"Doctor Aphra #14: War of the Bounty Hunters: Repeat Offenders" by Alyssa Wong

"Doctor Aphra #14: War of the Bounty Hunters: Repeat Offenders" written by Alyssa Wong, illustrated by Federico Sabbatini and Rachelle Rosenberg

This issue was SO good!!! Alyssa Wong really, truly GETS Aphra and the situations that always surround her--seriously impressive for someone who didn't create the character but instead took the reigns of an already established character and continued her story. I just can't get enough. The banter in this issue was so on point that it had me giggling away several times. Strangely though, the artist has changed and so the art style is very different from what we've been getting. At first, I was a bit skeptical, not knowing how I felt about it, but it grew on me as I was reading the issue and now I'm sold (see a great example in the panel of Aphra and Sana below). It's much more cartoony but Aphra is honestly a cartoony person a lot of the time. Certainly not in a bad way, it's just that the situations she finds herself in are typically utterly ridiculous! 

My only gripe with this issue is that I'm not all that sure when it takes place in the timeline. At one point Aphra, Sana, Ariole, and Just Lucky come across Qi'ra and Margo...meaning the two Crimson Dawners are not at the auction party. But we know Vader has already arrived, meaning that Qi'ra must have already fought him...which would mean the party is already over, but Qi'ra says, "I must return to the party." Huh?!? The party's over...Vader already had carbonite-encased Han sent back to his Star Destroyer and everybody at the party has left in pursuit of Han. So I'm very very confused...

So what happens? We start in the brig with Aphra and Sana (see below). As Aphra says, "I hate jailbreaks. I mean, we've done them before--together, even--but just look at this place." I LOVE this!! Flashback to Accresker Jail with Tolvan!!!! Ahhhh...girly squeals because that arc of the original "Doctor Aphra" run is when Tolvan tells Aphra she loves her. This is what I'm talking about when I say Wong gets Aphra! 

Then the two women realize Ariole and Just Lucky are in the brig with them. Of course, neither knows who Ariole is, but Aphra is ready to throw down with Just Lucky. I started to write this next part in narrative form but it's just too good not to share the whole thing:

Aphra about Just Lucky, "He's betrayed me and left me for dead dozens of times." 

Sana, "No wonder you get along." 

Just Lucky, "It's a professional arrangement. We take turns." 

Sana, "Oh, you're the 'Left me buried alive in a crypt on a haunted planet' guy."

Just Lucky, "She said it wasn't haunted!"

Ariole to Sana, "Who the hell are you?"

Sana, "Sana Starros. She's Chelli Aphra and she's my problem." [AHHHH!!! Girly squeals again!!!! Although Sana doesn't want anything romantically to do with Aphra anymore, she still certainly cares about the other woman in her own damaged way.]

Just Lucky, "Gotcha. Let me guess, Sana--you're either an ex, or she owes you money." [Hahahaha!!! So freaking on the nose.]

Ariole, "Both?"

Sana, "Both." [OMFG!! I'm literally rolling.]

For the jailbreak, Aphra comes up with the plan to reprogram one of the 3L-N sentinel droids keeping watch. These things are giant and dangerous...but see her riding and controlling one below. I love how ingenious and confident this woman is. Let's back up. How did they get out of the cell? Well, Aphra, out of nowhere, attacks Just Lucky and tells everyone to start screaming to get Crae's attention (who she's also just met) so he'll open the cell and they can run. It actually works, she's not just ingenious, she's lucky as heck. 

They then go in search of weapons, find them (see their adorable reaction to finding a cache of them below), and proceed to attack anyone who comes in their way! Aphra's forced goal on the group is to find the necklace she had stolen back in issue #12, a payment to Lady Domina Tagge, her and Sana's current employer. The group sneaks up on Qi'ra and Margo as mentioned above (see below) and they see Qi'ra leave the necklace in a display for safe keeping. Aphra thinks they have it in the bag since the two Crimson Dawners leave the room...but...Deathstick appears (see below)!!! ...end issue.

I'm SO INCREDIBLY excited for the next issue!! This one was so crazy good. I simply can't wait to get more of Alyssa Wong's "Doctor Aphra"!!!