2015 Topps Star Wars Illustrated: The Empire Strikes Back is a Topps card set that illustrates the original 1983 radio adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back. The set was released on April 29, 2015 as the follow up to 2013 Topps Star Wars Illustrated: A New Hope.
2015 Topps Star Wars Illustrated: The Empire Strikes Back comprises 100 base cards and three insert subsets: One Year Earlier, Movie Poster Reinterpretations, and The Mission: Capture Skywalker. The 100 base cards also come in purple, bronze, or gold parallels. Additional hits include The Empire Strikes Back Film Cel Relics, Sketch Cards, Panorama Sketch Cards, Artist Autographs, Sketchagraphs, and Printing Plates.
Artists Matt Busch and Randy Martinez illustrated the base set, Grant Gould illustrated the One Year Earlier subset, while Jerry Vanderstelt, Tony Harris, Mike Mayhew, Chad McGowan, Michael Allred, Tom Hodges, Jason Crosby, Chris Trevas, Doug Cowan, and Kevin Graham contributed the Movie Poster Reinterpretations.
Publisher's summary
See 'The Empire Strikes Back' drama like never before with Topps Star Wars Illustrated: The Empire Strikes Back. Each base card uses brand new artwork to re-tells the radio drama from unique and interesting vantage point. This set adds new background and expands on key scenes from the film. Insert cards include One Year Earlier, Movie Poster Reinterpretations, and The Mission: Capture Skywalker.[2]
Card list
 Card No. 95, "Vader's Dark Truth" Base Cards
One Year EarlierOY-1 Luke Skywalker (South Ridge, Hoth) Movie Poster ReinterpretationsMP-1 Jerry Vanderstelt The Mission: Capture Skywalker
Film Cel RelicsFR-1 On the Frozen Wastelands |
Development
Topps previewed the 2015 Topps Star Wars Illustrated: The Empire Strikes Back card set at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim from April 16–19, 2015. Fans attending the four-day convention were given the opportunity to purchase a Celebration-exclusive 2015 Topps Star Wars Illustrated: The Empire Strikes Back ten-card mini-set as well as collect autographs from the set's contributing artists on show-exclusive cards.[3][4][5]
The full factory set went on sale beginning April 29, 2015.[1] The 2015 Topps Star Wars Illustrated: The Empire Strikes Back official checklist on the Topps website includes noticeable numerical gaps in listing the set's Film Cel Relics cards. However, rather than an incomplete checklist, these gaps represent cards that were not produced, whereas other cards could not have their numbering changed.[6]
Continuity
2015 Topps Star Wars Illustrated: The Empire Strikes Back is released under the non-canon Star Wars Legends brand.
Media
Cover gallery
Sources
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1
Topps (@OfficialToppsStarWars) on Facebook (post on April 29, 2015): "Topps Star Wars Illustrated: The Empire Strikes Back trading cards are out in Hobby shops now!" (screenshot)
- ↑ Star Wars Illustrated: The Empire Strikes Back (2015) — Topps.com on Topps' official website (backup link)
- ↑ Topps (@OfficialToppsStarWars) on Facebook (post on April 16, 2015): "Check out our booth at Star Wars Celebration! Come visit Topps Booth #1105 for exclusive merchandise, free giveaways, signings from sketch artists, and more!" (screenshot)
- ↑ Topps (@OfficialToppsStarWars) on Facebook (post on April 17, 2015): "Come to Topps Booth #1105 right now at Star Wars Celebration to meet artist Matt Busch signing copies of his Topps 'Star Wars Illustrated: The Empire Strikes Back' show-exclusive cards." (screenshot)
- ↑ Topps (@OfficialToppsStarWars) on Facebook (post on April 19, 2015): "It's the final day of Star Wars Celebration! Swing by Topps Booth #1105 to pick up our exclusive Star Wars Celebration Illustrated card set featuring 10 character cards all together. Here's Jedi Master Yoda. See you there!" (screenshot)
- ↑ Topps (@OfficialToppsStarWars) on Facebook (post on April 30, 2015): "Some cards didn't get produced but then we couldn't change the numbering so there are gaps. Apologies about that. But the checklist is comprehensive" (screenshot)
