Greg Hildebrandt, Marvel Artist and the Man Behind An Iconic ‘Star Wars’ Poster, Has Passed Away

Greg Hildebrandt, the storied artist and illustrator behind some of the most iconic Star Wars posters of all time, has passed away at the age of 85.

The news was broken by Greg Hildebrandt Jr., who told The Hollywood Reporter that his father had been dealing with a “serious side effect from a heart medication.”

Born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1939, Greg started drawing comic books with his brother Tim when they were just six years old.

Photo: The Hollywood Reporter

“We had our own stories we would write,” Greg told the Huffington Post in 2017. “Thankfully, our mother from an early age used to hammer into our heads that your imagination is the most valuable thing you have.”

In 1959, the brothers began painting professionally. Working for the Jam Handy Organization, they made industrial films. After working on the award-winning film Technique for Life, the brothers set off for New York in 1963.

Working on ‘Star Wars’

Ahead of the release of Star Wars: A New Hope, the Hildebrandt brothers were tasked with painting the “Style B” poster for the film’s U.K. release. At the time, the duo did not have access to film stills or publicity photos; the brothers were tasked with creating an alternate poster to the one created by Tom Jung for the United States.

Photo: Also Lucasfilm

“Incredibly, the first version of it — without the droids — was created in a feverish, nonstop effort over just 36 hours!” Greg told the Los Angeles Times in 2010. “George Lucas asked for the droids to be added and for our signatures to be larger. We made those changes at the ad agency, and off it went!”

Marvel Masterpieces

After working apart for over a decade, Tim and Greg reunited in 1994 to create the 158-card Marvel Masterpieces set. The collection featured numerous heroes and villains from the Marvel comics.

Photo: NJ.com

The brothers would then continue working together until Tim’s death in 2006 at the age of 67.

Greg Hildebrandt is survived by his wife Jean, daughter Mary, daughter-in-law Jane, son-in-law David, his sister Jane, and his kittens Bonnie, Clyde, Katie, and Charlie.

Greg with his iconic ‘Star Wars’ poster. Photo: Big AR

Greg “led a life of creative discipline and was the consummate professional,” his family said in a statement. “Every job was treated with the same level of professionalism. Greg lived his life in the pursuit of ‘getting it right.’”