Doctor Aphra (2020) #17 - Comic Review

The lovable rogue Aphra and her partner in crime Sana Starros have been tasked by Domina Tagge to retrieve the Thought Dowser, an ancient weapon created by a cult called The Ascendant which would recreate certain Force based abilities. In Doctor Aphra (2020) #17, however, it turns out they were too slow in getting to their contact as when the two arrive they find him already dead. Dead, removed of arms, along with a few other various entities. The culprit behind this is Kho Phon Farrus, someone Aphra has tangled with in the past. Turns out, Kho is a dark side obsessed being who wants to collect as many artifacts from The Ascendant as possible to enhance their abilities to mimic that of a Sith! On top of all this, in a different part of the galaxy, another old foe of Aphra’s surfaces in the form of a scared and ready for revenge Ronen Tagge who has just come out of the Bacta tank in the presence of his Aunt Domina!

Writer Alyssa Wong continues her brilliant run with Doctor Aphra (2020) #17 and continues to show why she’s one of the best writers in Star Wars today! This issue is full of fun action and suspense, multiple twists, and on brand witty humor throughout. There’s a moment where Aphra plays a prank in this issue that legitimately had me put the comic down and cackle out loud. She has also created a character who quite possibly might be a new favorite Star Wars character of mine with Kho! Their overall vibe and personality are great with them wanting so hard to be a legendary Sith, despite having no ability in the Force, and the will to seek out these artifacts and commit to various rituals and tricks in order to convince others, and themself, that they are powerful in the magic of the Sith! They are a really fun and fascinating character and I hope this is just the beginning of their time in Star Wars.

Speaking of my absolute adoration for Kho Phon Farrus, the visual artistic team for Doctor Aphra (2020) #17 is just as incredible as ever! Artist Minkyu Jung, color artist Rachelle Rosenberg, and letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna have done absolutely wonderful stuff with this issue to make it one of the best of the current Star Wars comic runs out there! The way the action is done, all the various set pieces, and Caramagna’s letter and sound effects are all spectacular stuff. As I stated previously, however, I’m here to gush more about Kho! Wong did an incredible job writing them, but what really solidified my love is the way they were drawn. Jung and Rosenberg have created a totally badass and gorgeous character, from their hair and facial expressions to their passion shown through body language. Kho Phon Farrus really is one of the coolest new characters in Star Wars media today and the artists in this issue did a spectacular job bringing them to life!

The main cover for Doctor Aphra (2020) #17 was done by artists Sara Pichelli and Nolan Woodard and boasts an impressive and epic look at Aphra using the Thought Dowser. As Aphra uses the item the surrounding area goes red and the dark energy flowing through her gives her an almost rage filled expression as the artifact nearly takes over! The first variant cover comes from my favorite trio Chris Sprouse, Karl Story, and Neeraj Menon who bring us another Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary cover this time featuring Rose Tico and Vice Admiral Holdo from The Last Jedi! The second variant cover is an absolutely stunning piece by W. Scott Forbes that depicts a closeup look at Aphra using the Thought Dowser, this time showing specifically just her face with the reflection of the ancient artifact seen through her goggles!

As Aphra and Sana Starros try their best to continue paying off their debt to Domina Tagge in Doctor Aphra (2020) #17, they encounter an old rogue element of Aphra’s life in the dangerous and wonderful Kho Phon Farrus. It’s an incredible issue with a wonderful new character full of twists and turns that demands to be read! So swing on by your local comic shop and pick up an issue today!