STAR WARS WITH AN ANIME TWIST
Star Wars: Visions is a completely new take on the sci-franchise. While there are some familiar faces in the nine episodes, don’t expect to see the major characters from the slew of movies and streaming shows.
The core concepts of Star Wars remain the same - lightsabers, Jedi, Sith, X-Wings, droids, etc. - the rest is all original as told by Japanese anime creators.
Being a global box office juggernaut for over 40 years, there are plenty of Star Wars fans worldwide. Over the years, manga writers and artists have given their takes on the classic characters.
The style has built a fan base among SW fans, and Visions would seem the culmination of those years of fandom.
On that note, let’s take a closer look at these Star Wars mangas that could have budding collecting potential.
STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE MANGA #1
One of the most popular manga editions was the adaptation for Episode 1: the Phantom Menace.
That makes perfect sense. After all, Millennials tend to adore the Prequels, and many are fans of the anime/manga style of artwork and storytelling. Put the two together, and it is a surefire hit with that crowd.
Need one for your collection? The most recent eBay sales for raw copies sold for close to $10.
STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE #1
Hisao Tamaki’s take on the original trilogy was an instant hit with fans. Published by Dark Horse, this was a dream come true for Star Wars manga fans. The title was so well done that it won an Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material.
Finding graded sales for the manga version of A New Hope has proven difficult. However, the eBay sales for raw copies continue to chug along. All four issues have been selling consistently on the auction site since the summer, though the most recent transactions were from September. Generally, the high-graded copies of New Hope #1 have stayed in the $15-$20 range. There’s also a trade paperback collecting the entire series, and those tend to sell for around $20.
STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK #1
After the success of Tamaki’s New Hope adaptation, Dark Horse continued its anime trek through the original trilogy. Again, manga and Star Wars fans made these comics hits as well.
With the release of Visions, the entire trilogy could be worth your time to collect. You’ll want this one on your list. The last time an Empire Strikes Back #1 traded hands online, a raw copy sold for $18.
STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI #1
Rounding out the first trilogy that made Star Wars the premiere franchise in all of science-fiction, we have Return of the Jedi. Sales for ROTJ #1 received a quick sales spike thanks to Star Wars: Visions, inspiring buyers to peruse eBay for those particular issues.
Toward the end of September, raw copies of ROTJ #1 were earning as much as $34.
MORE MANGA
As the worldwide popularity for manga and anime continues to rise, that could mean more Star Wars adaptations in the signature manga style. With Visions presenting new characters and stories outside the Star Wars canon, perhaps a dedicated line of SW comics in the manga fashion is in order.
