Rare Hisao Tamaki Star Wars Manga Art Lands on Kickstarter — Limited Masterpiece, Signed Sets and Vader Variant
Dark Horse Comics and Lucasfilm have launched a Kickstarter for The Art of Star Wars: A New Hope—The Manga, a deluxe book that collects Hisao Tamaki’s original art boards from his 1997 manga adaptation. The campaign offers multiple Kickstarter-only editions, and a retail version will arrive in Summer 2026.
What this book is
In 1997, mangaka Hisao Tamaki reimagined Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope as a manga. That adaptation later won the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material. Now, Dark Horse Comics and Lucasfilm have scanned and assembled Tamaki’s original art boards into a deluxe art book presented via Kickstarter.
The project showcases never-before-seen pages, paste-ups, notes, and the original linework. Tamaki remembered the start of the project this way: “The editor in charge of the project [at the time…] asked, ‘Would you like to draw Star Wars?’ and with zero hesitation or second thought, I responded, ‘A New Hope? Absolutely!’ I have to draw Star Wars.”
Editions on Kickstarter
The campaign offers several collector-focused formats. Some editions are exclusive to Kickstarter and won’t be produced for retail.
- Collector’s Edition — A two-volume hardcover set reproducing Tamaki’s artwork in high resolution, with a Kickstarter-exclusive cover and a new English translation taken from Tamaki’s handwritten Japanese text. The translation appears in the margins to preserve the original Japanese lettering.
- Collector’s Edition – Tamaki Variant — A minimalist, art-forward reinterpretation limited to 260 sets.
- Collector’s Edition + Slipcase — The two-volume Collector’s Edition with a custom black slipcase.
- Deluxe Signed Collector’s Edition — An extremely limited signed version, with only 250 sets for Kickstarter backers.
- Masterpiece Edition — A large-format, premium release that reproduces Tamaki’s original art at the original size (10.85” x 15.05”), in two 176-page volumes plus a 104-page companion book; presented in a faux-leather clamshell. This format is only available through Kickstarter and will not be produced for retail.
- Signed Masterpiece Edition — A signed, enhanced Masterpiece Edition limited to 250 sets worldwide.
- Signed Darth Vader Masterpiece Edition — The rarest option, limited to 25 sets worldwide and featuring exclusive Darth Vader-inspired features.
Physical details and extras
Dark Horse scanned Tamaki’s original art boards to preserve pencil strokes, paste-ups, editorial notes, and the natural aging of the paper. The Collector’s Edition is printed on archival-quality stock to showcase intricate linework and tones.
Additionally, the Kickstarter offers collector items beyond the books: the Tamaki Art Print Set (six colorized reproductions of standout pages) and the Tamaki Art Triptych Folio (a large-format, three-panel set designed to match the height of the Masterpiece Edition).
Retail distribution is planned for Summer 2026, but Kickstarter backers can receive exclusive editions and get them ahead of the retail release.
How to back the campaign
Fans who want Kickstarter-exclusive editions can support the project now. For details and pledge levels, consider backing the campaign.
Gallery
Selected images provided by Lucasfilm Ltd.
Image: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Image: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Image: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Image: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Image: Lucasfilm Ltd.
