The final “Star Wars: Doctor Aphra” annual, like the second one, focuses on a Winloss and Nokk story, as if it is setting up a backdoor pilot for these characters.
Cover by Elsa Charretier and Matt HollingsworthWritten by Si Spurrier
Illustrated by Elsa Charretier
Colored by Edgar Delgado and Jim Campbell
Lettered by VC’s Joe CaramangaTHE ARRANGEMENT – A DONE-IN-ONE TALE! MOS EISLEY: you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy — and even from far away DOCTOR APHRA wears this place like a glove…Caught in her wake, struggling beast-hunters WINLOSS AND NOKK are about to cross paths with their most monstrous adversary yet…Oh blast, is that BLACK KRRSANTAN? And is there really an audience with JABBA THE HUTT up for grabs?
In our last “Star Wars: Doctor Aphra” annual review, I put forth the definition of a comic book annual as such:
By definition, a comic book annual has a larger page count than its monthly or biweekly brethren, which in turn allows room for multiple stories or longer stories that wouldn’t fit in the traditional page count. Whether or not they tie in to the ongoing series, and to what degree, is a creative decision left up to the writer.
Our first annual gave us a backstory for Black Krrsantan that tried to do too much in its small page count. The second annual introduced us to the husband and wife bounty hunters of Winloss and Nokk, presumably so that when we met them in the next arc of the story ‘Worst Among Equals,’ we would know who they were. For this annual, it’s another Winloss and Nokk story, which has me wondering two things: (1) will they be back for the final arc of the story, and (2) are Marvel and Spurrier using these annuals to test the waters of a solo series for these two characters?
After this annual, I’m more convinced of point 2 than point 1, particularly after they had more of a supporting role in ‘Worst Among Equals’ than I expected. Now is this backdoor pilot test successful? Given that the story is the same essential formula as the one we saw last time, not too much.
I should also add that once again, this is another strange placement in publication schedule, as this Annual came out on October 30th 2019, several weeks after the first part of the final arc, ‘A Rogue’s End’ on October 2nd. We’ll find out next week if that has any impact on my understanding and appreciation of that story.
Unlike the annual, this is a story told by Aphra in flashback, a lesson in the butterfly effect: small decisions having larger impacts. Winloss and Nokk are in the process of transporting a pet scurrier while on the search for a Trandoshian leader, Skikkesk for Aphra. One of the bartenders at the Mos Eisley cantina, Shrem, takes an interest in their pet, offering to buy it off of Winloss to help keep peace in the family. Winloss declines the offer, but accepts one from Shrem for assistance in finding Skikkesk. Not long after that, Shrem decides to try selling the scurrier to Black Krrsantan and thus betraying Skikkesk’s postion. Except (because there’s always an except) the Wookie, along with Winloss, Nokk, and Aphra, have been working to take down Skikkesk all along, and didn’t need Shrem’s help. His greed is also his downfall, as he realizes that the pet is not a scurrier, but the pest spitscuttle. And that spitscuttle spits in the wrong face at the wrong time.
Like the second annual, Aphra plays only a peripheral role in the story. She sets up the premise for this fable and then steps aside so that Winloss and Nokk get the starring roles in this self-contained tale. Now for a backdoor pilot, this framework works. But this is also the second time we’ve seen these two, and could even argue that their starring roles in the second annual also served as a backdoor pilot. Thus, I had higher expectations that weren’t delivered.
What was I hoping for? Perhaps a little more characterization, something to get me invested more in wanting to see a full series or miniseries with them. Perhaps a small cliffhanger to suggest more adventures to come but one that doesn’t leave the main narrative hanging incomplete. There’s some backstory for Nokk on her coming of age and meeting of Winloss, but it doesn’t connect in any way to the main plot. Their marriage also still plays a role in framing who they are – – the bickering married couple is cute, but we saw a lot of that the last time. That trope can only go so far.
Continued belowWhat does help this installment stand out from the rest is Elsa Charretier’s artwork. After doing a variant cover for the second Annual, she takes on the full art duties for the third, and brings something very different. Last week, I sang the praises of the art on the back half of ‘Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon’ for sticking with a much flatter style that allowed for precise, ambitious, and copious amounts of detail in spaces large and small. Charretier also sticks with flatter art that leans into simple shapes but she shies away from the detail, even choosing not to fully ink outlines of characters in many scenes. It’s more juvenile in tone for this book – – not that it is immature in its execution, but it’s a style I expect to see in all-ages books. (When you find out she’s done work on IDW’s all ages “Star Wars Adventures” series, this choice doesn’t come as a surprise.) Fortunately, this art works for a story that is (like the last Annual) lighter on action and heavier on character moments, and key detail in facial features isn’t distorted or missing that would disrupt flow. For this adult-oriented series, it does prove an odd choice. Though, when coupled with the lesson the story is supposed to tell, perhaps this is an attempt at something more family-friendly for the title.
Once again, there’s not much to really say about this Annual. It’s executed decently, it tells the story it wants to tell, and art doesn’t work against the script. But that’s really it. Using Winloss and Nokk again as characters provides potential, but it doesn’t seem like Spurrier was sure what to do with them in their second appearance. And that makes it a disappointing experience.
Next week is the final installment of our Summer Comics Binge, as we look a the final arc of the series, ‘A Rogue’s End.’
If you want to read along with me this summer, you can pick up the single issues or trades of “Star Wars: Doctor Aphra” at your local comic shop (be sure to social distance, wash your hands, and wear a mask, or even better, order your comics online for curbside pickup or delivery!), or digitally via Comixology Unlimited or Marvel Unlimited. As of this writing, all 40 issues of the series are available on Marvel Unlimited, and issues #1-25, and #28 (along with volumes 1 – 4) are available via Comixology Unlimited.
