Ragged Claws Network

Frazetta’s Krenkel-influenced Edgar Rice Burroughs covers will be familiar to many, but his Maza on the Moon cover is somewhat less well known, mainly because the book’s author, Otis Adelbert Kline, never achieved any lasting popularity:

If Otis Adelbert Kline is known for anything, it is not the quality of his writing but the way he promoted his highly derivative adventure stories by surreptitiously circulating a rumour, reported in the fan press but later debunked, of a feud between himself and the pulp-fiction juggernaut he most closely styled himself after, Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Next up: more Jones covers!

I don’t have a lot of paperbacks with cover art by Frank Frazetta, but here are a few I do have…

Rogue Roman is an early cover painting by Frazetta that someone out there might enjoy seeing in its original format. The painting sans text appears in the Frazetta art book, Icon (Grass Valley, CA: Underwood Books, 1998), page 126. Looks a lot different there, too: the overall tone is much, much warmer. But I can’t decide if Rogue Roman is one of those pieces that was altered at a later date by Frazetta or not. And since there’s no mention of alterations in the discussion that accompanies the painting in Icon, it might just be a case of inaccurate reproduction on the paperback. Wouldn’t be the first time.

Of course, most Frazetta fans know that what makes the artist’s Moon Maid cover more than just a visually arresting illustration is that the original painting was substantially altered (though not, IMHO, improved) by Frazetta when he got it back from the publisher; which is to say, the painting as you see it here no longer exists.

The male model for The Mucker could easily have been Frazetta himself.

And finally, the central figure in Frazetta’s Tanar of Pellucidar was clearly swiped by Arthur Suydam for the painting that appears on the cover of his The Art of the Barbarian (Special Edition): Conan, Tarzan, Death Dealer. Look it up and you’ll see!

Both Vanguard Productions and Dark Horse have announced a reprint of White Indian. One will almost certainly see the light of day; the other may not.

From Dark Horse’s October solicitations:

THE CLASSIC COMICS ARCHIVES VOLUME 1: WHITE INDIAN
Frank Frazetta (A)
On sale Dec 1
FC, 200 pages
$49.99
HC, 7″ x 10″

The longest comic-book run of Frank Frazetta’s career! First appearing as a backup feature in Durango Kid in 1949, Dan Brand—known as the “White Indian”—is a colonial-era city boy whose life is marred by tragedy. When the death of his fiancée sends Brand through the wilderness on a trek to kill her murderer, he also begins a journey that will transform him into a hardened pioneer survivalist. The powerful sequential work of Frank Frazetta is in the spotlight in this collection, with all interior pages scanned from original comic-book issues and digitally cleaned.

• This collection reprints all of Frank Frazetta’s White Indian work in an affordable hardcover format!

Here’s a tiny JPEG of the Vanguard cover:

Notice how Frazetta’s name is absent from the Dark Horse cover and prominently displayed at the top of the Vanguard cover: I doubt that was simply an oversight on Dark Horse’s part… Frazetta’s name is also absent from the cover of the Dark Horse Thun’da reprint, which, btw, is available in stores now.

Anyway, here’s the news about the Vanguard Productions reprint, as reported at ICv2:

Vanguard to Release Frazetta’s ‘White Indian’
Complete Collection
Published: 07/12/2010, Last Updated: 07/13/2010 05:30am

Frazetta Management and Vanguard Productions announced that Vanguard will be releasing all of the Dan Brand/White Indian material, originally published in the 1950’s by Magazine Enterprises, as part of its new Vanguard Frazetta Classics line. White Indian represents Frazetta’s longest artistic run on a single comic feature.

The Complete White Indian Collection is Volume 2 of the Frazetta Classics line. Volume 1 will be The Complete Johnny Comet which will feature dailies reproduced from Frazetta’s own personal proofs and Sunday pages collected in color for the first time as well as a new essay by William Stout (see “Vanguard Plans Adams, Frazetta Books”). Vanguard Publisher J. David Spurlock said, “Both volumes are well into production now with more Vanguard volumes to come.”

