A Star Wars authority deepens and extends our appreciation of the Star Wars galaxy with this imaginative "history" featuring striking full-color artwork—created exclusively for this entertaining volume—that examines the persuasive messages used to intimidate and inspire the citizenry of the galaxy far, far away. . . .
A Star Destroyer hovering over a planet, symbolizing Imperial domination.
An X-wing delivering a message of resistance and hope on behalf of the Rebellion.
A line of armed, faceless First Order stormtroopers promoting unity.
These are all examples of propaganda used by the Empire to advocate strength and maintain fear, and by the Rebel Alliance to inspire hope and win support for the fight. Star Wars Propaganda takes fans into the beloved epic story as never before, bringing the battle between these two sides to life in a fresh and brilliant way.
Star Wars Propaganda includes fifty dazzling pieces of art representing all seven episodes—including material related to Star Wars: The Force Awakens—specially produced for this companion volume. Each page combines an original image and a short description detailing its "history:" the in-world "artist" who created it (either willingly or through coercion), where in the Star Wars galaxy it appeared, and why that particular location was targeted.
Packaged in a beautifully designed case and written by a franchise expert and insider, Star Wars Propaganda also includes ten removable art prints, and is sure to become a keepsake for every fan and graphic artist as well
This was a very well-done volume. I am obviously a Star Wars fan and I happen to be one of those people who are interested in the mechanisms of government, politics, trade and corruption as they intersect in the GFFA. I know it's not the most popular draw for many but every little insight is what keeps me reliably showing up.
I hadn't previously thought much about the in-world propaganda so I found this informative and I loved that it was "authored" in world by a Bith giving historical perspectives and commentary of each work spanning the movies (at least up to the publication of this book). There were names I recalled coming across in some of the movies and books so it was nice to see how they tied in and how they fared. In addition to the art there was a lot of highlight-worthy commentary on the societies that influenced and were influenced by the art. Some societal mentions so parallel the real world it was a bit depressing but thought-provoking in its cautionary way.
Recommended.
A few of my favourite quotes (I have many more):
From the Bith author of the work on becoming Propaganda Bureau Chief for the Resistance after disillusionment with the Empire:
"we crafted messages meant to explain to the citizenry of the galaxy the true state of the Empire. In practice, it meant attempting to counter the nonstop Imperial propaganda spewed into the ether by a government with nigh endless resources. I admit, to tip back the scales upset by its outrageous lies, we were forced to craft lies of our own and hope that somewhere in the balance a truth could be found."
And after with the New Republic:
"My vigilant eyes grew cloudy with cataracts of comfort and largesse.
Thankfully, this new generation was eager to speak, and the New Republic allowed for such expression. They warned against the treaties of convenience that kept the former Empire at arm’s length and away from prying eyes. They warned that the New Republic was becoming too lax in its effort to avoid any whiffs of autocracy. They warned that the titans of commerce were happy to bend export restrictions and help fuel the secret militarization in First Order territory. We, the old fools, did not heed such augury."
On the intersection of business and government and the corruption that festered:
The government artwork of this time was largely about preserving the status quo. Peace was good for commerce; as such, the art beautified the distractions that member worlds offered in the name of lucrative tourism.
The titans of business, like the massive Trade Federation, funneled vast amounts of their limitless capital into spreading the word of their essential services to the galaxy. They attempted to foster goodwill and influence in the Republic to detract from their legally questionable practices in the less patrolled regions of the galaxy. Their propaganda was part of a vast brand-building effort to ensure a steady flow of profits reaped on the backs of the unfortunate.
It was the citizens of the Inner Rim, those who had been crowded out of opportunity in the Core, who answered the call for new life in the frontier of the Outer Rim. The Core Worlders became more enamored with the fleeting distractions of fame and fashion, transitory fascinations with sophistication that left little room for messages of faith or tradition that the Jedi exemplified."
"Eleven Star, based out of Cato Neimoidia, was also the public relations agency for the Trade Federation. ...wanderlust-stricken souls stirred into action by these messages would be guided toward Trade Federation–controlled hyperspace routes with corresponding tariffs and registration fees. Such lucrative administrative overlap was frequently cited as “inevitable,” particularly by the Republic politicians who met with Federation lobbyists to ensure said inevitability would occur."
The Intergalactic Banking Clan... reclusive, statuesque beings cloistered in the snow-swept peaks of their native Scipio,
On the Naboo perspective on governance:
Theirs is a culture that takes pains to protect their traditions and keep impersonal modernity out of their daily lives.
Naboo saw the coronation of Queen Amidala as the ultimate expression of cherished values. The notion of electing so young a monarch underscored the emphasis the Naboo people placed on educating children, and their desire to keep cynical manipulators of the type tempered by decades in politics out of their local government.
