The Star Wars Phenomenon in Britain

Among the top-grossing Hollywood blockbusters of all time, Star Wars launched one of the most successful movie and licensing franchises in history. Yet much of the film’s backstory was set in Britain, where the original trilogy was made and where early efforts at tie-in merchandising were spearheaded. The author provides a detailed account of the saga’s British connection, including personal recollections of fans in the UK, exclusive interviews with staff members of Palitoy who took on the challenge of producing millions of toys, and the story of how a group of writers from the underground press in London combined with Marvel comics to produce the first Star Wars expanded universe.

Craig Stevens, an active member of the Star Wars collecting community, has written many influential blogs and articles. He lives in Whitby, North Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom.

Craig Stevens

Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 359
Bibliographic Info: 119 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2018
pISBN: 978-1-4766-6608-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2850-9
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments ix
Foreword by Tom Berges 1
Preface 3
Introduction 5
1. A Beginning Beyond Belief 9
2. Star Wars on the Home Front 52
3. The Long Summer of Star Wars 107
4. Dreams of Empire 128
5. The Merchandise Strikes Back 141
6. The Empire Gathers Its Forces 169
7. The Empire Strikes Back 184
8. A Long Road Ahead 218
9. More Than a Hint of Revenge in the Air 233
10. The Force Returns 261
11. Return of the Jedi 286
Appendix I: Palitoy Products 331
Appendix II: The Star Wars Comics Saga 335
Chapter Notes 339
Bibliography 344
Index 345