Comic Info
Comic Name: Star Wars: Screaming Citadel/Star Wars (Volume 2)/Star Wars: Doctor Aphra
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Kieron Gillen/Jason Aaron
Artist: Marco Checchetto/Salvador Larroca
# of Issues: 5
Release Date: 2017
Star Wars: Screaming Citadel #1 Variant
Reprints Star Wars: Screaming Citadel #1, Star Wars (2) #31-32, and Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #7-8 (July 2017-August 2017). In his search for a Jedi mentor, Luke finds himself teamed with the dangerous Doctor Aphra and her crew. Travelling to the Citadel of Ktath’atn, Luke and Aphra could be accidentally walking into a trap…and while Aphra might just use Luke as her pawn. Han, Leia, and Sana find themselves on a desperate rescue mission for Luke that could endanger them all!
Written by Kieron Gillen and Jason Aaron, Star Wars: Screaming Citadel is an event series following Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Volume 1: Aphra and Star Wars Volume 5: Yoda’s Secret War. It features art by Marco Checchetto and Salvador Larroca.
Star Wars is continuing to evolve. As new movies come out more rapidly, the franchise threatens to be watered down. The new Star Wars comic is intended to be in continuity so (in theory) all these things happened to the Luke, Leia, and Han of the series…Star Wars: Screaming Citadel shows a darker adventure than many of the films.
This entry in Star Wars has a real Doctor Who feel at its core. You have strange alien symbiotes, space vampires, and Alpha and her evil droids in tow. It (like Doctor Who stories) is a bit too long in the middle, but it does have moments of fun (like the possessed Black Krrsantan). The biggest problem is the unnecessarily complications in the plot (another Doctor Who sign).
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #8
The story feels like the symbiotes could have been left out. Instead, a weird hierarchy of the symbiotes is set up and the ruling hive mind is in control. If the Abersyn symbiotes were really going to be the focus of the volume, I feel like more time should have been spent showing the set-up and control…plus, you kind of have the castoff plot of the crystal and Rur.
What I do like about this series is Aphra, 000, and BT (mostly by default…he isn’t as fun as 000). The character created for the comic is developing and the wildcard of the series which is populated by characters you know inside and out. Both Sana and Aphra are fresh and unexplored and their interactions with the core Star Wars characters provide interesting moments.
Star Wars can be a bit hit or miss. While I liked a lot of aspects of Star Wars: Screaming Citadel, I didn’t love the symbiote part…which was a big part. I felt that the Queen and her creepy vampire-esque servants were strong enough to carry the story without the symbiotes. Star Wars: Screaming Citadel was followed by Star Wars 6: Out Among the Stars and Star Wars: Doctor Aphra 2: Doctor Aphra and the Enormous Profit.
Preceded By:
Star Wars 5: Yoda’s Secret War
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra 1: Aphra
Followed by:
Star Wars 6: Out Among the Stars
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra 2: Doctor Aphra and the Enormous Profit
