Star Wars 3-D #1-3 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

1987 was the 10 year anniversary of the first Star Wars film. In what was supposed to be a time filled with celebration and fanfare, 1987 was not a banner year for the average Star Wars fan. Star Wars: Droids and Star Wars: Ewoks; a pair of all-ages comics published by Marvel imprint Star, were cancelled by Springtime. Star Tours, a Star Wars themed Disneyland ride and a 10th anniversary convention were held. But unless you traveled to California, you couldn't enjoy them. Older fans could enjoy a new computer game as well as a RPG game- if you had the money and/or friends to play with! At least Mel Brooks entertained moviegoers with his Star Wars parody, Spaceballs.

It was a dark time for Star Wars fans, especially if you loved it in comic book form. That was until December of that year!

California based Blackthorne Publishing was a small novelty publishing company known for making 3-D comics based on popular properties such as Dick Tracy and the California Raisins. It was a small coup to win the Star Wars franchise away from major publisher Marvel, despite the waning interest in the George Lucas property. 

Issue #1 was billed as a 10th anniversary issue. Written by Len Wein, the premier issue sees Luke Skywalker and C-3PO returning with Han Solo and Chewbacca to Tatoonie immediately after the destruction of the Death Star during the Battle of Yavin. Skywalker wishes to honor his fallen Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru while being led by the Force to find a new caretaker for the Lars Homestead. The Force leads Luke and company to Mos Eisley Cantina to a massive and mean smuggler named Throgg. Featuring art and pencils by Glen Johnson and Jim Nelson, the climatic bar fight in this issue makes the misadventures seen in Episode IV look rather tame in comparison.

Patrick Zircher assists Len Wein in the next issue which reveals how the Rebels ended up seeking sanctuary on the ice planet of Hoth. Inks for this issue were by David Cody Weiss. 

Series editor John Stephenson pens the third issue which takes Luke and Leia to Dantooine. There, Luke is kidnapped by a group of Dark Force sensitive beings called Fairfolk, who subject the aspiring Jedi to a number of tests devised by Darth Vader. The combined artwork and inks by Cesar Magsombol are the weakest of the trio of issues, looking hardly anything like any of the characters.

Star Wars 3-D was a quarterly publication. The printing process to make the images appear 3-D was a costly technique in both terms of time and money. At least 3 additional issues were planned. Unfortunately, the 1988 Michael Jackson project Moonwalker led to the downfall of the young publisher. A ridiculous licensing fee for the franchise in addition to the book's failure to entice customers resulted in financial woes that Blackthorne could never rebound from. An IRS audit and a lawsuit against distribution company Sunrise Distribution didn't help matters. Outsourcing and layoffs dominated Blackthorne in 1989, despite being the 5th largest comic book publisher at the time. Ultimately, many of Blackthorne's planned titles, including issues 4-6 of Star Wars 3-D were cancelled and the company folded in 1990.

Completing this review completes Task #33 (A Star Wars Comic or Graphic Novel) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Classic Star Wars: The Early Adventures

A few years ago, I read the complete Al Williamson run on the Star Wars comic strip. In all three volumes, called Classic Star Wars, there were forewords in each that proclaimed that while the Williamson stories are good, the Russ Manning era of the strips were far superior. Being a huge Star Wars lover, I had to know what the fuss was all about. So Classic Star Wars: The Early Adventures was quickly added to my wish list.

After months and months of searching, I finally found a copy of this book which I could afford. Some sites had this book listing for upwards of $80 as this Dark Horse edition was out of print. And don't even ask about the 9 individual issues. I never could find a web site or LCS that carried these in the bins. 

Anyways, after finding this book, I immediately took to reading it. It's a mix of several stories that continue the struggle between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire. As per George Lucas' instructions, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader cross paths but never officially face-off. This makes for a number of stories that contain close calls and non-canon baddies. 

The most memorable of these is a holographic agent of evil code-named Blackhole. It appears that this villain is going to be the main villain in the strip. But after the third story run is complete, he disappears- literally. He's never seen nor mentioned again. 

