George Lucas on Al Williamson

Clipped from CBR: In the eighties, Williamson illustrated the adaptations of two films, "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Flash Gordon," which would solidify his reputation as one of comic's great draftsmen and one of the great science fiction artists of the time. "Flash Gordon" may have been more personal for Williamson, having been such a fan of Raymond's original strip and of the movie serials, but the movie was neither an artistic nor financial success. The adaptation, however, is not just beautiful - that should go without saying - but it is impressive how Williamson was able to take the script and the designs and, instead of the campy tone of the film, utilize those elements in a way that shifts the tone and makes it clear that while it may not have been great, the material deserved better than the film.  His work on the six issue adaptation of "The Empire Strikes Back," written by his frequent collaborator Goodwin, stands as one of Williamson's major projects and led to his discovery by a new generation of fans. Williamson and Goodwin re-teamed to work on the daily Star Wars comic strip from 1981-1984. During this time period, while illustrating the Star Wars daily comic, Williamson also completed the "Return of the Jedi" and "Blade Runner" comics adaptations.