Return of the Jedi » 155 issues

After publishing 171 issues of Star Wars, Marvel UK launched a retitled and renumbered series, based on the latest movie at the time - Return of the Jedi (or ROTJ as it became more commonly known).

The first issue was cover dated 22 June 1983 and also reprinted Marvel's other Lucasfilm property - The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones as a back-up strip. This continued the adaptation of Raiders of the Lost Ark that had been started in the final issues of Star Wars. Indy would run for the first 22 issues before being replaced by an adaptation of Blade Runner, not a Lucasfilm property, but starring Harrison Ford, who played both Star Wars' Han Solo and Indiana Jones, and thus considered an appropriate substitute strip.

Later issues saw the comic dip into Marvel's other movie adaptations, such as Time Bandits, Krull and For Your Eyes Only, and then, when those ran out, began reprinting Crystar, followed by Power Pack, a Marvel US strip with a tenuous space opera linkage.

Meanwhile Marvel UK house robot C.Y.R.I.L. (who had been answering readers' letters since the comic's first incarnation), graduated to starring in his own one-page humour strip from issue 73. Originally written and illustrated by Steve Parkhouse before John Ridgway took over from issue 85.

The first 79 issues boasted glossy photo covers but from issue 80 the majority of the covers featured cheaper cut-and-paste style covers made up of the comic strips themselves. ROTJ was cancelled after 155 issues, the final edition was cover dated 7 June 1986.

The comic had its fair share of free gifts over its three year run:

• 001 - ROTJ badge
• 003 - Star Finder chart
• 009 - May the Force be with you badge
• 018 - giant poster (Boba Fett)
• 027 - giant poster (Ralph McQuarrie print of Jabba's barge)
• 031 - giant poster (Luke Skywalker and the Rancor illustrated by John Higgins)
• 050 - C.Y.R.I.L.'S star-file (16 page mini booklet all about Star Wars)
• 073 - giant poster (Star Destroyer with places for stickers given away in the next two issues)
• 074 - Darth Vader and Yoda stickers (for the poster given away in issue 73)
• 075 - Chewbacca and R2-D2 stickers (for the poster given away in issue 73)
• 084 - Zoids pull-out four page comic
• 089 - Kellogg's Corn Flakes Flikka-Pic (lenticular card)
• 097 - Ewok rub-down transfers (set 1 of 3)
• 098 - Ewok rub-down transfers (set 2 of 3)
• 099 - Ewok rub-down transfers (set 3 of 3)
• 114 - Kellogg's Corn Flakes model airliner (small plastic model)
• 117 - Zoids pull-out four page comic
• 123 - Secret Wars circular foam sticker (Magneto)