jabba the Hutt - The Jabba Tape is a one-shot set after Return of the Jedi. Big Gizz and Spiker, two of Jabba's swoop bike gang meet at the Citadel of B'omarr where Spiker is being healed by the monks. Big Gizz was also injured and had a skull plate put into his head which occassionally picks up random communication signals. Gizz and Spiker leave on swoop bikes and decide to take a ship Jabba the Hutt has hidden in a cave nearby, now that Jabba is dead. Meanwhile, at Jabba's Palace, Jabba's will is being read and Jabba leaves his nephew Gorga a toy bank embarrassing him in front of the Hutt clan. Ding, Gorga's major domo, tells his boss that Jabba has several priceless artifacts that are unaccounted for. Ding explains that Jabba has been paying a watchman named Onoh at a location called Glass Mountain which is a barren rock out in the middle of nowhere. Gorga and Ding think the artifacts might be there and send henchmen to investigate.
At the location, the henchmen torture Onoh who tells them how to open a secret cave. In the cave is a ship called the Spirit of Jabba. Gizz and Spiker arrive and dispatch Gorga's goons and take the ship with Onoh onboard. As the ship lifts off, Gizz picks up a communication from a henchman that was not killed relaying the recent events to Gorga. In space above Tatooine, Gizz and Spiker plot to use the ship to pirate other vessels on the trade routes. Before they can begin, an image of Jabba appears on the screen. The image is an interactive security tape and since no operating code was entered, the program takes over the ship and begins withdrawing oxygen from the command deck. As the oxygen is running out, Gizz picks up a transmission from one of Gorga's escort freighters, the Nemphas. Gizz is unable to communicate back however, and the Nemphas opens fire on the Spirit of Jabba damaging the ship's weapon systems. Gizz is frustrated with the ship and Onoh reveals he knows the operating code. He enters the code, disabling the security program, but not before the Nemphas disables all the weapons on the Spirit of Jabba. Gizz uses the ships comlink to negotiate with the Nemphas which orders Gizz to pilot the Spirit back to Tatooine under escort.
As the Spirit of Jabba nears Mos Eisley, Gizz picks up communications between the Nemphas and Gorga that discloses plans to kill Gizz and Spiker when they land the ship. Gizz decides to outrun the Nemphas, but first they need to shed weight on the ship. Spiker goes down to the cargo hold and begins dumping items, including the artifacts that Gorga is seeking. The cargo is dumped on Gorga's entourage below and as the Spirit of Jabba begins to accelerate away from Mos Eisley, the Nemphas opens fire critically damaging the Spirit. Gorga orders the Nemphas to stop pursuit and the story ends with Gizz, Spiker, and Onoh walking away from the crashed Spirit of Jabba, their plans of being pirates destroyed.
The cover, illustrated by Kilian Plunkett, is a montage with Big Gizz, Spiker, and Onoh surrounded by Jabba, Gorga holding the bank, and Ding. Also shown are the Spirit of Jabba and the Nempas. Plunkett also provides the interior artwork. His style is loose and busy but detailed and cartoonish, kind of like a cross between Sergio Aragones and Keith Giffen.
Star Wars: Jabba the Hutt - The Jabba Tape a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (December 1998)
Big Gizz and Spiker were introduced in the Shadows of the Empire comic.
Mollo's fourth Star Wars comic, After Order 66: Case of Cody, was released in August 2018. Like it's predecessors, After Order 66: Case of Wolffe, After Order 66: Case of Rex, and Before Order 66: Case of Gregor, this is self-published unofficial fan-made manga style comic. The dialogue is in both English and Japanese.
After Order 66: Case of Cody a (August 2018)
Commander Cody is the clone commander that turns on Obi-Wan Kenobi in Revenge of the Sith when Order 66 is initiated.
Mollo has a blog on Tumblr that you can visit to learn more about his artwork although he no longer contributes to it. Digital versions of After Order 66: Case of Cody and Mollo's other Star Wars comic offerings can be purchased at Etsy.
Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison is a 5-part mini-series published by Darth Horse Comics starting in May 2012. The story is narrated by Laurita Tohm who begins the first issue as a cadet in the first graduating class of the combined Imperial Academies. Tohm is shown to be disfigured, missing his left arm and the left side of his face is terribly scarred. He is on Coruscant attending the graduation ceremony which is officiated by General Gentis, his academy's headmaster, as Darth Vader and Palpatine observe from behind the podium. Tohm is presented as the valedictorian from Raithal and assigned the rank of lieutenant.
