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Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020)
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, Vol. 4: Crimson Reign
A deadly game for the galaxy’s trickiest players! Doctor Aphra and Sana Starros have escaped the Vermillion, but there’s no evading the Crimson Dawn: their spies are everywhere! As Domina Tagge contends with moles within her corporation and Aphra struggles with the damage inflicted on her by a powerful artifact, the two strike one last bargain…but who can Aphra really trust? Then, our daring duo stumble upon a strange ritual — and an even stranger enemy! Surely their story can’t end like this, at the hands of the practitioner of an ancient cult…can it?!
COLLECTING: Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020) 16-20
COLLECTING: Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020) 16-20
120 pages, Paperback
First published October 25, 2022
15 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
About the author
Alyssa Wong
424 books411 followersAlyssa Wong studies fiction in Raleigh, NC, and really, really likes crows. She was a finalist for the 2016 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, and her story, “Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers,” won the 2015 Nebula Award for Best Short Story and the 2016 World Fantasy Award for Short Fiction. Her fiction has been shortlisted for the Pushcart Prize, the Bram Stoker Award, the Locus Award, and the Shirley Jackson Award. Her work has been published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Strange Horizons, Nightmare Magazine, Black Static, and Tor.com, among others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
August 8, 2025
Alot going on in this volume.
September 8, 2022
all 5 stars for kho
January 23, 2023
Much better than the last volume. It finally feels like we've gone back to Aphra's bread and butter - archaeology and cool artifacts - and we're going into Sana and Aphra's past in some interesting ways. Kho seemed pretty one note but they're growing on me, and it's nice to have a non-binary character represented -with aliens, you'd think most Star Wars characters would be non-binary. Sana is still pretty bland though, and I'd love to see her grow beyond Aphra's foil. And the Tagge stuff, Lucky, the rest of it is all pretty forgettable, but I'm hopeful it will all come together in an interesting way. I am not reading Crimson Reign so personally I'm grateful it's a false tie-in. Relieved to look forward to the next volume.
February 20, 2023
Great story telling and nice art for sure. Things are going to get exciting after this set up arc.
May 22, 2023
Que leitura gostosa! Alyssa Wong foi uma escolha perfeita para continuar trabalhando a nada confiável e cheia de artimanhas Doutora Aphra depois de Kieron Gillen e Simon Spurrier. Além de trabalhar lindamente as personalidades das personagens, a autora ainda nos envolve em uma busca arqueológica no universo de Star Wars, cheia de intrigas e mistérios do passado que aconteceram na Faculdade de Arqueologia e em pontos longínquos do passado desse universo. Essa é uma daquelas histórias que eu gosto, que nos fazem imergir no que está sendo contado e que dá a impressão de que estamos há muito tempo correndo ao lado da personagem para que ela atinja (ou não) seus objetivos sempre fora da moralidade vigente. Um dos pontos fracos são os desenhos, já que a Doutora já teve melhores desenhistas, mas isso não prejudica o deleite que é ler uma história em quadrinhos despretensiosa e incrivelmente divertida. A impressão que sempre me deu desde que comecei a ler Doutora Aphra é que este é o melhor título de Star Wars publicado atualmente.
November 20, 2022
An ok book. Lots of things going on I am not quite sure how Aphra's (mis)adventures kind of fit into the main Star Wars storylines. It link up with the High Republic era. It dies kind of make sense with her being an Archaeologist.
The last time Doctor Aphra touched an Ascendant artifact. It almost over took her as well as damage her physically. Now she is has been tasked with finding more, as well as enemies and sins of her past stacked up against her. Doctor Aphra is going to do what she does best.
This book does setup a number of things to come for Doctor Aphra and the other characters, I should be interesting to see where things go. The book finishes with a varient cover gallery.
The last time Doctor Aphra touched an Ascendant artifact. It almost over took her as well as damage her physically. Now she is has been tasked with finding more, as well as enemies and sins of her past stacked up against her. Doctor Aphra is going to do what she does best.
This book does setup a number of things to come for Doctor Aphra and the other characters, I should be interesting to see where things go. The book finishes with a varient cover gallery.
