c.1978

The End (21)

Attention: open in a new window. PDFPrintE-mail

Parting is such sweet sorrow

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Ahh, look at the trio. Standing there, proud as punch, 'spit and polished', bright as a new pin.

*Zinggggg!*

Radiating lines and all. Gabby saw this the other night and laughed:

"Is she offering them pizza?"

Luke's leaning against Chewie and appears either to be affectionately rubbing his shoulder up and down against the big furball, or scratching an itch like a bear against a tree (ironically). Or, is he just being coy and self-conscious?

There's a nice lack of text in panel 2. Up to this panel, it's been lifted from the novelisation. Luke stands so proudly to receive his award. Chin up - with a big dimply Kirk Douglas smile.

Han smiles - but looks embarrassed; and Leia (beautiful as ever) understands him perfectly. Maybe she's afraid he'll bite that gold medal - but she knows that he's a changed man now.

The Last Hurrah

Super give-away deluxe bonus pin-up!

The final roar goes, not to the assembled rebels, or Han but to big loveable Chewie. Only the 10 or 11 year old in me would choose to do this. Did I ever see Lassie bark excitedly, before the end-credits in all those afternoon movies? Her human companions looking on. All smiles.

This almost laughably simplistic scene in Star Wars still affects me emotionally. A mixture of excitement, nostalgia, resolution and - loss. When they turn to face the audience - the rebel troops and us - we know we've reached that bitterwseet moment - again.

Postscript

This 2 year project to bring the Galaxy's greatest comic to the internet masses has been the most enjoyable creative project of my 43 years. How sad is that?

I didn't expect it to cause a global sensation (despite all of my mock-sense-of-cultural-signifcance commentary!) So when it got only around 30 vists a day, when I wasn't pushing it hard, I wasn't especially gutted. Although I'll admit, there were times when I considered throwing in the towel. There have been 20,396 vists since January 2010 and 104,187 page views. (I wonder how many were mine?)

Most of you were from the USA, then Canada.

I have more projects coming very soon. ALIEN age 11/Sight Unseen will be with you this December - possibly launching on Christmas Day. How festive and sweet. And I also SERIOUSLY need to turn this Moleskine notebook of sketches into a brand new, original (and disturbing) webcomic. That'll happen in January I hope!

Thanks

Thanks again to everyone who read, supported, promoted and spread the word about SWa9. You know who you are! You don't? « See here

I'll leave you with this stunning bonus poster for you to print, stick on your wall (with that amazing new BluTack stuff), and amaze your friends!

This is Mork - signing off. Nanu nanu.

Super give-away deluxe bonus poster! See the tray of glinting medals?

Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment below ;-)

vote for SW9!

Luke, han and chewie stride through the throne room - comic panels

Comments  

 
+1 # RE: The End (21)Guest 2011-12-07 10:10
www.nooooooooooooooo.com/

Does Leia have a chin dimple there? Are they catching?

End of an era this, I only hope ALIEN is as good/bad...
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: RE: The End (21)John White 2011-12-07 21:14
Thanks Mr.Guest!
As good? Not sure. Can't be any worse though.

Actually, it might be sillier!
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
+1 # RE: The End (21)Neil 2011-12-07 14:33
OK - now you can deploy that time machine that you obviously have concealed in your bedroom somewhere, and go back to tell 9-year-old John to finish this comic properly.
I'll give you a hint.
Hundreds of rappelling Stormtroopers descend into the temple and a huge firefight breaks out culminating in Luke dying in Leia's arms and lots of scribbly explosions.
On the other hand, just leave it be and bring on the xmas eggs.
Kudos to you, JW, for sticking this endeavor out, even when you thought no-one was reading it.
I wish I had your staying power.
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: RE: The End (21)John White 2011-12-07 21:19
Quoting Neil:
...and lots of scribbly explosions.


Staying power Neil? Self-indulgence - pure self-indulgence ! But thanks. It was people like you who kept me going with it when I got downhearted.

There's nothing quite like slaving over something you love that has no commercial crap attached to it. Total creative control. now, if I could just win the Lottery...
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
+1 # RE: The End (21)T. Gatto 2011-12-07 15:10
Well John SWAge9 has come to an end, but the legal battle over Crayon O' Scope could take decades to settle (It's mine). ;)

Love the poster, I'll print it up and get you to sign it someday.

