May the Fourth be with you!
May 4th indeed marks Star Wars Day by fans all around the world. Here at Easyship, we’re proud to work with clients that create Star Wars memorabilia, such as Dark Horse Comics.
How Should You Celebrate Star Wars Day?
To celebrate Star Wars Day and get your geek on, why not relive the entire Star Wars saga in chronological order with Dark Horse's popular comic book collection? Even better, Dark Horse offers even more cool products for Star Wars fans, including statues, models and more!
To help with some ideas on how to celebrate Star Wars Day, here's a look at the epic Star Wars saga from Dark Horse Comics and some other cool Star Wars products from them to explore!
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Release Date: May 19, 1999
Price: $7.99
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Pernilla August and Frank Oz
The Phantom Menace kicked off the prequel trilogy in 1999 with an unprecedented amount of hype, being the first Star Wars film in 16 years and promising to tell the tale of Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the Dark Side.
The end result, in the minds of many fans, was less than stellar, as the film suffered from disappointing acting and writing compared to the vaunted original trilogy - not to mention the inclusion of a certain Gungan character who shall not be named.
Still, The Phantom Menace was praised for its stunning visual effects and memorable action scenes. Despite being far from a fan favorite, it still kicked off the prequel trilogy with a bang.
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Release Date: May 16, 2002
Price: $9.95
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd and Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker and Frank Oz
The clunkily-named Attack of the Clones had the unenvious task of getting prequel trilogy back on track after The Phantom Menace left a bad taste in many fans’ mouths.
The movie’s plot centers on Anakin’s budding romance with Padme Amidala and restlessness within the Old Republic. Despite some forgettable romance scenes and clunky dialogue, the film is often seen as an improvement over its predecessor, though is generally viewed by fans as not being especially memorable or on par with the original trilogy films.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Release Date: May 19, 2005
Price: $9.95
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd and Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker and Frank Oz
The finale of the prequel trilogy, Revenge of the Sith is often viewed as the strongest of the trio.
The movie fulfills its promise of showing Anakin Skywalker’s expected yet intense transformation into the iconic Darth Vader and the tragic fall of the Old Republic. Though it sometimes suffers from the same clunky dialogue and writing that hampered The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, it still more than delivers on its pledge to set up the original trilogy in spectacular fashion.
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
Release Date: May 25, 1977
Price: $9.95
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing and Alec Guinness
The original Star Wars film that started it all, A New Hope, then simply called Star Wars, was released in 1977, being helmed by a young director named George Lucas and featuring a main cast with few households names.
Despite this, the movie proved to be a global phenomenon, introducing audiences to iconic characters like Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi. The sci-fi space opera ushered in a new era of cinema and is still considered one of the most influential films of all time.
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
Release Date: May 17, 1980
Price: $9.95
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew and Frank Oz
The sequel to A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back is widely seen by many fans as the peak of the saga.
Striking a much darker tone than A New Hope, this unconventional sequel sees the good guys get their butts kicked from start to finish, culminating with the (belated spoiler alert!) revelation that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father.
With its snappy dialogue, memorable scenes and superb directing courtesy of the late Irvin Kershner, The Empire Strikes Back is the pinnacle of the saga in many ways.
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Release Date: May 25, 1983
Price: $9.95
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew and Frank Oz
Return of the Jedi rounded out the original trilogy, seeing the redemption of Anakin Skywalker and end of the evil Empire. Generally seen as the weakest of the original trilogy due to its somewhat rehashed plot of A New Hope and the controversial inclusion of the Ewoks (yes, you can still admit they’re adorable!), Return of the Jedi still finished off the Skywalker saga in memorable fashion.
Or so we thought…
Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
Release Date: December 18, 2015
Starring: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Max Von Sydow
… Until George Lucas and Disney struck a staggering $4 billion deal to restart of the Star Wars saga.
Featuring a mix of old favorites and new characters, the Star Wars sequel trilogy, kicked off by The Force Awakens in 2015, promised to bring a new generation of adventures for Star Wars fans young and old alike.
The opening film of the sequel trilogy played it safe but was still seen by fans and critics alike as a fun and memorable new chapter in the long-running saga, bringing back iconic characters like Han Solo while introducing exciting new ones like Rey and Finn.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi
Release Date: December 15, 2017
Starring: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, Benicio Del Toro
Perhaps the most polarizing Star Wars film of the saga, director Rian Johnson took everyone’s expectations with what the plot would entail and threw them right out the window.
As per tradition, The Last Jedi featured a darker tone as Rey sought out the legendary and long-lost Luke Skywalker - with results that weren’t expected by almost anyone. Despite dividing many fans, the film was a critical and commercial hit nonetheless. The film is also notable for being the posthumous final performance for Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa.
Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker
Release Date: December 20, 2019
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, Carrie Fisher, Ian McDiarmid
The final chapter of the iconic saga has yet to be released, but is highly-anticipated by fans worldwide. Though few details are known as far, the film will reportedly see the final clash between the Resistance and First Order as the Skywalker saga is brought to an end once and for all.
Other Star Wars Collectibles from Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse has much more than just comics. Here's a quick look at a few more of their cool Star Wars products to help celebrate Star Wars Day!
Douglas Wheatley's Original Art
Price: $99.99
High quality scans of Doug Wheatley's original art, plus, never before seen 'artist edition' prints.
Boba Fett Bronze Statue
Price: $3,000
Everyone's favorite bounty hunter, Boba Fett has been a fan favorite for decades despite having relatively little screen time. This bronze statue, masterfully sculpted, is the perfect addition for any hardcore collector!
The Star Wars Paperback Comic
Price: $19.99
Before Star Wars was a global phenomenon, there was The Star Wars, the name of George Lucas' rough draft screenplay that would later become one of the most influential movies of all time. This official comic book adaptation of The Star Wars offers fans a chance to explore the famous galaxy far, far away in a whole new way!
Luke Skywalker Model
Price: $99.99
Luke Skywalker is one of the most iconic movie heroes of all time. This soft vinyl model kit, simple to assemble, is a cool homage to the young Jedi taken from a scene from The Empire Strikes Back.