Comics Doctor Aphra #26-31: Worst Among Equals (6/6 Released)

The next arc of Doctor Aphra is titled "Worst Among Equals" and is written by Simon Spurrier, with interior art by Emilio Laiso and cover art by Ashley Witter. From Marvel's monthly solicitations, we know the arc is at least three issues in length:

#26: Worst Among Equals, Part 1 (November 14) cover, summary, and preview:

Spoiler

DOCTOR APHRA — WORST AMONG EQUALS!
• On the run from the law in an alien city, DOCTOR APHRA can't stray more than a few paces from her companion without both of them blowing up.
• Time to cooperate, right? Except, unfortunately, her companion is Triple-Zero, a sadistic murderdroid who's more interested in her death than playing nice.
• A brand-new misadventure for the galaxy's foremost amoral archaeologist starts here!

#27: Worst Among Equals, Part 2 (December 12) cover and summary:

Spoiler

WORST AMONG EQUALS: PART TWO!
• Rogue archaeologist DOCTOR APHRA has ten hours to cross a hostile megacity before the bomb implanted in her throat blows up.
• No big deal, right? And even if there ARE, say, insane cops and bounty hunters on her tail—she's got a partner to help her!
• (Unfortunately that would be TRIPLE ZERO: the astonishingly unpleasant murder droid who yearns to see her dead.)

#28: Worst Among Equals, Part 3 (January 30) cover and summary:

Spoiler

"WORST AMONG EQUALS" PART THREE!
• With a huge price on their heads, rogue archaeologist DOCTOR APHRA and her murder-droid companion TRIPLE-ZERO are hunted wherever they run.
• Of all their pursuers, you might think the deadliest danger comes from the EMPIRE-backed cops...or the deranged undead bounty hunter...or the relentless monster trappers — right?
• Nope. Because the entire population has tuned in to watch the chase through Triple-Zero's eyes, and EVERYONE has a shot at that reward...

 

This arc looks promising. I just don't know how they can top the ending of the last arc. And where are they going to go after this arc?

 

Okay, I just posted on the last arc's thread about my only disappointment being not learning enough about a certain character from a certain planet... and now I see where this arc is set and feel somewhat foolish for ever doubting. I'm surprised that this followup actually does look like it might live up to the last. Cool new direction.

 

Issue #26 was such a fun ride!

Spoiler: #26: Worst Among Equals, Part 1

- "But... this one has a red stripe."
- Trip is wonderfully menacing. The lighting in the last page!
- Happy we get to see and learn a bit more about Milvayne. Love its '80s neon color palette.
- I really like the panel of Evazan and Ponda Baba cheering when the cyberneticist's betrayal was revealed.
- Me every several pages:

 

Spoiler

That was a great moment. I'd love to follow them around and see them react to more things.

 

@The2ndQuest
@AdmiralNick22

1/? released

Really enjoyed this issue. The story made me care about two sociopaths.

 

this was so much fun, so many Triple Zero screwing things up because he's a murder droid and Doctor Evazaan and his buddy basically watching the murder spree like it's Netflix. The thing is, if Triple Zero says he's going to get Doc Evazaan then he's going to get Doc Evazaan so makes me wonder how this arc is going to end. Putting a countdown on the bomb for 10 hours does ensure this will be done by the end of the arc and not the permanent status quo, as much fun as that could be.

 

I like this arc and Doctor Evazaan as a villain but I hope we go back to basics with aphra doing archeologist stuff after wards
I had a fun idea what if she found a Sith necklace or the reintroduction of the murr talisman or something and got possessed by the spirt attached to it (adding to the dark side objects influencing or possessing there owners thats been being built up in nu canon . It would be up to Luke or hell bull**** a way for Vader to have to save her.

 

Preview for #27 is up.

Spoiler

They're baaack and one issue earlier than I thought they would be! I thought Annual #2 was a blast, so I'm so happy to see Winloss and Nokk again! Their banter is cute.

 

Doctor Evazaan as Leia ......

 

As in the last arc, new elements getting added into the stew issue by issue, never predictable but never random either. I just love this book.

 

I missed it when the new issue came out and just now read it... surprised there are no comments here! I know the end of Vader is understandably taking up a lot of the SW comics bandwidth...

Anyway, not the most eventful issue, and Evazan-as-Leia, while not "fan service" per se, doesn't make much sense IU, only as something kind of entertaining for fans. But it's moving along nicely, the character bits with 000 and Aphra continue to amuse, and it looks like things are heating up next issue. With the "return" of Tam and the Milvayne setting I have to say yet again I'd love to know what the hell is up with his crazy "cybernetics" and whether that's a typical Milvayne Authority thing or something else, but I'm starting to accept that even though they won't keep him dead, they're never really going to explain him either. It's just the Aphra way.

