Launched back in 2003, STAR WARS AFICIONADO is the brainchild of British STAR WARS fan SCOTT WELLER. Sad at seeing the death of many STAR WARS fanzines with the astonishing growth of the internet, and fed up with the continuing lack of interesting material presented within the pages of official STAR WARS related magazines, Scott decided to take the bold step of creating a new, non profit making fanzine, covering the kind of wide ranging features that he had always wanted to see in the monthly magazines since his childhood-articles that would include rare behind the scene information and interview quotes, great on set rare colour and black and white photography from the movies, and detailed archives on STAR WARS related stories (whether they be comics, books, storybook records, etc), as well as features on the various people who, over the years, have helped shape the making and destiny of the Saga alongside it's creator George Lucas.

The result was STAR WARS AFICIONADO. Yippee!!!

Professionally printed in full colour, with high printing costs that, five years on, have still not been recouped, AFICIONADO's printed life, on a once quarterley basis, would happily go from strength to strength after it's premiere issue, with a core group of writers and photo researchers (including intrepid INDIANA JONES meets STAR WARS explorer Ian Trussler and the extensive powerhouse of photos and information that is Chris Baker-my continuing thanks to you both) working together on the magazine who have provided a constant stream of appealing articles and images for publication within the magazine's pages (of which we have also revealed many pieces of rare behind the scenes filming information on the movies to readers several years before they would be made officially available through official LUCASFILM approved magazines and web-sites!!). STAR WARS AFICIONADO, though very small in circulation, has been a consistent cult success and has acquired a very loyal fan readership over the last five years (of which we are very grateful for your continuing support).  With it's continued popularity, the magazine's printed editions are now no longer available and have since sold out as the publication marches on into new frontiers.

No longer able to afford the cost of printing, and, to this day still trying to recoup previous production costs, AFICIONADO, realising that we have to join the technolgical race, has decided to carry on in a PDF file format release. The first issue to undergo this change was our revised MAKING OF STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE issue, followed by our THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE. In early 2008 we celebrated the Thirtieth Anniversary of RETURN OF THE JEDI with our most exhaustively researched MAKING OF issue yet, whilst 2009 sees our celebrations for the Tenth Anniversary of STAR WARS EPISODE ONE: THE PHANTOM MENACE. Additionally, we have also decided to start making available selected back issues of STAR WARS AFICIONADO on PDF, such as Issue ten (our STAR WARS television issue) and our special, equally exhaustive issue on the making of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

To our ever loyal, continuing readers, we would like to thank all of you for your support and encouragement. To our new readers, we hope you like what you see here and that we've tickled your fancy enough for you to want to get hold of an issue of the magazine. And if you like it, tell more people about us-we want everyone to enjoy every aspect of the STAR WARS saga, and we hope AFICIONADO manages to be a little part of that enjoyment!!

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU...ALWAYS

ENJOY STAR WARS!! ENJOY STAR WARS AFICIONADO!!

BACK ISSUE HISTORY

2003-ISSUE ONE (SOLD OUT): EPISODE III SPECIAL: Our predictions for the upcoming storyline of EPISODE THREE-who would live.. and who would die. STAR WARS ARCHIVE on the 1979 MARVEL COMIC STRIP: WORLD OF FIRE. A report from New York on one fan's trip to see ATTACK OF THE CLONES. Special RETURN OF THE JEDI issue, with ten reasons why we love the movie, twenty things you didn't know about the making of the film, and an UNSUNG HEROES profile of Director Richard Marquand.

ISSUE TWO (SOLD OUT): THE HAN SOLO/CHEWBACCA ISSUE. Special issue devoted to STAR WARS most popular pairing, incuding our favourite moments with the characters in the films, books and comic universes, interview quotes from Harrison Ford and Peter Mayhew on the making of the films, and an ARCHIVE on the popular Brian Daley original fiction book, HAN SOLO AT STARS' END. The magazine also has an UNSUNG HEROES profile on STAR WARS Production Designer John Barry.

ISSUE THREE (SOLD OUT): THE PHANTOM MENACE SPECIAL. Deleted scenes and dialogue information, main cast profiles, interview quotes, many rare photos and production artwork. Plus a new short story set just before the events of THE PHANTOM MENACE, and an ARCHIVE on THE CLOAK OF DECEPTION novel by James Lucerno.

