Comics Doctor Aphra (Vol. 2) April 2020

Confirmed at MCM London Comic Con.

Spoiler

 

Hm, all of the black and red and the demented smile, she almost looks like a demon or Sith in this. The background is like flames but also on her outfit.

Could be a hint about what happens to her in the last arc of the current Aphra comics.

 

So glad they're continuing to give her her own series. Restarting the numbering system seems silly, but I guess modern comics is modern comics. I wonder if there'll be a major tonal shift to go with the time skip? The cover art suggests as much.

 

Ohh yes. I am excited for this one. Has it been confirmed it is between anh and esb? Or no dates yet? (Maybe they do not want to spoil end of current series.) Either way, I am always hype for Aphra. My favourite new eu character!

 

https://www.starwars.com/news/alyssa-wong-doctor-aphra

Spoiler

In Star Wars, there are heroes like Jedi and rebel princesses. There are villains like Sith and slimy crimelords.

And then there’s Doctor Aphra. She’s found herself on the side of freedom one moment and saving the Emperor’s life the next. The rogue archaeologist has a tendency to walk — and sometimes trip over — a moral line between right and wrong, all depending on how she benefits. And that’s how Alyssa Wong, writer of Marvel’s new Doctor Aphra ongoing series coming April 2020, likes it.

“I think Aphra is a delight. She’s out for herself, for fun and profit, and that drives her actions more than any internal moral compass,” Wong tells StarWars.com. “It makes her really fun to write! Aphra acts according to her whims and desires, which gives her an edge of unpredictability. But the second you think you’ve got her number, she chooses to do something that leaves her vulnerable — whether that’s an unexpected moment of nobility or bitter betrayal. No matter which side Aphra’s currently on, you can count on her to be deeply selfish. And that’s what I love the most about her.”

Last we saw her, Doctor Aphra was heading for the stars with what was left of her fan-favorite murder-droid friends. She outsmarted Darth Vader once again, doing something uncharacteristically generous and hacking into the Empire’s database to erase files pertaining to the Rebellion’s new base on Hoth. The usually-not-so-good doctor also arranged it so that those closest to her — her father, her ward, and her on again/off again girlfriend — were safe and together on the ice planet, where they could take care of each other. But this being Doctor Aphra, she can’t stay that quiet, or that good, for long. That’s where Wong’s new series, set after the events of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, begins.

“After a streak of bad luck, Doctor Chelli Aphra is back, hunting for a score big enough to change her fortunes for good,” the writer says. “So when she hears rumors of an incredibly valuable ancient artifact, she can practically hear the credits pouring into her lap. Crafted by an ancient group of artisans called The Architects of Vaale, the Rings of Vaale are the last relic of a long-forgotten secret society. They’re a priceless piece of history. They’ll make Aphra rich.” She assembles a team of unlikely treasure hunters — including an old flame or two — to help track down the artifacts. “There are only two problems,” Wong says. “First, legend has it that the Rings are cursed. Located on a planet covered in ash, it’s said that they hold an entire ancient city in their thrall. Few explorers have returned alive, and none of them sane. Second, there’s another party interested in the artifacts: Ronen Tagge, a spoiled scion of the powerful, illustrious Tagge family. He collects rare, beautiful objects for the sole purpose of destroying them. And now he has his eye on the Rings of Vaale.” This sets Aphra and her motley crew on a collision course with Ronen’s goons, and off on a race to recover the artifact first. The series is illustrated by Marika Cresta, colored by Rachelle Rosenberg, and sports covers by Valentina Remenar.

Remenar’s cover for issue #1, revealed here, offers a glimpse of the new faces in Aphra’s crew: clockwise from the lower right, that’s Doctor Eustacia Okka (beneath Wookiee bounty hunter Black Krrsantan), following a look at Ronen himself is Detta Yao, and finally, Just Lucky. “Doctor Eustacia Okka is a disgraced professor, and unfortunate events cast doubt on the veracity of her research,” explains Wong. “Curt, cold, and obsessed, she believes that finding the Rings of Vaale will vindicate her. Eustacia and Aphra were classmates, but their relationship has long since soured.” Sounds about right.

“Detta Yao is a graduate student studying archaeology at the Shadow University,” says Wong. “Cheerful, sweet, and bubbly, she hires Aphra to help her find the Rings of Vaale so she can write her thesis. Detta reminds Aphra of her younger self.” But Wong teases that there may be a dark side to this ray of sunshine. Still, she may be the only member of the crew who doesn’t have a past with Aphra, which is probably a good thing.

