40 years ago: Star Wars Weekly #1 arrives in the UK

Star Wars Weekly issue 1 arrived just as the film was spreading across the UK

Star Wars in black-and-white. It was a much more appealing prospect than it might sound when Marvel Comics’ Star Wars Weekly arrived in Britain in the week of February 8 1978. 

Today, Episode Nothing looks at how the UK got the Marvel Star Wars without the colo(u)r but with some extras that the US missed out on. 

Looking back at Star Wars Weekly – issue 12

The cover of Star Wars Weekly issue 12

It was April 26, 1978, and young Star Wars fans across the UK were handing over ten of the most important pennies they would ever spend.  Star Wars Weekly issue 12 was out.

This, we knew, was the edition in which Marvel’s adaptation of Star Wars would reach the end.

Looking back at Star Wars Weekly – issue 11

The cover of Star Wars Weekly issue 11

It's taken longer for Episode Nothing to finish reviewing Marvel's adaptation of Star Wars than it took Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin to write and draw it. But at last, here's my account of Star Wars Weekly issue 11, published in the UK on April 19 1978.

Looking back at Star Wars Weekly – issue 10

The cover of Star Wars Weekly issue 10

Our look at the UK's Star Wars Weekly from Marvel comics reaches issue 10, April 12 1978.

Looking back at Star Wars Weekly – issue 8

The cover of Star Wars Weekly issue 8, March 29 1978

Episode Nothing's guide to the Marvel Comics adaptation of Star Wars, as reinvented for British readers, continues with a look at issue 8, from March 29 1978.

Looking back at Star Wars Weekly – issue 6

Warriors of the Death Star: Star Wars Weekly 
cover by Howard Chaykin

Episode Nothing is back after a lengthy gap. My apologies.

I'll return to discussing the film itself soon, but today, another look at the Marvel comic strip adaptation, as we in Britain experienced it in Star Wars Weekly.

Looking back at Star Wars Weekly – issue 5

'Win the cast of Star Wars': the cover of Star Wars Weekly issue five

"Win the cast of Star Wars – great contest inside!"

So ran a strapline on the front of Star Wars Weekly issue 5 in the UK, on March 8 1978.  Win the cast of Star Wars? That really did sound like a hell of a competition.

Looking back at Star Wars Weekly – issue 4

It may take some liberties with story of the film, but
Star Wars Weekly # 4 has another impressive cover

Issue 4 of the UK's Star Wars Weekly – dated February 29 1978 – really shows how big a deal Star Wars had by now become for for British children.  

Looking back at Star Wars Weekly – issue 3

The brilliant, if shamelessly inaccurate, cover of Star Wars Weekly issue 3

Our look at the UK's Star Wars Weekly comic reaches issue 3 – February 22 1978.

Looking back at Star Wars Weekly – issue 2

The cover of Star Wars Weekly issue two

February 15, 1978. In most of Britain, Star Wars had been on release for less than a week.   

That Wednesday saw the arrival of issue two of Star Wars Weekly – Marvel's UK version of the comic that the US had seen the previous year.

Looking back at Star Wars Weekly – issue 1

Star Wars Weekly issue 1, with cover art by Howard Chaykin

Just as Star Wars was finally arriving in the UK regions, so was the comic book adaptation of the movie – heralded by a TV ad narrated by See Threepio himself.