I enjoyed the first story arc in Doctor Aphra under Alyssa Wong, but it felt like there was something missing in the first story, some kind of spark that I knew the series has had before, but didn't quite click with me for the first five issues. Luckily, whatever it was that didn't feel right for me has been resolved, because the latest issue of the series turned out to be a fun, and a little over-the-top, adventure story.
Some of this new feel might be the inclusion of Sana Starros. Aphra herself has always had an air of chaos around her, something I really like about her, and Starros is very similar in this regard. Whenever the two of them are on the page you always know that they've got some kind of scheme going on, some sort of double-cross or elaborate way to get out of whatever mess they're in; so getting them both together always heightens this to even greater levels.
I also enjoyed the fact that Sana didn't just immediately agree to go along with Aphra, but that it was something the Doctor really had to work on. She had to bug her, to slowly wear away at her and basically annoy her into agreeing to help. In a universe where people seem to be either driven by morals or their willingness to do anything for money it was fun to see this new kind of approach, where a character simply agrees to do something in exchange for some peace and quiet from someone who annoys them.
What also makes this issue feel a lot more fun is the added links to the rest of the Star Wars universe it has. Yes, the first arc had some action take place on Canto Bight, but it wasn't really stand out, we didn't see the heroes going to the same places we saw in The Last Jedi. Here, however, the action takes place on Corellia, which we got to see come to life in Solo. Not only does the art in the issue manage to capture the look and feel of the planet from the film, but the inclusion of Lady Proxima made it feel like we were returning to a place we'd already seen before.
We didn't really need to have Lady Proxima in the book, she doesn't have a major impact on the story, and her role could have been given over to any other character that Wong could have made up, but having her appear helped to ground this issue in a familiar way; plus it was just a lot of fun to see the giant worm again. She feels very much like the character we saw in the film, and Wong was able to capture her perfectly, portraying her as essentially a big worm Fagin. I loved that Aphra was knew enough about Proxima to know to bring a shiny present for her so that she didn't end up being killed. It shows not only that Aphra is a smart woman who's always a step or two ahead, but also gives some insight into how Han was able to keep surviving around her in his past, as she's clearly open to flattery and pretty things, two things we know Han is able to provide whenever needed.
It was also nice to see the appearance of the Unbroken Clan, a group that will be familiar to anyone reading the Bounty Hunters comics also being produced by Marvel. The tiny inclusion of Vukorah, a general in the Unbroken Clan, was enough of a nod to this other series to make me happy, and it brought a small smile to my face when I recognised her. In a world where some people think you need big or explicit referencess or cross-overs to make things seem interconnected it's nice to get these kinds of small things too, ones where it doesn't matter if it's something you don't pick up on, but brings a little extra joy if you do.
Readers also get to check in with Lucky this issue too, and I'm liking the extra attention to his family life the character's getting. It's fleshing out a character who could have easily been a fairly flat antagonist for Aphra, and showing that despite having betrayed her in the first story arc he's probably no better or worse than her, and is simply a man trying to make his way through the galaxy, protecting the people he cares about. It's that king of complexity and moral grey that makes the Star Wars universe compelling.
On the whole there was a lot to enjoy with this issue, and it definitely sets up for more fun stuff to come later on. It's been the most enjoyable issue of Wong's run so far, and I'm looking forward to seeing what she does with the characters next.
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