Written by Gina McIntyre
SUMMARY:
Published in 2018 by Insight Editions (through Disney and Lucasfilm), this 242-page coffee table hardcover purports to be the ultimate visual guide to Han Solo. In addition to examining his various incarnations (most notably, actors Harrison Ford and Alden Ehrenreich), this collection’s insights includes rare glimpses of artwork, merchandising, and rare behind-the-scenes images from Solo’s live-action history.
For this project, insightful interviews with Ford, Ehrenreich, Peter Mayhew, Billy Dee Williams, Mark Hamill, directors J.J. Abrams and Ron Howard, screenwriters Lawrence Kasdan and Jake Kasdan, among others.
Further, the character’s evolution (including preliminary sketch drawings) beginning with Lucas’ earliest version depicts how Han Solo became pivotal to the Star Wars saga. The book also analyzes Solo’s appearances in comic books, radio, novels, newspaper strips, role-playing, video games, etc. over the past forty years.
REVIEW:
It’s stellar! Short of a retrospective documentary, this informative, vault-like hardcover acknowledges seemingly everything imaginable about Han Solo. There’s even a section on other pop culture characters evidently influenced by him. Yet, unlike a video, author Gina McIntyre designs this nostalgic book in such an interactive way that fans can reach out and explore the character on a far more personal level. McIntyre’s text stays on point and corresponds well with the constant imagery.
The enormous wealth of visual material celebrates Harrison Ford’s legacy with rare glimpses from inside the original Star Wars trilogy. Gratefully, there is far less emphasis on all the various forms of merchandise. A reasonable portion covers 2018’s Solo movie, which confirms that this book is meant as a cross-promotional tie-in. While giving the prequel movie project its due, Star Wars Icons: Han Solo is far more an eye-popping treasure trove honoring Ford as the legendary Corellian smuggler-turned-Rebel hero.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES:
As this book should be handled with care, the extra goodies include a bookmark, fold-out artwork, and multiple instances of detachable sketches. Although there isn’t an index, there is a helpful bibliography and an acknowledgments page.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 10 Stars
