STAR WARS ARTIFACT COLLECTION

Deal alert: The massive Star Wars Artifact Edition is now at the close-out price of $99 over at Bud's Art Books. This deluxe edition compiles original artwork from the early Marvel comics. I have a great memory of finding issue #1 when I was a kid. One day I decided to ride my bike further away from home than ever before. There were roads out beyond the perimeter of my mental maps, and I felt them calling to me. It was like my own hero's journey, pushing out beyond my comfort zone to test my mettle and stretch. I set out on my blue Schwinn 3-speed bike. The outer limits thus far had been the country store, where my aunt and I often stopped for Tiger Milk bars on the way back from Westport. But still I pushed on- beyond the Three Bears restaurant and out along a country highway. After what seemed like hours, I came to a roadside shop that sold snacks and magazines. I was always pawing through the spinner racks at grocery stores and pharmacies to find new comics, and I explored their stock as I caught my breath from the ride. Star Wars was a new discovery for me, but I was already stricken with space-mania enough to lock eyes on to the familiar logo on the cover. Marvel actually published #1 in April of 1977- a month before the film made its debut. I didn't see the movie until late summer, so my new treasure was most likely a reprint. I remember my child brain being blown away by the idea that my new favorite movie could also appear as a comic book. I hadn't yet cottoned on to the notion of marketing and tie-in merchandise. I snatched the comic up and tried to ride it home as carefully as I could. I sold off my comic collection years later to fund one of my trips to Japan, but I did pick up some of the Marvel run again in the feverish anticipation of last year's movie and Marvel's re-launch. With these new Artifact editions being produced by IDW, old and new fans can get a behind-the-scenes look at the inked pages printed at their original sizes. About the book: "By Roy Thomas. Art by Howard Chaykin & Carmine Infantino. The first Star Wars Artifact Edition! Featuring scans of original artwork, mainly from the initial 10 issues of Marvel Comics' groundbreaking Star Wars comics, circa 1977, and from other early issues. There is a wealth of extras, including a cover gallery showcasing some of the very earliest work." Originally priced at $125 and up, grab these while you can.