Published: August 25, 2021
Rating: T
Writer: Alyssa Wong
Penciler: Minkyu Jung
Inker: Victor Olazaba
Colourist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Sara Pichelli and Nolan Woodard
The synopsis;
GUEST OF HONOR
• DOCTOR APHRA finds herself face-to-face with the one person she hoped she’d never see again!
• For once, she might not be able to talk her way out…
• Meanwhile, JUST LUCKY and ARIOLE confront a familiar presence of their own!
The review;
Doctor Aphra (2020) #13 has 3 covers available. Sara Pichelli is in charge of the current run of direct covers, and it is a great illustration of Aphra, Sana Starros and Vader. Now many have said that it looks like Starros and Vader are playing jump rope, or skipping as it’s known in the UK with his lightsaber. While I can see that resemblance, but I don’t think playing that with Vader’s lightsaber is advised! The first variant cover is the 12th of the 36 Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary covers by Sprouse, Story and Menon. This features an awesome depiction of Jango and Boba Fett on a vista of Kamino. While not in the same pose, this cover reminds me of the Unleashed statues released in 2009 by Hasbro. The final variant is David Nakayama’s Wanted Poster. This time featuring Aphra herself staring on at her own poster.
And with that image of Aphra admiring her own wanted poster in mind, that is where I want to start. Aphra is a complex character. She is now a stalwart of the comic book timeline since her introduction in 2015. But there is one thing that doesn’t change. When it comes Doctor Chelli Aphra, it’s all about her!
Her memories and fears flood back and overwhelm her, and Sana has to literally drag her away from the arena. We all understand that Vader has the all-seeing Dark Side of the Force to enhance his senses. As she has betrayed and even in some ways made a fool of Vader in previous adventures, she is right to want to flee in fear of reprisals. But the way this is portrayed really works so well! This is achieved by not just one element, it’s the combination of the art, colours and words all brought together that make this quite a powerful sequence. Aphra sufferers what can only be described as a panic or anxiety attack thinking that he Vader there for her.
Having suffered anxiety attacks over the years myself, the response of Starros to Aphra is what we all need in a time like that. Someone to guide help and coerce us back to calm place and thinking straight. For me there is a strong meaning with in this first sequence and has a positive message about dealing with such episodes.
Aphra’s mark from earlier issues is a Falleen female who has a necklace capable of storing an infinitely large amount of data, but more importantly the data it holds is the secrets of the Black Sun Syndicate. Aphra and Sana locate her trying desperately to remove the cocktail stain from her robes when Aphra activates the device she planted on the necklace while Sana renders her unconscious. This leaves Aphra able obtain the necklace and start accessing the data. But this is where a nice little twist comes in. The unconscious Falleen has a Crimson Dawn tattoo. So who is she really working for?
This phase of the story has me asking who isn’t secretly affiliated to Crimson Dawn? We’ve already seen in other issues of the War of the Bounty Hunters arc the secret influence of the cartel on others and their underground reach seems to have been pretty impressive and that gets reinforced further.
Somewhere else on board the Crimson Dawn flagship, Vermillion, Just Lucky and Ariole Yu are in a fight with Gallin. While claiming Gallin has betrayed the Sixth Kin, Gallin gets the upper hand and has Ariole at his mercy. While Gallin extols the virtues of Qi’ra and Crimson Dawn to Ariole, Just Lucky lives up to his name and turns the tables on him with the blaster rifle pointed at Gallin’s head. Then it’s enter Deathstick. Dathomirian poison tipped “throwing stars” is the best way to describe the items she peppers Just Lucky, or should that be ‘Not so’ Lucky, with. There is an antidote available, but only if they surrender to her and Gallin. What will they want from them in return if they do?
I just love the way Deathstick works, but also the stealth that she displays. An exciting a different type of Bounty Hunter than that what we are usually accustomed to in Star Wars. She has become a recurring theme throughout the overall arc, and I am certain she will be around for the long haul. I’ve said this before and I will say it again, I think she needs at least a mini-series or at least a one-shot of her own in the near future.
Now Aphra and Sana aren’t trying to flee the Vermillion, they are trying to unlock Crimson Dawn’s secrets. Of course, this will only ever go one way and that is badly. A confrontation with a huge security is over very quickly and our bungling duo end up in a detention cell yet again!
Aphra has been on periphery of the main arc, just dipping in with her exchanges with Boba Fett along the way and like the Bounty Hunters arc, Alyssa Wong has been able to expand and develop this story quite independently of the overall storyline. Wong took over the Aphra character and I must admit I was unsure if we actually needed another series so soon after Kieron Gillen and Si Spurrier’s run.
So this has developed, while at times some of the titles feel a bit more like one-shots, I can see the whole story knitting together if I step back and look at it from a distance. I’d love to see a War of the Bounty Hunters Omnibus edition in the future, not just with all the issues created, but all the events regardless of the title slotted together in a perfect timeline version. If anyone at Marvel Comics i
Am I a big fan of the work Minkyu Jung, Victor Olzaba and Rachelle Rosenberg have down while working together. They work well collectively, and they always seem to catch the right tone for Aphra and her exploits. This is highlighted with the ‘anxiety attack’ sequence that I mentioned earlier.
So, we leave Aphra and Sana in a pickle once more, let’s see if it’s Vader, Black Sun, Crimson Dawn, Deathstick or someone else who catches up with them first…
Availability;
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020) #13 was published August 25, 2021 by Marvel Comics and retails at $3.99. This issue is available via The Marvel App and from all good comic book stores online and on the high street.