On the populous as things deteriorated before the Clone Wars:
Before the outbreak of war, the twilight of the Republic was an era of distractions, with citizens from all walks of life following escapist pursuits. Historians rebuke the people of this last age for being taken in by such circuses when their attentions should have been focused on the malfeasances and corruption in the Senate and other governing institutions.
(entertainment venues) sold pre-packaged narratives that spoke to the intrinsic need of stories: tales of heroes and villains pitted against each other in arenas of escalating complications.
perhaps more people would have been invested in the coming collapse of comfortable civilization as we knew it.
On the Senate:
Like the greatest of trees, however, the Republic’s decline began from within, with a deep rot that was not apparent until it was too late. Many galactic senators and lawmakers lived their lives within the opulence of Coruscant’s towering cities. They grew increasingly distant from their representative worlds and were more responsive to the lucre promised by corporate interests than the pleas of their constituents. In this way, essential services to the outlying worlds of the Republic began to fail. Many worlds questioned if the increasing burden of taxation was worth such paltry representation.
The cool thing about this book, in my opinion, is that it's written entirely in universe. There's an introduction by an in-universe propaganda artist, the chapter introductions are written as if they're describing real history, the captions on the images treat them and their subjects as absolutely real and credit fictional artists. (The real artists are credited at the end of the book.) It makes for a cool reading experience, and it actually does give some insight into what the average person might have thought of the Rebellion, Vader, etc. Which is all aside from the fact that the art looks great, visually striking and credible as propaganda images. Worth a look for any fan, and worth a read for fans who are kind of into the political underpinnings of Star Wars.
This book basically tells the whole history of the Star Wars universe* through the lens of propaganda posters that span everything from Episodes 1 through 7, (the book apparently came out between 7-8).
I'm not a big fanboy, but I am a former graphic designer, and so I really enjoyed both the creativity of the individual posters as well as the overall, excellent production values, (which includes a nice, heavy duty case and ten individual mini-posters). The artwork itself ultimately depends a little too heavily on both the color schemes and graphic/typographic styles of the 1940s and '50s (think Hollywood meets Nazi Germany), only becoming "contemporary" in the last few pages, as if the few references to the final trilogy of films was tacked on by a totally different team as the book was going to press. But still, this is a wildly creative addition to one of the most long-running and uniquely creative cinematic endeavors - at least artistically, if not necessarily in terms of story - of the past half century.
* Which I've never really quite understood...so were Count Dooku and the cloned Stormtroopers actually good? Were the Jedi then really fighting for the wrong side? And if Luke killed the Emperor and won the war on Endor, why were the rebels still being attacked by...Han Solo's kid??
Such a great book! I was expecting it to mostly be a pretty, flip through book but it's much more! Written as an in world history of propaganda over various periods of Star Wars history, there's so much nerdy stuff and so many Star Wars easter eggs in here. It was the perfect cross section of history and Star Wars nerdery. If you are a fan of 20th century war history (and Star Wars obviously), you're sure to love. The art is also stunning and I love that the book included posters of some of the designs. I've got a few framed and hanging in my house already.
A great part of the charm of the original Star Wars trilogy was its focus on the chivalric romance and aventure elements rather than any attempt at an in-depth analysis of an actual political and military conflict. And one of the major mistakes of the prequel trilogy was trying to transform the Skywalker saga into a high-brow political thriller. However, this book (an alleged collection of propaganda material from both sides of the galactic conflict) is quite a successful attempt to make sense of Star Wars' otherwise superficial take on war and politics. The art itself is quite remarkable and the texts show the author's love for the franchise. Much like Lego's tongue-in-cheek version of the first six movies, this look at the Star Wars universe is unexpectedly entertaining and clever.
Coffee table book detailing the history of propaganda in the star wars universe with a lot of beautiful posters. Highly recommended to all star wars fans. P.S.: The Empire did nothing wrong! >:)
Un beau livre très cool ! J'adorais étudier la propagande en cours d'histoire à l'école, alors là, la propagande dans Star Wars, c'était pour moi. J'ai beaucoup aimé comment était construit le livre, en plusieurs périodes avec d'abord un texte expliquant le contexte puis des oeuvres qui venaient illustrer les propos. J'ai surtout aimé la partie sur l'image des clones et droïdes.
Part nonfiction art book, part canon fiction history of the SW universe. Not required reading, but super fulfilling for anyone who has been following along with SW publishing. It pulls in tidbits from the canon novels and comics, Clone Wars and Rebels cartoon, and Rogue One, which wasn't in theaters at the time of its publication.