After the ceremony, Tohm is persuaded by his friends and fellow graduates, Ensign Caul and Shens, to attend the celebration gala. Tohm takes advantage of the situation to socialize with his superiors where he learns from Gentis he has been assigned to Grand Moff Tarkin's fleet. Following the party, the three friends leave and Caul and Shen talk Tohm into boarding a prototype fighter. It turns out this is a ruse and they lock Tohm into the craft for his own protection and they leave. Unable to unlock the hatch, Tohm initiates the emergency eject sequence to escape the craft. As the pilot seat descends into the city below, Tohm witnesses explosions all around and he lands in the middle of a battle between Clone Troopers and helmeted enemies. A Clone Trooper rescues Tohm as he witnesses Darth Vader attacking the enemy. Tohm's takes the Clone Trooper's sidearm and rushes to assist Vader. He stops at a fallen enemy and removes the facemask. The enemy is revealed to be his friend Shens. Shen utters: "Tohm... if you were ever loyal to Headmaster Gentis, you have to help us... ...help us kill the emperor."
Despite his name appearing on the title of this series, Darth Vader only appears in five panels throughout the first issue. I am a big fan of using Vader sparringly which is indicative of how Marvel Comics used him for most of their original run. When Vader shows up, his presence is meaningful and his actions have impact on the events he finds himself in. For his enemies, his presence conveys dread and for his allies, fear, pride, and respect.
The standard cover by Dave Wilkins shows Vader's visage over a planet being orbitted by a Star Destroyer.
Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison #1a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (May 2012)
An alternate cover was provided by Tsuneo Sanda and shows Vader on Coruscant in front of a wrecked spacecraft, perhaps a V-Wing fighter. A dead Clone Trooper is in the foreground and while this cover is not taken directly from any scene in the comic, it does depict a scenario that could have happened just off panel.
Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison #1b - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (May 2012)
Star Wars: Lando #3 opens with an injured Lobot being tended to by Lando Calrissian and the Ugnaught Korin Pers while the aliens Aleksin and Pavol fight the Imperial Royal Guards that damaged Lobot. Lobot is moved to a Bacta Tank and Lando and Korin come to the conclusion that the Imperialis is owned by the Emperor. Meanwhile, Chanath Cha boards the Scimitar, a vessel configured to track the Imperialis, at an Imperial facility. Back on the Imperialis, Lando and Korin equip themselves with blasters to help the alien pair, but when they arrive, the two guards have already been defeated. Korin removes the helmet from one of the guard to reveal the face is disfigured and Korin claims the guard has been corrupted. They open the door to the inner chamber of the starship and see a room with a pedestal holding a helmet surrounded by other artifacts mounted on the walls. Korin immediately recognizes the objects as being Sith and as Lando and Korin talk, the eyes on the helmet begin to glow red.
While light on plot, this issue again excels at dialogue. Charles Soule continues to demonstrate his understanding of Lando's personality and to define Korin Pers'. He also fleshes out Lobot's background, explaining that Lobot mind is constantly fighting with the implants for control. If I had one complaint about the story so far, Aleksin and Pavol do not speak and, unfortunately, they are merely defined by their fighting prowess making them one-dimensional characters.
Star Wars: Lando #3a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (August 2015)
An alternate cover by Mike Mayhew shows the bounty hunters from The Empire Strikes Back minus Boba Fett, peering at a wanted poster of Lando. This cover has nothing to do with the content of the story inside.
Star Wars: Lando #3b - Marvel Comics, U.S. (August 2015) Mike Mayhew variant
The issue also has a second printing which replaces the Imperial Royal Guard from the standard cover with a starry background.
Star Wars: Lando #3c - Marvel Comics, U.S. (August 2015) 2nd print
5 stories are told in Star Wars Tales #11 and the first story, Prey, was clearly never meant to be considered part of continuity. In the story, Governor Tarkin sends Boba Fett to kill an Imperial deserter, Han Solo. Darth Vader argues with Tarkin that Solo should be handled by Imperials, not bounty hunters and Tarkin agrees to ask the Emperor on Vader's behalf to allow Vader to pursue Solo. At a mining colony in the Hoth System, Fett learns a TIE Fighter crashed on the planet and the pilot was nursed back to health and left for the Tatooine system. A few hours later, Vader kills the same informant Fett met after receiving the same information. Fett enters a cantina on Tatooine and observes Han Solo fraternizing with a couple of ladies. Vader enters the cantina prompting Fett and Vader to start fighting over who will bring in Solo. Han flees and a several page fight between Vader and Fett ensues. Vader force pushes Fett out of the way and continues pursuing Solo. Shortly afterwards, Vader is aboard a Star Destroyer and asks the Captain for a report on Solo's escape. We then see Solo in an A-Wing fighter attached to the Destroyer waiting for it to dump it's garbage before it enters hyperspace. There are many problems with this story including Governor Tarkin hiring the bounty hunter instead of Darth Vader, Boba Fett using a lightsaber in his battle with Darth Vader, and Han Solo using an A-Wing to escape. With a little more care, this story could have been a decent addition to the mythos.
