My Favorite Star Wars Comic

For this Star Wars celebration day, I thought I’d highlight one of my favorite single comic book issues of all time—Star Wars #38, drawn by the great Mike Golden and written by the legendary late Archie Goodwin.

Aside from the terrific art, I felt that Golden really cracked the code in drawing Star Wars. There already was great work in the series, but Golden’s work was less pulpish and more stylish and sleek—I especially dug the way he portrayed blaster fire and other crackle.

I know I’m not alone in admiring this issue—at WonderCon last month, when I went by Golden’s booth, this issue (bagged) was on display. I asked his assistant at the booth what it was going for—she said $100. I really don’t know the street value of the book, but I assume you’d get Golden’s signature on it too. I keep my copy of the issue sitting on a shelf nearby on its own (also bagged) just because I like having it closeby and readily accessible.

I recently re-read the issue for the first time in a long time. The story is a bit thin, though a solid science fiction tale. To be fair, however, it was literally a filler issue—I did not remember until I just re-read it that this issue was supposed to see the start of the adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back—but for some reason, Marvel had to delay it a month and published this one-off issue in place.

So the six-issue adaptation of Empire started next issue, drawn by the late Al Williamson (and adapted by Goodwin), who of course is considered one of the best and most definitive Star Wars artists—he’d go on to also draw the Star Wars syndicated comic strip and the adaptation of The Return of the Jedi as well.

May the 4th Be With You!