I really love this as a "straight" history of the SW universe. There's some really great stuff in here. This book also reinforces what's been building in "new" canon for a while: that Vader was not a galaxy wide household name, neither was Luke, and that the Jedi in general were also largely unknown/unfamiliar. Really cool.
I don't know enough about wartime and propaganda art to be able to spot the comparisons but I get the sense that they're there, not only in the artwork but probably in the artist bios as well. Flip through it for the art, then take the time to really read all the captions through. As a long time SW fiction fan it was very rewarding!
I picked this up on whim at Costco (where most of my whim shopping occurs) thinking that it was a history of Star Wars art. I was imagining early Ralph McQuarrie concept art, movie poster art, etc. Well, it's definitely not that. This is actually a work of fiction, written in first person by a propagandist in the Star Wars universe...and all the art inside was "created" for this book. The book talks about propaganda through the Star Wars timeline that you're used to, from the New Hope days up through the Force Awakens days. It is mostly art work with some brief explanations of each piece and the period in which it was produced. A fun little lark. Similarities to WWII artwork abound, including a really un-subtle Rosie the Riveter takeoff (probably my least favorite thing about the book.)
Star Wars Propaganda is a large and beautiful book with cool-looking pictures of in-universe propaganda posters (and a few small real posters you can hang up somewhere, although most of my favorite art was not included). The art is excellent, with a variety of styles and perspectives -- from pre-Clone Wars support of the Republic all the way through the rise of the First Order. It shows that there are two sides to every conflict, and those sides both have talented artists who aren't afraid to plaster their messages all over the place. Some of the art is even inspired by real-world posters (like "Loose Lips Sink Ships", for example). I can just imagine putting this book together and coming up with the different types of posters being a very fun and exciting process for Pablo Hidalgo and the team of artists.
Unfortunately, everything that is not the posters themselves felt a little lackluster. This book is almost structured like a history book written by an artist in the Star Wars universe (they're credited as the person behind a few of the posters as well), but the artist doesn't have anything interesting to say. The short introductions for each era of posters add nothing to my understanding of the universe, and there's almost no indication of being written from an in-universe perspective. It's just the same "here's the basics of the conflict, here's each side's propaganda machine, now look at the posters" every time. The descriptions of each poster are a little more interesting though, and there are some ties to the Rebels and Clone Wars shows, the Bloodline and Aftermath novels, and even the shuttered Uprising mobile game.
Finally, it pulled me out of the experience to see images from the movies included in the introduction sections. If this is an in-universe book, then how did the author get images straight from the movies? It's a small quibble, but it did seem at odds with the purpose of the book and like just easy fan-service.
Ultimately, this book is probably worth a flip-through -- it could be a good coffee table book for a particularly Star Wars obsessed family, for example. Just come for the posters and nothing more.
A bit on the short side, but an interesting trip down the use of political and military propaganda within the Star Wars universe. When I was 19 I remember I bought West End Games D6 Star Wars pen and paper RPG Hardcover (2nd Edition) and I remember a couple of fake ads in the RPG book that caught my attention and captured my imagination, since back then we had comparatively few Star Wars media (the prequel trilogy wasn't even out yet).
One was a poster urging you to join the Imperial Navy and help restore order to the Galaxy, and another one was simply a picture of a blue planet much like our own with a few words that have always stayed with me: "Alderaan. A center of culture and learning. A world of peace. A world helpless before the merciless cruelty of the Empire. Never again. Never forget. Support the New Republic. Your government. Your future."
Well, this book compiles similar ads from all ages and factions of the Star Wars franchise, ranging from the Old Republic and the Separatists, the Empire and the Rebel Alliance, and finally the New Republic and the First Order.
"Any Star Wars fan knows that some political and historical elements from our own world get pulled into the galaxy far, far away. Thanks to Pablo Hidalgo's new book 'Star Wars Propaganda,' we can add propaganda posters to that list. Hidalgo brings together a wide assortment of posters (and a few bumper stickers) by numerous artists in this work, touching on many different parts of the Star Wars universe, and provides commentary and background to give context to the pieces. Not just for fans of Star Wars, those who enjoy history will no doubt enjoy seeing works derived from well-known propaganda posters from the 20th Century--Princess Leia as 'Rosie the Riveter', and a nod to George Orwell's '1984,' with the Emperor standing in for Big Brother to name just a few. A quick read, this book might also be able to serve as an introduction to some of the ideas behind the creation and dissemination of propaganda for high school or college students," - Brady
This was simultaneously the scariest -- by which I mean, most realistic -- and most fun book I've read in the SW universe. As usual, it's the details that impress the most: the names and small bios of the artists alone took a huge amount of doing, and just keeping track of the SW universe's political and military machinations since ~41 BBY (give or take) is a huge job, even if it is technically Hidalgo's actual job. The works of propaganda are hugely evocative of propaganda from days of yore here on planet earth, and as such are hugely enjoyable.
