Recently I saw a Stormtrooper hardback book was being released and like most behind the scene books based on Star Wars licenses (the movies, Rebels, CW etc) I was going to pass on it and maybe skim it at a Barnes&Noble later as I usually do. And I did. But while skimming it I was pleasantly surprised and purchased it.
If your a Star Wars fan, more especially a trooper fan. This is a great book for some fun reading. It has insights on the armor from not only the iconic white armored imperial force but from many of the armors that imperial forces wore during the three trilogies and from different media.
Which is what caught my eye while skimming it. I expected to see the normal behind the scenes pictures of the OT and PT and some of TFA that had been put out some time ago. But I lit up seeing the vintage Marvel comics being highlighted as source material. As well as the Dark Horse comic runs that helped bring to life many of the “Expanded Universe” stories.
Authors Ryder Windham and Adam Bray (with a foreword by John Boyega) did an excellent job of really mining some great visuals for Stormtrooper representations. I expected to see the Ralph McQuarrie early trooper designs that have been around since the original behind the scenes books were made decades ago, however the authors decided to get extensive with their research.
Even so far as to highlight the old canonical “Legends” tales that featured unique troopers like the battle armored space-troopers seen in the comic adaptation of Heir to the Empire and action figures from the Kenner/Hasbro Power of the Force 2 Heydays.
I was impressed to say the least. As a collector of Star Wars figures and other toys I remembered these but didn’t think they would transition into the new canon’s casual mainstream consciousness.
I’m glad I was wrong.
I highly recommend the book for those lovers of the troopers even costume makers like the 501st, as they feature in the book as well! It’s a bit pricey around $45 but worth it in my opinion as not only do you get a gorgeous high gloss page and full color book with tons of photos and pictures you also get little gems like a replica 1978 Stormtrooper action figure cardback and newspaper strips and other goodies tucked away in it’s flap/envelope (you’ll see what I mean).
@veerswatch may take issue with the slight typo of calling the At-At driver (which the authors also consider a trooper and the At-Dp driver as well) an At-At commander when that role should go to General Veers.
But as it’s only a slight mistake in the word commander instead of driver I can forgive them. @Veerswatch, maybe not so much…
The figure information was of course what I was so interested in and getting to see some of the old EU in it like the armored Space Trooper from HTTE gave me that warm Christmas overdosed on egg-nog feeling.
I’m still pouring over the Rogue One and Force Awakened information as well as being refreshed on all the “Skittles” troopers from the Clone Wars era which the book also covers for film and action figure media. Along with the goodies in the back there are a few pull-out tri-fold pages to accent really great features as well.
Easily a 9/10 from me.
-Rez
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