July 8, 2023
I got a little excited about this book because the overall structure felt like quite the fun Aphra romp and was making good use of the characters assembled. Throw in another archeologist rival for Aphra and you REALLY make for a fun time that is unique to the book.
The focus of things remains on Ascendant artifacts and how they try to emulate Force abilities (well, more Dark Side stuff) and how it can be a unique threat right within Aphra's playing field.
Things were getting pretty exciting and enjoyable until the end as the twist of things wasn't quite my favorite. Maybe it'll work out in the next volume, but for now the ending felt a little off to me.
The focus of things remains on Ascendant artifacts and how they try to emulate Force abilities (well, more Dark Side stuff) and how it can be a unique threat right within Aphra's playing field.
Things were getting pretty exciting and enjoyable until the end as the twist of things wasn't quite my favorite. Maybe it'll work out in the next volume, but for now the ending felt a little off to me.
November 13, 2022
I love Doctor Aphra so much, I think she’s one of my favourite Star Wars characters and I can wait to go back and read her previous canon stories as the audiobook was fantastic! I would love for her to have a live action or animated appearance but I would also be a little worried about how she would be shown… but despite the opinions of a lot of other fans I don’t feel like Star Wars often lets me down these days! This volume is fantastic and I am gutted that I need to wait so long for the next.
August 30, 2024
"Dresses like a Sith dipped in glitter" is a great insult and I hope I some day have a chance to use it, too.
December 5, 2022
Dr. Chelli Aphra collects artifacts with some kick to them along with archnemesises. Here comes another one. Kho Phon Farrus, someone both Aphra and Sana knew back at the academy they attended, someone who’s got big plans and is holding a big grudge. A quest, a riddle, and a trip back to school get Aphra into the biggest trouble she’s ever been in.
So much happened in this volume with Aphra, with Domina Tagge, with her old/new adversary, forcing Aphra and Sana to leap from one scrape to another, chasing someone or being chased. Lucky and Auole had some sweet moments to rest, reflect, and open up. Not that they lasted long. Lucky is in too much trouble of his own. Throw in some familiar faces and a peril unlike any Aphra has ever been nearly destroyed by, and I found myself reading an impressive book in an already impressive series.
So much happened in this volume with Aphra, with Domina Tagge, with her old/new adversary, forcing Aphra and Sana to leap from one scrape to another, chasing someone or being chased. Lucky and Auole had some sweet moments to rest, reflect, and open up. Not that they lasted long. Lucky is in too much trouble of his own. Throw in some familiar faces and a peril unlike any Aphra has ever been nearly destroyed by, and I found myself reading an impressive book in an already impressive series.
May 15, 2024
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Vol. 4 Crimson Reign collects issues 16-20 of the Marvel Comics series written by Alyssa Wong, art by Minkyu Jung, and colors by Rachelle Rosenberg.
After escaping The Vermillion during “The War of the Bounty Hunters,” Aphra and Sana Starros have been sent on a new mission to collect Ascendant tech.
Doctor Aphra was one of my favorite original character in the Marvel Star Wars relaunch. But her stories following Empire Strikes Back have been lacking. Lately she has come off as the Harley Quinn of the Star Wars universe. And I do not mean that in a good way. This volume ends on a decent cliff hanger so maybe that will lead to some interesting character development.
After escaping The Vermillion during “The War of the Bounty Hunters,” Aphra and Sana Starros have been sent on a new mission to collect Ascendant tech.
Doctor Aphra was one of my favorite original character in the Marvel Star Wars relaunch. But her stories following Empire Strikes Back have been lacking. Lately she has come off as the Harley Quinn of the Star Wars universe. And I do not mean that in a good way. This volume ends on a decent cliff hanger so maybe that will lead to some interesting character development.
August 9, 2022
See “Crimson Reign” review for in depth thoughts.
