– Spoiler Review –
Doctor Aphra #4 (Vol. 2) finds the rogue archaeologist and crew attempting to escape the creepy Lost City of Vaale, thus launching us into her next get rich, stay alive scheme by putting her right in the hands of their enemy, Ronen Tagge!
Last review, I theorized the spooky and creepy things Just Lucky, Detta Yao, and even Krrsantan saw somehow were part of a test the makers of the Rings designed to ensure they wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands. This issue, Professor Okka figures out the city of bones is alive and singing, which is what drove the citizens of Vaale mad and is causing everyone, as Okka and Aphra are starting to feel the effects too, to see and hear things. Their song is a security system and it’s gone rogue (so I was only right from a certain point of view), but the bones hit their final note this issue. Just Lucky has Tagge’s men trap Aphra and crew and flees, leaving Aphra, Krrsantan, Okka, and Yao, plus Okka’s little droid TA-418, to find their way out before they go mad. Thanks to the droid, they navigate out of the sewers right out to Ark Angel III…though Tagge’s men blow up the ship and the Lost City of Vaale! While you’d think this would be the end of the living city’s effects on its visitors, as it can sing no more, Just Lucky notices the same sound still in his head, even after leaving Dianth; Maybe theirs another security system in place or the bones’ song has done enough damage to Lucky that he’s past the point of no return? We’ll have to see in the next issue!
Despite the convenient High Republic era ship* to help them flee after the Angel’s destruction, Aphra offers up her favorite next move: where they cut their losses and lie low until the heat from Tagge dies down, but Okka has just seen her life’s work, and her potential redemption, explode in her face. She has nothing left to lose and urges them to go after Tagge and the Ring, even though it’s exactly what Ronen would want. Her determination in tracking down the Rings, in an effort to secure her reinstatement at the Shadow University, feels like it goes beyond simply not wanting to be a laughing stock anymore, especially once you factor in the mysteriously missing second ring. They know Tagge wouldn’t blow up the City without being sure he had both rings, so does Lucky have the other up his sleeve or does Okka herself, hence why she was the most level headed of everyone despite the bone singing insanity? Aphra is mad she’s missing something and I bet the bong singing has prevented her from putting the whole truth together…yet.
Aphra’s other plan? Delivering themselves to Tagge, with some type of trick up their sleeves! It’s the one Okka and the rest of the team want to partake in, as there’s still fame, fortune, and fate on the line! Before they get to his home in Canto Bight, Lucky and the other mercs deal with the mercurial Ronen, who changes their deal when they come home with only one of the rings; which makes me wonder if he doesn’t know what’s happened to the second one. Either way, we get the reason behind Lucky’s betrayal: Tagge took him and his little brother Pak in after Pak fell on some hard financial times, which brought Lucky low. Lucky’s been in debt to Ronen ever since, something he warns the mercs against. It might come a little late, but I felt it was an effective explanation for Lucky’s betrayal, while his unwillingness to kill Aphra and crew shows he’s truly only in it to keep his younger brother alive. I get Aphra is pissed at him, but hopefully she doesn’t let that anger get in the way of taking down the real enemy, while I also hope Just Lucky will assist in their efforts when he realizes now is the time he can get out from Ronen’s reach.
As always, Marika Cresat’s art, with Rachelle Rosenberg’s colors, and Joe Caramagna’s lettering provides excellent, expressive art. There’s a lot of frustration to be had by everyone, from Okka seeing her life’s work blow up, Aphra trying to be a good pilot, and all the mercs’ being swindled by Ronen, while Lucky’s switch from angry to being happy with his brother, all highlight this team’s impressive ability with facial details, which are a delight to see from panel to panel. The explosions, like Vaale becoming dust, are so bright and bold I almost held my hand up to my face as if it was happening in front of me, while the space battle, while short, was easy to follow and well-planned; both are things the team hasn’t quite done yet and they pulled it off with some signature flair.
Here are a few other things:
- *I feel like only in Doctor Aphra could they pull off the convenience of the High Republic ship for laughs, as it made me chuckle quite a bit from how quickly everyone accepted it. Either way, chalk that up for another reference in the Aphra series, the first two such references not from a High Republic author/architect! I liked the design, and how it seems faster and more maneuverable than some more modern ships; I chalk it being downed by Tagge’s men due to the pilot more than the ship itself…Aphra did just lose her third Ark Angel. I’ll be compiling all the High Republic references in late December, ahead of the series’ launch in January, and you’ll be able to find that, and my eventual reviews, at our High Republic hub!
- Speaking of losing another Ark Angel, I can’t wait to see what Aphra comes up with for the next iteration!
- And as much as I liked the look of the High Republic ship, I actually liked the Tagge one that Lucky and his crew are on when they leave the crazy planet a bit more.
- As we approach the last few months of the year, don’t forget there’s some other amazing Aphra content out there, like her audiobook debut!
- The next few issues release as such: issue #5 on October 28; issue #6 on November 25; and issue #7 releases as the final Marvel comic of the year on December 30. For issue #5’s review next month, I’ll actually be on my honeymoon (road trip with lots of outdoor activities away from people!) so expect the review to come the following week!
- Writer Alyssa Wong has recently filled up her SECOND notebook for planning out her time on Aphra, so there’s plenty more chaos from the rogue archaeologist on the way!
- When the relaunch was originally announced, this issue’s cover was included, but the item Aphra was holding was a small gem; I wonder if it was to avoid spoilers about the Rings, if the designs weren’t final yet, or a combination of the two considering they are from the High Republic era and we might just see them in one of those tales.
Doctor Aphra #4 (Vol. 2) might transition the story of “Fortune and Fate” into its next phase, but it does so in signature Aphra-esque entertaining fashion while fleshing out the story and some characters along the way.
+ Lucky’s background
+ Heading to the enemy’s den…
+ Expressions are a hallmark of the series
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 | #2 | #3
Doctor Aphra (audiobook)
Volume 1: Aphra (#1-6) | The Screaming Citadel crossover (#7, 8) | And the Enormous Profit (#9-13) | 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