IMPERIAL 'REVENGE' AND THE BUNKER CAPTURE!

It's a trap! And Han Solo and his commando squad have been caught firmly in it as they are now paraded out of the Shield Generator Control room by their captors. A great image, which first appeared (as far as I know) in the US Fantastic Films magazine, showing the continued blockbuster action scope of the saga and its latest entry then coming soon to cinemas- a mouth-watering sneak peak (a full size AT-ST Walker on location!) showing LOTS of Imperial Stormtroopers and a chance to see Han Solo back in action, now clearly committed to the Rebel cause, unthawed after the climactic events of The Empire Strikes Back. 

It was so great to have Solo/Ford returning for Revenge of the Jedi, as their had been some doubts for a short while back in 1981...

CLASSIC MERCHANDISE: 'FANTASTIC' SPECULATION!

Fantastic Films, the competitive US sci-fi/fantasy magazine rival to the iconic Starlog, loved Star Wars, and they especially loved discussing and speculating (via features and alongside readers input) about what was going to happen next with the finale to the then upcoming Revenge of the Jedi. This classic issue of nostalgia, from 1982, was certainly no exception, its cover of Luke Skywalker guaranteeing good sales at the newsstands!

WHEN 'FANTASTIC FILMS' MET 'REVENGE'!

1982 was already a great year for blockbuster sci-fi movies, from STAR TREK II to E.T., and just around the corner in 1983 was the next STAR WARS film, or the epic sounding REVENGE OF THE JEDI as it was then called, previewed in the US FANTASTIC FILMS magazine's expanded Summer Edition, supplied via LUCASFILM some key and explosive Ralph McQuarrie Sail Barge battle art to whet fans appetites, of which it certainly delivered the expectant goods!

A 'REVENGE' FOR THE IMPERIALS!

Image: via STAR WARS ARCHIVES website.

Han Solo and the Rebel Commandos have fallen into the Emperor's trap and are now herded out into an area outside the shield generator bunker, in a terrific image used for early REVENGE OF THE JEDI promotion, as seen here in a spread FOR the FANTASTIC FILMS magazine.

Han Solo was to have fought against the Empire in a raid on a critical Imperial facility during REVENGE's original story ideas, according to Gary Kurtz, and would have been killed off halfway through the film. Lucas changed his mind about killing lead heroes off by the time he began his own storylining process going into 1981, and against the strong-willed requests of Harrison Ford.