Dark Horse Comics and Lucasfilm have launched a Kickstarter campaign for The Art of Star Wars: A New Hope — The Manga, a high-end artbook that spotlights “never-before-seen” artwork from Hisao Tamaki’s acclaimed manga adaptation of the 1977 sci-fi classic. First published in 1997, Tamaki’s version of A New Hope earned an Eisner Award and reimagined the film’s visuals through a unique manga lens.
This marks Dark Horse’s first Kickstarter campaign and will offer a series of limited-edition tiers ahead of the book’s traditional release in 2026.
The book compiles Tamaki’s original art boards in high resolution, highlighting everything from pencil lines to editorial notes. Several editions are available to backers:
- Collector’s Edition: Two hardcover volumes featuring a new English translation in the margins while preserving Tamaki’s original Japanese lettering. This Kickstarter-only version includes exclusive blue-and-red designs referencing the Force’s light and dark sides.
- Collector’s Edition – Tamaki Variant: A minimalist art-forward version limited to 260 sets.
- Collector’s Edition + Slipcase: Adds a black slipcase to the core release.
- Deluxe Signed Collector’s Edition: A limited run of 250 signed sets.
- Masterpiece Edition: A premium oversized release (10.85″ x 15.05″) with art boards reproduced at full scale and housed in a faux-leather clamshell case. Includes a 104-page companion with translated dialogue inspired by the Japanese dub.
- Signed Masterpiece Edition: Limited to 250 units with additional enhancements.
- Signed Darth Vader Masterpiece Edition: The rarest release, capped at just 25 sets, includes Darth Vader-themed elements exclusive to this tier.
Backers can also pick up art-focused extras, such as a six-piece Tamaki Art Print Set and the Art Triptych Folio, which features two large-format triptychs styled to match the Masterpiece Edition.
Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson called the project “Star Wars like you’ve never seen it,” while Tamaki recalled accepting the adaptation offer without hesitation. “A New Hope? Absolutely. I have to draw Star Wars.”
A standard retail version of The Art of Star Wars: A New Hope — The Manga is planned for Summer 2026, but all Kickstarter editions are expected to ship earlier and will not be reprinted in the same form. Fans can support the campaign now through Kickstarter.
Source: Press Release
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