Friday, September 27, 2024

Classic Cover Comparison

Star Wars #45 and Titans #45

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.

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