Star Wars, Issue 53, Page 21
Artists: Carmine Infantino (Penciller) , Walt Simonson (Penciller) , Tom Palmer (Inker) , Alan Kupperberg (Inker) , Shelly Leferman (Letterer) , Chris Claremont (Writer)
20 Comments - 246 Views - 24 Likes
Additional Images:
Backlighting the page shows it is comprised of three pieces of board.
Backlit image of the top three panels.
Backlit detail of top of panel 1.
Backlit detail of panel 2.
Published page
Artwork Details
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DescriptionDay 31. Thirty-one days of Star Wars (2025 edition).As I mentioned yesterday while posting page 17 from this issue, Marvel transformed an issue’s worth of shelved John Carter art by Carmine Infantino into a two-part Star Wars tale, with Chris Claremont and Walt Simonson reshaping it into the saga of Aron Peacebringer, a spacefaring echo of Burroughs cloaked in fresh mythology. It seems fitting to end Star Wars month with an issue end page. Aron, shackled and defenseless, is seized by gigantic Imperial stormtroopers and delivered to the menacing General Sk'ar, who declares his planet the next conquest. This is the first appearance page of Sk’ar, who would go on to perish next issue when Chewie heaves a gun mount at his fleeing ship (spoiler in that the good guys win!). This is a real Frankenstein of a page and Tom Palmer again did the bulk of the heavy lifting. Here’s my interpretation of how this page came about. Panels 1, 2 and 3 have been light boxed by Palmer onto a piece of board from the original John Carter page by Infantino and Kupperburg, in order to change a couple of 9-foot Tharks in Panel 1 into some enormous Stormtroopers. The panels were then taped to the top half of a full board that Panel 4 was drawn on. Panel 4 might have been penciled by Simonson, but there’s no evidence I could detect if it was. At some point after initial assembly it was determined to be the issue’s end page. This would mean having to redefine the margins. To accomplish this change, the top three panels were cropped, with part of the original art trimmed off and the remainder hidden under a piece of white artist tape. This can be seen when the page is backlit (see additional pics). The 9ft tall troopers now filled too much of Panel 1 and were left headless. It was copied first and reduced as a stat and pasted back on, but the original art can be seen when backlit. Panels 2 and 3 just lost some of the upper background wall details, but some of the hand lettered boxes were copied and repositioned as stats due to the shift. A third piece of board was taped to the back of Panel 4 to add a new bottom extension to fit the “Starfire, Rising” text which is lettered on a pasted on pieces of paper, along with nearly all of the remaining word balloons, especially in Panel 4. It ain’t clean and pretty, but it got the job done! Many thanks to everyone who stopped by this month and left likes or comments, I couldn’t keep up, but have appreciated them all. May the Force be with you! This is the May! Social/Sharing |
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Comments on this Artwork
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Ruben DaCollector 
Member Since 2008
1 - Posted on 5/31/2025
Amazing that the dude that looks like he came straight out of a John Carter comic wasn't changed in any way! Nice Frankenstein page. Happy Star Wars Month of May, Jeff!
Jeffrey Wedding
Member Since 2009
1 - Posted on 5/31/2025
Ruben DaCollector wrote:
Amazing that the dude that looks like he came straight out of a John Carter comic wasn't changed in any way! Nice Frankenstein page. Happy Star Wars Month of May, Jeff!
Nope, all the John Carter panels leave him looking the same. And thanks Ruben, this was a fun month to put together.
Steven Dilworth
Member Since 2012
1 - Posted on 5/31/2025
Yes, Happy Star Wars Month of May, Jeff!
The page is terrific, but the amount of work that obviously went into making it is astounding! Was there some sort of dire shortage of paper? It might have taken less time to just draw a fresh page. You need credits for tape dispenser operator and scissors manipulator, and possibly a spray-adhesive technician!
I always LOVE seeing the behind-the-scenes mechanics! It's part of what makes the old days fun.
Jeffrey Wedding
Member Since 2009
Posted on 5/31/2025
Steven Dilworth wrote:
Yes, Happy Star Wars Month of May, Jeff!
The page is terrific, but the amount of work that obviously went into making it is astounding! Was there some sort of dire shortage of paper? It might have taken less time to just draw a fresh page. You need credits for tape dispenser operator and scissors manipulator, and possibly a spray-adhesive technician!
I always LOVE seeing the behind-the-scenes mechanics! It's part of what makes the old days fun.
It wasn't a paper shortage, just an attempt by Marvel to somehow make use of the already finished art from a John Carter issue after the series was cancelled. Even though a lot of assembly here, cut and paste can still sometimes be quicker, and monthly deadlines always drive the process.
