Aphra Faces an Ancient Menace in Marvel’s Doctor Aphra #6

The first story arc in the ongoing Doctor Aphra comic concludes today with issue #6 of Gillen’s spin-off series from his acclaimed run on Darth Vader.

Aphra Jr. and Sr. have stumbled upon an ancient Jedi citadel…but it appears that some form of life has survived…and they are NOT happy to be disturbed.

Spoilers ahead…

 

 

After having been blackmailed by her own father into joining him on his hunt for the mysterious Ordu Aspectu, an ancient order connected to the Jedi, Chelli Aphra comes face to face with the spirit of the thousand year-old leader of the Ordu Aspectu – the Eternal Rur – whom they awakened from his slumber in his derelict citadel.

 

 

As if that weren’t enough to deal with, Captain Tolvan and her troops are still hot on their trail and Black Krrsantan, Aphra’s opportunistic Wookiee partner has abandoned her and made off with her ship. Over a thousand years ago, Rur attempted to copy his sentience to preserve his intellect, but the plan backfired when he accidentally succeeded in transferring his sentience into the digital realm, leaving his an evil ghost behind in his fleshly body.

 

Because of this unfortunate event – he is able to control any nearby droids – and when he discovers that his enemies are long dead, he turns on the living as his ages old robotic surrogates begin to attack the Aphras.

 

 

Aphra defends herself against the droids with one of the ancient Jedi lightsabers she found in the citadel, and she manages to steal an important looking crystal from its housing before escaping with her dad. Surprisingly, she also manages to extend a helping hand to Tolvan during her escape, as she realizes that she needs to hitch a ride with the Imperials to escape the asteroid citadel.

 

 

On board the Imperial shuttle, an RA-7 droid is taken over by Rur in a last ditch effort to kill the intruders. Aphra and company are saved when they enter hyperspace and Rur’s connection to the droid is broken.

 

 

Just in case you missed the hint before with Sana in the titular Star Wars series, yes, Aphra likes girls. After having been threatened by Tolvan following their escape, Aphra abandons the Imperial Captain in the middle of nowhere on some backwater Outer Rim world. Knowing she should really probably kill her, she decides instead to spare her life because she happens to find the captain attractive (she also is a little morally shallow if you haven’t picked up on that already). As Aphra and her father sail off into the proverbial sunset, her dad jokingly comments about her apparent bad taste in women.

 

 

After securing a promise that her dad would clear up the matter of her doctorate being in question, the two decide to hide the potentially dangerous crystal that Aphra stole from the citadel with the Kallidahins on Quarantine World III. Here it is tucked away in a vast archival labyrinth – a scene that is very reminiscent of the end to Raiders of the Lost Ark.

 

 

Aphra eventually settles her debts and reunites with her partner Black Krrsantan, not blaming him for looking after his own fur, as she would have done the same. She then reveals that she actually hid a fake crystal with the Kallidahins and shows the real crystal to her Wookiee friend with a tantalizing proposition – “let’s get rich!”

 

 

I’ve enjoyed this series from the beginning and this issue puts a neat little bow on this first story arc. There is nothing here that connects to the main storyline in this era of Star Wars, but the connective tissue to the larger saga with the ancient lore has been a real treat. I actually hope that the series continues this trend in the future.

 

I’m looking forward to the upcoming crossover with Jason Aaron’s Star Wars series, but too much connectivity can be a detriment at times, and I’m hoping that once the crossover is done that we get back to the vibe set by this first storyline. Sometimes stories are better when they are self-contained. That being said, I really enjoyed Aaron and Gillen’s first crossover with Vader Down so I have no reason to suspect that Screaming Citadel will not at least be an entertaining tale.

 

Writer Kieron Gillen

 

I’ve mentioned several times before that I am a big fan of Gillen’s work, so I tend to be pretty lenient when it comes to criticizing his work in Star Wars, which (this should come at no surprise) happens to be my favorite franchise. But, bias aside, does Doctor Aphra feel like Star Wars? Does it complement the ongoing saga?

 

To both of these questions I would have to say “yes” and “no”. Yes, the Star Wars DNA permeates this book quite nicely. But in the same token, it also brings a lot of fun, new, and frankly – quite strange ideas to the table. Gillen calls back to the Dark Horse era of Star Wars comics with his introduction to ancient Jedi lore through the eyes of a character that very much embodies a modern mentality.

 

 

He is also not afraid to inject his Star Wars with inspiration from other franchises, with perhaps Indiana Jones being the most apparent. While most Star Wars comics have adhered to a more traditional formula up to this point, Doctor Aphra seems to be Marvel’s testing ground for new ideas. The series seamlessly fits within the framework of the existing universe, while at the same time maintaining its own identity and unique tone.

 

Artist Kev Walker greatly adds to the fun and carefree tone of the book with his loose and energetic pencil work. My art preference for comics generally leans more towards realism, so I am usually very critical of the more cartoony and less consistent artwork, but here – it works for me. Walker’s style is a perfect match for the character of Aphra and the feel that Gillen seems to be trying to achieve with his writing.

 

 

In the end, Doctor Aphra is not what I would call a jaw-dropping amazing series by any means, nor is it a must read for every Star Wars fan. But it certainly is a lot of fun, and if you have any extra room in your comic pull list or you’re just looking to read something different and unique in the world of Star Wars, definitely give this one a try. Pick this issue up in your local comic shop today or buy it digitally on Comixology.

 

You can also pre-order Doctor Aphra Vol. 1 in trade paperback. This volume collects the first six issues of the series and will be released on July 3, 2017.

 

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Jordan Pate is Co-Lead Editor and Senior Writer for Star Wars News Net, of which he is also a member of the book and comic review team. He loves all things Star Wars, but when he's not spending time in the galaxy far far away, he might be found in our own galaxy hanging out in Gotham City or at 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Salem Center, NY.

Jordan Pate (Hard Case)

Jordan Pate is Co-Lead Editor and Senior Writer for Star Wars News Net, of which he is also a member of the book and comic review team. He loves all things Star Wars, but when he's not spending time in the galaxy far far away, he might be found in our own galaxy hanging out in Gotham City or at 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Salem Center, NY.

3 thoughts on “Aphra Faces an Ancient Menace in Marvel’s Doctor Aphra #6

  • April 13, 2017 at 12:43 am
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    SNOKKKKKEEEEWEWEEEEREWWUHRHWIRHHRIIWHR

  • April 13, 2017 at 10:06 am
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    I’m on the fence regarding this book. I appreciate what they’re trying to do here, but the ancient Jedi, Eternal Rur stuff lost me. I got confused by it, admittedly, and thus lost interest in it.

    At best, Aphra could be a spiritual successor to Jyn Erso had Jyn lived and continued on in a comic book series. But Aphra seems less… likable and sympathetic to me. In the Darth Vader comic, Aphra’s personality, self-preservation and selfishness played well against Vader in their delicate relationship. But here on her own, she’s pretty much a jerk.

  • April 13, 2017 at 1:03 pm
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    I, for one, really like the Aphra character. As stated in the article, it really feels like they’re trying to do something new with this series, or at least use it as a testing ground. Exploring new parts of the SW galaxy (location- and lore wise) works pretty good.

    And for everyone dying to see a movie based on Kotor/TOR, I think this character can be the link between the present (PT through ST) and ancient times. Let the first film be something like this series, with Aphra being the binding glue to more familiar times, with a possible sequel taking place all the way in Old Republic times. (John Knoll, don’t pull a Dark Forces and steal my idea..!)

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