The infamous Star Wars Holiday Special is getting a surprising reference with new variant covers to Marvel’s Star Wars comic book line.
Life Day has become a surprisingly common theme in Star Wars, an annual holiday that is referenced and celebrated in-universe. Fans have taken to it as their own, and many concede to celebrate the event around November or December.
The holiday has been a feature of many stories, with shows like The Mandalorian acknowledging it. Meanwhile, games like Star Wars: The Old Republic holds annual in-game events around Life Day.
Despite this, few Star Wars projects acknowledge the origins of Life Day. Now Marvel is doing just that, with a series of surprising Star Wars variant covers acknowledging not just Life Day but the holiday’s dubious origin.
The Star Wars Holiday Special returns as Life Day covers from Marvel Comics
Announced via Marvel, four covers are dropping in November to commemorate Life Day, the Christmas analogous holiday introduced in the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special. Two of the covers, surprisingly, feature a direct reference to the special itself.
Next month, #MarvelComics joins @StarWars' Life Day celebration with four all-new variant covers! Learn more: https://t.co/OpyHNAHrJJ pic.twitter.com/MEhSdDbrvv
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) October 4, 2023
The cover art to Star Wars #40 depicts Han Solo and Chewbacca hanging LIfe Day Orbs, with Chewie wearing his red cloak. Meanwhile, Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #40 gets a cover depicting Gormaanda, a chef character portrayed in the special by Harvey Korman.
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Two other covers depict characters outside of the special, with Star Wars: Darth Vader #40 depicting Anakin Skywalker and his mother, Shmi, while Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #38 features the titular Aphra and her wookie companion, Black Krrsantan, with Life Orbs.
To have such a direct reference to the Star Wars Holiday Special is genuinely incredible. The special aired only once in 1978 and has never been officially broadcast or released since. George Lucas once allegedly told fans at a convention he would that if he had the time and a sledgehammer, he would “track down every copy of that show and smash it.”
Despite never being re-aired, the Holiday Special has developed a cult following. Bootleg copies have been circulated for decades, and it’s become a rite of passage for many Star Wars fans – despite the consensus being that it’s universally terrible.
The Life Day cover variants kick off on November 1 with Star Wars #40. For more Star Wars and comic book news, be sure to follow all our coverage.