Also never mentioned again is a massive Rebel database named Mistress Mnemos, who promises to investigate Blackhole and just doesn't seem to get around to it. 

There's also this lizard Imperial officer referred to as Major Rahz. He's really awesome looking but quite unusual for Star Wars. Remember, the Empire wasn't known to be very accommodating to non-humans. Other than this guy, I think Admiral Thrawn is the only true alien species member to hold rank in the Empire. While very non-canon, I did think this dude was pretty cool!

One neat storyline reveals how the Rebels were able to purchase and maintain a fleet in the shadow of the Empire. This had always been a question to me. And while I am sure that the reveal has been retconned time and time again, the answer I found in this book was forever acceptable. 

The main reason anybody would want to own this book is that it contains one of the earliest appearances of Boba Fett! He crosses paths with Luke and Han; hinting at what trouble he'll be giving the Rebels in the Empire Strikes Back. I'm very interested to see if funny pages containing any of the strips from this story are considered highly sought after collectibles from fans of those who wear Mandalorian armor. 

I really can see where people would enjoy the Russ Manning stories. But are they superior to Al Williamson's run? Not in the least! Manning's artwork was quite cartoonish. It very fluid and fanciful. But it doesn't come close to Williamson's photo-realistic art that I remember enjoying every Sunday at my Grandmama's house. 

I think the reason Russ Manning gets so much love is that the artist was in the final stages of cancer when he accepted this project. I've heard that superstar talent such as Archie Goodwin filled in for Manning during some periods of time from 1979-80. You even get a sneak peak at what Al Williamson will be bringing to the series in the Boba Fett segment! 

These artists were true heroes as the kept Manning's name on the artwork so that he could keep his health insurance, even though Manning never even touched the storyboards. Being that Star Wars was Manning's last project, I am okay with the comics legend getting as much love as he did. But I still prefer Williamson's work on the Star Wars comic strip.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader's Castle #1 (Family Comic Friday)

After a terrifying trip through the Dark Side of the Force, Family Comic Friday is daring to Return to Vader’s Castle for more chills set in a galaxy far, far away.

Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader’s Castle #1
Written by Cavan Scott
Art by Francesco Francavilla and Megan Levins
Published by IDW Publishing
Retail: $3.99

Last year, IDW Publishing took Star Wars fans on a frightening 5-week long countdown to Halloween in the pages of Tales From Vader’s Castle. When I reviewed that book, I predicted that we would see another round of scares this Halloween- and I was right!

Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader’s Castle #1 kicks off a 4-week miniseries that is already slaying it’s predecessor in terms of quality. My big issue with last year’s event was that Vader’s Castle was lacking a proper horror host to tie in the ominous presence of the Sith Lord’s inner sanctum with the spooky stories being recalled.

In this series we finally have a host in the form of Darth Vader’s personal caretaker, Vanee. This character has all of the make-up of a great host of a horror comic. He is really  eerie; possibly deranged. Vanee is also quite ghoulish, and most importantly, he’s a good storyteller!

Of course, the story is actually crafted by Cavan Scott. The main writer from Star Wars Adventures, Cavan Scott really seems to live and breathe Star Wars. That makes him the perfect choice to craft these legends of Lucasfilm!

Once again, the stories aren’t terrifying to the point that young readers can’t enjoy them. The first story, which guest stars Darth Maul, is about as chilling as that scene in Empire where Luke must go into that tree on Dagobah to face the Dark Side of the Force. If your child can tolerate that segment, they’ll get a thrill out of this series.

If you have a young reader who loves to be a little scared during Halloween and loves Star Wars, then Return to Vader’s Castle is the perfect start to get them in the All Hallow’s Eve spirit! Thanks to writer Cavan Scott and Jughead: The Hunger’s Francesco Francavilla and Megan Levens (Spider-Gwen), Star Wars fans of all ages will be in for a treat!

Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader’s Castle #1 is currently available in print and digital formats. Issues #2 debuts on Wednesday, October 9th.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

This review was originally published on October 4, 2019 via Outrightgeekery.com.

Star Wars Adventures: Tales of Vader's Castle #5

The last issue finally has an appearance from the Dark Lord of the Sith. 