Seems straightforward enough — except that, according to Rich Johnston at Bleeding Cool, Vanguard publisher David Spurlock has made a statement, on the record, that appears to assert Vanguard’s exclusive right to the Frazetta material:

Vanguard [writes Spurlock] will release WHITE INDIAN Vol 1 by Frazetta, and Dark Horse will do WHITE INDIAN ARCHIVES Vol 2 of all all the other White Indian material.

[More details about Spurlock's statement here from Chris Marshall, who, it turns out, is the intrepid blogger who "got it from the horse's mouth."]

Now, as far as I am aware, Dark Horse has not yet confirmed (or denied) the arrangement, though, of course, if Frazetta’s White Indian material has dropped into the public domain, it won’t matter what sort of exclusive contract Vanguard signed with Frazetta before he died, Dark Horse will be free do as they please. Truth be told, however, I really don’t know what’s going on between Vanguard and Dark Horse.

(Why Dark Horse would want to publish a Frazetta-less hardcover sequel to another publisher’s Frazetta reprint is beyond me!)

What I do know for sure, however, is that Frazetta fans will soon have at least one, and possibly two, hardcover reprints of White Indian to add to their collections within a few months. So, hooray for that!

UPDATE (added 11 August 2010):

Wherein I answer the question, “Where have I seen those covers before?”

The Dark Horse White Indian cover was the cover of White Indian #11, published in 1953:

The Vanguard was the cover of the White Indian reprint published by Pure Imagination in 1981. Here’s a scan of the copy that usually sits on a shelf, along with a lot of other books, mostly by Corben, about a metre and a half from my keyboard:

Looks like Vanguard had the drawing recoloured for the new reprint. Big mistake, IMHO. (Anyone know why they changed the redcoat into a bluecoat?)

ANOTHER UPDATE:

You’ll have to read the discussion in the comments section of this post to find out why the following is important. The full page is page one of White Indian #11:

What fun! Now I get to file this post under “Swipe, Homage, or Happenstance?“!

Turn Frazetta’s “monster” design into an animatronic muppet, and he’d be right at home in the world of the “Dinosaurs” sitcom.

But seriously, folks, this post is mostly just my silly way of saying that I think Frazetta’s “monster” looks remarkably, even comically, animated — and certainly appears more vividly alive than his human attacker!

14 November 2009: the Spectrum Web site reports that “Grand Master Frank Frazetta’s cover painting for the Lancer paperback, Conan the Conqueror by Robert E. Howard, sold this week to a private collector for a reported $1,000,000.”

08 June 2010: Heritage Auctions issues a press release bragging that “Frank Frazetta’s original 1955 artwork for Weird Science-Fantasy #29, considered by many comic art fans to be the finest comic book cover of all time, has been sold in a private treaty sale for $380,000 – almost certainly the most ever paid for a single piece of original American comic book art – to Heritage Co-Chairman and Co-Founder Jim Halperin, a collector known to own one of the finest comic book and original comic art collections in the world. It was an outright purchase for immediate payment, with no trade-ins involved.”

22 July 2010: the Pocono Record reports that “Frank Frazetta’s ‘Conan the Destroyer’ painting has been sold to a private collector for $1.5 million.” The seller is identified as “a family trust.”

Please keep in mind as you peruse this post: swipe is not the only option in the category, “Swipe, Homage, or Happenstance?” And there are other possibilities as well — visual quotation, for instance; also, parody — but if I listed them all, the category title would be far less catchy. IMHO, of course.

Fact is, I’m not sure which of the above images was published first. Lioness Watching Cabin is included in Frank Frazetta: Book Three (New York: Bantam Books, 1979), but no date is given. Ditko’s story “The Teddy Bear,” however, was published in Amazing Adventures, vol. 1, no. 3, in August 1961.

UPDATE:

With the help of a reader, Clayton, I now have a rough date for “Lioness Watching Cabin,” which, it turns out, is one of the few completed illustrations from a re-do of a Wally Wood illustrated story, “Came the Dawn,” written by Al Feldstein, that Frazetta worked on, but didn’t finish, for the unpublished Shock Illustrated #4, which, had it been published, would have appeared in 1956. Frazetta’s artwork was featured early last year on Mr. Door Tree’s Golden Age Comic Book Stories blog, which I regularly visit and highly recommend to anyone who might be reading this message. Here’s the link to Mr. Door Tree’s post that includes Wally Wood’s original illumination of Feldstein’s script along with Frazetta’s abandoned re-vision.

