– Spoiler Review –
It has been nearly two months since our last issue of Doctor Aphra, as the comic world tried to get back to normal, but its 2nd issue is more than worth the wait with the hunt for the Rings of Vaale turning extra spooky!
When Aphra, Lucky, Dr. Eustacia Okka, Detta Yao, and Black Krrsantan make it to Dianth, the home of the legendary Rings of Vaale, things get so downright spooky I think most Indiana Jones films would be jealous: Lucky is hearing a noise no one else can, Yao keeps seeing the ghastly faces etched into the walls moving and shouting, and Krrsantan is seeing people, but no one is having the same reaction, as it were, to the city. The whole setting is terrifying, with the faces in the walls and doors, and Marika Cresta’s art, with Rachelle Rosenberg’s colors, really adds to the ominous atmosphere of the characters’ many different reactions, with the fog hanging over the city and the ominous way the faces in the buildings are drawn; it’s downright chilly. Things only get creepier as they get deeper in, finding their way down into an ancient, hidden lab, and things end on quite the thrilling cliffhanger. I’m really hoping this isn’t the end of the weird and inexplicable events happening around them, as the Aphra series hasn’t gotten a chance to really explore an ancient, haunted place before (the Screaming Citadel was less about the place and more about its inhabitants) and this has already been a blast of fun thanks to the characters mixed into such a unique environment.
Only Aphra and Okka can comprehend weirdness happening around them probably has some basis in science, and are able to keep their cool, but still end up separated thanks to the actions of the others. There was some implied history in the previous issue between Okka and Aphra, with me guessing they likely had a romantic relationship that went sour (Aphra’s specialty), and the flashback certainly confirms they were together though how things went bad is still a mystery. Listening to the Aphra audiobook now*, I’m curious when their relationship happens at the university compared to the other ones mentioned there (no surprise there were many!), as maybe that’ll help reveal what went down with them, but I imagine this won’t be the last we’ll see of these flashbacks.
We get a little more info on the Rings themselves, thanks to murals on the walls into the cavernous lab. Both Rings must be used together to gain their full effect, which includes eternal life/riches and powers rivaling the best Force user, as while they both have unique features, using one at a time results in some less than desirable side effects: the sapphire gem ring will grant immortality, but only cause the wearer madness, while the crimson gem ring offers insane fortune, but portends a much quicker death; sounds fun, no? I’ll be curious to see if these are real and if we’ll get to see them work, just for a little while, before they are either left behind or destroyed…or left for future adventures. The murals that depict this info, these warnings, are as Aphra states, “… full of High Republic iconography…,” so this could be a neat little tie-in to the upcoming publishing program, like what the Nihil are after potentially, or a hint at something we might only hear about as rumors; so far all the other mentions in comics/novels have been specific events/places we will encounter so the possibility is high the Rings might get a chance to shine!
I’d been curious about the animosity between Ronen Tagge, scion of the powerful family, and Aphra and this issue wastes no time in clearing it up. Instead of Aphra’s involvement with Vader as he took down Cassio Tagge, it’s because Aphra worked for Ronen before, knew about his nasty penchant for destroying the artifacts he gains as a weird-ass power trip, and stole items from him; classic Aphra right there! By the end of the issue, Aphra is under aim from his goons, so I can’t wait to see how she worms her way out and how/if the Rings play into that.
Alyssa Wong’s writing really moves at an excellent pace, managing to both divulge plenty of info and keep things moving organically, while providing plenty of laughs and little character moments throughout. The whole cast manages to have a bit of spotlight here or there, which isn’t always the case in ensembles like this. But none of it would be as entertaining, spooky, or funny without Cresta and Rosenberg’s art. I’m not only enjoying their take on Aphra, a sleeker look that fits with some of her shifty nature, I feel like, while the distinct looks for each character adds to their personalities. The entire planet of Dianth is plastered with signs and vistas to make readers and visitors uncomfortable, but draws you in somehow and makes you want to keep exploring despite all the doom and gloom. One of my favorite panels is the full page of the team hiking down to the lab, as the characters and dialogue are arranged in such a way it does make it look like we’re winding down to the bottom with them. Letterer Joe Caramagna gets some new styles for the weird and spooky sounds caused by the planet and they add the right flare to every scene.
Here are a few other things:
- *Just a day before this issue came out, Doctor Aphra: An Audiobook Original released! Featuring a full cast, the audiobook retells her initial introduction from her point of view, chronicling her adventures instead of them being a margin in Vader’s story. It has been absolutely phenomenal so far, with the cast bringing so much energy and excitement to the excellent script by writer Sarah Kuhn, and I’ll have a full review very soon. If you can, give it a listen, otherwise it’s more than certain a scriptbook will be on its way, much like Dooku: Jedi Lost received. Check out an excerpt here! UPDATE: And now check out my review!
Doctor Aphra #2 (Vol. 2) makes the extra long wait between issues far more than worth it, upping the spooky (and fun) factor to rope readers back for more soon!
+ Dianth is extremely spooky
+ Art really drives the horrors home
+ Aphra and Okka being all archaeological-like
+ Some fun hints at what might be ahead!
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.
DOCTOR APHRA REVIEWS:
Volume 2: Fortune and Fate – #1
Doctor Aphra (audiobook)
Volume 1: Aphra (#1-6) | And the Enormous Profit (#9-13) | The Screaming Citadel crossover (#7, 8) | Remastered (#14-19) / Arc Review | The Catastrophe Con (#20-25) / Arc Review | Worst Among Equals (#26-31) / Arc Review | Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon (#32-36) / Arc Review | A Rogue’s End (#37-40) / Arc Review | Full Volume 1 Review
Annual: #1 | #2 | #3