I wasn't such a big fan of this issue as the loose ends got tied up just a little too neat and clean for my taste. I understand that this is an all-ages book. But even though the Star Wars films are rated PG but honestly, they're all-ages friendly. And yet characters die and stuff. 

Yes, characters die in this horror anthology mini-series. But those who survive and such- it was just too Disney of a result. 

Speaking of Disney, the more the House of Mouse controls the Star Wars universe, the more convinced I am that Darth Vader is secretly working for the Rebel Alliance. Such a great menacing character when done by Lucas. But now as a Disney character, he's making too many 'oh, shucks' mistakes. I'm willing to put down $20 that one day, under Disney's control, we're going to find out Anakin Skywalker never really turned to the Dark Side of the Force. Instead, he went as a double agent to bring Palpatine down once and for all.

A great series that creeped me out. If only the final issue was up to the other four issues' standards.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars. 

Star Wars: Vader Down

Vader Down is the ultimate Star Wars crossover as Luke's quest to uncover the mysteries of the Force and Vader's search to find the Rebel pilot that destroyed the Death Star finally intersect! All of your favorites are here, Leia, Han, Chewie, even new favorites like Doctor Aphra and her murderous droids.

   There are twists, turns, and betrayals galore in this amazing volume by Jason Aaron (Scalped) and Cullen Bunn (Origin II). But what really sets this book apart is the artwork. I have never seen such authentic looking work in a Star Wars comic. The combined efforts of artists Mike Deodato Jr. (Thunderbolts) and Salvador Larroca  (A + X) deserves some sort of award (if it didn't win one already). I mean there were times I'd turn a page to face a X-wing  swooping down at me and I actually ducked outta the way! Plus beautiful covers by Mark Brooks!

   You could read this book as a stand alone and in terms of the Star Wars regular series, you very well could that. But there are so many new characters in the Darth Vader comic, you need to read those issues to  really understand what is going on in Vader’s story immediately after the Battle of Yavin.

  An ideal read as a sort of bookend to Episode IV with Rogue One completing the other end.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars: Darth Vader, Volume 2: Shadows and Secrets

     Vader Betrayed!

     Upon learning that the Emperor has secretly been crafting a replacement to the Dark Lord, Darth Vader plans revenge to overthrow his master. But in order to do this, Vader will need funds and an apprentice. Using his network of hired thugs, Vader orchestrates a massive heist of Imperial credits. All the while, Vader must lead the Imperial investigators of the theft on a wild goose chase that will hopefully remove several power players from the Outer Rim territories. At the same time, the Sith has hired another bounty hunter, who seeks information as to the true fate of Queen Amidala's supposedly unborn child...
     Another thrilling chapter into the backstory of Darth Vader's life between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back. While the first volume felt a little too Disney, this volume was more raw and I liked that. Darth Vader was essentially emasculated in the previous volume and a wimpy Vader is a lousy Sith Lord. I'll admit some of this is the fault of the prequels, but the fault is on Disney as well. So, to have Lord Vader enacting such a broad assault on the Emperor, his own Sith Lord, was freaking awesome.
    Kudos, Kieron Gillen for taking Darth Vader back to his original trilogy roots and making him someone to be feared at all costs.

    Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Star Wars: Darth Vader, Volume 1: Vader

Spiraling out of of the destruction of the Death Star, Darth Vader is number one on the Emperor's $hit list. But the Chosen One has a chance to redeem himself should he find the rebels responsible for attack. Now forced to be subservient to Grand Moff Tarkin's replacement, Admiral Tagge, Vader is given a virtual babysitter in the form of a detestable Imperial Officer who is to oversee the progress of the Dark Lord (Vader's been relegated to the Emperor's crap work.)

Vader is still trying to be loyal to his master, but when the fallen Jedi discovers that Emperor Palpatine already has plan to replace him with genetically altered Sith Lords, Lord Vader goes Rogue… seeking to find the pilot who destroyed the Death Star, make him his apprentice and possibly become the next Emperor!

