– Spoiler Review –
Doctor Aphra Annual #3 brings back fan-favorite characters Winloss and Nokk, along with Black Krrsantan, for an absolutely hilarious and fun issue, giving them an entertaining ending as the main series faces its upcoming finale (for now).
Introduced in last year’s Doctor Aphra Annual #2, Winloss and Nokk went on to worm their way into fans’ hearts, including mine, as they competently bumbled around the main series, causing havoc and laughter wherever they went in pursuit of capturing the most elusive monster: Doctor Aphra herself. While their anger towards her mostly cooled once they saw how much of a disaster she was to herself, they still don’t understandably trust her but aren’t actively pursuing her anymore. So when she calls long distance with information regarding the location of Nokk’s Trandoshan nemesis, who kicked her out of her clan/killed her sisters, she cooks up a plan with her fleshy human husband to lure him out. And that’s the true beauty of this issue, as Winloss begins the scheme up at the bar, involving a new, and more shady bartender at Chalmun’s Mos Eisley Cantina (you know the one) and a strange little creature. At first I was scratching my head, while laughing, trying to figure out where they were going with everything, but once Black Krrsantan, aka Santy, entered the plan, I started to see it unravel before me, but it was no less entertaining and humorous for it. Simon Spurrier has been excellent at seeding plans within plans throughout his time on Aphra, and his script fires on all cylinders in this Annual. Normally I’m a little more spoiler-heavy in these reviews, but I want you, dear reader, to experience the winding, twisting tale for yourself. I will say I love how it ends and I wonder, hope, and pray to the Force the tease at NYCC 2019 about comics focused on bounty hunters in 2020 includes Winloss, Nokk, and Santy! And even if it won’t, this was a stellar send off for side characters from the Aphra series.
What really helped the comedic vibe is Elsa Charretier’s art, with colors from both Edgar Delgado* and Jim Campbell and Joe Caramagna on lettering, as her style lends itself well to the caper mystery like Aphra Annual #3. She’s typically involved with Star Wars via IDW’s Adventures comics and she was only with Marvel earlier this year for art on a short story in Age of Resistance – Special #1, so having her more playful, wistful style is refreshing. It really accentuated the humor and tongue-in-cheek for Winloss’ dialogue with the bartender, Nokk’s barbs against her husband, Krrsantan’s enjoyment of his bar brawl, and of course Aphra’s sardonic messages to those she’s making amends with/paying back for betrayal. There have been plenty of great artists on the main Aphra story throughout the years, but I don’t think any of them would’ve made this Annual work as well as Charretier and team’s did!
Here are a few other things:
- Despite the end of the Doctor Aphra series in sight with December’s Empire Ascendant, we were teased there would be more Aphra when Marvel relaunches its line in 2020, and it only took a few more weeks to learn when we’d see her return: April 2020, with an all-female creative team that has me excited to no end regardless on the lack of details on what’s to come in the relaunch.
- We return to the main series’ final arc next week with Doctor Aphra #38, which the official site has a preview for, revealing the return of murderbots Triple-Zero and BT-1…with their minds wiped??!!!? I doubt they’d let something like that happen so I’ll be very curious to see how this all shakes out!
- *Edgar Delgado’s name is one I haven’t heard in a long time, since the original Darth Vader series in 2015, where Aphra was first introduced!
- Check out some of Charretier’s ink art for Aphra on Instagram here and here. She previously drew the character in Women of the Galaxy!
Doctor Aphra Annual #3 puts some of the best side characters in recent memory in the spotlight for an issue that doesn’t disappoint and is a true highlight of the run!
+ Twisting, winding plot is an absolute blast to watch unravel before you
+ Winloss and Nokk FOREVER
+ Ending teasing more of these glorious side characters
+ Elsa Charretier and team’s splendid, pitch-perfect art
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.
DOCTOR APHRA
Annual: #1 | #2
Aphra (#1-6) | 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)
CURRENT SERIES COMIC REVIEWS:
Star Wars
Rebels and Rogues (#68-75)
Allegiance (miniseries)
Jedi: Fallen Order – Dark Temple (miniseries)
Return to Vader’s Castle (miniseries)