This is a Geek Gift to be promised over the holiday season since it 
will not be released until April but it’s one gorgeous gift for any Star Wars or Al Williamson fan. IDW will be releasing the late artist Al Williamson’s Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back stories in 2016. The collection will include issues #39 – #44 of the monthly Marvel Star Wars Comic, Star Wars #50, #98 and the Star Wars: Return of the Jedi mini series will be included.
The Artist’s Edition will be 160 pages in hardcover (14×21) perfect for display or just for someone’s collection of art books.
“Al loved drawing Star Wars,” said Williamson’s wife, Cori Williamson. “It’s a science fiction swashbuckler, the kind of story that really appealed to his sensibilities. As a lover and collector of classic comic-book and comic strip art, I think he would have been thrilled to see his work presented in this format.”
George Lucas commented after Williamson’s passing in 2010, “I was thrilled to be able to have Al depicting those early extended Star Wars adventures for the comic books and newspapers. In capturing the actors who portrayed the characters, he brought the feeling of the films to the page as few other artists have been able to do.”
You may not know Al William’s name but if you love comic books/graphic novels you’ve seen his work starting back in 1950 with EC Comics. In the 1960s he took Alex Raymond’s classic comic strip creation Flash Gordon to the comic book with his iconic reimagining. He also worked on comic strips that included X-9: Secret Agent Corrigan and the Star Wars newspaper strip. His work earned him an Eisner Award and he was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic-Book Hall of Fame in 2000.
“The collaboration between IDW and Marvel has produced some of the most exceptional collections of reprinted original comic book material ever to be offered,” says Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel. “Al Williamson’s Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Artist’s Edition of the original Marvel Comics film adaptation is a brightly glowing star within the galaxy of immaculate Star Wars content.”
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