“Just Lucky is a handsome smuggler and assassin,” Wong says. “Laid-back and dangerous, he’s in it for the money, not the glory. Lucky and Aphra have worked together, as well as against each other, on different jobs before, but neither of them ever takes it personally.” Altogether, it sounds like a team that will have some severe and highly entertaining growing pains. But StarWars.com has a very important question: are the murder droids along for the ride?

“I can’t give you all of my secrets!” Wong teases. “But rest assured, they’re out there. Somewhere close. Waiting.”

This relaunch comes on the heels of very successful runs by Kieron Gillen, who co-created the character, and Si Spurrier, who took the reins from Gillen on the first Doctor Aphra ongoing series. “I admire their work on Doctor Aphra a lot,” Wong says. “Kieron Gillen built the groundwork for the series, and his Aphra is sly, dangerous, and emotionally complex. And I dig the thrilling, unsettling, and heartbreaking direction that Si Spurrier took us, with an Aphra who has to face the messy consequences of her actions. They’ve left some pretty big shoes to fill. Luckily, the team I’ve been working with at Lucasfilm and Marvel has been a fantastic help, and I’m excited to share what we’ve come up with.” While Aphra has been a breakout star in Marvel’s Star Wars comics — even making the jump to action-figure form — a #1 represents a chance to expand her audience even further. For her part, Wong hopes that her take on the shady archaeologist has a wide appeal. “Aphra’s setting off on a new adventure with a new crew, so if you’re new to the series, this would be a great time to jump in,” Wong says. “Of course, there’s a lot for folks who are already fans, too. But it’s important to me that this arc is accessible to everyone, whether you’ve never picked up a Doctor Aphra comic book before or it’s a favorite on your pull list.”

From the sounds of it, there’s a good chance that Wong’s Doctor Aphra will become a favorite of many. And the writer is having a great time telling this new (mis)adventure. “Aphra is just so much fun,” she says. “She’s got a ton of personality and brings chaos to every situation she steps into. You want to follow her, because you never know what’s going to happen. Sometimes, she’s a hero. Sometimes, she’s a villain. She’s clever and hyper-competent, impulsive and arrogant, and her personal life is a flaming wreck. What’s not to love?”

 

Really cool! The Aphra comic finally isn't being written by a white dude. And there's another Tagge!

 

What I don't understand is that the Aphra on the cover looks a little like Rosario Dawson (Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban ethnicity) with a hint of Asian features. Then the character study picture makes her look like white female military pin up girl saluting the troops. I don't get it.

 

The person who's doing the cover art is a different person than the one who's doing did the interiors. If you notice, all the other characters have some subtle differences as well. Ronen's hair is a completely different style, for instance.

 

Yeah but why though? Why the differences?

 

Spoiler: Issue #1 solicit

STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA #1
ALYSSA WONG (W) • MARIKA CRESTA (A) • Cover by VALENTINA REMENAR
Variant Cover by Ashley Witter
Variant Cover by Chris Sprouse
Variant Cover by Valentina Remenar
NEW CREW, NEW MISSION!
With the Rebel Alliance back on the run after their defeat at the Battle of Hoth, it’s never been a more dangerous time for outlaws, scoundrels and the errant rogue archaeologist to make their way in the galaxy. But after a string of bad luck and near escapes, DOCTOR APHRA is back on the job! She’s been keeping a low profile – jobs are scarce and credits scarcer. But the promise of the score of a lifetime is a chance too good for her to pass up. And to find the cursed RINGS OF VAALE, Aphra will need a crew of treasure hunters the likes of which the galaxy has never seen before! But RONEN TAGGE, heir to the powerful Tagge family, also has his eyes on the prize. Do Aphra and her team stand a chance at fortune and glory?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Spoiler: Issue #2 solicit

STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA #2
ALYSSA WONG (W) • MARIKA CRESTA (A) • Cover by VALENTINA REMENAR
Variant Cover by Sara Pichelli
BEWARE THE MAD CITY!
DOCTOR APHRA and her new team have tracked the RINGS OF VAALE to a mysterious planet filled with primordial horror. What’s worse, the rings may be cursed…a malediction that could already be tearing Aphra’s crew apart. Will they escape the terror of the cursed planet with the precious rings or succumb to the creeping madness pervading the ancient world?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2020 Lucasfilm Ltd.

 

So Aphra has a new crew, looks interesting

though marvel constantly rebooting titles gets tiresome, honestly it might be a good thing for Aphra.

