EMPIRE, 2005, Breathing Darth Vader

Nominated by Paul Rees, editor, Q Magazine:

It becomes ever more difficult to do something within publishing that: a) breaks new ground; b) crystallises all that your magazine stands for in one image; and c) is as iconic in its own right as your subject. The breathing Darth Vader cover did all that and more. It was a genuine one off, and the last UK magazine cover that had every other editor think, 'now why didn't I do that?'.