Published: August 24, 2022
Rating: Rated T
Writer: Alyssa Wong
Penciler: Minkyu Jung
Colourist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: W Scott Forbes
The synopsis;
Sana Starros and her team are determined to rescue Doctor Aphra at any cost!
• But everyone’s keeping secrets…
• …and the spark eternal has plans of its own!
The review;
It has felt like a long wait for this issue of Doctor Aphra. Alyssa Wong has been on fire the last few issues; putting our heroine into danger, bringing back old favourites from the previous series of Aphra and then taking their sweet time, teasing us, with when all these characters are going to eventually meet up. It’s a thing of beauty (if not equal frustration) and Wong has played the whole thing like a true musician. Is this the issue where Wong increases the pace? Are there are more twists that we won’t see coming? It makes reading these stories so tense and wonderful that I just can’t wait.
The comic starts with our only meaningful appearance of Aphra. It’s a way of showing us that we are, in fact, reading an issue of Doctor Aphra, but also to show us that the Doctor is not sitting around doing nothing (ok, technically she is sitting in some of the panels!). The exchange between her and the Archivist is fascinating, and it is one of those conversations I feel I could read an entire issue on. The Archivist, who I had almost forgotten about with everyone else showing up, has the theories and knowledge to allow her to speak with some expertise with the Spark. Seeing how ‘Aphra’ makes comments about artefacts, her feelings towards them, is intriguing and part of me just wants to hear more and more. Wong only teases us with these tidbits of knowledge, although I do wonder how much has been mapped out about some of these older civilisations, could we perhaps see them showing up somewhere else on the timeline? Let alone could all of the events here be ready to have a serious impact on the last part of the Crimson Dawn trilogy?
After we have checked in with Aphra, we then move to the main thrust of the story, Sana’s ragtag group. The introduction of them to Tolvan is almost perfect, quickly catching up new readers, reminders for long time readers, that instils the character of each one. The artwork of Minkyu Jung is able to capture this for each one in a single panel and is my favourite page of the issue. It was like looking at the line up for the poster from Trainspotting. Perhaps even more perfect was Tolvan’s response to Aphra’s father, talk to everyone else for the low-life they are except him, who Tolvan (as the ex – well one of the exes) treats with respect. Of course, it’s an odd group, a group that makes complete sense when looking at who they are trying to rescue but it works remarkably well. Over the course of the issue, we see them come together, to realise that they get how each other works remarkably quickly. And of course, because they all know Aphra, they aren’t shy when talking openly about her. These characters know her and can figure out how she would act (maybe not quick enough sometimes!).
Wong begins to allude to something more with Sana and Tolvan, or at least that seems to be the impression. There are a lot of Aphra’s exes along for this mission and it’s very difficult to sort out whether motives are for the character or something else underlying. It seems a love triangle is inevitable, but Tolvan and Sana? They would, on paper, seem to be almost perfect without too much drama like with Aphra. It’s another question to add to the list. Yet Wong does not keep piling them up without answering some. We get to see The Archivist hiring Farrus to find the Spark, that led us to where we are now. It is good to know that we will be getting some answers along the way!
Lucky, under the directions of Ronen Tagge, is following Sana but for a lot of the issue it felt like a distraction from the main story I wanted to read. Thankfully by the end of the issue, it becomes clear why we need to be following him. But then, we have that incredible end! I won’t say too much in this review however, I will say that the ending is just what this issue deserves and Wong times it brilliantly!
I love Jung’s artwork. The expression on the faces he draws always adds so much to these issues. It is how we understand these characters so much more, feel their pain, their excitement, their fear. This issue has a lot of panels covering a lot of ground, yet Jung handles the pace and flow easily, letting the story move forward seamlessly. As mentioned, the lineup of the team sent after Aphra is easily my favourite part if the issue, it sums up what Jung does so well.
Another great issue of Doctor Aphra that moves the story forward but promises that next issue the throttle is going to hit the floor. The last few issues have all ended on such a twist or cliff hanger that you can’t help but want the next use in front of you. The pieces are finally being moved around and it’s great to see when they collide. Wong has brought a new breath of life to the series that will have both old and new readers excited for what is to come next.
Availability;
Doctor Aphra (2020) is an ongoing series available from Marvel. This issue retails at $3.99 and is available via the Marvel App, ComiXology and all good comic book stores.
