******DEATH STAR-SIZED SPOILERS!******

As a “Star Wars” fan for the past 49 years or so, I’ve read innumerable accounts of the making of this movie–which drew me in like a tractor beam at age ten, back in that summer of 1977. To that end, there are several books I consider must-reads about the life and career of George Lucas. The first is Dale Pollock’s “Skywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas” (1983), which is something of an introduction to the many stories behind the movie and the enigmatic Lucas himself; a shy introvert who was more comfortable in the solitude of the editing bay than on set with his actors. Despite its insights, this early book left many untold stories behind the Star Wars trilogy. All the same, I remember buying this in paperback and devouring it end to end in my late teens. Still a good read, and a nice introduction into the unique subculture of Lucas’ work.

The second is Marcus Hearn’s “The Cinema of George Lucas” (2005), written around the release of Lucas’ last Star Wars movie, “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.” This coffee table book includes the many stories of Lucas’ early film chronicled elsewhere, including his near-fatal car crash as a teen, as well as the making of “THX-1138” (1971) as well as “American Graffiti” (1973), but it also itemizes his work with the Indiana Jones movies (and TV series), as well as financing and ushering in those companies that redefined the medium of filmmaking, such as THX cinema optimization and then-future computer-animation giant Pixar–not to mention Skywalker Ranch, with its state-of-the-art editing facilities. The book is beautifully illustrated with lots of photos and side column summaries/explainers. For a broad overview of Lucas’ life and career, this book packs a lot into its pages, but is light on minutiae and juicy production gossip.

In 2007 came the late Jonathan W. Rinzler‘s first coffee table book on the original Star Wars trilogy, “The Making of Star Wars,” which is the definitive account of the making of the movie, including reprints of original script pages from Lucas’ awkward earlier drafts (“The Star Wars”), behind-the-scenes artwork, concept sketches, costume designs, set photos, and literal day-to-day production schedules, including the delays and on-set drama, such as Lucas’ stressful frustrations with the money people and the undisciplined team Lucas and Kurtz eventually turned into the premiere FX franchise, Industrial Light and Magic. When I first bought this book, I was simply stunned by the level of detail. Rinzler culls from so many sources that it almost feels like too much of a good thing, if that’s possible. Other equally definitive filmmaking books by J.W. Rinzler (1962-2021) include “The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” and “The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.” All worth seeking out.

For those without the time or patience for long reads (shame), there’s also documentarian Ken Burns’ “Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy” (2004), which includes a lot of previously unseen footage from the original trilogy’s shoot, as well as discussions about the growing Star Wars phenomenon, with lots of talking heads (those involved with the movies and not) pontificating on exactly how and why Star Wars became such a worldwide sensation. The documentary runs about two and a half hours, and was a bonus feature on the original trilogy’s 2004 release. It can also be found on YouTube (for as long as this link lasts…).

“Lucas Wars” (“Le Guerres des Lucas”)

Pulling from these books, interviews and other sources, writer/journalist Laurent Hopman and artist Renaud Roche created the 2023 graphic biography “Les Guerres des Lucas”/”Lucas Wars,” which was recently translated into English by Jeremy Melloul and made available in the United States. Through Stuart Ng Books in Torrance, California, my wife recently ordered a copy and I pawed through it in a single sitting.

The book is a witty, condensed account of Lucas’ early life as a bored kid dreaming of race cars in Modesto, California, his early filmmaking career, and eventually into the deeply troubled production of the original “Star Wars,” which ends in literal overwhelming triumph for the shy, introverted filmmaker, and his then-wife (and co-editor) Marcia Lucas. George’s climatic success with “Star Wars” rings as joyously as his hero Luke Skywalker’s destruction of the Empire’s dreaded Death Star.

Unlike some making-of accounts, this book gives much credit to the previously unheralded Marcia Lucas for providing necessary yang to George’s yin. We also see tough, realistic producer Gary Kurtz’s help in keeping the “hippies” at ILM on track to complete their impossible special effects deadlines. There’s also Fox creative executive, Alan Ladd Jr, whose unwavering faith in George (despite his bizarre, continually shifting visions for his movie) kept the production on course. Executives, ex-wives and producers are usually the bad guys in cliched Hollywood stories, but journalist/writer Laurent Hopman’s accounting rings true. These critical influences on George indirectly hint that he could’ve used voices like theirs when he made his ill-advised prequels.

Many of the production stories in the book are common knowledge to longtime or well-read Star Wars fans, including issues with malfunctioning droid props on location in Tunisia, George’s panic attack during production, or the late Carrie Fisher not being allowed to wear a bra under costume, etc. One of the stories I hadn’t read, or perhaps forgot, included Lucas’ father opening a small toy section in his stationery store–which was a direct inspiration for the Star Wars merchandising clause in George’s contract with Fox. Another was that writer George developed a nervous habit of snipping off locks of his hair when he wrote his screenplay drafts (!). Old rumors of the on-set affair between costars Fisher and Harrison Ford are reified with images and dialogue between the two. All of the dialogue between George, Marcia, his colleagues, and the actors is witty and stylized, yet with an air of authenticity.

Combining a journalist’s knack for factuality with the creativity of a graphic novelist, Hopman takes many of those previous anecdotes and streamlines them into this easily digestible and delightful book. The same goes for artist Renaud Roche, whose largely monochrome artwork throws in occasional panels and patches in color, adding mood and directing the reader’s eye. For younger readers getting these stories and anecdotes for the first time, there are many helpful captions and footnotes labeling characters and adding context for this nearly fifty year-old story.

On its own, “Lucas Wars” (nee: “Le Guerres de Lucas”) is a fine and worthy chronicling of George Lucas’ early career and the creation of Star Wars, making smart use of the graphic novel/graphic biography medium to provide enough humor and whimsy to enjoy as a separate piece of entertainment, without the literality of a movie or miniseries. The Force is truly strong with this one.

Where to Buy

“Lucas Wars” can be ordered in English or in the original French via Amazon.com, Stuart Ng Books, Barnes and Noble.com, or other booksellers. Without committing to buy, the book might be available to check out at some public libraries, assuming your town or city still has libraries.