February 5, 2023
domina tagge please give me once chance
February 12, 2024
best volume so far
July 10, 2024
Nadal nijak ma sie do serii Szkarłatnych rządów :c
August 20, 2023
Doktor Aphra to moja ulubiona seria komiksowa z uniwersum Gwiezdnych Wojen. Jest to również kolejna część crossoveru opowiadającego o upadku Szkarłatnego Świtu. Przed wami czwarty tom przygód pani archeolog.
W co tym razem wpakuje się Chelli Aphra?
W poprzednim komiksie główna bohaterka próbowała ominąć Wojnę Łowców Nagród. Jednak przyjmując zaproszenie na aukcję organizowaną przez Szkarłatny Świt, znalazła się w samym centrum kłopotów. W zasadzie i tak nie miała wielkiego wyboru, bo Domina Tagge nie byłaby zadowolona, gdyby odmówiła przyjścia. Będąc na Vermillionie, Aphra odkrywa artefakt należący do sekty o nazwie Ascendent, która eksperymentowała z Mocą.
Zleceniodawczyni rozkazuje jej przynieść tyle starożytnych przedmiotów, ile zdoła. Na jej drodze staje jednak Kho Phon Farrus, wysłanniczka Szkarłatnego Świtu, która otrzymała podobne zadanie. Tylko ta poluje na coś znacznie potężniejszego, a mianowicie na Wieczną Iskrę. Zaczyna się zatem wyścig.
Domina Tagge twardą ręką rządzi Tagge Corporation. Ten biznes należy tylko do niej i to ona sprawi, że będzie najbardziej wpływową firmą produkującą broń w Galaktyce. Podoba mi się, że ma w garści wszystkich. Jednakże, do żywych powrócił jej krewny Ronen, dokładnie ten sam, którego Aphra wysadziła w pierwszym tomie. Zatem szykuje się rodzinna sprzeczka.
Tymczasem Just Lucky szuka swojego byłego chłopaka Ariole Yu i młodszego brata, który zaginął bez śladu. W zasadzie to by było na tyle z jego występu w komiksie. Rozczarował mnie ten fakt, bo uwielbiam postać Lucky’ego. Miałam wrażenie, że wciśnięto go na siłę. Nie pozostaje mi nic innego, jak czekać na kolejny tom.
Alyssa Wong jako scenarzystka nigdy nie zawodzi. Komiks czytało mi się szybko i przyjemnie. Wiele się dzieje, ale wszystko jest poukładane, dzięki czemu nie gubimy wątku w połowie. Szkoda tylko, że tak mało tu było Lucky’ego. Ponadto chylę czoła, przed Jackiem Drewnowskim, który przełożył zeszyt na język polski. Najbardziej zaimponował mi przetłumaczeniem mantry Ascendentu w taki sposób, aby zachowała nie tylko sens, ale i rymy. Minkyu Jung odpowiadał za rysunki. Były to jedne z lepszych ilustracji, jakie widziałam. Z jednej strony proste, komiksowe, z drugiej zaś autor niesamowicie oddał emocje na twarzach postaci, jak również szaleństwo w oczach Ronena. Jednak największe wrażenie zrobiła na mnie finałowa scena przedstawiająca Wieczną Iskrę.
Doktor Aphra: Szkarłatne rządy to kolejna część przygód o ekscentrycznej archeolożce. Zachęcam do zapoznania się z tą serią. Gorąco polecam czwarty tom i już nie mogę doczekać się kolejnego.
Więcej na: CzasoStrefa
W co tym razem wpakuje się Chelli Aphra?
W poprzednim komiksie główna bohaterka próbowała ominąć Wojnę Łowców Nagród. Jednak przyjmując zaproszenie na aukcję organizowaną przez Szkarłatny Świt, znalazła się w samym centrum kłopotów. W zasadzie i tak nie miała wielkiego wyboru, bo Domina Tagge nie byłaby zadowolona, gdyby odmówiła przyjścia. Będąc na Vermillionie, Aphra odkrywa artefakt należący do sekty o nazwie Ascendent, która eksperymentowała z Mocą.
