Ready for more special comic variant covers? As a young Boba Fett once said: “yep!”
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones celebrates its 20th birthday this year! To commemorate, Marvel Comics brought on Doctor Aphra artist Caspar Wijngaard to illustrate variant covers for several upcoming Star Wars comic releases. The covers feature interpretations of epic scenes lifted from the beloved film—including Obi-Wan’s treacherous flight across Coruscant, the Jango Fett v. Mace Windu showdown on Geonosis, and Yoda facing off against Count Dooku.
These iconic moments first struck awe in audiences when the film debuted on May 16, 2002. Now, twenty years later, fans still hold Attack of the Clones dearly for its melodrama, lightsaber action, and especially for introducing Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker.
Wijngaard’s commemorative art will grace December 2022 Marvel Comics Star Wars releases Yoda #2, Bounty Hunters #29, Doctor Aphra #27, and Han Solo & Chewbacca #8. January 2023 will see the last of the variants on the cover of Star Wars #30.
Creative director at Lucasfilm Publishing Michael Siglain shared his excitement for the anniversary and his appreciation for Caspar Wijngaard’s skill in a post on StarWars.com:
"“Our Marvel Star Wars comics couldn’t let the year pass without celebrating the 20th anniversary of Attack of the Clones. [Wijngaard] has delivered five stunning variants that focus on some of the most iconic scenes and characters from the film. Caspar’s linework and color palette are just gorgeous. He really captures the essence and attitude of each scene. Plus, the anniversary gives us another reason to feature Christopher Lee’s Count Dooku on a cover!”"
The future of the Marvel Comics Star Wars collaboration is bright, with several series regularly landing amidst the top 25 best selling single issues month after month. I may be getting ahead of myself, but as a prequels baby, I’m already looking forward to seeing how Marvel Comics will celebrate Revenge of the Sith on its 20th anniversary in 2025. It’s clear that the personnel behind these comics share our same awe and appreciation towards the treasured Star Wars prequel films. If we’re lucky, we’ll get even more stunning variant covers and Insider short stories set in the prequel era.
Check out the anniversary variant covers below:
Attack of the Clones 20th Anniversary variant covers
