May the 4th Be with You!

May the 4th has been adopted by fans as Star Wars Day due to its similarity to the movie's catchphrase, "May the Force be with you." With Episode VII  slated to open December 18, 2015, interest in the series is intensifying again.

But let's not forget where the phenomenon began. During it its initial release in 1977, Star Wars: A New Hope earned $215 million in the U.S. alone. While the film was notable for its innovative special effects, its impact on pop culture was more gigantic than the Death Star. Main characters Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia transformed into icons, and coveted action figures, overnight.

Since then, George Lucas has created five more Star Wars films, and countless novelizations have been written. Just today I stumbled upon a new series called William Shakespeare's Star Wars. Hilarious!

While it would be impossible to mention all the related book titles, Jeffrey Brown's adorable graphic novels Darth Vader and Son and Vader's Little Princess stand out as must-reads for fans of all ages. If you've ever wondered about Darth's reaction to his young daughter's slave costume from Jabba's Palace, you'll love these imagined scenarios of the Skywalker clan.

To celebrate the day, you can send a May the 4th e-card or watch a Star Wars marathon. Whenever I tried to watch the entire original trilogy as a kid, I always fell asleep during the Hoth battle scene in Empire Strikes Back. But May the 4th be with you in your efforts.