Zleceniodawczyni rozkazuje jej przynieść tyle starożytnych przedmiotów, ile zdoła. Na jej drodze staje jednak Kho Phon Farrus, wysłanniczka Szkarłatnego Świtu, która otrzymała podobne zadanie. Tylko ta poluje na coś znacznie potężniejszego, a mianowicie na Wieczną Iskrę. Zaczyna się zatem wyścig.
Domina Tagge twardą ręką rządzi Tagge Corporation. Ten biznes należy tylko do niej i to ona sprawi, że będzie najbardziej wpływową firmą produkującą broń w Galaktyce. Podoba mi się, że ma w garści wszystkich. Jednakże, do żywych powrócił jej krewny Ronen, dokładnie ten sam, którego Aphra wysadziła w pierwszym tomie. Zatem szykuje się rodzinna sprzeczka.
Tymczasem Just Lucky szuka swojego byłego chłopaka Ariole Yu i młodszego brata, który zaginął bez śladu. W zasadzie to by było na tyle z jego występu w komiksie. Rozczarował mnie ten fakt, bo uwielbiam postać Lucky’ego. Miałam wrażenie, że wciśnięto go na siłę. Nie pozostaje mi nic innego, jak czekać na kolejny tom.
Alyssa Wong jako scenarzystka nigdy nie zawodzi. Komiks czytało mi się szybko i przyjemnie. Wiele się dzieje, ale wszystko jest poukładane, dzięki czemu nie gubimy wątku w połowie. Szkoda tylko, że tak mało tu było Lucky’ego. Ponadto chylę czoła, przed Jackiem Drewnowskim, który przełożył zeszyt na język polski. Najbardziej zaimponował mi przetłumaczeniem mantry Ascendentu w taki sposób, aby zachowała nie tylko sens, ale i rymy. Minkyu Jung odpowiadał za rysunki. Były to jedne z lepszych ilustracji, jakie widziałam. Z jednej strony proste, komiksowe, z drugiej zaś autor niesamowicie oddał emocje na twarzach postaci, jak również szaleństwo w oczach Ronena. Jednak największe wrażenie zrobiła na mnie finałowa scena przedstawiająca Wieczną Iskrę.
Doktor Aphra: Szkarłatne rządy to kolejna część przygód o ekscentrycznej archeolożce. Zachęcam do zapoznania się z tą serią. Gorąco polecam czwarty tom i już nie mogę doczekać się kolejnego.
Więcej na: CzasoStrefa
December 19, 2022
Book four.
Aphra and Sana have escaped from Crimson Dawn but are immediately tasked with tracking down artefacts of the Ascendant, an ancient cult which attempted to use technology to replicate the power of the Force.
I continue to like the idea of Aphra as a character but four books in to this iteration of her adventures and I'm still waiting for anything particularly interesting to happen. Pairing her with Sana Starros doesn't help matters because the smuggler is desperately bland, lacking the charm of the likes of Lando or the dash of Han.
Furthermore, although this book is apparently a tie-in to the Crimson Reign event (written by Charles Soule), it actually has almost nothing to do with it and has been given the 'Crimson Reign' branding just to try to trick people into buying a book they otherwise wouldn't.
My other main complaint here is in regards to the Ascendant; a sinister ancient cult which uses dark power to attempt to control others and live forever. Sound familiar? That's because in every conceivable functional way the Ascendant are the Sith.
I can only imagine that Disney has put some embargo on using the ancient Sith (much like writers in the old EU weren't allowed to use Sith post-RotJ, unless they were dead Sith, for a long time), which has forced Wong to create a very transparent analogue. If she'd wanted to make the Ascendant truly interesting then they should've been made much less Sith-like or have actually been Sith.
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad book or series (unlike, for example, Greg Pak's current Darth Vader run), but it is a needlessly bland one. It's just 'fine', but definitely could've been more.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
Aphra and Sana have escaped from Crimson Dawn but are immediately tasked with tracking down artefacts of the Ascendant, an ancient cult which attempted to use technology to replicate the power of the Force.
