Fans of Star Wars and Marvel Comics alike have had a rough year. The comics publisher took the opportunity after the release of The Rise of Skywalker to relaunch their Star Wars comics line with all new titles, including a new Doctor Aphra series that would bring the cult-favorite rogue archaeologist back after her ongoing comic book ended last year. But then, the current health crisis caused all major comics publishers to stop the presses, making it unclear when any upcoming releases would be available to fans, no matter which galaxy they took place in. Fortunately for readers, Marvel has decided to celebrate Star Wars Day by releasing Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #1 on digital providers nearly a month ahead of when the paper issue is scheduled to come out at local stores. Better yet, the new series’ opener is a perfect starting place for readers new to Doctor Aphra’s corner of the galaxy and to Star Wars comics in general.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #1 is written by Nebula Award-winning sci-fi author Alyssa Wong (A Fist of Permutations in Lightning and Wildflowers, Marvel’s Aero) and illustrated by artist Marika Cresta (X-Men Gold, Strikeforce), with a cover by Star variant cover artist Valentina Reminar. The namesake tomb raider Doctor Chelli Aphra first appeared in Darth Vader. Then she broke out into her own series that spotlighted her escapades raiding ancient ruins, evading her enemies from all corners of the Star Wars galaxy, and constantly straining the loyalty of her allies as she makes increasingly desperate bids for her own safety.
The new issue’s cover is an evocative promise of what’s to come: desert vistas, a hail of blaster fire, and a motley cast of characters, many of which are never-before-seen. The story is entirely anchored in these fresh faces; while we get mentions of pre-existing characters, like Aphra’s militant love interest Magna Tolvan, the plotline is anchored in new characters with clear agendas. A rookie archaeologist impressed by Aphra’s Indiana Jones-like romantic and deadly adventures asks her for help tracking down ancient and supposedly cursed artifacts. The first stop on the trail is one of Aphra’s old classmates, who has a sour history with the protagonist and a rock-bottom career that has only gotten worse since she ran afoul of Ronen Tagge, an astronomically wealthy new villain who instantly establishes himself as a threat to everything Aphra lives for.
Doctor Aphra #1’s biggest asset is that readers don’t need to know any pre-existing information to enjoy this opening chapter. In the style of James Bond movies, a disconnected opening scene establishes Aphra’s character in a nutshell: she’s on the rocks with both the Empire and the Rebellion, she’s made a lot of enemies, and she plans for the betrayals she knows are coming at every turn. New readers don’t even need to know who the Empire or the Rebellion are. The only ties to the rest of the Star Wars setting are either instantly understandable or treats for more established fans that make sense in context.
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #1 is an exercise in comics made for anyone interested in the thrill of adventure. While Rise of Skywalker presents Star Wars as a world of dynasties where everyone is part of a generation-spanning plot between good and evil, Doctor Aphra gives us a much more nuanced and personal setting, populated by people with unique and personal motivations, with no clear line between hero and villain. This is one heist that everyone can and should get in on.
Marvel’s Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #1 is available now from digital providers and is planned to release in physical copies on May 27th, 2020.
