Xing Qiu Da Zhan [Chinese Pirated Star Wars Comic Booklet] -

Shaoyang Shi: Hunan Meishu Chubanshe, 1983. 110p. booklet of the lianhuanhua genre, based on the story of the first Star Wars movie, color cover with black and white interior drawings, text in Chinese, about 5x3.5 inches. Covers somwhat worn and soiled, rear cover has a stain. Second printing. In the post-Mao era, despite the lack of a broad-based science fiction movement in China, films like Star Wars had a certain audience and were considered politically acceptable because they depicted a rebellion against imperialism. The novel was translated into Chinese in 1980 and various adaptations into comic book form appeared thereafter. The lianhuanhue genre is in booklet format rather than western comic book style; each page has artwork with a caption at the bottom encapsulating part of the story. This version's artwork hews the closest to the film of any version we have seen, though (travesty!) it erases the concept of the Force from the story, apparently considering it to be superstitious. Instead, the Rebels succeed (and Luke hits his target at the Death Star) because of their superior insurgent skills.