The Art of Star Wars: A New Hope — The Manga — Kickstarter Campaign

As the first Kickstarter launched by Dark Horse Comics, this project was a major undertaking for everyone involved. The overall project includes the collection, packaging, and release of Hisao Tamaki’s Manga retelling of Star Wars: A New Hope, available in two layout options (titled “Collector’s Edition” and “Master’s Edition”).

The marketing design elements needed to match the sleek, retro-futuristic feel of the Star Wars franchise while clearly communicating the two editions that were available to order. The “Collector’s Edition” and “Master’s Edition” logos mimic the existing hexagonal design of Star Wars’s faction badges, while the gold and silver accents and starfield backgrounds call back to the nostalgic visual elements of the original movies.

The process of creating the Kickstarter launch page required detailed planning, asset management, and intra- and inter-departmental coordination. With a multitude of elements supplied from different people (interior pages from the publishing designer, mockups from 3D designers, copy from marketing, licensing details from the director), everything needed careful organization and creative consolidation for a clean and streamlined buyer’s experience. The end result was a resounding success—the four-week Kickstarter campaign wrapped up at over $400,000 in funding, 800% of the fundraising goal.