May the Force be With You

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.