All of which means we can now say with some certainty that Frazetta’s “Lioness Watching Cabin” illustration was produced before the mountain lion watching tent comic panel by Ditko.

Here’s one that’s rather funny — mainly due to the timing! In Eerie #126 (November 1981), on page 19, in the bottom right-hand corner, you’ll find an advertisement for the 1982 Frazetta Calendar. And, IN THE VERY SAME ISSUE, you’ll find a 12-page story called “Korsar,” with art by Esteban Maroto, which runs from page 35 to page 46. Now, take a look at page 9, panel 3 of the Maroto-illustrated story (Eerie page 43), paying special attention to the composition, the landscape, and the group of figures led by the fellow carrying the woman on his shoulder, on the left-hand side of the panel.

For your convenience, I’ve included both pages below, along with a slightly larger, colour version of the cover of the 1982 Frazetta Calendar:

See it?

Available from Dark Horse in July 2010, Thun’da, King of the Congo will bring together, in one 232-page hardcover volume, all six issues of Thun’da, King of the Congo, as well as the Thun’da backup stories that appeared in Cave Girl and Africa: Thrilling Land of Mystery, featuring work by Golden Age greats Frank Frazetta, Gardner Fox, and Bob Powell.

Here’s the publisher’s description of the book:

Frank Frazetta is widely renowned as one of the greatest fantasy illustrators of all time. But he didn’t hone his skills in study at the fabled galleries of Paris or Milan; his legendary talents flourished as he worked for hire during the Golden Age of comics!

In the early 1950s, Frazetta set up shop at bustling comics publisher Magazine Enterprises, contributing beautiful cover illustrations and comics pages. There, he also created his first mighty adventurer: the lost-world-jungle hero Thun’da! Though Frazetta left Magazine Enterprises shortly after the first issue of Thun’da was released, and the series was ultimately short lived despite the talented care of collaborators Gardner Fox and Bob Powell, to this day the Thun’da, King of the Congo comics series is held in high regard both as an exciting adventure title and as the only comics series ever to include a cover-to-cover, all-Frazetta issue!

BONUS LINKS:

The Comic Book Catacombs: Frank Frazetta Tribute: Thun’da in “Gods of the Jungle”

Don Markstein’s Toonopedia: THUN’DA, KING OF THE CONGO

Thun’da #1 cover — original art.

– BREAKING NEWS, 10 May 2010 (scroll down for updates) –

As reported this hour by Mike Gold…

Another site, The Beat, has confirmed, via Frazetta’s agent, Rob Pistella, that the cause of death was a stroke.

Pocono Record: Artist Frank Frazetta dead of stroke — funeral arrangements to be announced.

New York Times > “Arts Beat”: Frank Frazetta, Fantasy Illustrator, Dies at 82

Here’s a short notice, distributed through the Associated Press, that so far has appeared, under slightly different headlines, in both the Chicago Tribune (“Manager: Fantasy artist Frank Frazetta dies in Fla. hospital at 82 after suffering stroke”) and the Los Angeles Times (“Frank Frazetta, renowned for sci-fi and fantasy art, dies at 82″):

(AP) — Pioneering fantasy artist Frank Frazetta has died in a Fort Myers, Fla., hospital. He was 82.

Manager Rob Pistella says Frazetta died Monday morning, a day after suffering a stroke. He says Frazetta had been out to dinner with his daughters Sunday before falling ill.

Frazetta is renowned for his sci-fi and fantasy art. He created covers and illustrations for more than 150 books and comic books, including Conan the Barbarian and Tarzan.

Daughter Heidi Frazetta Grabin says she is hopeful that a dispute among siblings over their father’s artwork has been resolved through recent negotiations.

Son Frank Frazetta was charged in December with using a backhoe to break into the artist’s museum in the Poconos and trying to remove dozens of paintings.

———-

– UPDATES (added 11, 12, 13, 15, 17 May 2010) –

——

FORMAL OBITUARIES:

The Comics Reporter: Frank Frazetta, 1928-2010 by Tom Spurgeon

Los Angeles Times: Frank Frazetta dies at 82; renowned fantasy illustrator by Geoff Boucher

Los Angeles Times: Guillermo del Toro on Frank Frazetta: “He gave the world a new pantheon of heroes” by Geoff Boucher — “Guillermo del Toro, Neal Adams and John Milius remember Frank Frazetta in this longer version of the obituary I [Geoff Boucher] wrote for Tuesday’s edition of the Los Angeles Times.”