The next story, In the Beginning..., is a quick tale that shows Lando Calrissian losing the Millennium Falcon to Han Solo in a game of cards.
The longer The Princess Leia Diaries, is a first person narrative recounting journal entries from Princess Leia Organa's diary over several years. In the story, Leia is raised by Bail Organa, her aunts, and the nanny Madame Vesta and she remembers her mother, Padme Amidala. Leia is a precocious and rebellious child and one of the more important elements of the story is her meeting Governor Tarkin at a young age and purposely dousing him with water from a plant dropped from a balcony. Several years go by as Leia matures and learns about her father's involvement in the Rebellion. The story ends with another meeting of Tarkin and Leia again dousing him with water.
Tall Tales is another short story which takes place in a cantina. Han Solo is sitting in the establishment, cloaked and hidden, and he listens as the patrons of the bar exaggerate tales about heroes of the Rebellion.
The final story, Ghost, has a young Han Solo being saved from bounty hunters by the Quinlan Vos during the dark times era. Quinlan explains to Han the bounty hunters are after him because they suspect he is a Jedi. This story is on the shorter side, but it does show a Sarlacc and in the end, the bounty hunters are defeated and Han and Quinlan part ways.
Since the bulk of the stories feature Han Solo, it only makes sense the covers also showcase Han Solo.
Star Wars Tales #11a - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (March 2002)Star Wars Tales #11b - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (March 2002) photo variant
John Cassaday is best known for his artwork on Wildstorm's Planetary title and Marvel's ongoing 2004 Astonishing X-Men title. For Star Wars comic fans, John Cassaday is best known as the artist on the first six issues of main Star Wars after Marvel was awarded the license in 2015. In addition to providing the interior artwork, Cassaday provided the standard cover artwork for all six issues.
Cassaday's cover for Star Wars #1 features a silhouette of Darth Vader's head in the background with the main heroes in the foreground. This cover is a homage to the cover for Star Wars #1 published back in 1977.
Star Wars #1a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015)
The same cover was used for the Five Below Star Wars Special Edition #1.
Five Below Star Wars Special Edition #1a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (September 2015)
The cover was again used for both versions of Star Wars Previews #1, but this time, smaller cover artwork for Darth Vader #1, Princess Leia #1, and Kanan #1 are inset on the left side of the cover.
Star Wars Previews #1a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (April 2015) Lando adStar Wars Previews #1b - Marvel Comics, U.S. (April 2015) Max Ride: First Flight Preview #1
The premiere variant for Star Wars #1 uses the same art, except half the cover uses gray shading instead of color.
Star Wars #1p - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) Premiere variant
A similar effect is used on the cover for the Color Your Own Star Wars coloring book, but the gray shading is instead replaced with just black and white.
Color Your Own Star Wars a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (October 2016)
The Star Wars Director's Cut #1 has the artwork fade from color into a sketch towards the bottom of the artwork.
Star Wars Director's Cut #1a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (June 2015)
For Star Wars Saga, the heroes from the standard cover are used over a montage of Star Wars covers.
Star Wars Saga a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (December 2019)
Star Wars #1 went back to print six times. Most of the printings use a different solid background color, but the 2nd printing has a starry background while the 4th printing uses the twin suns. The 6th printing has 2 covers with the outer cover being the same as the 1st print, but the interior cover uses green for the background.
Star Wars #1bu - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) 2nd printStar Wars #1bv - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) 3rd printStar Wars #1bw - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) 4th printStar Wars #1bx - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) 5th printStar Wars #1by - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) 6th printStar Wars #1bz - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) 7th print
Different artwork is provided by John Cassaday for the 1:25 Star Wars #1 teaser variant. Here, Cassaday presents the iconic image of Luke Skywalker peering out at the twin suns of Tatooine. Instead of presenting Luke with his hand on his leg, the image is cropped with large black bands on the top and bottom and the Darth Vader quote "The Force is strong with this one." is used.
Star Wars #1h - Marvel Comics, U.S. (January 2015) teaser variant
John Cassaday draws Han Solo and Chewbacca hiding in debris from Darth Vader and a battalion of Stormtroopers. In the background are AT-AT and AT-ST vehicles.
Star Wars #2a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015)
There is also a sketch variant of this cover.
Star Wars #2f - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015) sketch variant
The issue went back to print five more times. All the subsequent printings use a different color background with the 2nd print using stars and the 5th print showing twin suns.