Jeffrey Wedding
Member Since 2009
1 - Posted on 5/31/2025
Derek Crabbe wrote:
This was the freakin' MAY!!!!!
This will be a May long remembered most certainly. The auctioning of the Palmer estate was an opportunity over the last year for vintage Star Wars OA collectors that we may not see the likes of again.
Jason D'Ambrosio
Member Since 2018
1 - Posted on 5/31/2025
I love the story on this one! Congrats Jeff!
Kavi H
Member Since 2018
1 - Posted on 5/31/2025
A complicated page to put together but still a gem in your collection, End Pages are really cool epecially of this era! Great way to wrap up Star Wars month, some awesome pieces and always fun to check them out each day. I'll be wrapping up my Star Wars month with an Infantino page later today as well. Enjoy taking June off! :)
Jeffrey Wedding
Member Since 2009
1 - Posted on 5/31/2025
Kavi H wrote:
A complicated page to put together but still a gem in your collection, End Pages are really cool epecially of this era! Great way to wrap up Star Wars month, some awesome pieces and always fun to check them out each day. I'll be wrapping up my Star Wars month with an Infantino page later today as well. Enjoy taking June off! :)
I feel there might need to be a small mutant palate cleanser post sometimes next week after all of this Star Wars.
Mark V
Member Since 2021
1 - Posted on 5/31/2025
Congratulations on getting through another month. It's hard to look at this page with anything but glasses fogged by nostalgia for this era when I, and everyone else, was so hungry for anything Star Wars related. I remember reading this issue and the next one enthralled by Sk'ar of all characters. You really have to respect the Marvel writers and the tough position they were put in. They did heir best to keep up enthusiasm for the comic without really being able to advance the main plot.
Jeffrey Wedding
Member Since 2009
Posted on 6/1/2025
Mark V wrote:
Congratulations on getting through another month. It's hard to look at this page with anything but glasses fogged by nostalgia for this era when I, and everyone else, was so hungry for anything Star Wars related. I remember reading this issue and the next one enthralled by Sk'ar of all characters. You really have to respect the Marvel writers and the tough position they were put in. They did heir best to keep up enthusiasm for the comic without really being able to advance the main plot.
Exactly! Considering how handcuffed the creative teams were, even with those early novels like Splinter of the Mind's Eye and the Han Solo Adventures, it was a wonder the were able to tell any stories at all, much less accomplish as much as they did.
Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005
2 - Posted on 5/31/2025
I hear John's name whispered on the wind
It's a sound that's made Carmine
I hear Aron show again and again
Through my mind and it's frankensteined
I wish I didn't feel lightboxed about you
Like happiness from Walt revolves around you
Trying to catch your art
Is like trying to catch a Sk'ar
So many people love you Jeffrey
Last post sees what you are
Waiting for a Sk'ar to fall
And carry your art into my Star
Wars where you belong
You're on Mars Chewie, yeah
Waiting for a star to fall
And carry Tom's art into my arms
That's where you belong
And my Tharks Jeffrey, yeah
I've learned to feel what I cannot see
But with you I Force that vision
I don't know how to dream your dream
So I'm all caught up in illustration
I want to reach out and pull ERB
Who says I should let a Rogue One go free
Trying to catch your art
Is like trying to catch a Sk'ar
But I can't love you this much Jeffrey
I love you from this art
Jeffrey Wedding
Member Since 2009
1 - Posted on 6/1/2025
Marcus Wai wrote:
I hear John's name whispered on the wind
It's a sound that's made Carmine
I hear Aron show again and again
Through my mind and it's frankensteined
I wish I didn't feel lightboxed about you
Like happiness from Walt revolves around you
Trying to catch your art
Is like trying to catch a Sk'ar
So many people love you Jeffrey
Last post sees what you are
Waiting for a Sk'ar to fall
And carry your art into my Star
Wars where you belong
You're on Mars Chewie, yeah
Waiting for a star to fall
And carry Tom's art into my arms
That's where you belong
And my Tharks Jeffrey, yeah
I've learned to feel what I cannot see
But with you I Force that vision
I don't know how to dream your dream
So I'm all caught up in illustration
I want to reach out and pull ERB
Who says I should let a Rogue One go free
Trying to catch your art
Is like trying to catch a Sk'ar
But I can't love you this much Jeffrey
I love you from this art
MTFBWY Marcus, and all of the best comments.
Jeffrey Wedding
Member Since 2009
Posted on 6/1/2025
Nick - Barry - Matt - Hal - Namor wrote:
Another gorgeous page!
Thanks Nick, it has been quite a year, and my Star Wars (and OA friends) cup overflows.
Scott M
Member Since 2003
1 - Posted on 6/1/2025
Congrats on getting through the month! You treated us to a ton of wonderful Star Wars pieces!
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