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May 4, 2021
Happy Star Wars Day! On this special occasion, I have a few thoughts and memories to share. First, I want you to consider the photo above.
Luke Skywalker is wearing a floppy hat and looking up at the Tatooine sky with a pair of futuristic binoculars. So what, you might say? The image is innocuous enough… Now. But in 1977-78, when photos like this first began to surface in publications like The Star Wars Storybook, they were fascinating to my 10-year-old brain.
After all, these weren’t publicity shots created in some photographer’s studio against a featureless background. These images were from scenes that didn’t make it into the original cut of Star Wars. Keep in mind this was long before The Empire Strikes Back was even announced. Long before hundreds of books, comic books, video games, and television series expanded the Star Wars universe to, well, universal proportions. For 10-year-old Marsh, images of Luke Skywalker in his floppy hat — or talking with Biggs Darklighter outside Tosche Station (which appeared in the same book) — meant there were parts of Star Wars yet unseen.
May 4, 2021
Happy Star Wars Day! On this special occasion, I have a few thoughts and memories to share. First, I want you to consider the photo above.
Luke Skywalker is wearing a floppy hat and looking up at the Tatooine sky with a pair of futuristic binoculars. So what, you might say? The image is innocuous enough… Now. But in 1977-78, when photos like this first began to surface in publications like The Star Wars Storybook, they were fascinating to my 10-year-old brain.
After all, these weren’t publicity shots created in some photographer’s studio against a featureless background. These images were from scenes that didn’t make it into the original cut of Star Wars. Keep in mind this was long before The Empire Strikes Back was even announced. Long before hundreds of books, comic books, video games, and television series expanded the Star Wars universe to, well, universal proportions. For 10-year-old Marsh, images of Luke Skywalker in his floppy hat — or talking with Biggs Darklighter outside Tosche Station (which appeared in the same book) — meant there were parts of Star Wars yet unseen.
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Likewise, a photo of Princess Leia admiring Han Solo’s medal hinted at something even greater because it depicted an event which happened after the movie. I mean, Star Wars ends with Luke and Han getting their medals to the roar of the assembled Rebel Alliance. Princess Leia never stopped to admire Han’s award in the film — and for a kid who wanted more, the photo meant that something happened in that galaxy far, far away after the closing credits had rolled.
My mind seized on images like these and began to spin tales around them. I drew my own comics and began writing my own Star Wars novel — appropriately entitled STAR WARS II — which began with Darth Vader’s TIE-fighter crash landing on a small, barren planet after he escapes the destruction of the Death Star. The planet turns out to be "Tatotween" (as I misspelled it at the time), and brings “the dark lord of sith” into direct conflict with Han Solo in the very cantina where he was hired by Luke and Obi-wan.
As it turned out, Star Wars didn't need my help to continue on. Between the Marvel comics (began in April 1977), publication ofSplinter of the Mind’s Eye (February 1978), and even the Star Wars Holiday Special (November 1978), it became obvious that Star Wars had a long life ahead of it. Eventually of course, it would go on to occupy a very prestigious place in American pop culture, even having its own holiday! But for a while, until all that other stuff happened, it was a handful of photos which made every day #StarWarsDay for kids like me.
May the Force be with you!
My mind seized on images like these and began to spin tales around them. I drew my own comics and began writing my own Star Wars novel — appropriately entitled STAR WARS II — which began with Darth Vader’s TIE-fighter crash landing on a small, barren planet after he escapes the destruction of the Death Star. The planet turns out to be "Tatotween" (as I misspelled it at the time), and brings “the dark lord of sith” into direct conflict with Han Solo in the very cantina where he was hired by Luke and Obi-wan.
As it turned out, Star Wars didn't need my help to continue on. Between the Marvel comics (began in April 1977), publication of
May the Force be with you!
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On select pages throughout this website, you will find book recommendations related to the feature above. Purchase any of these titles on Bookshop.org while you support independent booksellers and authors.
On select pages throughout this website, you will find book recommendations related to the feature above. Purchase any of these titles on Bookshop.org while you support independent booksellers and authors.
Luke Skywalker. Han Solo. Princess Leia. The beginning of the Star Wars saga, in an amazing novelization based on George Lucas's book
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