  This series is a strange combination of Classic Star Wars meets the new trilogy with an unsettling amount of Disney-esque touches. I mean, I am thrilled with all the great cameos like Boba Fett and Jabba mixed with new characters like the precocious archaeologist Doctor Alphra and her pair of torture droids. But throughout this book, there's a hint of House Of Mouse that just doesn't belong in a galaxy far, far away…

  An excellent story by Kieron Gillen (Young Avengers), filled with wonderful artwork by Salvador Larocca (Xtreme X-Men) and killer covers by Alex Ross and Adi Granov. But this book is is missing something and really the only party you can blame for that, wears mouse ears.

  Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Classic Star Wars, Volume 3: Escape to Hoth

   The final adventures of the Rebel Alliance chronicled by Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson is collected in this Dark Horse treasury from the mid-90s. In this volume, the Rebels seek to establish their new base on the ice planet of Hoth.  But first the Alliance fleet's caravan must escape an Imperial blockade. Then Luke is stunned by a blast from his past before accidently getting Han captured by a band of bounty hunters under the employ of one Boba Fett. Lastly, Luke and Vader have one more battle through the Force before this epic comic strip comes to an end.

   If you are disappointed that this series is through like I am, remember 2 things. First, the next thing that happens in Star Wars timeline is the events of Empire Strikes Back- so you haven't missed anything. Second, though the Goodwin/ Williamson run is through, it's not the end of Classic Star Wars. No less than 2 Han Solo adventures are contained under the imprint title and with volume 4 of this series, you'll get the Russ Mannings run on the strip that occurred before Goodwin took over as scripter. I told that this was a confusing title!

  None the less- those adventures are on my wish list and I loved the Goodwin/Williamson books. Goodwin was a gifted storyteller of Star Wars and I just can't say enough about Al Williamson. His art is just that damn good! If you overlook these treasuries you're really doing yourself a disservice!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Classic Star Wars, Volume 2: Rebel Storm

    Continuing the newspaper series by Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson. In this collection, the Rebellion sniffs out a traitor amongst some new allies, Han enters Chewie in a gladiator match to the death to retrieve a mystical gem, Luke faces an ancient evil lurking in the Massassi Temples on Yavin, Darth Vader christens his super star destroyer, The Executor, and the Mon Calamari join the rebellion.

   The stories are excellent and I think after 2 volumes, I finally have the unique pacing down pat. But what I really love is the artwork. Not every panel of Luke, Han, and Leia look like their real life counterparts. But the renderings of droids, Lord Vader, and vehicles by the talented artist, Al Williamson is stunning! It also helps that the editorial team at Dark Horse did a museum quality job on the restoration and coloring of these strips.

   I am so glad that I have volume #3. This book ends on a cliffhanger and I don' think I could wait very long to find out what happens next in what is, unfortunately, the swan song to a fantastic run of Star Wars universe tales.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Classic Star Wars Volume One

 Before I begin my review, let's get one thing straight: Classic Star Wars is by far the most confusing Dark Horse title EVER! Classic Star Wars is a 3-volume collection of newspaper strips by Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson that ran in papers nationwide from 1980 until 1984 when the title was cancelled. I've always thought that this series should have been titled Star Wars Daily and that the original Marvel Comics run should have been designated CLASSIC! Instead the Marvel reprints were packaged as CLASSIC STAR WARS: A LONG TIME AGO... Added to the confusion is yet another series of trade paperbacks that reprint the 1979-1980 non-Goodwin penned strips called Classic Star Wars: The Early Adventures!

    Having read the introductions, a little bit of this confusion is finally cleared up to me. Dark Horse in the early 90s had just received the rights to publish Star Wars comics and they were desperate to start raking in the sales. They didn't have the original Marvel books in their possession yet, so they went on to print the newspaper strips.

   For some reason, the first 18-months of the strips was MIA. Desperate to present rabid Star Wars fans with anything original, Dark Horse found its answer in rival publisher Russ Cochran and series artist Williamson. Russ Cochran had a few years earlier put out these giant sized hardback editions of the strip. But they were in black and white and they were reprints from a collection of clippings a fan made during the strip's original run. The images weren't all that great. Plus, since some strips didn't carry the weekly strip while others didn't carry the Sunday edition, to keep the reader from getting lost there were redundancies galore. Enter: Al Williamson!