Jaynor of Bith (cough) writes eloquently in the forward, "...For in my time, I have witnessed breathtaking creation emerge from appalling destruction. Art and war are inevitable, yes, but they are also forges that can temper souls unlike any other. The worst of us is required to draw out the best of us." That isn't exactly the most heartening thing I've ever read, but this week it sure rings true.
A book compiling Star Wars propaganda art by various artists is a good idea if you enjoy Star Wars art, which I do. Some of the art pieces are remarkably clever, have all-new imagery, and I know the real-world posters they are riffs on. Others use familiar imagery and stock photos (and a novel cover or two) as inspiration, which as a long-term fan takes me out of the illusion.
However, the issue I had with this book is that they mimic other real-world art books that have information and background about the pieces in the margins, etc. - which for me takes away from the fun of the art. I get what they are going for, describing the artist and the worlds the posters appeared, but it reads like the author just made all this crap up.
Yes, I realize all of Star Wars is fiction, and therefore made up. But these descriptive narratives in this book are dense and read dreadfully and come across like a load of BS, as opposed to further fleshing out the galaxy far, far away.
Debo decir que este libro me gusto mucho. Es un libro chico.apenas son 112 paginas pero me llevó un rato terminarlo, por que es un libro que te sorprende, que debes leer despacio admirando el arte de cada uno de los posters aqui reseñados. Llenos de arte, de detalles, con un respaldo y ambientación que te ubica en cada una de las èpocas en que se realizan, te encuentras inmerso en el universo Star Wars. El uso del Aurebesh como alfabeto, la historia secuencial, y la explicacion detallada de los antecedentes que llevaron a diseñar cada poster te permite asomarte a las calles aledañas, esas calles que como ocurre en las ciudades turisticas, los turistas y curiosos ocasionales no van a descubrir porque se quedan solo con el brillo de las luces de la avenida principal. Sumergete aún más en el océano de la galaxia y descubre la propaganda del Universo Star Wars. Larga vida a la Nueva Orden!
Well, the narrative was interesting, too - but the art was probably the best part!
A sample:
The Clone Wars created a spike in self-published political expression, so much so that in some cases it became impossible to determine which messages were being crafted by government bodies and which were the result of impassioned citizens amplifying or originating their own.
The funny part is that it reminds me a bit of FOXNews and right-wing talk radio propaganda.
One of the most unique franchise tie-in books I've ever read, this is an in-Universe history of propaganda posters during the events of Star Wars. It doesn't quite stick the landing - there's a number of times where I felt like they were trying to shoehorn art that pre-existed this book into a coherent narrative. But it's unique, and the included 8.5x11 prints are a nice bonus.
I read this book because I was interested in how the Star Wars universe built the Clone Wars era propaganda. It's a quick read and the art is really the big part of the book. I can see the parallels between real world events and propaganda and how it was built into the fictional Star Wars universe.
The artwork was quite outstanding! And I even enjoyed some of the text. For example, I never really had much perspective on how the Jedi could fade so quickly but I think the explanation offered here works. Fun!
I borrowed my copy from the San Francisco Public Library and I'm amused to report many (most? all?) of the replica poster inserts are still in the book. Well respected, city nerds.
This is a book of art relating to the Republic, Empire, Rebel Alliance and First Order and the artists who created them. Brief history of the era and artworks are described, along with information about the artists at the end. A different view of the Star Wars universe.
Funny propaganda posters all around, mostly from the terrorist's viewpoint, as usual. There's some backstory telling the modern history of the GFFA from pre-tPM to post-tFA times. Interesting stuff, even though it's heavily biased towards the wrong side of the Force :D
What I enjoyed most was that this wasn't just a book of the art (though the art is great). I really liked the fictional descriptions of each piece and the history associated with them. The pieces that came with it to hang up were lovely as well.
I love the vintage poster style used in this book, and how it is written as if by someone in the Star Wars Universe. I don't often find vintage looking Star Wars merchandise that references Hera Syndulla and Sabine Wren and I quite enjoyed it.
Really great book from an in-universe perspective. I also see lots of great applications to the classroom, particularly when I teach about Augustus and his propaganda campaign.
Written in-universe, this is a very clever and interesting look at how both the Republic, Empire and Rebels sought support via art, reminiscent of the propaganda posters here on Earth.
This book is for the ultimate Star Wars nerd! It brings so much more insight into the galaxy! Really awesome way to bring Star Wars into the real world!