I continue to like the idea of Aphra as a character but four books in to this iteration of her adventures and I'm still waiting for anything particularly interesting to happen. Pairing her with Sana Starros doesn't help matters because the smuggler is desperately bland, lacking the charm of the likes of Lando or the dash of Han.
Furthermore, although this book is apparently a tie-in to the Crimson Reign event (written by Charles Soule), it actually has almost nothing to do with it and has been given the 'Crimson Reign' branding just to try to trick people into buying a book they otherwise wouldn't.
My other main complaint here is in regards to the Ascendant; a sinister ancient cult which uses dark power to attempt to control others and live forever. Sound familiar? That's because in every conceivable functional way the Ascendant are the Sith.
I can only imagine that Disney has put some embargo on using the ancient Sith (much like writers in the old EU weren't allowed to use Sith post-RotJ, unless they were dead Sith, for a long time), which has forced Wong to create a very transparent analogue. If she'd wanted to make the Ascendant truly interesting then they should've been made much less Sith-like or have actually been Sith.
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad book or series (unlike, for example, Greg Pak's current Darth Vader run), but it is a needlessly bland one. It's just 'fine', but definitely could've been more.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
October 21, 2022
Doctor Aphra's on the trail of an ancient cult whose technology rivalled the Sith themselves! But the Spark Eternal isn't some treasure just waiting to be found, and Aphra's not the only one looking for it either...
This is another volume of Crimson Reign that really doesn't feel like it's being affected by the 'crossover' at all - Aphra's still doing what Aphra does best (get into trouble) but Crimson Dawn are basically incidental as to how everything unfolds. This is also kind of the first half of a bigger story, since what happens in this volume leads directly into the next, but that's more longer-form storytelling than a comment on Crimson Reign in general.
I do like that Aphra's world feels like it's expanding, especially with the addition of Sana Starros to the cast as well as some more people that Aphra wronged in the past (that's a long list that keeps growing). I also love the idea of technological counterparts to the Force, because that makes perfect sense. Series artist Minkyu Jung draws all five of these issues with his usual flair, so that's nice as well.
Aphra's adventures continue to impress, even if the effects of the crossover leave a little to be desired.
This is another volume of Crimson Reign that really doesn't feel like it's being affected by the 'crossover' at all - Aphra's still doing what Aphra does best (get into trouble) but Crimson Dawn are basically incidental as to how everything unfolds. This is also kind of the first half of a bigger story, since what happens in this volume leads directly into the next, but that's more longer-form storytelling than a comment on Crimson Reign in general.
I do like that Aphra's world feels like it's expanding, especially with the addition of Sana Starros to the cast as well as some more people that Aphra wronged in the past (that's a long list that keeps growing). I also love the idea of technological counterparts to the Force, because that makes perfect sense. Series artist Minkyu Jung draws all five of these issues with his usual flair, so that's nice as well.
Aphra's adventures continue to impress, even if the effects of the crossover leave a little to be desired.
December 15, 2022
The title might suggest that Doctor Aphra has been pulled into the Crimson Reign event, but that's barely the case. Instead, Aphra is tracking down ancient Ascendant tech that gives the user an approximation of Sith powers.
Sweet! Finally, the Doctor Aphra series digs into archaeology and mysterious artifacts. That's like, all that I've been waiting for. Give me some of that delicious lore, thank you very much. It's not perfect: the Ascendant tech happens to be located directly beneath the school where Aphra and friends matriculated. What a stunning coincidence! sigh But the tech itself is intriguing, as is Aphra's new competitor Kho Phon Farrus. A shocking cliffhanger ending could see our anti-hero transformed!
Oh, also, that Just Lucky fella has to thread the needle between his creditors on Canto Bight and a reborn Ronen Tagge. And Domina Tagge has to fend off Crimson Dawn and her nephew. Slightly less interesting plotlines, but I guess they help break up the headlong pacing. All told, this is a good Doctor Aphra volume, maybe one of the best.