    Strip artist Al Williamson apparently was ultra-meticulous. Not only did he have all of the original artwork but they were catalogued to such a degree that his files actually found flaws in the Russ Cochran archives! Working with Dark Horse, Williamson and company produced what I am just about to review, a beautiful collection of the strips, edited to look more like a classic format comic book, repetitive panels deleted; now colored, re-inked, and featuring original covers and filler art by Al!

  While I hated the title, I loved the content. The great introduction by writer Archie Goodwin helped me to better understand the way the strips were organized. There's lots of drama and action but it's framed in such a way that every other panel had to be a cliffhanger in order to entice the reader back the next day.

   In this volume, we learn of what really happened with Han and that bounty hunter on Ord Mandell. Then Luke accepts a deadly mission to the Imperial shipyards before he's a captive of the Serpent Masters. Lastly, before Han sniffs out a rebel traitor on an ocean planet, the crew of the Millenium Falcon are trapped in the wake of a collapsing star.

   The stories were exciting and I was riveted. There was one thing that really bugged me storywise and that was the love triangle between Princess Leia, Han Solo, and a certain farmboy from Tatooine. True, all of this happened before the big reveal in Return of the Jedi that Luke and Leia were brother and sister. But you'd think Lucas would've put the kibosh on this plotline. Plus, looking back at the massive hots Luke has for his (at the time unknown) sister, it's kinda creepy.

    But the thing I loved the most about this book was the art. Now when these strips were first published I was of the ages of 3-7. Yet, looking at Williamson's deft artwork and dramatic shading, I was taken instantly back to the days of having my uncles or parents read to me the daily adventures of my favorite Star Wars characters. Williamson's art is so identifiable. Though Luke may not look like Luke on every panel, the artist's renderings of spaceships, droids, and Darth Vader are so perfect.

    George Lucas was clearly influenced by the Flash Gordon serials of the 40s and 50s in making Star Wars. Here, Al Williamson's work is inspired by the classic strips that starred Flash and the Merciless Ming. Plus, I think the artist loves to draw lizards because he hides them in his artwork a lot. It's like a cool signature Easter Egg.

    With Marvel owning the rights to these properties again, you might see this series get a new reissue one day soon. But, the original Classic Star Wars volumes are not hard to find. Amazon has a ton for sale and I often find the books in this series at LCS and used books stores nationwide. And for a decent price too.

    A forgotten treasure in the Star Wars comic universe.

   Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

 

The 18 Days of a Star Wars Christmas Miracle +7: Day 25

Dear readers, 

    Christmas is here. I hope you've enjoyed my trek through the holiday season and I hope you'll continue to visit my blog for more Star Wars, Superhero, and other geeked themed reviews and much more. 

 I've spent the past 4 weeks I've touted the joys of a Star Wars Christmas. But the true meaning of the season is the birth of Christ. Before I go, I hope you'll enjoy this Christmas wish from a different sort of lord... ENJOY and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The 18 Days of a Star Wars Christmas Miracle +7: Day 10

   I wonder if Wampas bounce?

   There have been tons of Star Wars parodies in the past 4 decades. From mash-ups with Elvis to the Family Guy TV-show's take on the original trilogy, the ways to make a little fun at the ways of the Force seems endless.

   My advent present today is by far on of the worst Star Wars parodies or all-time. From September 1977, I present to you the Donny & Marie Star Wars Special! 

   I'm sorry I don't have a receipt so you can return this but hey, this clip is only 12 minutes long. So, the suffering isn't endless. Guest-starring C-3PO, R2-D2, Darth Vader, and a score of dancing stormtroopers, this is one of those things it's so bad, it's good. 

   You just have to see for yourself...

   Enjoy...

Star Wars Adventures: The Will of Darth Vader

 

  In a hit-and-run attack, the Rebellion has struck a major blow in the plans of the Empire and they don't even know it. Their latest raid has yielded a major piece of equipment, the targeting system for the second Death Star. Desperate to have it back, the Emperor sends out his most trusted agent, Darth Vader.

