| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 1 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 1 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1010113004
|
Owner Comments
The Star Wars #1 35 cent variant (along with issues #2, 3 and 4) have always seemed shrouded in mystery for me. I have seen online info about the rarity of these books. I have read posts that described the price variants being a test of price increases by shipping a small percentage of higher priced issues to select cities to measure consumer response.
Over the years, I have looked for official documentation to describe why the price variants existed and what cities hosted the tests. Because of this interest - I included an image of a letter from Sol Brodsky, Vice President of Operations for Marvel Comics Group. This letter was dated from May 19th, 1978. I am very thankful to the Flying Donut Trading Company for posting this letter (source: http://www.flyingdonut.com/35centletter.jpg ). I assume the Flying Donut Trading Company is also FlyingDonut from the CGC boards (who has provided beyond valuable info over the years).
This letter is special for two reasons. The 1st is that it verifies that the price variants were a “test”. The 2nd reason is that it confirms that Memphis, TN was one of SIX (6) cities selected for this test.
Other test cities from 35 cent variant websites included:
- Toledo, OH,
- Tuscaloosa, AL,
- Wilmington, NC, and
- San Antonio, TX (less references list this city though).
I would totally love to find other references to back this info up too someday.
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 2 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 2 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
0956283001
|
Owner Comments
From the perspective of the CGC census, 35-cent price variants for Star Wars issues #2, 3 and 4 are less common than issue #1. This may be the result of how long the price variants of these other issues were commonly known to collectors though.
During the early 1990s, I recall the Overstreet Price Guide listing the Star Wars issue #1 35-cent price variant – but not the other issues. Someday, I hope to find the specific edition of the Overstreet Price Guide which listed the 35-cent price variants for these particular issues.
I give credit to the internet forums leading to the awareness of these variants. The increased awareness probably led to the Overstreet advisors recommending the addition of these price variants in the guide along with price variants of other Marvel titles from the same era.
From what I can tell from internet articles, Five (5) of the Six (6) test cities to include 35 cent variants websites included:
- Memphis, TN
- Toledo, OH,
- Tuscaloosa, AL,
- Wilmington, NC, and
- San Antonio, TX (less references list this city though).
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 3 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 3 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1969708001
|
Owner Comments
From the perspective of the CGC census, 35-cent price variants for Star Wars issues #2, 3 and 4 are less common than issue #1. This may be the result of how long the price variants of these other issues were commonly known to collectors though.
During the early 1990s, I recall the Overstreet Price Guide listing the Star Wars issue #1 35-cent price variant – but not the other issues. Someday, I hope to find the specific edition of the Overstreet Price Guide which listed the 35-cent price variants for these particular issues.
I give credit to the internet forums leading to the awareness of these variants. The increased awareness probably led to the Overstreet advisors recommending the addition of these price variants in the guide along with price variants of other Marvel titles from the same era.
From what I can tell from internet articles, Five (5) of the Six (6) test cities to include 35 cent variants websites included:
- Memphis, TN
- Toledo, OH,
- Tuscaloosa, AL,
- Wilmington, NC, and
- San Antonio, TX (less references list this city though).
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 4 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 4 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1969709002
|
Owner Comments
From the perspective of the CGC census, 35-cent price variants for Star Wars issues #2, 3 and 4 are less common than issue #1. This may be the result of how long the price variants of these other issues were commonly known to collectors though.
During the early 1990s, I recall the Overstreet Price Guide listing the Star Wars issue #1 35-cent price variant – but not the other issues. Someday, I hope to find the specific edition of the Overstreet Price Guide which listed the 35-cent price variants for these particular issues.
I give credit to the internet forums leading to the awareness of these variants. The increased awareness probably led to the Overstreet advisors recommending the addition of these price variants in the guide along with price variants of other Marvel titles from the same era.
From what I can tell from internet articles, Five (5) of the Six (6) test cities to include 35 cent variants websites included:
- Memphis, TN
- Toledo, OH,
- Tuscaloosa, AL,
- Wilmington, NC, and
- San Antonio, TX (less references list this city though).
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 5 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 5 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1191695003
|
Owner Comments
Star Wars 5: Lo, The Moons of Yavin!
Writer: Roy Thomas, Penciller: Howard Chaykin, Inker: Steve Leialoha, Cover artist: Rick Hoberg and Dave Cockrum.
Signed by Roy Thomas on 7/20/13.
The market tests of the 35-cent price variants of various Marvel titles (which included Star Wars issue #1, 2, 3 and 4) distributed to a limited number of cities were deemed successful. All titles adopted the “new” 35-cent cover price. Henceforth, from issue #5 onward - there are no 35-cent price variants. The 35-cent version was the standard version (until further cover price increases occur starting with issue 23 in 1979).
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 6 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 6 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1191695004
|
Owner Comments
Star Wars 6: Is This the Final Chapter?
Writer: Roy Thomas, Penciller: Howard Chaykin, Inker: Rick Hoberg and Bill Wray, Cover artist: Rick Hoberg and Dave Cockrum.
Signed by Roy Thomas on 7/20/13.
The cover of this issue depicted a scene that really did not occur in the film. :)
The last interior image of story was included to show that this issue indicated that more stories were on-the-way which would later be known as the Expanded Universe (and much later be known as Legends).
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 7 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 7 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1146325002
|
Owner Comments
Star Wars 7: New Planets, New Perils!
Writer: Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin, Penciller: Howard Chaykin, Inker: Frank Springer, Cover artist: Gil Kane and Tony DeZuniga.
Signed by Howard Chaykin on 10/14/12.