Sweet! Finally, the Doctor Aphra series digs into archaeology and mysterious artifacts. That's like, all that I've been waiting for. Give me some of that delicious lore, thank you very much. It's not perfect: the Ascendant tech happens to be located directly beneath the school where Aphra and friends matriculated. What a stunning coincidence! sigh But the tech itself is intriguing, as is Aphra's new competitor Kho Phon Farrus. A shocking cliffhanger ending could see our anti-hero transformed!
Oh, also, that Just Lucky fella has to thread the needle between his creditors on Canto Bight and a reborn Ronen Tagge. And Domina Tagge has to fend off Crimson Dawn and her nephew. Slightly less interesting plotlines, but I guess they help break up the headlong pacing. All told, this is a good Doctor Aphra volume, maybe one of the best.
January 19, 2023
What is Kho's gender called because I want that. It's so great to have a queer writer writing queer characters. We already had lesbians and gays in Aphra, but now we got an actual nonbinary icon! The thing with trans characters in fiction is that it is hard to make them visibly trans. These characters often have great passing and their past is ignored so them being trans doesn't make any difference. What writers tend to do instead is creating nonbinary characters, which can be made visible easily by giving them they/them pronouns. But having nonbinary characters in Sci-fi/fantasy is not necessarily trans representation because these fictional worlds could just have different genders than our world and a nonbinary gender could actually be the assigned gender of a character. But Kho is an actual trans character! They have a deadname on their I.D. I feel represented. The Aphra comics feel like home to me.
Other than that: Great dynamics between Aphra, Sana and Kho, great to dive deeper into Aphra's past and the archeological community of Star Wars, epic cliffhanger. Love it!
Other than that: Great dynamics between Aphra, Sana and Kho, great to dive deeper into Aphra's past and the archeological community of Star Wars, epic cliffhanger. Love it!
December 27, 2022
I’ve been a pretty big fan of the Aphra comic line for a while now but of late, it seems like these issues are a bit all over the place. Inserted into this volume is a new former classmate and “nemesis,” Kho, who appears in a chunk of the plot before any backstory is laid out to highlight the rationale for their antagonism of Aphra (who shifts pretty hard back into antihero territory here to such an extent that she’s fairly unlikeable even in the moments leading up to the climax of this series). I’m just not really sure where this all goes from here, but while I want there to be some lasting ramifications, I suspect they’ll be few by the end of the next volume (which, also, the denouement to follow should really take place over 6-10 issues…). The attachment to the Crimson Reign storyline also feels tenuous here, and I just…continue to not care about the Tagges, who remain mostly uninteresting as a whole.
March 7, 2023
"Doctor Aphra Vol. 4" is the compilation of issues related to the "Crimson Reign" crossover event. Written by Alyssa Wong with art by Minkyu Jung and Rachelle Rosenberg collects issues 16-20 of the ongoing series that started in 2020.
In the events, Doctor Aphra finds Kho Phon Farrus, an old university colleague who is obsessed with the Ascendant, an extinct group that tried to simulate the effects of the Force through technology.
Helped by Sana Starros, she will go back to her university to confront one of his oldest teachers and find out that the source of the Ascendant's power is located beneath the campus. Will they be able to perform the necessary rituals to unlock the ancient secrets?
Fantastic art and this is one of the best arcs in the series so far!
In the events, Doctor Aphra finds Kho Phon Farrus, an old university colleague who is obsessed with the Ascendant, an extinct group that tried to simulate the effects of the Force through technology.
Helped by Sana Starros, she will go back to her university to confront one of his oldest teachers and find out that the source of the Ascendant's power is located beneath the campus. Will they be able to perform the necessary rituals to unlock the ancient secrets?
Fantastic art and this is one of the best arcs in the series so far!
August 7, 2023
Doctor Aphra Volume 4 is part of the rebooted or expanded storyline under writer Alyssa Wong. The main storyline here is intriguing. As you know, Dr. Chelli Aphra collects artifacts, in a rogue manner, which has caused her to collect many enemies. In Crimson Regin we're introduced to another one: Kho Phon Farrus, someone both Aphra and Sana knew back at the academy they attended. Turns out that Kho is pretty obsessed with a powerful artifact of Ascendent tech. (side note: The Ascendant were not Force users but Force fanatics, obsessed with replicating the effects of the dark side in similar ways to how the Sith used it, and beyond. There are two things that define the Ascendant: technology and the occult.) So: A quest, a riddle, and a trip back to school get Aphra into the biggest trouble she’s ever been in, which leaves us on quite the cliffhanger. The Crimson Dawn angle comes the B plot - Domina Tagge has moles in her corporation but the the title has a subtle reference to what happens to Aphra at the end as well.