 

"Ronen Tagge, a spoiled scion of the powerful, illustrious Tagge family. He collects rare, beautiful objects for the sole purpose of destroying them."

That's my boy! An awful and destructive child from the complete garbage barge that is your family! It's in your blood! Honor that horribleness, son!

Spoiler

and speak at length about your family tree and pose theatrically in front of some HIGHLY DETAILED portraits of your dreadful relatives oh gosh oh please oh gosh where are my pills I'm-- what if-- AHHH!! my Tagges, my precious godawful Tagges

 

This, my friends, is the proper reaction to this announcement.

 

Yes. Yes, it is.

 

It would be kind of great if Tagge becomes like the Weasley of the gffa.

they are just everywhere

 

I didn't miss any of the old-school Marvel Tagges being recanonized by stray dialogue or anything, did I? Doesn't look like it from the Wook, but stuff gets missed. I guess this series has just become our best hope!

 

Heh, in Legends, from Galaxy of Intrigue, "TaggeCo: We're Everywhere You Are" was the company slogan! Maybe it's their family motto, too. "We're here to be jerks at your every turn!"

You did not miss any (we currently just have the ol' Cassio, this Ronen, and possibly Wayulia Tagge-Simoni as named members), though other bits surrounding the family from Legends have been gradually creeping back in, e.g. they are still a noble and wealthy family from Tepasi; TaggeCo still has large mining operations among other diverse interests; and the Omega Frost is a 'infamous interstellar freeze ray' and possible Imperial superweapon project (though it may only exist as a rumor, and its development has not been explicitly tied to the Tagges or TaggeCo).

Also, the TLJ Visual Dictionary that named Wayulia also pictured a 'Brother Letrun Pay' character who wore 'Vestments of the Sacred Circle'. I don't know if this was intended to be the same Sacred Circle as Domina's Order of the Sacred Circle. His robes are white and black instead of the Legend's Order's yellow.

 

Ah yes -- the mention of the rumored Omega Frost was the tidbit I was searching for. I knew I could count on you.

 

You know what's funny? I was scrolling through the threads in the Lit section looking for the one about the "Rogue's End" Aphra comic just to ask if that was the end of the series or if there'd be more. This is good to know!

 

Spoiler: Doctor Aphra #3 solicit

STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA #3
ALYSSA WONG (W) • MARIKA CRESTA (A)
Cover by VALENTINA REMENAR
VARIANT COVER BY MAHMUD ASRAR
THE TRIALS OF VAALE!
• Separated from her crew, DOCTOR APHRA finds herself in peril at the hands of RONEN TAGGE’S mercenaries!
• Could there be a traitor in their midst?
• And can Aphra outwit them before the curse of the city swallows her and her new team whole?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2020 Lucasfilm Ltd.

 

Spoiler: Doctor Aphra #4 solicit

STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA #4
ALYSSA WONG (W) • MARIKA CRESTA (A)
Cover by VALENTINA REMENAR
VARIANT COVER BY TULA LOTAY
RING OF FIRE!
• Trapped and betrayed, DOCTOR APHRA fights to escape the cursed city of VAALE before madness overcomes her!
• Meanwhile, RONEN TAGGE’s sinister plan for the RINGS OF VAALE approaches fruition.
• Will Aphra be able to thwart him in time?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2020 Lucasfilm Ltd.

 

I like how Aphra is the mix and mash of Deadpool and Harley Quinn kinda with a bit of Doctor Who thrown in.

Daedpool for the gay snark, rulebreaking and obvious else.
Harley Quinn for the chaotic evil at times. (post Joker being Aphra post Vader, though Vader is more a Batman than Joker)
Doctor Who for her relation to her companions who she loves and looses and brings in harms way all the time while herself always getting out of it, even if barley and believed to be dead.

 

Aphra's personality is all over the place, tbh., depending on who writes her. She has certainly gotten more Harley-like in the last series to the point of where I started to dislike her. I was in it for the side characters, but I think I will sit this one out.
Unless she returns to being the character that Gillen invented, that is.

 

I read some of the fist, half probably. I dropped it not because I didn't like it but because I had to cut back. I'm in for this though.

 

I might be really late on this, but I just noticed an addition to the cover of #1:

Spoiler

a white and green BD unit
*shoves it aside* YOU'RE OBSTRUCTING MY VIEW OF THE TAGGE

I know a lot of us were fans of Ashley Witter's covers for this first series, and she's made a lovely variant cover for #1:

Spoiler

And now thanks to FFG we have an Aurelia, who shares her name with the mother of Julius Caesar, among other historical figures.
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