
Published: August 27, 2025
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Cherish Chen
Artist: Gabriel Guzman
Colours: Michael Atiyeh
Letters: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Ejikure
The synopsis;
THE DOCTOR AND THE SMUGGLER MEET AGAIN!
• The DAGGER agency teams up DOCTOR APHRA with the rebel hero and former smuggler HAN SOLO for a life-or-death mission!
• A prized piece of art must be returned to a gangster from HAN’S past!
• Can the doctor make it out in one piece?!
The review;
The world seemingly keeps wanting Doctor Aphra. This is her third series all about – well – her and it shows no signs of letting down on the quality nor the charisma the other two series had. Most importantly though, it is something different, it’s Aphra playing within the lines of the Republic. We’re only two issues in yet Cherish Chen has set a very high bar for this series, one that I really hope keeps moving up and up. Joining her is artist Gabriel Guzman, who has done a fantastic job of bringing Chen’s vision to the page and breathing life into these characters. We’ve had Luke Skywalker holding Aphra’s hand until now, with that gorgeous cover clearly showing that this week it is the turn of an old scoundrel.
The comic begins at the D.A.A.G.R headquarters, with Meteora giving a lecture about artefacts. Now while Aphra might consider this boring, I loved it. I like that it is setting the stage for what is to come, much like an Indiana Jones story. But I also really appreciate that there is a real focus by Chen here to show the aim of this series: that it is all about getting artefacts. Whatever the series, it always promises to be like this and then goes off on some wild tangent. I really want to see ‘Indiana in Space’. While the history lesson – I think – is entertaining, Aphra also brings her own set of knowledge. She isn’t someone who will just nod along, she will question the information. It is why she is there and it’s refreshing seeing her stand up to the authority where others wouldn’t.
Aphra herself is fantastic in this issue. She has the typical dark humour that really draws fans to her character. But this is still an Aphra who isn’t completely herself. Just because Skywalker vouched for her, doesn’t mean that everyone at the New Republic trusts her – heck even Han doesn’t trust her. The fact that her tattoos are still inactive demonstrates this. I also think without these, it explains why she won’t just run away, while we – as the reader – can Start to begin to realise that she must do this job, that she must stick with it. At least until she gets what she needs back. Of course, historical knowledge and humour aren’t the only things about Aphra that make her. She also gets very distracted by a pretty lady. There are many times that homosexual characters are placed into a story just to tick a box, that has never felt like that with Aphra, no matter which series she’s in. I still contest that one of the most beautifully told love stories in Star Wars is the one between Aphra and Tolvan. It makes sense, it isn’t just there to say it is there, but it feels like a real, genuine thing. Now at this point in Aphra’s life, she is a very free agent and the way she moves as soon as she catches a pretty face had me laughing. It was very well done by Chen and Guzman.
As great as Aphra can be, she is one of these characters that needs to work beside others to get the most out of her. Not going to lie, Han Solo steals the show in this comic. From the very first panel where we see his cocky grin, hands out wide, you know that Chen and Guzman have nailed this. You can hear Harrison Ford when he talks, you can almost ‘see’ the swagger as he is moving from panel to panel. There is a lot about Han here, not least that he is starting to try and make amends for the damage he did when he was a scoundrel, and I like that that is the path that has lead him here. Unlike others, he is straight to the point when he talks, not mincing words. Yet it’s the interactions with Aphra that let them both shine. The humour between the two is brilliant, particularly when Guzman gives Han his scowl. When Aphra is trying to open a box, she says it’ll take a while, whereas Han just blasts it. It feels with the two of them together, that the two characters really shine as who they are. It has been a while since I’ve seen Han so well written.
I’ve mentioned it a few times, but the reason Han works so well is the artwork from Guzman. He captures Han brilliantly. The looks, the grin, without it the story wouldn’t have worked as well as it does. I’m focusing on Han because we all know how he should look but Guzman does a great job through the entire issue. The looks between characters, the cheeky grins and winks not just off Han but everyone, are timed beautifully to really enhance what Chen is writing.
We do also get an additional history lesson of Han. What I like with this one, is that it is not just some random planet that Chen has come up with, it’s Felucia. We know this planet – if briefly – from Revenge of the Sith and The Clone Wars. Does the history of what happened after the Clone Wars matter? Of course not, but I love the expansion to the lore of it and the eel-like creatures that have taken over, while horrendous, are also completely fascinating. I really hope this shows where Chen is going to take the history part of the series, as I would love to explore more of known planets.
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