Doctor Aphra Volume 4 is part of the rebooted or expanded storyline under writer Alyssa Wong. The main storyline here is intriguing. As you know, Dr. Chelli Aphra collects artifacts, in a rogue manner, which has caused her to collect many enemies. In Crimson Regin we're introduced to another one: Kho Phon Farrus, someone both Aphra and Sana knew back at the academy they attended. Turns out that Kho is pretty obsessed with a powerful artifact of Ascendent tech. (side note: The Ascendant were not Force users but Force fanatics, obsessed with replicating the effects of the dark side in similar ways to how the Sith used it, and beyond. There are two things that define the Ascendant: technology and the occult.) So: A quest, a riddle, and a trip back to school get Aphra into the biggest trouble she’s ever been in, which leaves us on quite the cliffhanger. The Crimson Dawn angle comes the B plot - Domina Tagge has moles in her corporation but the the title has a subtle reference to what happens to Aphra at the end as well.

The art by Jung and Rosenberg shines. I particular enjoy how elements of slight manga have made their way into the art. And I love some of the color choices. ( )