Star Wars Visionaries

They've been responsible for some of the most dazzling and awe-inspiring visuals ever put to film, and now the concept artists behind the Star Wars prequels are bringing their considerable talents to comics. Just in time for Star Wars: Episode III, the wildly gifted mind of the Lucasfilm art department and visual effects powerhouse Industrial Light & Magic come together to tell their own Star Wars tales in this compilation of short stories. Given free reign to explore any and every aspect of the Star Wars universe, each artist offers a new twist or a deeper view into that galaxy far, far away. Nowhere else will you find a more pure or more different look at George Lucas's enduring creation than through the eyes of the Star Wars: Visionaries.

Grade 10 Up–In the introduction to this collection, J. W. Rinzler writes about the weekly Friday meetings with writer/director George Lucas and the concept artists of the movie The Revenge of the Sith. In those preproduction meetings, Lucas would toss around ideas and the artists would come up with visual representations. Although Lucas liked many of the concepts, he did not believe that all of them fit into his movie, so 10 of the artists use these pages to show off their styles and imaginative Star Wars scenarios, providing readers with intimate views by some of the key creators of a galaxy far, far away. The artists were given free reign to explore all aspects of the Star Wars universe; each tale offers a glimpse into or new twist on that galaxy. The emphasis is on art and character origins. The graphics range from gothic-looking watercolors to bright and dazzling paintings. The book is in full color, but there is a tendency toward dark, muddy hues and bright red highlights. Not just for fans of the movies, this compilation is an excellent resource for readers interested in how ideas, artwork, and printed material come together.–Erin Dennington, Fairfax County Public Library, Chantilly, VA
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Gr. 7-10. Ten of the artists who worked on the new Star Wars movie, The Revenge of the Sith, use these pages to show off their own artistic styles and imaginative Star Wars scenarios. Erik Tiemens presents a moody watercolor with gothic hints. Derek Thompson's tale is wordless but carries a strong and haunting narrative. Ryan Church utilizes a full page for each of his images. Although the volume is in full color, there is a tendency throughout toward muddy tones and fire-red highlights. The full story of the Siths isn't revealed, of course, but this is more than a simple movie promo. There's enough story value to hold interest before, during, and after fans see the film. Because the contributors work for Lucasfilms or Industrial Light & Magic, the book can also serve as an excellent resource for readers interested in how movie scenarios and printed material share author roots and narrative connections. Francisca Goldsmith
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