Shadows of the Empire
1996 saw the release of Shadows of the Empire, a multi-media event stretching from video games to action figures. SOTE was a interquel that told the story of what happened between
ANH and ESB. It found our heroes facing off against new villains, and making new allies. In order to tell this tale, LFL relied on a new book, a comic book series, a new line of action figures, a series of trading cards and several other forms of media. To get the full story, fans had to read/play/follow all the SOTE related products. The event even had a vintage connection, the reissue of the vintage IG-88 figure, and
reissues of several vintage ships.
Basically, the entire thing boiled down
to getting attention back on Star Wars in time for the release of the Special editions a year later, and making a ton of money in the process. Frankly, I have never encountered anyone who really loved the series, or was particularly interested in SOTE items. Still, as a historical event it was important, and is fun in weird kind of way. I for one never get tired of the different ways fans pronounced the name "Xizor". (BTW, for those that care, I'm told that the PROPER pronunciation is "Shee-zor")
A collection items relating to Shadows of the Empire can be found here.
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