Star Wars turns 48 in a couple weeks. Though the film debuted May 25, 1977, May 4 has become Star Wars Day simply due to the reference and mantra May the Force be With You.

That works for me since it’s also my birthday.

In the past we’ve celebrated and acknowledged today with the first Marvel issue of Star Wars from 1977. Then Return to Tatoine and The Jawa Express. The final issue of the original Star Wars title and a parody just on the fringes featuring two extras just off screen of the movies.

Today it’s time to celebrate a legend and the legendary. Today we’re gonna look at Mad Magazine issue 197 and the man behind the visuals.

Mort Drucker, a veteran of over 300 parodies and 400 pieces included between the covers of Mad, created the caricatures that brought Star Roars to life.

This is one of my favorite Mad issues. I can still remember standing in A&P grocery store reading it over and over while Mom  and Dad shopped. By the time Empire was released I was buying anything and everything associated with the franchise. The Alfredized Yoda cover just made me smile. The Empire Strikes Out made me laugh. Re-Hash of the Jeti was as underrated as its source material.

Each of the lampoons were envisioned by the same man, Mort Drucker.

The Brooklyn, New York City, native became one of Bill Gaines “usual gang of idiots” in 1956 after already working for National Periodicals (DC Comics). His gift of caricatures is credited as giving rise to the television and movie spoofs Mad became known for.

Drucker retired from Mad Magazine after 55 years of continuous work. He held the longest, uninterrupted tenure of any Mad artist.

Star Wars father George Lucas first worked with Drucker when the artist illustrated the movie poster for American Graffiti. Later, when LucasFilm lawyers issued a cease and desist order on the Empire Strikes Back parody, a fan letter from Lucas himself thanking Mad for their insightful take off would make the issue a moot point.

 Drucker died April 9, 2020, a possible undiagnosed victim of Covid-19.

Hopefully there’s another Force ghost joining Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Anikan.

May the Force be With You, Mort. The farce always was.

Do you remember the Star Wars Holiday Special? The Splinter of the Minds Eye? Kenner Star Wars Early Bird set?

If you do, you probably remember the first issue of Marvel’s Star Wars comic book. You may not recognize today’s issue, though. Star Wars issue 107 was the final in the original installment of Marvel comic books. It almost seemed to pass unnoticed in July 1986.

For the first six issues, Marvel adapted Star Wars. Roy Thomas, Archie Goodwin and Carmine Infantino continued the adventures prior to issue 39 when The Empire Strikes Back was retold.

Another six issues for the second installment of the original trilogy and Marvel was turned loose again to create three more years of adventures before Return of the Jedi.

This time the adaptation would fall outside the main series and be told in four issues between the cover dates of October 1983 and January 1984.

Marvel soldiered on a while longer.

Jo Duffy took Luke, Leia, Han, Cheiwie and the remaining cast as far as she could. No easy task considering they were already far, far away.

Plus, she and Marvel were hamstrung by Lucas Films Limited and their decree that nothing meaningful happen. No commitment for Han and Leia beyond the fleeting, on-screen kisses. No teaching position at a new Jedi academy for Luke. No return to Malla on Kashyyk for Chewie.

Duffy took the gang as far as she could and was rewarded with what was basically a cease and desist from Lucas and company.

Granted, this was about the time the television specials were failing, Kenner’s action figure line was beginning to languish in the discount bins and talk of another trilogy was speculation.

So, it wasn’t with any fanfare the series came to an end.

Star Wars would be a cherished memory for the next few years. And, Marvel wouldn’t publish another Star Wars comic book until 2015.

Today is the day we remember the past. We remember the past, the present and the future.

Though the franchise seemed doomed to become a faded memory after conquering a generation of imagination, it returned, not with a whimper, but a flourish. And, with it, the return of the original magic. Or, at least the semblance, though new generations were swept up in the return of Jedis.

Today is Star Wars Day; May the Fourth (be With You).

There are so many ways to celebrate the day. Choose from one of 10 movies in the scheme of the original three trilogies.

Or, there’s Solo. The Mandalorian. The holiday special. Droids and Ewoks cartoons or the two Ewoks made-for-television one-shots.

Replay a favorite video game.

And, there are the comic books.

From Marvel to Dark Horse to Marvel.

The choices are nigh endless.

Whatever you choose, remember, “…the Fourth will be with you – always.”

This year we step away from Marvel’s original run of Star Wars comic books. This year we look at the usurper, Dark Horse Comics, for our celebratory installment of Star Wars Day, May 4^th.

Hosting the gala are Tag Greenley and Bink Otauna, two rebels stumbling their way through the climax of a rebellion in Tag and Bink Are Dead.

Their story – as far as we’re concerned – begins aboard the Tantive IV, transporting Princess Leia and the stolen plans to the Death Star. Rather than risk capture, Tag and Bink liberate a couple Stormtrooper armors and facilitate their escape. They find themselves on board the Death Star as the events of Star Wars unfold around them.

Writer Kevin Rubio ends the first issue with the destruction of the Death Star and seeming deaths of the titular heroes.