    But Vader's mission isn't just to return the stolen hardware, but to send a message to the galaxy: that the Empire is not to be trifled with. Getting to the base will pose a challenge, however, as the rebels are holed up in an asteroid field loaded with lasers, mines, and other booby traps. In order to get into the base secretly, Vader kidnaps a smuggler on his way to deliver supplies to the Rebels.

    I'm going to leave my synopsis of the book here. Because what comes next is a big continuity problem for me. Instead of doing away with the smuggler, once he has landed safety on the outskirts of the base, Vader lets the pilot live. Maybe the pilot has struck a nerve with the Dark Lord with all of his talk of free will and being a lackey for the Emperor. Regardless, letting this guy be the Eddie Murphy to Vader's Nick Nolte in a 48-Hours style romp, just doesn't seem to me to be the style of a guy who killed a bunch of younglings at the Jedi Academy.

     That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the story. I thought it was actually kinda funny having Darth Vader play the straight to someone other than Jar Jar Binks. But again, it just seems very uncharacteristic of him.

   Another thing I had an issue with was the book's title 'The Will of Darth Vader.' As I mentioned, Vader is somewhat perplexed by being confronted by someone who challenges his role as Palpatine's puppet. But I think it would've been really cool if this book was set after Return of the Jedi and Luke and Leia are summoned to Mustafar to hear the reading of Vader's will after his death. Maybe that's just me, but I think that plot would've made for a much more interesting story that fit the established character templates better than this buddy cop farce.

   This work marks the last in the Star Wars Adventures series of mini-graphic novels for me to read. Published by Dark Horse around 2010-11, these books were lots of fun to read and could be completed in one sitting. With Episode VII due in less than 3-weeks, I've been on a tear reading as much Star Wars as possible, as the anticipation is about to make me plotz.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

What's Missing from the Force Awakens Trailer? A Theory About Episode VII...

  

I must confess, I didn't stay up to watch the Star Wars trailer last night during Monday Night Football. But when I got home today, I immediately went online and viewed it. As much as I enjoyed it, I was struck by a nagging feeling that I couldn't put my finger on- until now... Where is Luke Skywalker?

   This is the third trailer I have seen for Episode VII. Except for his voice, the character played by Mark Hamill doesn't appear in any of them.

    Then I kept coming back to Han Solo saying that everything you here about the Jedi is true. Consider how big a skeptic in the Force Han was in the original trilogy, what would cause him to change his tune? That's when something else finally came to the forefront of my mind about why these trailers bother me- where are all the Jedi?

   You would think 30 years after the fall of the Empire that Luke would have created an impressive collection of Jedi Knights. But the only character that brandishes a lightsaber with any confidence is the Sith character of Kylo Ren. (At this point you might be yelling at my post saying " What about Finn? Don't worry, I'm coming to him.)

    Anyway, the whole thought of lightsabers got me thinking about another new character named Poe Dameron. This guy is an X-wing pilot tasked with retrieving the weapon Luke had lost, along with his arm, in his battle with Darth Vader on Bespin in Episode V. It's been 35 years since that happened, so why would Princess Leia wait until now to make someone other than Luke fetch it unless....
( this next sentence is A) speculation, not a spoiler and B) likely to make you mad. So, you've been warned.)

... Luke Skywalker is dead.

    Think about it, We've not seen Luke in any of the trailers, there's no army of Jedi, just this mysterious Sith character, Han waxes poetic about the Jedi, and when someone finally wields Luke's old lightsaber, it's the controversial character of Finn. So here's my theory:

   Luke tried to train the next generation of Jedi, but like with Obi-Wan, his apprentice became seduced by the Dark Side, became Kylo Ren, and killed Luke. Thus no further Jedi Knights.

   The movie is titled 'The Force Awakens.' If Luke was around, wouldn't it already be up? What if the character of Finn, played by John Boyega isn't a Skywalker but the new New Hope? Thus, the Force Awakens when Leia, who has some Force abilities, sees potential in this reformed stormtrooper. His teacher? Why, the ghost of Luke Skywalker! In a twist to the original trilogy, the ghost has become the master. Since revealing Luke to be a spectre would be a major spoiler- that is why Hamill has yet to appear in any of the trailers  (He's not even on the official movie poster!!! See above right...)