Star Wars #2h - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015) 2nd printStar Wars #2i - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015) 3rd printStar Wars #2j - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015) 4th printStar Wars #2k - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015) 5th printStar Wars #2l - Marvel Comics, U.S. (February 2015) 6th print
Star Wars #3 shows Luke Skywalker wielding his lightsaber as he rides a speederbike through a squad of Stormtroopers.
Star Wars #3a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2015)
This issue also has a sketch variant of the cover.
Star Wars #3d - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2015) sketch variant
This issue was reprinted three times. The 2nd print has a starry background while the 3rd and 4th print use a solid color.
Star Wars #3f - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2015) 2nd printStar Wars #3g - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2015) 3rd printStar Wars #3h - Marvel Comics, U.S. (March 2015) 4th print
Star Wars #4 shows a cloaked character in the foreground near a hovel on Tatooine with a ghostly image of Darth Vader in the background. It is my favorite of the Cassaday covers for Star Wars #1 - 6. The character in the foreground is not drawn with a lot of detail and can be anyone, but it is meant to be Luke Skywalker who wears a similar cloak for the covers of Star Wars #5 and 6. Luke does not actually arrive on Tatooine until issue #5 however and in that issue, he visits Ben Kenobi's house.
Star Wars #4a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (April 2015)
This issue also has a sketch variant of the cover.
Star Wars #4d - Marvel Comics, U.S. (April 2015) sketch variant
There is a 2nd printing of this issue and instead of a starry background or a solid color, this reprint uses darker colors for the haze that surrounds Vader.
Star Wars #4j - Marvel Comics, U.S. (April 2015) 2nd print
The cover for Star Wars #5 is a typical modern cover which shows a montage of the main three heroes, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia. Behind the heroes is a TIE fighter.
Star Wars #5a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (May 2015)
This issue also has a sketch variant of the cover and a 2nd printing with a starry backdrop.
Star Wars #5c - Marvel Comics, U.S. (May 2015) sketch variantStar Wars #5e - Marvel Comics, U.S. (May 2015) 2nd print
Luke Skywalker is the focus of the Star Wars #6 cover. Drawn from the perspective of Boba Fett, Luke is drawn brandishing his lightsaber ready to defend himself.
Star Wars #6a - Marvel Comics, U.S. (June 2015)
There is no sketch variant of this cover, but there are two more printings. Both printings differentiate themselves by using an alternate color for the image.
Star Wars #6e - Marvel Comics, U.S. (June 2015) 2nd printStar Wars #6f - Marvel Comics, U.S. (June 2015) 3rd print
Sadly, John Cassaday passed away on September 9, 2024.
"Outlander: The Exile of Sharad Hett" continues in Star Wars #9. Ki-Adi-Mundi quickly dispatches Jabba's minions on the skiff, but the craft is buried in the sandstorm. The next day, a herd of Bantha wander by the buried skiff and Ki-Adi-Mundi is able to free himself from the sand by grabbing the horns of one of the Banthas. Using the Force, he locates his lightsaber and mends his broken arm injured during the storm. He then uses the Force to lift the skiff from the sand and locates his supplies. From the deck of the skiff, he watches the Bantha slumbering toward the Needles, a rocky outcrop that mark the center of the Jundland Wastes. He starts walking toward them.
Meanwhile, a Sandcrawler has stopped near a vehicle protruding from a mound of sand and the Jawas begin removing the vehicle. The vehicle starts and flies away as Aurra Sing chides herself for blundering into the sandstorm. She pulls out binoculars and thinks to herself that she now has two Jedi to hunt. Through the binoculars, she spots the Needles and heads in that direction. She flies over the Bantha but fails to spot Ki-Adi-Mundi among the herd.
At nightfall, Ki-Adi-Mundi is climbing a rocky outcrop but is attacked by a womp rat. He sense more nearby, but before they reach him, he slips and falls off a ledge into a cavern with large eggs. He is then attacked by a krayt dragon. Crouching on the ledge surrounded by an entourage of Tusken Raiders, Sharad Hett greets the Jedi.
The cover is another Ken Kelly work that shows Ki-Adi-Mundi fighting the krayt dragon along with two Tusken Raiders. This scene is not depicted in this issue.
Star Wars #9b - Dark Horse Comics, U.S. (August 1999) newsstand
In addition to introducing readers to A'Sharad Hett, the son of Sharad Hett who will eventually go by the name Darth Krayt, the Outlander storyline does a fantastic job of weaving elements from the original trilogy with The Phantom Menace just months after the movie was released. In this chapter of the story, Ki-Adi-Mundi pulling the skiff from the sand using the Force is reminiscent of Yoda lifting Luke's X-wing fighter from the Dagobah swamp. Additionally, we are treated to appearances by Tusken Raiders, Jawas, womp rats, and even a krayt dragon.
