– Spoiler Review –
If you haven’t yet or won’t be anytime soon enjoying the Galaxy’s Edge theme park, then I can honestly say issue #3 of the park’s tie-in comic miniseries might be its best yet, as it connects to the park in a more meaningful way than the previous issues, while some familiar faces (including a BIG favorite of mine) add even more fun.
The past two issues of Galaxy’s Edge have included either enjoyable glimpses of the past, with popular characters like Han Solo and Chewbacca, or a typecasting story with Greedo, but no matter the quality they only link to an item in Dok-Ondar’s store, the antiquities collector stationed in Black Spire Outpost. Issue #3 changes things up by making the flashback weave into Dok’s story and motives for being a collector, actually adding to his backstory, not some of his admittedly cool, but insignificant trinkets. Dok hires Hondo Ohnaka to help him procure a kyber statue from the Guardian of the Whills on Jedha, which goes as well as one can imagine, so the only way they manage to leave alive and with the item is because Dok reveals his parents were mysteriously murdered, with his only clue being a similar statue sent to him after their death. He admits to Hondo that some of what he told the Whills, specifically Chirrut Îmwe (!!), was a lie, but he snuck some truth in as well. While interactions aren’t robust with Dok when you visit Galaxy’s Edge, he’s in a protective cage at his shop overseeing its wares, it’s nice to finally learn a bit about why he’s a collector/more about him in general, giving him and the park even more grounding in the GFFA.
Hondo, as always, was a pure blast to have in the issue, as he provides tons of humor. But a real highlight of the flashback story, but not of the entire issue (!!!), is both getting to see inside the Kyber Temple on Jedha, before the Empire stripmines it and later blasts it to smithereens, and having an appearance from Chirrut of Rogue One! Dok’s story about his parents causes Chirrut to let them go, as his sensitivity to the Force allows him to see Dok’s theft is (mostly) harmless. Of course he gets to show off some great moves and how his blindness is barely a factor, with Hondo underestimating him of course, but just having him in the heyday of the Guardians, before his ultimate sacrifice, is a nice change of pace.
But the biggest highlight of the issue, with my bias towards the character showing a bit, is the inclusion of Doctor Aphra! While it’s no surprise she’s in the series, the July solicitations revealedshe’d be the center of issue #4’s flashback and this series is about procuring artifacts after all, it was a surprise to have her appearance built up already. It seems like Aphra was involved with the procurement mission for the Sword of Kashyun, which Dok has one half of and Kendoh and her crew have the other, but Hondo and Dok left Aphra behind for the half the antiquities dealer has. Considering Triple-Zero and Beetee One flank Aphra in her sole panel appearance, I wouldn’t be too worried about what leaving her behind entails, as those two droids only recently left Aphra alone, making me believe the story involving her will take place between Darth Vader #25 andDoctor Aphra #1, though who knows, potentially it could squeeze in somewhere during either. However, one thing that did concern me was Hondo saying Aphra was a good archaeologist, making me fear by the time of the sequel trilogy she isn’t alive anymore. Sure, I know she won’t live forever, barring some strange artifact she unearths or gets encased in carbonite, but to think Hondo might outlive Aphra?! Let’s hope not! Either way, more Aphra is always a good thing in my book so I can’t wait to see her appearance in the next issue!
Ethan Sacks has been weaving some really entertaining tales within the grander one at Batuu aka Black Spire Outpost, though I still feel like I don’t know enough about Kendoh and her crew to be terribly concerned about their plight/efforts to get the Sword. As much as I like these flashbacks, they do take away from building up these new characters, instead focusing on familiar ones, so I hope the next two issues manage to give us more time with the new ones. Art continues to be from Will Sliney and Dono Sánchez-Almara (with Protobunker) on colors, and I loved a chance to see Oga’s Cantina in comic form, as it’s surreal how similar it looks to the photos/videos from those who have visited it since the park opened (I imagine it’ll be even more so when/if I get to visit). But the real highlight of the issue is the interior of the Kyber Temple, a majestic, cavernous place of beauty and tradition, where I want to spend a lot more time in now that we’ve gotten Sliney’s impressive glimpse.
Here are a few other things:
- Speaking of Sliney, he spoke with Marvel about working on the series, from how he used designs directly from the park for scenes set on Batuu, hence why Oga’s and even Dok’s places look so similar to their “real world” counterparts, what he was able to create on his own.
Galaxy’s Edge #3 is the strongest of the miniseries so far, from its more important connections to the park and the cameos of Hondo, Chirrut, and Aphra!
+ Giving Dok more story
+ Hondo, Chirrut, and APHRA, oh my!
– Wish we were spending more time with the newbies
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.
CURRENT SERIES COMIC REVIEWS:
Doctor Aphra
Aphra (#1-6) | And the Enormous Profit (#9-13) | Remastered (#14-19) | The Catastrophe Con (#20-25) | Worst Among Equals (#26-31) | Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon (#32-37) | Annual: #2
TIE Fighter (miniseries)
Age of Republic (miniseries)
Age of Rebellion (miniseries)
Star Wars
Ashes of Jedha (#38-43) | Mutiny at Mon Cala (#44-49) | Hope Dies (#50-55) | The Escape (#56-61) | The Scourging of Shu-Torun (#62-67) | Annual: #4