New York Times: Frank Frazetta, Illustrator, Dies at 82; Helped Define Comic Book Heroes by Bruce Weber and Dave Itzkoff

Pocono Record: Frank Frazetta, master of fantasy art, dead at 82 by Howard Frank

The Washington Post: A sorcerer’s farewell: RIP, Frank Frazetta, master of fantasy illustration by Michael Cavna

—–

INTERVIEW:

The Comics Journal: Frank Frazetta Interview — posted by Gary Groth on May 10th, 2010 at 5:57 PM, this lengthy 1994 interview was originally conducted for The Comics Journal #174 and was later reprinted in The Comics Journal Library: Classic Comics Illustrators.

—–

MEMORIAL GALLERIES:

The Comic Book Catacombs: Frank Frazetta Tribute: Thun’da in “When the Earth Shook” (ME;1952), posted by Chuck Wells

Comic Book Resources: Frazetta Tribute – His Warren Covers and a Shining Knight Story, posted by Brian Cronin

Easily Mused: Frank Frazetta’s “Dan Brand and Tipi”, posted by John Glenn Taylor

The Fabulous Fifties: Ace’s Trump, posted by Ger Apeldoorn — a selection of Frazetta’s Johnny Comet and Ace McCoy strips from 1952.

Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta, February 9, 1928 ~ May 10, 2010, The Buck Rogers ~ Famous Funnies cover illustrations, posted by Mr. Door Tree

Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta, February 9, 1928 ~ May 10, 2010, The Conan Paintings, posted by Mr. Door Tree

Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta: Burroughs Artist Frank Frazetta Portfolio, posted by Mr. Door Tree

Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta: The Ace Edgar Rice Burroughs Paintings, posted by Mr. Door Tree

Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta, 1928 ~ 2010: Some of the finest art to ever be printed in the comic books!, posted by Mr. Door Tree

Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta and Al Williamson: a handful of their collaborations, posted by Mr. Door Tree
HoustonPress: Eight Memorable Frank Frazetta Album Covers, posted by Jef With One F

The Magic Whistle: My Frazetta Preference, posted by Sam Henderson

The Pictorial Arts: The Passing of Frazetta, Frazetta Treasure, Savage Pellucidar, posted by Thomas Haller Buchanan

Rip Jagger’s Dojo: Frank Frazetta RIP by Rip Jagger — includes scans of Frazetta’s Conan paperback covers for Lancer.

Rip Jagger’s Dojo: Frazetta’s Ghost Rider, posted by Rip Jagger — a gallery of Frazetta’s Ghost Rider covers.

Some Came Running: Frazetta, posted by Glenn Kenny — selected movie posters.

Super I.T.C.H.: Frazetta’s Hucky Duck, D. J. David B. Spins Comics-Tunes: Frank Frazetta

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OTHER NOTICES AND TRIBUTES:

The American Culture: Frank Frazetta, 1928-2010 by fantasy novelist Lars Walker

The Beat: The Frazetta Legacy by Heidi “The Beat” MacDonald

Booksteve’s Library: RIP — Frank Frazetta by Steven “Booksteve” Thompson

Comic Book Brain: Frank Frazetta, 1928 – 2010: An Appreciation by Erik Weems

The Comic Book Catacombs: In Memoriam: Frank Frazetta by Chuck Wells

The Comics Journal: Fantasy’s Michelangelo: An Appreciation by Kenneth Smith — this article was originally published in The Comics Journal #174 (1994).