Maybe (and probably) the 1st expanded universe Star Wars story. Star Wars issue 7 was published in 1977 and included a Han Solo and Chewbacca focused story titled "New Planets, New Perils" which occurred after Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.
It was within the letters column 'Star-Words'. which stated that the comic series would be about Han Solo and Chewbacca until George Lucas had better defined what the next film would be about. This made perfect sense to me because the 1st novel "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" written by Alan Dean Foster was written such that it could be filmed as a low-budget sequel in case Star Wars [Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)] was not a success. "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" was radically different from the Empire Strike's Back and focused on Luke and Leia. Therefore having the 1st comics focus on Han and Chewbacca was a fine way to buy time in my opinion. :)
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 8 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 8 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1146325003
|
Owner Comments
Star Wars 8: Eight for Aduba-3.
Writer: Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin, Penciller: Howard Chaykin, Inker: Tom Palmer, Cover artist: Gil Kane and Tony DeZuniga.
Signed by Howard Chaykin on 10/14/12.
This issue began a Star Wars version of either the Magnificent Seven (1960) or the Seven Samurai (1954) films. Of interest, it is commonly known that Star Wars [Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)] was inspired by the great Akira Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress (1958). Given that Roy Thomas had exhibited an awesome ability for adapting other stories earlier in his career (such as Robert E. Howard's prose for the Conan the Barbarian comic), I can see why Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (1954) was adapted here.
The interior page image depicts the introduction of Jaxxon the green rabbit character.
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 9 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 9 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
0235621002
|
Owner Comments
Star Wars 9: Showdown on a Wasteland World!
Writer: Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin, Penciller: Howard Chaykin, Inker: Tom Palmer, Cover artist: Gil Kane and Tony DeZuniga.
Signed by Howard Chaykin on 6/14/14.
This issued continued the Han Solo and Chewbacca focused story.
This issue included brief appearances with Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2 and C-3PO discussing a location for a new Rebel base.
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 10 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 10 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1191695006
|
Owner Comments
Star Wars 10: Behemoth from the World Below.
Writer: Donald F. Glut, Roy Thomas and Howard Chaykin, Layouts: Alan Kupperberg, Penciller: Howard Chaykin and Tom Palmer, Inker: Tom Palmer, Cover artist: Rick Hoberg.
After completing ten issues of Star Wars, Roy Thomas left the series. For years, it was not completely understood why he left the series. In 2012, an article known as Comic Book Legends Revealed #391 (source: https://www.cbr.com/comic-book-legends-revealed-391/ ) provided insight though. The article stated:
"Thomas' run on Star Wars ended with issue #10, and while there were a number of different reasons why Thomas left the title (including slight irritation over the fact that the comic creators were not making very much from the massive financial success of the Marvel adaptation of Star Wars), one thing he noted in his article about the Marvel adaptation of Star Wars in Alter Ego #68 was that Lucas had some issues with the story (although it had been pre-approved before Thomas started on it) and he particularly disliked Jaxxon."
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 11 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 11 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1117895002
|
Owner Comments
Star Wars 11: Star Search!
Writer: Archie Goodwin, Penciller: Carmine Infantino, Inker: Terry Austin, Cover artist: Gil Kane and Tony DeZuniga.
Signed by Anthony Daniels & Kenny Baker on 8/26/12 at Star Wars Celebration VI held in Orlando, FL.
This is the 1st cover in the series to depict R2-D2 and C-3PO (finally). Therefore I chose to have it signed by both their respective actors.
Issues 7 to 10 focused on Han Solo and Chewbacca on an adventure on Aduba-3. This issue began to share the focus with Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and the droids as they were only really featured in cameo appearances after the adaptation of A New Hope up to this point.
The scanned interior page addressed Princess Leia's perspective of Han Solo.
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 12 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 12 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1279594002
|
Owner Comments
Star Wars 12: Doomworld!
Writer: Archie Goodwin, Penciller: Carmine Infantino, Inker: Terry Austin, Cover artist: Carmine Infantino and Terry Austin.
Signed by Terry Austin on 10/23/14.
This issue occurred on a water planet known as Drexel.
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 13 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 13 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1025368004
|
Owner Comments
Star Wars 13: Day of the Dragon Lords!
Writer: Archie Goodwin, Penciller: Carmine Infantino, Inker: Terry Austin and Bob Wiacek, Cover artist: John Byrne and Terry Austin.
Signed by Carmine Infantino on 10/2/10 & Bob Wiacek on 10/3/10.
The scanned page depicted Chewbacca in a state of intense anger (due to a misunderstanding).
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 14 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 14 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1205287001
|
Owner Comments
Star Wars 14: The Sound of Armageddon.
Writer: Archie Goodwin, Penciller: Carmine Infantino, Inker: Terry Austin, Cover artist: Carmine Infantino and Terry Austin.
Signed by Terry Austin on 10/23/14.
The Sound of Armageddon was actually the sound of a sonic jammer which caused vehicles to crash into the planet known as Drexel.
|
| Slot: |
Star Wars (1977) 15 |
| Item: |
Star Wars 15 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1202446001
|
Owner Comments
Star Wars 15: Star Duel.
Writer: Archie Goodwin, Penciller: Carmine Infantino, Inker: Terry Austin, Cover artist: Carmine Infantino and Terry Austin.
Signed by Carmine Infantino on 10/12/12 at New York Comic Con.
Even as a kid, I found it concerning that Han Solo was outside in the vacuum of space with only a breathing apparatus. The scanned interior page was selected only because it addressed this issue by providing a brief description that Han was protected by the ship's magnetic field (which was not a great justification but was better than nothing). :)
|