Tag and Bink Are Dead issue two reveals Tag and Bink stole an Imperial shuttle and escaped mere moments before it exploded.

The hapless duo continues to find themselves traveling a parallel path as the real stars of the trilogy. In the second installment they are seen “paling” around with Lando and Boba Fett.

A sequel, entitled The Return of Tag and Bink, round out the original three films by landing the pair back in harms way. By story’s end, they are dressed as two of the Emperor’s Royal Guards. They fail to escape the second Death Star before it is destroyed and become Force ghosts.

They returned yet again for Tag & Bink: Episode I – Revenge of the Clone Menace. This 2006 romp saw Misters Greenley and Otauna as hopeless padawans. Later they offer romance tips to Anakin as he tries to woo Padme. They finish their prequel adventures with the grace of Anakin cum Darth Vader who warns them to abandon their Jedi training.

Writer Rubio is best known for his Star Wars fan film Troops. His professional credits include work for the Sci-Fi channel, MTV, Fox Kids and USA Network.

So, break from the movies for a bit and tickle your funny bone with a different look at that galaxy far, far away…

Former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter has never spared credit that Star Wars was the salvation of the company during a hard time in 1977 and 1978.

So, to celebrate Star Wars Day let’s take a look at the history of the space fantasy in the four-color universe.

Lucasfilm Publicity Supervisor Charles Lippincott first approached Marvel figurehead Stan Lee in 1975 about publishing an adaptation prior to the film’s release. Lee declined, citing he would do nothing until the movie was completed. Roy Thomas, a writer at Marvel and key figure in licensing Conan for Marvel, arranged a marriage between the publishing company and fledging movie maker.

To sweeten the pot, Lucas agreed not to accept royalties until sales exceeded 100,000 issues. The first issue hit spin racks April 12, 1977. When the movie was released, the comic went into several reprintings. The boost in sales got Marvel over a hump during a hard time in the industry.

The series continued from 1977 to 1986 with 107 issues and three annuals.

Star Wars issues one through six adapted the movie. With issue seven, Roy Thomas began penning original adventures. Archie Goodwin replaced Thomas with issue 11 and teamed with penciller Carmine Infantino. Together, they crafted adventures to keep the faithful placated until the cover-dated September 1980 issue 39. In that publication the adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back began.

Following the six-issue retelling, Marvel returned to its original stories with David Michelinie and Walt Simonson acting as the new creative team with issue 51. Ron Frenz took over artistic duties with issue 71.

Marvel deviated from its normal practice when adapting Return of the Jedi. The third installment of the original trilogy was printed outside the chronological order of comic books in a four-issue mini-series.

Following Return, Jo Duffy took over writing chores with art by Cynthia Martin. LucasFilms chose to discontinue the series by 1986.

As part of Marvel’s Legacy numbering, issue 108 was released in 2019 continuing original issue 50’s ‘The Crimson Forever’ story.

It’s hard to imagine a time when Star Wars was hard to find. For those who were there, Marvel’s continuation of the saga was a God send. For those who weren’t, it’s a hard read and a curiosity.

No, May 4 is not a recognized holiday. I don’t even think there are any greeting cards available – yet.

It’s just a matter of time. With Big Bang Theory memorializing it May 1, 2014, in The Proton Transmogrification episode, it must be an important day.

And, May 4 is important. Not only is it officially Star Wars Day and Free Comic Book Day this year, it is also my birthday. A day I celebrate in a variety of forms from just hanging at the house to venturing out for Free Comic Book Day.

So, focusing on the Star Wars Day aspect let’s talk old school Star Wars comic books. The Marvel years. From 1977 to 1986. The ones that filled in holes when fans had to wait three years to see the next installment. When nothing else was available but the Holiday Special and spin-off novelizations.

These are the issues that gave us Jaxxon, a near-mythical rabbit in a space jumpsuit and green complexion. The comic books where Jabba was introduced as a bipedal humanoid with a walrus look. The ones where Luke returned to Tatooine and hijacked a Sandcrawler.

Those are the two issues I’d like to focus on this year.

Issues 31 and 32; Return to Tatooine! and The Jawa Express. Maybe my favorite story arc from the original series.

Star Wars 31

Star Wars 32

I don’t know why. Both hit spin racks in the latter part of 1979. Maybe I was just ready for the release of Empire. It had been so long since Star Wars first appeared in theaters. Even re-releases weren’t enough. We had to see where the franchise was going. What was going to happen to Luke, Han, Leia and others.

These two issues just seemed to sum up the era. Having been separated for several issues, Luke, Han, Leia and gang did regroup. On Tatooine of all places.

Together they run afoul of Orman Tagge who is attempting to build another weapon as devastating as the Death Star. As stated a couple of paragraphs above, the heroes go so far as to hijack a Sandcrawler. It’s ludacris and indicative of the times, but so satisfying for old-school fans. It’s a dip in the legendary Lazarus pit to renew the soul.

If you haven’t read these stories or it’s been a while, dig ‘em out. Show ‘em the love they deserve.