Published: August 26, 2020
Rating: Rated T
Writer: Alyssa Wong
Penciler: Marika Cresta
Colourist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Valentina Remenar
The synopsis;
THE TRIALS OF VAALE! Separated from her crew, DOCTOR APHRA finds herself in peril at the hands of RONEN TAGGE’S mercenaries! Could there be a traitor in their midst? And can Aphra outwit them before the curse of the city swallows her and her new team whole?
The review;
Another issue of Doctor Aphra and I couldn’t be happier. Wong has really shifted this series, relieving the character of all the baggage from the previous series and moving it back to the core of the character. Not only that but last issue was an incredible achievement of suspense and horror, highlighting how unique this series is becoming. Along with the efforts of Cresta and Rosenberg, the three created an issue that couldn’t have been more perfect. To say I have been looking forward to this next issue would be an understatement! There are so many questions to be answered…
This issue, although has its creepy moments, focuses very much on character. Wong takes a closer look at the three female leads: Aphra, Okka and Detta. Reading through the issue, what emerges is that these characters are all an aspect of Aphra herself, at different times through her life. Detta is young and ambitious. We see this with how she plays the pretty but dim girl card with Venters. Aphra has used the same routine, to have others underestimate her to give her an advantage. Professor Okka, even with falling and hurting herself, still keeps her cool and gets distracted by the architecture and the hunt for the ultimate relics. Is this again not Aphra, who no matter what situation she gets herself into, always ends up doing something silly for an artefact and a pay day? Although Detta and Okka are well rounded characters in their own rights, Wong has put them there to show us that Aphra has many sides to her, that there is a lot of depth there. Equally, Aphra also knows these people and how they will act, because she has been there herself and knows how she would act. For all the trouble Aphra can cause, she is very good at reading people and predicting what they will do next. It is this skill that has allowed her to stay alive for as long as she has. Wong writes this so well, as not only are we learning more about Aphra’s former life and the people who were in it but we also learn about who she is as a person.
It is with this focus that the artwork by Cresta really comes into play. Last issue it was Cresta who created the atmosphere for the issue, who created an entire city full of subtle creepiness that seemed to seep from the pages. Cresta has an equally but varied duty this issue, where the comparisons between Aphra and Okka and Aphra and Detta need to be clearly shown. Cresta uses split pages and panels to fantastic effect to show the similarities between all three, really emphasising Wong’s writing. It shows the versatility of Cresta’s work, the more I see, the more I’m impressed with her technique and design. Even in more simpler elements, with the characters at the bottom of the trap, you can feel the darkness encroaching in on them and the light available being the only thing visible. Credit also has to be given to Rosenberg, who colours the panels beautifully. It won’t be the last time I say it, but Cresta and Rosenberg really make an incredible team who bring Wong’s writing to life.
There are a lot of red herrings and uncertainty throughout this issue. While the last issue created suspense and fear, this issue really focuses on the group itself. Who can be trusted? Who is in it for themselves? At the start of the issue, Wong really highlights what everyone has always said about Aphra, that she is cold. Yet Wong then uses the remainder of the issue to break every character down to Aphra’s level, showing the reader that no one is better than Aphra. Nor should they. This is the sort of characters this line of work attracts, it’s why we read Doctor Aphra. It also keeps the reader on edge and unsettled, as you are never sure what is around the next corner. While reading, all I could hear through my head was the Fox Mulder saying, ‘Trust no one!’ There is a very X-Files quality to this issue: a mystery that needs solving, people who can’t be trusted and strange supernatural occurrences. This isn’t meant as a criticism but as a compliment.
There are lots of little things included by Wong that really add to this issue. The brief glimpse of Tagge is worked very well. Tagge is clearly the main villain in this arc (at least), yet like any good villain, we only see him for short bursts. The detail that he was on Canto Bight works well here. It connects the galaxy together but also shows the sort of character he is. One of biggest surprises was to see a Mon Calamari working for him. Although no species can be considered flawless, the mon calamari are seen as one of the more respectable species and certainly not ones to necessarily deal with criminals. However, I like that they are included here, to see another side of this species.
I don’t want to go into too much detail about the ending, as I would not want to spoil it for anyone. Wong wraps the comic up nicely. It would have been all too easy to let certain questions and identities linger for another issue or two, yet Wong raises the at the start of the comic and answers it before it is finished. It shows respect to the reader but also allows her to keep the quality of the pace for the next issue. More importantly, it frees Wong up so next issue can be whatever it needs to be. Wong has written three very different issues. The first, a catch-up, a reintroduction to the characters; the second a creepy horror story and this issue, a guess who. Although all one story, each is its own self-contained style. It makes each new issue something new, interesting and exciting to look forward to each time.
This series keeps going from strength to strength. I was a huge fan of the style of the last issue and would have happily read more. Wong takes a different approach, and although not the same, keeps the story fresh and exciting. As the reader, you never know where the story will go next or in what format. With wonderful art and colour by Cresta and Rosenberg, this series ticks all the boxes. With the revelation at the end of the story, it would seem obvious where Wong will go next, but something tells me that’s the last place she will. It makes the anticipation for the next issue even more acute and I for one can’t wait to see what’s in store for us.
Availability;
Doctor Aphra (2020) is an ongoing series available from Marvel. This issue is available via the Marvel App and all good comic bookstores. This issue retails at $3.99.
