The creator of the "Star Wars" Saga and "Indiana Jones" series, George Lucas is also the critically acclaimed director of American Graffiti and THX 1138, as well as the producer of a myriad of independent films. In 1971, Lucas formed his own film company, Lucasfilm Ltd., in San Rafael, Calif. In 1973, he co-wrote and directed Graffiti, which won the Golden Globe and garnered five Academy Award(R) nominations. Four years later, his Star Wars broke all box-office records and set new standards for sophistication in film visuals and sound. Lucas continued the Star Wars saga as storywriter and executive producer with The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and Return of the Jedi in 1983. He returned to directing in 1999 with Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace, which was the first major live-action film to be projected digitally. Three years later, Episode II Attack of the Clones broke new ground as the first major movie shot using entirely digital media. In 2005, Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith concluded the live-action Skywalker arc, but Lucas continues to explore the "galaxy far, far away" and his impact on the film industry continues to grow.In the late 1980s, Lucas donated the "Star Wars "story rights toKUSC-FM, the National Public Radio af liate station at his alma mater, the University of Southern California. The result was the Star Wars Original Radio Drama and subsequent "Empire Strikes Back "and "Return of the Jedi" radio dramas

Gary Grothis the co-founder ofThe Comics Journaland Fantagraphics Books. He lives in Seattle.