Star Wars: Blogs | Obsessive Fanboy Eddie and his Timeline Chronicles

Obsessive Fanboy Eddie and his Timeline Chronicles

by: eddie

date posted: Jan 15, 2007 1:42 AM | updated: Jan 15, 2007 1:43 AM

What was the first piece of EU?

Okay, two blogs on 1 day... I am really on a roll now!!!!

Over at the Dark Horse fourms, we are having a little discussion about Star Wars 30th Anniversary, which led us to the question which of the following two publications was the first, real piece of Expanded Universe:

Star Wars # 7, Jan. 1978
Pizzazz # 1, Oct. 1977

Now, we all know that one does not have to rely on the issue-dating, as publications often are published before the month-date on the cover. So I decided to do a little research which leads me to the assumption that the 3-page comic by Roy Thomas (1st in a series) in Pizzazz # 1 was the first, real EU-story we had...

Here's my evidence:

- Star Wars # 9 (cover-dated March 1978) states in the Marvel Bullpen Bulletins that 'It's December and another holiday season' This means that # 8 is from November, thus # 7 is from October 1977...
- Star Wars # 5 (cover-dated Nov. 1977, but appearing in August 1977) has a full-page add for the all-new magazine Pizzazz
- In Star Wars # 5's Stan Lee's Soapbox, Stan Lee has some sort of a quiz: he asks what Pizzazz might be (and who's publishing it, unaware, as he later admits in # 8, that a full-page add in the same issue already revealed the new mag). He also states that everything will be revealed next mont (i.e. September 1977)
- Pizzazz # 1, cover-dated October 1977, states in it's last column Up & Out that # 2, the November Pizzazz will be on sale on Thursday, October 20 1977, thus # 1 has to be from late September... (probably Thursday, September 22, 1977)

my conclusion: Pizzazz # 1 is from late September 1977, while Star Wars # 7 is from October 1977...

Anybody feels to object to this?

Greetz,
Eddie

edit: might as well promote my timeline in this blog as well...

http://blogs.starwars.com/starwarstimeline/14

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	Rogueish W.I.E.R.D.
date Posted: Jan 15, 2007 2:32 AM Hmmm, my first answer would have been Splinter of the Minds Eye (March 1978). But, your evidence suggests not - I had no idea the comics were on sale that early. I remember buying the Marvel run, I just didn't think it was when I was 6 years old.

	eddie Obsessive Fanboy Eddie and his Timeline Chronicles
date Posted: Jan 15, 2007 3:06 AM Well, the Star Wars comics started to hit stores BEFORE the movie premiered. Issue 1 was out around April 1977... (I was 8 at the time...)

	Rogueish W.I.E.R.D.
date Posted: Jan 15, 2007 4:58 AM Crikey, I didn't realise that. I guess I was reading the comics earlier than I thought. Splinter was one of the first things I remember reading that wasnt Dr Zeuss, somehow I thought I was reading at seven, and not six.

jkthunder
Seven Pieces

date Posted: Jan 15, 2007 12:34 PM

My first answer would have been the ghostwritten novelization: (The) Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker, which was also released before the film - I thought it was in late 1976. From what I understand, it was written well before post-production was even complete (which was a pretty durn long process for the original SW), and hence all the indiscrepencies with the final cut of the film.

	eddie Obsessive Fanboy Eddie and his Timeline Chronicles
date Posted: Jan 15, 2007 1:10 PM Yep, but that is not really considered an Expanded Universe-book as Alan dean Foster wrote it with and based on George Lucas's story for the first movie. It was published in paperback in December 1976 and sported a nice Ralph McQuarrie cover... http://www.starwarstimeline.com/zDR%20-%20SWFront.jpg

	Rogueish W.I.E.R.D.
date Posted: Jan 16, 2007 1:00 PM Eddie, for old time's sake, will you visit here, and make a difference. You of all people should support a fellow Dark Horse message board blogger, Rivet-Head is one of us! Thanks.

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