Dispatches: How I Didn’t Team Up with Frank Frazetta by James Vance

Eddit: Dear Frazetta by Eddie Wilson

The Fies Files: Frank Frazetta by Brian Fies

Illustration Art: A Few Thoughts on an Empty Studio by David Apatoff (also posted at Tor.com)

Lines and Colors: Frank Frazetta by Charley Parker

Los Angeles Times: Frank Frazetta painted with fire on a timeless canvas by Lance Laspina, producer and director of the 2003 documentary Frazetta: Painting with Fire

Newsarama: Comic Book Artists Remember FRANK FRAZETTA by various

The Online World of Timothy Bradstreet: Painting Has Lost Its Flame — Frazetta R.I.P. by Timothy Bradstreet

Paladin Freelance: The Grey God Passes… by Dominic

Pocono Record: Frazetta’s place in fantasy art history secure by Adam McNaughton

The Return to Innocence: Goodbye, Frank Frazetta by rosefox8, who writes, “Confession time. It was the work of Frank Frazetta that made me realize that gaining healthy weight after anorexia was a beautiful and strong thing.”

Shadow Muse: Goodbye, Frank by Naamah Darling

Spectrum Fantastic Art: FRANK FRAZETTA (1928-2010) by Arnie Fenner, who writes:

Despite the numerous myths surrounding Frazetta (some perpetuated by zealous fans, some that were created by Frank and Ellie as marketing conceits), Frank was not a god. Everything did not come easily. Everything wasn’t a success. Not everything he said was Gospel and anyone who believed otherwise… didn’t know Frank.

He struggled. He had self-doubts. He had more than his share of disappointments in his life and every decision he made wasn’t the right one (and a few blew up in his face). By his own admission he was lazy and played more than he painted: contrast his body of work with that of his peers and his contention would seem to be true. Frazetta’s virtues were contrasted by his failings, his generosity sometimes blunted by his callousness. He masked his sensitivity with macho bravado, but when he hurt, the pain cut deep. As he said once, “When I’m down, Jesus, it’s hell.”

Toronto Star: Love letters: Frank Frazetta by Geoff Pevere

Wang-Dang-Doodles!: Frank Frazetta, R.I.P. by Rich Dannys

The Worlds of William Stout: Frank Frazetta 1928–2010 by William Stout, who writes:

Frank was a scrapper who grew up on the mean streets of Brooklyn. His talent revealed itself at an early age. Frank was like an artistic sponge with a photographic memory. Fortunately, he had Roy Krenkel and Al Williamson as friends in his formative teens and early 20’s. They gave Frank an incredible art education, using their vast collections to expose him to the finest art and illustration of the 19th and 20th centuries. Frazetta soaked up everything he was shown. Somehow he managed to absorb and filter all of this great art and have it subsequently come out through Frank’s brushes as pure Frazetta. I know it was hard work, but Frank made it look so damn natural and easy.

A Burning Designer: Six Part Series on Frazetta — Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 — by Mark Astrella

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BONUS LINKS:

American Art Archives: Frank Frazetta (1928 – 2010) — a gallery of comic covers and movie posters.

The Art History Archive: Frank Frazetta, Fantasy Legend by Charles Moffat — includes links to a large number of images stored on the Art History Archiver server.

Frank Frazetta — a large selection of famous images.

Booksteve’s Library: Frazetta PSAs — 1950′s — “Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree 1955″ and “We Can Stop the Enemies of Youth,” posted by Steven “Booksteve” Thompson

Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta: The 2 Canaveral Press Burroughs editions, posted by Mr. Door Tree

Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta: Western art for Magazine Enterprises, Early 1950′s, posted by Mr. Door Tree

Museum Syndicate: Frank Frazetta, American Painter — online gallery of 114 works, which can be sorted by title or by date.

Pappy’s Golden Age Comics Blogzine: “Snowman,” Tally-Ho Comics #1, posted by Pappy — Frazetta’s professional debut?

Wang-Dang-Doodles!: Another Fritz “Funny Animal” Rarity… by Rich Dannys

Wang-Dang-Doodles!: Deconstructing the Frazetta Female by Rich Dannys

Wang-Dang-Doodles!: A Few More Frazetta Gems… by Rich Dannys

Wang-Dang-Doodles!: Frazetta’s 79th Birthday!! by Rich Dannys

Wang-Dang-Doodles!: I LOVES Me Dem “Funny Animals”! by Rich Dannys

———-

Rest in Peace: Eleanor “Ellie” Frazetta

Vanguard Productions has just announced that, in August of this year, the company will release The Complete Johnny Comet by Frank Frazetta, the first volume in their “Vanguard Frazetta Classics Series.” According the news release, The Complete Johnny Comet “will feature Frazetta’s newspaper strip shot from the artist’s personal proofs, ensuring the best reproduction ever for this material. The 224-page, 8.5” x 11” glossy b/w hardcover will retail for US$39.95.”

