Comic Review: Doctor Aphra: Chaos Agent #1 – The Doctor is In!
Doctor Aphra is finally back in her very own comic… and she’s just as chaotic as ever.
By
Jun 18, 2025
Marvel Comics/Youtini Illustration
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Writer: Cherish Chen
Artist: Gabriel Guzman
Colors: Michael Atiyeh
Publisher summary:
OUT FROM THE SHADOW OF DARTH VADER, DOCTOR APHRA RETURNS! An all-new ongoing series featuring the rogue archaeologist as she makes her way through the galaxy in the era of the NEW REPUBLIC! APHRA must team up with LUKE SKYWALKER to track down a rare artifact! And what will she do when her tattoos no longer function?!
Marvel Comics
Why it matters: A decade after her first appearance in Darth Vader #3, Doctor Aphra is still going strong and leaving a wake of destruction wherever she goes. Cherish Chen makes her Star Wars debut and perfectly captures the fan favorite character with an outstanding first issue.
Key moments:
New Era, Same Aphra: Aphra has been through a lot in the past 10 years - from avoiding execution by Darth Vader to surviving an encounter with a Starweird. Yet at her core, she’s still the lovable and careless archaeologist she has always been.
Jedi Mentor: Last time Aphra and Luke Skywalker worked together he was a new Jedi. Now that he’s a Jedi master, it seems that he’s ready to handle her chaos… and maybe even teach her a few things about being a hero.
Fast and furious: The issue kicks off with a fantastic speeder chase, immediately kicking the book into high gear. Even with pages full of dialogue to set up this new era, there’s plenty of the exciting underworld action we expect from an Aphra comic.
Marvel Comics
The big picture:
Let’s keep this simple: Cherish Chen has nailed the tone of Doctor Aphra.
From the first page I felt right at home with the character. While it feels like a bit of a soft reboot for the character, lacking any direct mentions of her extensive relationships and development through the years, Aphra isn’t fully backsliding into who she used to be. It’s clear that Aphra has grown from the events of her past two series, but people can only change so much. The New Republic setting is an intriguing change for her, and teaming her up with Luke Skywalker is sure to lead to a fun opening arc. Chaos Agent indeed.
Along with the fresh setting, Chaos Agent has a new look courtesy of Gabriel Guzman. His art feels like a throwback to the Dark Horse era of the Expanded Universe, which makes sense given that his last Star Wars work was Darth Vader and the Cry of Shadows in 2014. The book does not look dated, though. Guzman’s work is energetic and fits the story perfectly.
Welcome back, Aphra. We’ve missed you.
Our rating: Incredible
What’s next: The Aphra and Luke teamup continues in Doctor Aphra: Chaos Agent #2 - in stores July 23, 2025.
For a deeper discussion of this issue, be sure to check out this week’s episode of The Cosmic Force podcast!
Oz Davis is a Content Creator at Youtini and co-host of The Cosmic Force. He's kept up with every Canon release since 2014 and has a particular soft spot for lesser-known books like "Servants of the Empire." As part of Youtini's "Dad Batch," he's also developed an affinity for the multitude of Star Wars children's books, and he's always looking to expand his collection.