The art by Jung and Rosenberg shines. I particular enjoy how elements of slight manga have made their way into the art. And I love some of the color choices.
The art by Jung and Rosenberg shines. I particular enjoy how elements of slight manga have made their way into the art. And I love some of the color choices.
January 27, 2023
One thing I've always appreciated about Doctor Aphra is that the series is way more comfortable being LGBTQA friendly than the main Star Wars universe - I think this is the first time a person with they/them pronouns plays a prominent role, and Kho makes for an interesting antagonist to Aphra and Sana. This volume gets back to the artifact heists, as Chelli is tracking down pieces related to what I'm guessing is a High Republic antagonist, the Ascendant. It offers a bit of world-trotting, and more fun banter between the Sana/Chelli ex-couple.
It does lose a star for the cheap cliffhanger ending, and the resurrection of a previously dead antagonist, although I'm hoping both are paid off quickly in the next volume. But all told, it's another fun romp through the Star Wars universe, with some interesting ideas ( I never quite grasped exactly how Kho's magnets were doing everything they did, but I did like the focus on Aphra's tattoos), and a good balance between plot and character.
It does lose a star for the cheap cliffhanger ending, and the resurrection of a previously dead antagonist, although I'm hoping both are paid off quickly in the next volume. But all told, it's another fun romp through the Star Wars universe, with some interesting ideas ( I never quite grasped exactly how Kho's magnets were doing everything they did, but I did like the focus on Aphra's tattoos), and a good balance between plot and character.
November 29, 2022
This was a lot of fun. Aphra and Sana Starros are still under the employ of Domina Tagge. In this volume they're hunting down artifacts from The Ascendant (a weird cult that sought to replicate the Force through tech). This leads them to a former classmate of theirs who's hunting the Spark Eternal and leaving grisly rituals in her wake. The story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger that very much left me wanting more. In and around the main story is the Crimson Reign arc. Fortunately, it's not enough to be confusing if you haven't read any of the other Crimson Reign volumes. So, we have a fun story with Aphra (who's becoming one of my favorite comics characters, maybe even in the whole of the new canon), with good art that's just a wild, fun ride.
December 14, 2022
Still enjoying this series, although it is starting to juggle more plot threads than I would be comfortable with. That's probably just my fault for reading the issues as they come out, but I do hope they pare back at some point. The nonbinary representation here is really cool to see (Star Wars' first?). The cliffhanger that this ends on makes me think that perhaps the volumes should be divided in a different place, but at the end of the day it had to be cut somewhere, right?
The line art is starting to get a little bit muddy, but it's still acceptable and the color is quite good.
The line art is starting to get a little bit muddy, but it's still acceptable and the color is quite good.
August 6, 2023
Continued re-read. Aphra gets back to what she, and this comic do best: exploring the history of a galaxy far far away and being goofy af about it.
The Ascendant are an amazing piece of new Force-lore and Kho Phon Farrus is a really great foil for Aphra, in that Aphra is our protagonist, but is a very crappy person, while Kho is a more sympathetic person (except when they’re chopping off arms for arcane rituals), but is the antagonist.
Also I think comics in this block tie into Crimson Reign WAY more organically than they did with WotBH, with the Archivist making ominous cameos here.
The Ascendant are an amazing piece of new Force-lore and Kho Phon Farrus is a really great foil for Aphra, in that Aphra is our protagonist, but is a very crappy person, while Kho is a more sympathetic person (except when they’re chopping off arms for arcane rituals), but is the antagonist.
Also I think comics in this block tie into Crimson Reign WAY more organically than they did with WotBH, with the Archivist making ominous cameos here.