Back in May, when the new publishing deal with Frazetta was first announced, Vanguard founder J. David Spurlock gave Frazetta fans a tantalizing glimpse of what they could expect see in the coming years. “We are very excited about launching a line of Frazetta books under the new Vanguard Frazetta Classics brand.” said Spurlock. “The line will include a series of volumes collecting Frazetta’s comics work in top quality book format,” said Spurlock, “Other Vanguard Frazetta Classics will include a new edition of the 1998 hit, Frazetta – The Definitive Reference, a richly illustrated index of every Frazetta work ever published; a Frank Frazetta Sketchbook; and more—all in library-quality collections fully authorized by Frank Frazetta.”

The paperback indicia doesn’t include a publication date, but according to a couple of Web sites, the Paperback Library reprint edition of Danger Planet, which featured “Captain Future, inter-galactic agent of justice, whose identity is top secret, whose strength is ultimate,” was published in 1969, some 24 years after the original!

As you can see from the above image of the actual painting (which was painted on an 18.75 x 12.5 inch canvasboard panel!), the section with Frazetta’s signature, and much else, was cropped for the cover. Frazetta didn’t get an interior cover credit either. Because everybody knows it’s timeless action heroes like “Captain Future” that sell books, not cover artists…

Frazetta Painting Sells for $1 Million to Private Collector

Feud over Frazetta family fortune leads to criminal charges (with video)

BONUS LINKS:

Rest in Peace: Eleanor “Ellie” Frazetta

Pa. police: Artist’s son swipes $20M in paintings

BBC: US artist Frazetta’s son ‘in museum theft’

“Money Changes Everything”: The Lyrics

—–

UPDATE (16 December 2009):

Frazetta Heist update: Notary drops bombshell

—–

UPDATE (24 April 2010):

Vanguard Productions (22-23 April 2010): BIG FRAZETTA NEWS!!! — the official announcement that all of the litigation surrounding Frazetta’s family and his art have been resolved.

Pocono Record (23 April 2010): Frazetta family patches up differences; theft charges likely to be dropped

Pocono Record (24 April 2010): Frazettas make peace: Feud among family of renowned fantasy artist is settled, allowing one son to avoid criminal trial

Frazetta’s obvious borrowing from Pyle has been pointed out many times in the past; however, I’ve never seen anyone add Wyeth’s painting to the mix (although surely someone has, the line of influence being so clear). Now, of the three galleon paintings, it seems obvious to me that Pyle’s original effort is not only the first but also the best of the three. It’s the best composed; it’s the most expressively painted; it’s the most dramatic. No wonder Wyeth and Frazetta (who seems to me to have borrowed as much from Wyeth’s galleon as from Pyle’s) were enthralled by Pyle’s Attack on a Galleon. It’s a masterpiece. And which of the remaining two galleon paintings is the weakest, Wyeth’s picturesque, chocolate-box cliché or Frazetta’s virtuosic but underdeveloped pastiche? You decide…

Very sad news for the Frazetta family:

July 17, 2009, East Stroudsburg PA: Eleanor “Ellie” Frazetta, the wife of celebrated artist Frank Frazetta, passed away today to be with the Lord after a courageous one-year battle with cancer.

Eleanor Kelly was born in Massachusetts and moved to New York where she married Frank in November, 1956. She acted as his business partner as well as his lifelong companion. Known for her feisty personality as well as her intuitive business acumen, she was instrumental in successfully establishing record prices for Frank’s work throughout her life.

She is survived by her husband Frank, her four children, Frank Jr., Billy, Holly and Heidi, numerous grandchildren, and many friends.

A public memorial is planned and details will be announced shortly. In the meantime, the family requests privacy.

Sincere condolences to all who knew and loved her.

The sequence, Jongor of Lost Land (1940; repr. 1970), The Return of Jongor (1944; repr. 1970), and Jongor Fights Back (1951; repr. 1970), reminds me of the first Star Wars trilogy: Star Wars (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983). Purely coincidence, I’m sure. LOL!