Looking forward to Alien, and your other endeavors.

May the Force be with You!
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: RE: The End (21)John White 2011-12-07 21:22
Thanks Tom - you're a good pal.

Oh yes, there's something I must post to you :) And Neil.

Annnd: I must make greater play on this Crayon-O-Scope thing. I wonder if ALIEN age 11 uses that technology?
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
+1 # RE: The End (21)Phil C 2011-12-07 19:26
The hairy wookie has roared, and the curtain comes down - great work, John!
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
+1 # RE: RE: The End (21)John White 2011-12-07 21:23
Okay - I'm going to start blubbering now :cry:
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
+1 # Thank youBlue Milk Special 2011-12-07 21:37
Thank you for sharing your childhood with our own. Thank you for rekindling the nostalgia and for making us laugh and at times envy the way you turned your young fandom of Star Wars into something creative and artistic. I'm glad the whole adaptation is now up because we can enjoy the whole journey. Oh, and thanks to SWA9 I made a new friend. I'm looking at you, John. Metaphorically looking at you. I'm not standing behind you... or am I?
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: Thank youJohn White 2011-12-07 22:33
Rod - thanks so much for the lovely message. I was very lucky to meet up with you online shortly after I began this project. You've been an inspiration, at times a good guide, and a pal.

If you are here in Dublin I'll make up the the spare room for you :) We can shoot the breeze over a few pints. Ever had a proper Guinness?
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: The End (21)Dan P 2011-12-07 22:26
John, just so you know, that first comment was from me...

I'm sure I put my name on it, but my laptop was really playing up this morning.

I'm surprised it even posted to be honest...
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: RE: The End (21)John White 2011-12-07 22:37
Not to worry - you were in first anyway!

Where you by any chance on the 2000AD forums today? A few visitors arrived from (somewhere) in there.
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: The End (21)Dan P 2011-12-08 00:04
Not been on the forums in a while, but I am facebook friends with a few of the old guard, and I did 'like' this page earlier :-)
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: RE: The End (21)John White 2011-12-08 00:09
That must be the explanation - cheers Dan-o.
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: RE: The End (21)John White 2011-12-08 09:06
Hi Dan, some nice person named 'Return of Judge Jack' posted a link in the Forum here:
forums.2000adonline.com/.../...
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
+1 # RE: The End (21)Scot 2011-12-08 03:59
The fact that Chewie gets the last frame is awesome (I love your depictions of him)! And I'm looking forward to "Alien", too.
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: RE: The End (21)John White 2011-12-08 08:55
Much as I like to bash Jar-Jar and even Yoda, George obviously knew - rightly - that kids would love Chewie and the other cutie characters like the Jawas.

I'm looking forward to to ALIEN too Scot. Thanks for sticking with us!
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
+1 # Congratulations !Virginia 2011-12-08 09:49
Only just hearing of this! I relish the idea of starting at page one! Great job, man!
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: Congratulations !John I. White 2011-12-08 10:30
Hi Virgina,
Glad to have you here. How did you discover the site?

I'll look forward to your comments and reliving it over again myself!
John
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
+1 # RE: The End (21)Gabrielle White 2011-12-08 11:02
Hi There Pet, Well done and I'm delighted that you are so proud of this project. Best of luck, love Gabby
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: RE: The End (21)John I. White 2011-12-08 12:48
And thank you for your patience Gabby!
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
+1 # RE: The End (21)Zayne Carsick 2011-12-08 12:51
Hey, Alien would be a nice Christmas gift! :-)
Also, I thought that was pizza too! But I see it now.
And finally, I am determined to be mentioned on the Alien site for having a comment on every strip.

P.S. those pinups WILL BE pinned up!
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: RE: The End (21)John I. White 2011-12-08 14:30
Hi Zayne,
I'll see what I can do!

Re: the pinups - I'm flattered that you'd even consider putting them on your wall ;-)
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 
 
0 # RE: The End (21)T.Gatto 2011-12-09 17:21
Good timing on Phil C's comic!
Now I can get more silly Star Wars fixes, while awaiting Alien age 11.
Reply | Reply with quote | Quote
 

Add comment