A very talkative end of the arc.
Creative Staff:
Story: Simon Spurrier
Art: Wilton Santos, Cris Bolson, Walden Wong
Colors: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
What They Say:
UNSPEAKABLE REBEL SUPERWEAPON PART V! The sinister propagandists of the COALITION FOR PROGRESS keep a vast gallery of the EMPIRE’S priceless victory trophies – and notorious thief DOCTOR APHRA just got in… But she won’t get the chance to pinch anything. She’s here to be initiated into the web of secret schemes she’s unwittingly tangled herself in. Can you say “coup”? (IF yes: don’t. Round here, there’s always someone listening…)
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Having read a number of Simon Spurriers works over the years, including this one and the ongoing Sandman Universe book of his, I’m used to the way his stories end up being really verbose. It’s not a constant piece in each issue but when you get to the end of an arc like this it all just comes out in a big way. That makes for an interesting read overall but it can be a bit of a slog as well. This installment has a new round of artists on it and with the rotating schedule of them we’ve had lately it doesn’t do much to make me feel drawn to it visually. It’s not bad, everything is largely on model and looks decent, but the lack of visual continuity just bothers me.
The first half of the book is all about Aphra and Vulaada being drawn further into what Pitina has orchestrated. And it’s a pretty crazy run of events to be sure, one that shows how she was raised as a mid-range princess and pushed into marriage at eighteen. Her husband was a senator in the Republic and because he was such a yes man he ended up doing well under the Empire. But she eventually learned how to work the system herself, orchestrated his death, and set herself up to take over. The reason being was that she saw how the Empire was extending itself to death that would lead to real problems. But through the PR office she put together and more, she was able to salvage things all while still allowing for the Emperor to continue his dark business.
She has no love for him at all and has orchestrated events that Aphra has been dealing with in order to set up an assassination of the Emperor. It’s very convoluted but based on the predictability of Aphra herself, which Pitina reveals in the villain’s monologue style by going over every detail. It is interesting but at the same time we see how bored Aphra is and her reveal of figuring it all out ahead of time fits with her personality and style. Having everything reversed and revealing how involved Pitina actually was in Aphra’s past plays out way too easily and connects too smoothly but it is a nice and delicious bit of revenge when you get down to it. Of course, all of this sets us up for a place where Aphra is now in Vader’s hands again, and that combined with the big shift coming up in the Star Wars books keeps me interested.
In Summary:
The end of the arc could either go in big action and craziness or it could be a big expository piece. Spurrier goes for the exposition and it works well enough to show just how much manipulation has been going on since Mylvane. I do like seeing the way there are plans within plans to deal with the Emperor and that many on the inside know that he’s bad for their continued survival, but at the same time by this point they have to know there’s little chance of succeeding with a coup. He’d survived so much already. It’s amusing to see what Pitina came up with and how convoluted it was but it’s all worth it for the last page or two as Aphra’s own gambit now must unfold as she’s back within Vader’s grasp and that’s a dangerous place to be.
Grade: B
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Marvel Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: September 18th, 2019
MSRP: $3.99