ISSUE FOUR (SOLD OUT): LOCATION FILMING SPECIAL. A tour de force of articles covering all the location filming across all six films (including visits to Tunisia, Ian Trussler's journies to Spain, Lake Como-Italy, and Death Valley, and special behind the scenes sections of Yuma and Crescent City for RETURN OF THE JEDI). There is also a special article on what AFICONADO had hoped to see on the then upcoming STAR WARS ORIGINALTRILOGY DVDs in 2004. And for all fans of teddy bear action heroes, there's a look at the Ewok tv movies of the mid eighties and an interview with human star Eric Walker.

ISSUE FIVE / SIX-DOUBLE ISSUE (SOLD OUT): THE MAKING OF STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE. A special behind the scenes issue, compiled by Scott Weller and Chris Baker, on the making of the first STAR WARS movie, primarily the main studio filming, plus complete profiles on the cast and crew. The issue also includes a separate career profile/review feature on Mark Hamill by Ian Trussler, a look at STAR WARS recycled movie concepts, a new Luke Skywalker short story, and a feature on how the HEROES JOURNEY myth equally applies to Anakin Skywalker as well as his son, Luke.

ISSUE SEVEN (SOLD OUT-COMING SOON TO PDF): REVENGE OF THE SITH/DARTH VADER SPECIAL.A comprehensive plot prediction guide to EPISODE THREE, printed literally several weeks before the film's release and stunningly accurate!! Also, a comprehensive guide to Darth Vader in the movies-with interview quotes from all the actors to have played and voiced Vader, including very rare photos and intriguing behind the scenes costume and filming information.

ISSUE EIGHT/ NINE-DOUBLE ISSUE (SOLD OUT AS A PRINTED ISSUE, BUT NOW AVAILABLE IN PDF): REVENGE OF THE SITH/STAR WARS LEGACY ISSUE. Complete review of REVENGE OF THE SITH and a detailed look at the film's many cut scenes. Reviews of the CELEBRATION III convention in the US, and the SIX FILM STAR WARS DAY event in the UK. A look at the alternate RETURN OF THE JEDI conceived by George Lucas and Gary Kurtz in 1979/80, Ian Trussler braves the cold on a location trip to Finse, Norway, a retrospective look at THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK before its release in 1980, a new humorous short story on Darth Vader and RETURN OF THE JEDI, an inteview with EPISODE II Jedi Knight, Barriss Offee-actress Nalini Krishan.

ISSUE TEN: STAR WARS-TELEVISION!! (SOLD OUT AS A PRINTED EDITION, BUT NOW AVAILABLE ON PDF):  A special issue devoted to STAR WARS as it has appeared on television-from the dreadful HOLIDAY SPECIAL to the modern, highly successful CLONE WARS cartoon series and beyond, as we look ahead to what we can expect from the live action series in 2010. Also, an interview with Watto himself, Andrew Secombe, and a special section tribute to the Prequels, as we present a making of feature comprised of rare interview quotes and photos from the cast and crew behind the making of the three films.

ISSUE ELEVEN / TWELVE: SPECIAL ISSUE: THE MAKING OF "THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK" (SOLD OUT AS A PRINTED EDITION, BUT NOW AVAILABLE ON PDF). One of the most comprehensive magazines ever to go behind the scenes on the making of the film. 147 pages, a quadruple issue!!, of rare photos, interview quotes, production filming timetable, cut scenes, the creation of Yoda, the film's publicity and EMPIRE DAY promotions in May 1980... Whatever you've ever wanted to know about EMPIRE, it's all in this issue, packed with hundreds of rare colour and black and white photos!!

ISSUE THIRTEEN: ANNIVERSARY ISSUE (ONLY AVAILABLE AS PDF): A special visual tribute to thirty years of STAR WARS, celebrating all six films and beyond: it's classic characters, favourite scenes and the phenomenon itself, including  the books, the comics, tv, the toys and beyond. This is a treasure trove of nostalgic memories and packed with hundreds of rare images and interview quotes from cast and crew members. It is the ultimate visual scrapbook.

REVISED AFICIONADO ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL: THE MAKING OF "STAR WARS" (ONLY AVAILABLE ON PDF): AFICIONADO revises its original 36 page BEHIND THE SCENES feature on the making of EPISODE IV into a complete 187 page special issue, covering every aspect of the original film's creation from 1967 to 1977, containing rare photos and production info not previously found in the original issue five/six, or in the official 2007 LUCASFILM book on the film's making by J.W. Rinzler.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO GET HOLD OF BACK ISSUES OF STAR WARS AFICIONADO ON PDF, PLEASE EMAIL: scott4andrea@yahoo.com

With thanks to Chris Baker for the above composition. We always wondered what Mark and Carrie were looking at in the picture!!