 

@The2ndQuest
@AdmiralNick22

2/? released

 

this was sort of a move the characters from point A to point B issue but it had a great final page twist and before that 000 being restrained from murder is a pretty decent way to increase tension. I especially loved the moment when Aphra asked if she should jump or get blown up.

 

Preview for #28 is up.

Spoiler

Nokk in action! I love her. And for the hundredth time, poor Tam Posla. Even his corpse gets run through the mill. Rest in pieces, finally, maybe?

 

Spoiler

And I guess I get to now finally let go of being the only person worrying about if he was a dude or a droid or what and how he got that way. Oh well, it kept me out of trouble while it lasted.

 

So...#28 was released. Anyone read it? Anyone?

 

I wanted to but the winter storm kept me from getting to my FLCS to pick it up. Pretty sure I just saw a tauntaun freeze before it reached the first marker.

Spoiler

 

@The2ndQuest
@AdmiralNick22

2/? released

Also, if you could pin, that would be neat!

@Black Star Gunner if you're looking for spoilers for #28...

Spoiler

So first BT attacks with a flame thrower. Trip and Aphra are able to dodge this attack. Trip tries to reason with BT, but then he attacks with a grenade. In the chaos, Trip and Aphra try to run, but Tam has the power of the Force and pulls them back towards him. Out of nowhere, Nook and Winloss show up, and Nokk takes out Tam with a spear though the back out through his chest. The couple are about to capture Trip and Aphra when BT attacks again, and they take him out instead. This finally gives Trip and Aphra the opportunity to escape.

As they escape, Evazan (and Baba) decided to broadcast their private signal from Trip's eyes to the entirity of the planet Milvayne so now everyone is on the hunt for the fugitives. Evazon also fits Baba with a new arm that can shoot fire.

Tam comes back to life and begins to zero in on the signals of the reports of people claiming to see Trip & Aphra.

Aphra continues her search for Vulaada, the young girl who helped them initially, continues to help them again. It's revealed that they are then surrounded by Tam and the Milvayne police as Vulaada sold them out. She shoots Trip in half and knocks out Aphra. To be continued...

Great art, action, and plot progression fit perfectly in this book. There are some great conversatons between Aphra and Trip that continue to add toward the humor and some real heart to heart conversations between Aphra and

Spoiler

Vulaada.

As @Todd the Jedi said above, the story is still fun and I definitely recommend it as I still find it interesting and I'm invested in the fate of these characters.

"Get rich. Save own skin. Damn everyone else."

 

@TiniTinyTony, please elaborate on the bolded part !!

 

@JediFett10

Spoiler

So first BT attacks with a flame thrower. Trip and Aphra are able to dodge this attack. Trip tries to reason with BT, but then he attacks with a grenade. In the chaos, Trip and Aphra try to run, but Tam has the power of the Force and pulls them back towards him. Out of nowhere, Nook and Winloss show up, and Nokk takes out Tam with a spear though the back out through his chest. Nook and Winloss are about to capture Trip and Aphra. Winloss has a regular gun pointed at Trip, but then Nook asks for the launcher. It looks like a long gun with four prods at the end. Nook comments on a Ion-Net being expensive and that she should shoot it. As they argue/discuss, BT starts to fire at them, they fall to the ground and shoot the launcher together. BT goes SKREEEEE and looks 5 times worse than R2 does after getting shot on Endor. This finally gives Trip and Aphra the opportunity to escape. Trip wants to go back from BT, but Aprha convinces him not to.

There is fire and explosions on Trip and Aphra's panels, while the Winloss/Nook/BT panels are bright purples so the fate of BT it kind of up in the air. I don't know if he's just incapacitated or blown up, but I'm sure he'll bounce back if I had to guess. Since Winloss/Nook try not to kill, it's a good assumption he's okay.

 

@TiniTinyTony, thank you! Your original wording to me made it seem that BT was killed / destroyed in this very issue!!

 

Preview for #29 is up. The dialogue is a bit small/blurry, sorry.

Marvel's May solicitations confirm that the "Worst Among Equals" arc is indeed 6 issues long and ends with #31 (the arc, to be clear, not the series -- a new arc begins with #32), so once #29 is released next week, one of us can politely request that the thread title be updated to "Doctor Aphra #26-31: Worst Among Equals (4/6 Released)".

 

@The2ndQuest
@AdmiralNick22

Doctor Aphra #26-31: Worst Among Equals (4/6 Released)

Concerning #29...

Spoiler

I didn't read it yet. Come back later!