Wednesday 13 May 2015

1996: STAR WARS MAGAZINE Issue 1 (Titan Magazines)


From April 1996: the first issue of Titan's (slightly too wide for my scanner) STAR WARS The Official Magazine Issue 1, edited by John (done a lot) Freeman.  

Titan continues to publish this one (as STAR WARS INSIDER, a masthead previously used by the Lucasfilm Fan Club in the days of multiple mags, all officially licensed, from different publishers), although (like its STAR TREK companion) it looks to have endured a few budget cuts over the years as the word count seems to have dipped in favor of more photos and illustrations.  

One long-gone feature of the earliest issues (and, I have no doubt, borrowed from the DWM 'successful magazine file') was a comic strip component.  This issue kicked things off with a serialized reprint of Dark Horse's solo Boba Fett adventure Bounty on Bar-Kooda (from Wagner and Kennedy). 

The magazine has continued to cover new developments in the SW universe over the years but it remains to be seen whether the arrival of the new films (and, no doubt, tweaks to the deals with existing licensees) will have any impact on the magazine other than, of course, comprehensive coverage.  

Titan branched out with a SW comic, launched to coincide with (puttup!) THE PHANTOM MENACE, reprinting assorted strips from the States.  I *think*, over time, that shifted tack to tie-in with the various animated series.  

They also had a punt at STAR WARS GALAXY, a Panini Collectors' Edition-alike companion to their DC reprints.  It didn't fare well and is now defunct. 

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