Star Wars: Topps Classic Sticker Book by Topps Company (book review).
Abrams has been producing an excellent range of books based on the ‘Star Wars Topps Trading Cards’, developed through the 70s, 80s and 90s. To complement these, the publisher has also created a sticker book based on the sticker cards that were also found within the bubblegum packs. Like the originals, these stickers are also removable. These are featured across the ‘Star Wars: Topps Classic Sticker Book’.
The original Topps card run for ‘Star Wars’ in 1977 featured character portraits from the first film, framed with a thick red, blue or green line. These were followed by shots from the film and longer pictures of the characters in situ within the film. These were followed up in 1980 and 1983 with the ‘Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Return Of The Jedi’ portrait and scene stickers. ‘Empire’ also featured a series of alphabet stickers, with individual letters created from a shot from the film. This way you could spell your name on your favourite schoolbook using letters featuring Lando and Yoda. Over 250 of these stickers are featured here.
The book doesn’t stop there though. A new set of stickers featuring the classic characters and a set featuring ‘The Force Awakens’ characters have been included and there are nine of each. Weirdly, Kylo Ren seems to have been included twice, once without sabre, once with, maybe they couldn’t get good images of Maz Kanata or Supreme Leader Snoke? The new stickers look great and rely on higher-resolution images than the 70s and 80s versions had. Also included are posters that fans could add partial images to that would form part of a larger image. While the partial stickers aren’t included, the double-sided posters also have some cool backgrounds, including Hoth, a hyperspace starfield and the view above Tattooine. Without stickers on, they make quite cool minimalist Star Wars posters.
‘Star Wars’ sticker fun aside, it’s a little unclear who this book is aimed at. Produced by Abrams Young Readers arm you are left the impression that this book is for younger readers. Most kids love stickers. Having said that, the stickers included are deliberately retro replications of the Topps’ originals, which are more likely to appeal to older fans as it even says ‘vintage’ on the cover. Maybe it’s the same thinking as adult colouring books, children’s activities masquerading as stress-relief aids for adults who’d rather think about Chewbacca than the mortgage.
This book is the usual Abrams high quality and the stickers have been reproduced excellently. Buy this if you fancy jazzing-up the cover of your laptop or tablet or if your ‘Star Wars’ obsessed kids fancy decorating their bunk bed, just like I did, 35 years ago.
John Rivers
September 2017
(pub: Abrams Young Readers. 77 page large paperback. Price: £ 8.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-41972-711-5)
check out website: www.abramsbooks.com/imprints/abramsbyr/