While it is still unclear as to what will happen to the STAR WARS comic book franchise now that Disney bought the rights, Dark Horse Comics is still going strong releasing stellar STAR WARS books while they still can. The latest project is arguably one of the most interesting in recent memory. Dark Horse will be putting out an 8-part mini series faithfully adapting by George Lucas’ original script for the first STAR WARS film titled “THE STAR WARS”. There are a crap ton of differences between that script and what audiences actually saw in STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE. The official press release explains what this project is all about best;
It’s no April Fools’ prank! Dark Horse is honored to announce a dream project: working with J.W. Rinzler, executive editor at LucasBooks, and artist Mike Mayhew (Avengers) to adapt the rough-draft original screenplay which spawned the biggest franchise in film history!
Three years before his 1977 film, George Lucas put down on paper his first story set in a galaxy far, far away—a tale of fantastic adventures, daring escapes, “lazer swords,” romance, and monsters. A story of Jedi Annikin Starkiller and General Luke Skywalker, an alien named Han Solo, and evil Sith Knights. The screenplay was titled The Star Wars!
“I’m not sure where I first read about The Star Wars—it was years and years ago—but the idea of Luke Skywalker being an older Jedi General, and Han Solo being a six-foot-tall lizard, turned my Star Wars fan brain on its side,” said longtime Star Wars editor Randy Stradley. “I always assumed this would be one of those stories that would be ‘lost to history,’ so getting to work on bringing it to life is kinda like a dream come true.”
“While researching in the Lucasfilm Archives I’ve found many treasures—but one which truly astounded me was George’s rough draft for The Star Wars. His first complete imaginings were hallucinating to read—mind blowing,” said writer J.W. Rinzler. “While working with George on another book project, I once asked if we could adapt his rough draft. He was hesitant. Years later, with Dark Horse’s invaluable help, we showed him a few drawn and colored pages of what it might look like. He gave us the okay.”
Originally conceived in 1974, The Star Wars has been the subject of rumor and legend in the fan community throughout the history of the galaxy far, far away. Now, Lucas has seen fit to grant Dark Horse the right to adapt this fabled story into an eight-issue comic series launching in September!
Well there you have it folks. It looks like this project is really happening even though a small part of my nerd brain still expects this to be some sort of April Fool’s joke. Numerous sources are saying that this project is real and fans really have something to look forward to tiding them over before STAR WARS EPISODE VII hit’s theaters in 2015.
The 8-part THE STAR WARS series is due out sometime in September 2013.
In the San Francisco area looking for your next STAR WARS comic book fix? If so, Check out MISSION: COMICS & ART. They’ve got you covered!