   Addendum: Luke might be alive but in typical Skywalker fashion, he has turned to the Dark Side of the Force. It's possible that we've seen Luke in all three trailers, it's just we've not seen his face. This actually makes a little bit of sense as in the most recent trailer, the Sith Lord, Ren seems to be in possession of the skull of Darth Vader. But how did he get it if Luke had his father's body at the end of Return of the Jedi? That's because Luke betrayed the New Republic, became a Sith lord named Kylo Ren and joined/ started the First Order. (Yes- I know that Ren is played by Adam Driver, but maybe that's only when the character is wearing his mask! Unmasked, Ren is played by Mark Hamill. It's happened before with Vader being played by two different actors in Episode VI!)

    So that's my theory. What do you think? I know it sounds wild. But if you find that my post was blocked by Disney, then I was on to something...

Tomorrow is Star Wars Reads Day (A Family Comic Friday Extra!)

Tomorrow will be the 2^nd annual Star Wars Reads Day. Sponsored by Lucasfilm and now Disney, the event encourages children to read. And what’s a better way to start reading than to enjoy the adventures of the Star Wars Universe in print.

According to WRAL.com, the ABC affiliate for the Raleigh/Durham area of North Carolina, Wake County libraries will be hosting Star Wars Reads parties. During this time, kids can build their own droids, make Chewbacca inspired crafts, have pictures taken with their favorite Star Wars Characters and read some great Star Wars books. Raleigh area Barnes & Noble stores are supposed to also be hosting similar events tomorrow, though WRAL did not go into further detail on that.

Since the year I was born- there has always been Star Wars. It’s like we’re twins or something and I have read my share of some really good and really bad Star Wars books. Here’s a few all-age friendly suggestions to look out for tomorrow.

Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures- These digests are based on the cartoon show and feature several stories in each volume. I’ve seen them in many libraries and B&N still carry them or can order them. Price is usually less than $9 each

Star Wars Adventures- Also in digest form, these volumes tell some untold tales of your favorite classic Star Wars Characters ranging from Han Solo to Yoda to Darth Vader. These are a little harder to find in retail outlets but many libraries do carry them still.

Star Wars Omnibus- Droids and Ewoks- back in the 80s Lucas presented 2 cartoons based on characters from Star Wars. Droids was the early adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO before they became property of Luke Skywalker. Ewoks took place sometime before the Empire came a calling in Return of the Jedi. Both shows spawned comic book series that though aimed at kids, were a really cool nostalgic read when I found this at a thrift store. Look for the awesome cross-over in which the Droids and Ewoks team-up against some baddies. Original Cover Price is $22.50.

Classic Star Wars: A Long Time Ago- These massive volumes are out of print but can still be found in libraries and online. These books collect Marvel’s epic 120+ issue run of the comics based on the original Star Wars trilogy. The violence is no worse than in the films and there are some really awesome stories contained in this along with adaptations of the films. These stories can also be found in stores in Omnibus form published by Dark Horse for around $25-$30 a volume.

Also- Here’s two series that are those a little bit older (12+)

Star Wars: Tag & Bink Were Here- This collected edition follows the misfit Jedi rejects Tag and Bink. Just like in the film Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead- Tag and Bink’s misadventures in some crazy way impact the events of both the original and new trilogies. Extremely funny stuff that’s available in stores or Amazon for SRP of $20.

Star Wars: Infinities (Various subtitles) - These collected editions are based on ‘what if’ scenarios. For example, in Empire Strikes Back, we see what would’ve transpired in Luke was killed by the wampa on Hoth and instead Han had to train to be a Jedi under master Yoda. Sadly, only the original trilogy has been given this treatment. Can also be found in Omnibus form by Dark Horse.

I’ve included a link to the WRAL site. I’m sure you can find a Star Wars Reads Day event in your area as this is a nationwide initiative. So, best of luck, get reading, and may the force be with you!