January 26, 2024
Love this comic series! Alyssa Wong takes over the writing helm and doesn’t disappoint at all! Still Great plot lines, some carry throughout series and some only a few issues. Interesting and complex characters from the mains to the supporting. I do read a few other Star Wars series but it is not necessary that you do to read Dr APHRA although there is some cross over so makes it cool if you do. Takes place after A New Hope and before Empire. Fresh new artwork for a fresh new team of Nerf Hearders. GET INTO THIS SERIES!
July 17, 2024
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020), Alyssa Wong – Volume 4 – Crimson Reign
This cheeky rogue continues her schemes. ***
#16 – Resurrections – “Shorted. Cooked. Zipped and Zapped.” “Those technical terms?”
#17 – Evocations – “It’s so good to see you again, APHRA. I’ve been waiting a LONG TIME for this.”
#18 – Conjurations – “Life eternal – The Spark Eternal – lies at the HEART.”
#19 – Ascension – “But .. isn’t that STEALING?” “Yeah. That’s what archaeology IS.”
#20 – Eternity – “Archaeology is a field that draws on countless disciplines ..”
This cheeky rogue continues her schemes. ***
#16 – Resurrections – “Shorted. Cooked. Zipped and Zapped.” “Those technical terms?”
#17 – Evocations – “It’s so good to see you again, APHRA. I’ve been waiting a LONG TIME for this.”
#18 – Conjurations – “Life eternal – The Spark Eternal – lies at the HEART.”
#19 – Ascension – “But .. isn’t that STEALING?” “Yeah. That’s what archaeology IS.”
#20 – Eternity – “Archaeology is a field that draws on countless disciplines ..”
December 15, 2022
3-4 ABY
This graphic novel is the fourth volume in the 2020 Doctor Aphra reboot. It contains issue numbers 16-20 entitled "Crimson Reign," as it has a minor tie-in to the other arcs of the same title. Aphra is currently working for Domina Tagge, mostly because there aren't many other options out there for her, and working for Tagge might keep her among the living at least a little bit longer. After her tech tattoos get messed up, Aphra makes a deal with Tagge to get her tattoos fixed in exchange for collecting a very powerful Sith artifact. When Aphra and Sana encounter an old acquaintance who happens to be using magnet science to engineer fake Force powers, plans change. Kho is fixated on becoming a Sith acolyte using their knowledge of an ancient prophesy. Aphra knows how powerful some Sith items are, and now it becomes a necessary detour instead of fulfilling her job to Tagge.
The art in this volume is phenomenal. It really brings Aphra, her companions, and her nemeses to life. I enjoyed the story a lot in this one too. I really like her misadventures as a rogue archeologist and how she usually ends up getting tied into some pretty insane shenanigans. Kho is certainly an interesting character, and we get a nice glimpse of the school Aphra went to previously. Overall a really great addition to Aphra's story.
This graphic novel is the fourth volume in the 2020 Doctor Aphra reboot. It contains issue numbers 16-20 entitled "Crimson Reign," as it has a minor tie-in to the other arcs of the same title. Aphra is currently working for Domina Tagge, mostly because there aren't many other options out there for her, and working for Tagge might keep her among the living at least a little bit longer. After her tech tattoos get messed up, Aphra makes a deal with Tagge to get her tattoos fixed in exchange for collecting a very powerful Sith artifact. When Aphra and Sana encounter an old acquaintance who happens to be using magnet science to engineer fake Force powers, plans change. Kho is fixated on becoming a Sith acolyte using their knowledge of an ancient prophesy. Aphra knows how powerful some Sith items are, and now it becomes a necessary detour instead of fulfilling her job to Tagge.
The art in this volume is phenomenal. It really brings Aphra, her companions, and her nemeses to life. I enjoyed the story a lot in this one too. I really like her misadventures as a rogue archeologist and how she usually ends up getting tied into some pretty insane shenanigans. Kho is certainly an interesting character, and we get a nice glimpse of the school Aphra went to previously. Overall a really great addition to Aphra's story.
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