Star Wars #5
Star Wars #5 (1977) delivers the fifth chapter of Marvel's landmark six-part adaptation of A New Hope — the series that, during a dismal sales year for the publisher, is credited by Marvel staffers of that era with singlehandedly rescuing the company from financial ruin. The issue marks the first comic-book appearance of Wedge Antilles, the Rebellion's most enduring background pilot, who would go on to become a fan touchstone across films, novels, and games. It also preserves material from an early version of George Lucas's screenplay — including the extended Biggs Darklighter reunion on Yavin 4 — that was cut from the theatrical release, making the adaptation a unique historical record of the film's production draft. The issue additionally contains a Hostess Cup Cakes promotional comic strip that indexes Spider-Man, Peter Parker, and Mary Jane Watson, making it an unusual crossover artifact of the Bronze Age Marvel universe.
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Written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Howard Chaykin with inks by Steve Leialoha, the issue was first published on August 10, 1977, with a cover date of November 1977. The cover was produced by Rick Hoberg and Dave Cockrum. Roy Thomas also served as editor, with Archie Goodwin credited as consulting editor — a reflection of the Lucasfilm review process that was in place from the series' earliest issues, with drafts routed through Lucasfilm's licensing department for approval. Thomas and Chaykin worked from an early draft of the screenplay, which is why the comic names the rebel fighter unit 'Blue Squadron' rather than the 'Red Squadron' of the finished film, a naming convention that also appeared in Alan Dean Foster's novelization.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First comic-book appearance (introduction) of Wedge Antilles, listed as brief and unnamed in his debut; he would become one of the most beloved recurring characters in the Star Wars franchise.
- Part 5 of the 6-issue Marvel adaptation of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, titled 'Lo, the Moons of Yavin!', written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Howard Chaykin with Steve Leialoha inks.
- Cover by Rick Hoberg and Dave Cockrum; edited by Roy Thomas with Archie Goodwin as consulting editor.
- On-sale date of August 10, 1977; cover-dated November 1977.
- The comic calls the Rebel fighter unit 'Blue Squadron' rather than 'Red Squadron' as in the finished film — consistent with the Alan Dean Foster novelization, which used the same name, indicating Thomas worked from an early screenplay draft.
- Includes the Biggs Darklighter reunion scene on Yavin 4 (cut from the theatrical release), in which Luke meets his old friend before the Death Star assault — one of several deleted-scene sequences preserved in the adaptation.
- Spider-Man, Peter Parker, and Mary Jane Watson appear in the issue via a Hostess Cup Cakes in-comic advertisement ('Legal Eagle'), not as part of the main Star Wars story.
- The issue has been reprinted in multiple collected editions including Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... Vol. 1, the Star Wars Omnibus: A Long Time Ago... Vol. 1, Star Wars: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus Vol. 1, and Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Original Marvel Years Vol. 1.