During the height of the original Star Wars trilogy NPR ran
a series of radio dramas based on the trilogy. There were actually 3 different
series that they ran between 1981 and 1996, each series was based on a movie
and was roughly 3-6 hours long. The Episode IV: A New Hope series ran in 1981
and was thirteen half-hour episodes.
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back ran in 1983 and was ten half-hour
episodes. Episode VI: Return Of the Jedi ran in 1996 and was six half-hour episodes
long. The radio dramas built on to the movies, adding characters and detailed backgrounds
for the main stars. Only Anthony Davis, as C3PO, lent his voice to all three
series. Mark Hamill was in the first two but replaced for the third and Billy
Dee Williams was in the second series but the other characters were re-cast to
voice-over actors.
Topps will be releasing Star Wars Illustrated: A New Hope in
November, the release will be based on the 1981 radio drama. The base set will
contain a 100-card checklist with artist’s renditions of the radio show with 4
different inserts that fill in back story and connects everything together. The
box price has not been announced but each box will include 24 six-card packs,
the box break should include 3 parallel cards, 25 inserts and 1 hit.
There are three base card parallels; Black parallels (1:12
packs), Bronze (1:24 packs) and Gold (#/10). The Gold parallels are hobby only
The inserts are:
One Year Earlier (1:2 packs)- 18 card checklist; shows what
was happening one year before A New Hope was released or 1BBY in the Star Wars
timeline.
Movie poster Artist Reinterpretations (1:3) - Nine artists
show their interpretations of the 1977 Star Wars movie poster
Etched Foil Radio Drama Puzzle (1:8) - Six foil cards that
create a scene from the radio drama
The Mission: Destroy The Death Star (1:12) - 12 card
checklist that shows the Rebel plan to destroy the Death Star
As a bonus, anyone
who registers all 12 of the Mission: Death Star cards with Topps will receive
an exclusive Death Star bonus card.
The hits are one per box
Panorama Sketch Card- An original art sketch booklet card
Film Cel Relics- 35mm film cels taken from a print of the
original Star Wars Episode IV film
Printing Plate- Printing plates from a base card
Sketchographs- A sketch card signed by the voice actors from
the radio drama
I figure that Topps will wait to see how this set is received;
if it sells out I would expect to see an Empire Strikes Back Illustrated and
Return of the Jedi Illustrated sets eventually released. I am sure that this
set will appeal to fans of the Expanded Universe.
I recently downloaded the three part series of the original
NPR broadcasts, I have gotten through the 13 episodes of Star Wars a New Hope
and I will begin listening to the 10 episode Empire Strikes Back soon. It is
really a good storyline, there are a couple of things that stand out like
different actors voicing some of the main characters but you get used to it.
There are also some awkward scenes but it really fills in the back story to the
movie and well worth your time if you are a Star Wars fan.
