Page 29 - Star Wars Insider (Special Edition 2019)

COMICS: DOCTOR APHRA

Kev Walker: I always worry that tell if she would survive or not. cynic, who believes he never cared
I might come across as a bit of a Now that she has her own for anything but his obsession.
thug when it comes to my writers. book, things change. She’s funny, Gradually they realize they both
I have a habit of scribbling all over but she’s not the comic relief have each other wrong, and trying
their carefully crafted prose without anymore—she plays the lead and to get that across, as both people
a second thought. Ideas are cruel. gets to do the heavy lifting. With change, is a challenge I relish.
They just hit you round the head Vader offstage, everyone else
without any regard for the appears more threatening in his We see some of Aphra’s school
creative process. absence. Doctor Aphra is a fun days in the comics too. Were
I’ve found that honesty is and often sarcastic presence, but those scenes you had in mind
the best policy—I draw it the way she’s also a darker creature. for a long time and are only
I think it should look, regardless showing now, or was developing
of the script, but always with the What inspired the character of Aphra’s history part of the
caveat that these are just ideas and Aphra’s father? process of making the new series?
anyone else has exactly the same KG: We explored a little of her KG: The core is there, but there
right to scribble all over my layouts background in Darth Vader when is room to develop her history.
and notes. The writer, the editors, we revealed Aphra’s mother was Thanoth hinted that Aphra’s

or Lucasfilm always make me killed by raiders during the war, doctorate had a question mark over
qualify an idea, and if it strays after splitting with her father. Pretty it in the Darth Vader series, so there

too far from the path, they gently much the first thing I knew when was certainly foreshadowing. That
poke me with a stick until I draw I started thinking about Aphra as she manipulated an ethically
what they’re happy with. an ongoing character is we would questionable superior was always
Seriously, though, I’ve been have to meet the father as soon as there. Of course, Aphra cheated.
blessed with writers and editors possible. If we’re going to talk Aphra could have earned it by

“THE WRITER, THE EDITORS, OR LUCASFILM WILL
ALWAYS MAKE ME QUALIFY AN IDEA, AND IF IT STRAYS

TOO FAR FROM THE PATH, THEY GENTLY POKE ME WITH
A STICK UNTIL I DRAW WHAT THEY’RE HAPPY WITH.”

who don’t consider a book done about Aphra’s past, he’s essential. herself, but she’d much prefer to
until the print deadline hit. It’s This is a book about emotional cheat. Cheating is what smart
an evolutionary process, and archaeology as well as actual people do in her world.
everyone pitches in to try and archaeology, if you see what I
make this book the best that we mean. He is like Aphra in many Triple Zero and Bee Tee are both
can in the time we have; pushing ways, but desperately, incredibly friends and threats. What can
and pulling the thing into shape. unlike her in others. you tell us about how they’ll help
out Aphra?
Kieron, you developed Aphra as a KW: When I first drew him, I didn’t KG: They’re our Greek chorus

foil to Darth Vader. What’s it like really have much of an idea of his in many ways, pointing out the
having her lead her own story? background. It would be easy to ironies and hypocrisies in the cast
KG: It changes things a bit. In Darth draw parallels with Indiana Jones in their own monstrous idiom. But,
Vader, she existed to do the things and his father. To be honest, Aphra’s like Aphra, they become a little
that Vader couldn’t do. Most of all, father is way more closeted, darker in the absence of Vader. Yes,
talk. Vader has to be stoic and idealistic, and naïve than Henry they’re funny, but in the fi rst
laconic. The more words he says, Jones ever was. When we fi rst meet episode they’re already murdering
the more it becomes untrue to the Aphra’s father, he’s literally in an people by themselves, for their own
character. Vader needed someone at ivory tower: he’s an academic with ends. You have to suspect they’re a
his side to do all that quiet no concept of what’s going on in ticking time bomb. As Triple Zero
exposition; making her nervously the world around him, let alone said back in Darth Vader, “Heaven
talkative is a fun contrast to the the galaxy at large. He’s let all sorts help everyone if I get bored.”
Dark Lord himself. Equally, there’s of important things fall by the
the comedy she added. Plus, there is wayside, in pursuit of a myth. Aphra What is your favorite moment
a bit of tension—we knew that begins this story as his polar featuring the droids?
Vader wouldn’t die, but we couldn’t opposite, a complete egotist and KG: There are too many to pick

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