Comic Info
Comic Name: Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (Volume 1)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Simon Spurrier
Artist: Wilton Santos/Caspar Wijngaard/Andrea Broccardo/Cris Bolson
# of Issues: 5
Release Date: 2019
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (1) #34
Reprints Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (1) #32-36 (July 2019-November 2019). Doctor Aphra has gotten a big score. With her new partner (or potentially ward) Vulaada, she’s captured the legendary Jedi weapon the Farkiller of Oo’ob. Unfortunately, this has raised her wanted level from high to off-the-charts, and everyone is gunning for her. When picked up by the Rebels, she learns that her former lover Tolvan is now an agent for the Rebellion…but Aphra has to stay one step ahead of the Rebellion and the Empire if she hopes to get out alive.
Written by Simon Spurrier, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Volume 6: Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon is a Marvel Comics Star Wars spin-off title. Following Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Volume 5: Worst Among Equals, the collection features art by Wilton Santos, Caspar Wijngaard, Andrea Broccardo, and Cris Bolson. Issues in the collection were also included in the Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Omnibus.
Doctor Aphra lives outside the rules of Star Wars. Her character hasn’t been seen on film or been part of a TV series so her future is kind of a blank slate (along with much of her supporting cast). This means that outside of killing one of the main characters from the movies or shows, Aphra can go anywhere and do anything…and Spurrier often takes advantage of this.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (1) #35
This collection, like other collections, is really a heist storyline. While this isn’t new to Doctor Aphra, Spurrier keeps trying to think up ways to change up the heist and this time he brings in both the Empire and the Rebels. Aphra is forced to play fast and loose, but the story is pretty bonkers. At one point, even Vulaada is questioning the probability of the logistics, but it is a comic book at heart.
This volume does give a bit of insight into Aphra herself by exploring the death of her mother. This of course ends up tying back into the story with her new pal Vulaada and even the ending sequence of events. Aphra is starting to come off more as a John Constantine than an opportunistic scoundrel. Her actions are starting to have more motivation which isn’t a bad thing, but I also kind of like the completely immoral Aphra.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra 6: Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon is a rather typical Doctor Aphra storyline in the context of the series although it does give more of a look at Aphra’s motivations. The story kind of reminds me of the heist episode of Rick and Morty which Aphra and Pitina upping the ante over and over again at the end, but here, it is meant to be more serious (which is funny in itself). Star Wars: Doctor Aphra 6: Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon is followed by Star Wars: Doctor Aphra 7: A Rogue’s End which is the last collection of the first volume of Star Wars: Doctor Aphra.
Related Links:
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra 1: Aphra
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra 2: Doctor Aphra and the Enormous Profit
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra 3: Remastered
