David Bushman and Ken Deep’s edited collection “The Companions of Doctor Who” features essays exploring the importance of the Doctor’s companions throughout the sixty-plus years of “Doctor Who.” They structure the book in reverse-chronological order beginning with Donna and Wilf as they appeared in the sixtieth anniversary specials, though those episodes had not yet aired when essayists Shaun Lyon and Joseph Dougherty wrote so they mostly focus on their time with the Tenth Doctor, alluding to the Fourteenth Doctor in their conclusions. From there, Mackenzie Flohr examines Yaz and the Thirteenth Doctor; Amanda-Rae Prescott looks at Bill Potts and the Twelfth Doctor; Scott Ryan examines the role of Clara Oswald; David Bushman takes a look at Amy Pond and the Eleventh Doctor; Dr. Gina Rosich explores the complicated legacy of Martha Jones and the Tenth Doctor; Joshua Lou Friedman takes a look at Rose’s time with the Ninth and Tenth Doctors as the first companion after Doctor Who’s revival in 2005. This first half of the book covers the revived “Doctor Who” while the second half begins with Yee Jee Tso looking back on his own character, Chang Lee, in the 1996 “Doctor Who” movie. Following Tso, Joshua Lou Friedman and Sophie Aldred write about Aldred’s character Ace and her time with the Seventh Doctor; Paul J. Salamoff examines Sarah Jane Smith, who traveled with the Third and Fourth Doctors before appearing in special episodes, spin-offs, the second series of the revived “Doctor Who,” and even her own show; Charlie Ross, Lucy Chase Williams, and Amy Krell all give insiders’ insight into Ian Marter, who portrayed Harry Sullivan alongside the Fourth doctor; Edwin Thrower writes about Jo Grant, who traveled with the Third Doctor before reappearing in the “Sarah Jane Adventures” and “Tales of the TARDIS”; Ken Deep discusses Jamie McCrimmon’s time with the Second Doctor; Barnaby Edwards writes about Ian Chesterton’s travels with the First Doctor as the model for other male companions, who are often outliers when many of the most well-known companions are women; and Ken Deep closes out the book with an interview with Carole An Ford, who played Susan Foreman alongside the First Doctor. The book is a nice companion to the franchise and a good introduction for newcomers who might feel overwhelmed by the Doctor’s long history and numerous companions. Each author brings their own insights and clearly writes about their favorites, so the chapters are a joy to read. A lovely volume for Whovians to purchase for themselves or as a gift for fellow fans.

In “Dune: The Graphic Novel, Book 3 – The Prophet,” Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson conclude their adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune” with art by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín with Jesús R. Pastrana, and covers by Bill Sienkiewicz. The story begins approximately a year after Paul Muad’Dib Atreides joined the Fremen and learned their ways. He cements his power and his legacy as the Kwisatz Haderach when he summons a great worm to ride and drinks the waters of life. Meanwhile, Baron Harkonnen continues to lose his grasp on Arrakis and faces increasing pressure from Emperor Shaddam IV. Paul’s mother, the Lady Jessica, acts as the spiritual leader of the Fremen and an advisor to Paul alongside Chani. Paul’s sister, Alia, unsettles the Fremen as she was changed in-utero when her mother drank the waters of life. The conflict comes to a head as Paul reunites with Gurney Halleck and draws the Emperor to Arrakis. This graphic novel continues to faithfully adapt the story of “Dune,” including elements that the film and miniseries adaptations left out due to time constraints. Fans of the series will enjoy Allén, Martín, and Pastrana’s art as they neatly compliment the story and action. A must-read for fans and a great way for new readers to explore the world of “Dune.”

David Stabler’s “What Is the Story of Captain Picard?” explores the fictional biography of the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D as well as the making of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and its place in the “Star Trek” franchise, past and future. Stabler notes how Gene Roddenberry and the “TNG” writers chose Picard’s name in honor of brothers Jean Felix and Auguste Piccard, Swiss chemists and balloonists, while basing Picard’s personality on C.S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower. He explores the development of the other main characters on “TNG,” notable adversaries, and some of Picard’s greatest adventures. Pointing the way forward, Stabler discusses the character’s legacy and how it influenced spin-off series “Star Trek: Picard” in 2020, the second season of which was in production at the time Stabler wrote. He concludes, “Today, it is impossible to imagine ‘Star Trek’ without Picard” (p. 106). This book will appeal to young Trekkers looking for a convenient reference work as they learn more about “Star Trek” or to parents who want to introduce their children to the franchise. It also nicely compliments the non-fiction biographies in this series and would go well alongside books on science and aviation pioneers like “Who Were the Tuskegee Airmen?”, “Who Was Neil Armstrong?”, “Who Was Jacques Cousteau?”, “Who Were The Wright Brothers?”, and “Who Was Galileo?” or titles focused on entertainers like “Who Was Chuck Jones?”, “Who Was Lucille Ball?”, “Who Is Stan Lee?”, and “Who Is George Lucas?”. Another book in the “What Is the Story” series focuses on Captain Kirk.

Rosa Carr’s “Air Fay” tells the story of Aria, who finds herself transported to the world of Fairy without any memory of who she is or where she came from. Encountering Laredo, another Fairy with secrets of his own, she learns more about the world and begins to uncover secrets of her past and her destiny. Carr crafts a detailed world of Fae that can exist parallel to our own human world, though the writing is occasionally wooden and the conflicts occasionally feel forced to achieve a plot goal rather than the actions of well-rounded characters. Specifically, Laredo’s sullen moods read as clichéd efforts to create conflict or remove him from the story for ease of plot and his big secret is all-too-obvious for following well-worn tropes. Despite these weaknesses, Carr’s writing shines in the third act when her characters reach their central conflict. The action and world-building reads as much more believable while the characters’ actions feel natural. “Air Fay” will entertain middle readers who enjoy fantasy and is likely to find an audience among those looking for something new at the library.

In “The Sentimental State: How Women-Led Reform Built the American Welfare State,” Dr. Elizabeth Garner Masarik argues, “Grief and sentimentalism were major factors that influenced [women’s] political activity” and “sentimentalism gave middle-class women the language to demand protections of the mother and child connection, particularly when it came to issues of infant and maternal mortality or the sexual ‘fall’ of girls and women” (p. 2). Masarik further argues that her “subjects created the associative welfare state by creating organizations that eventually became associational arms of local and state governments, which later fed into national government entities such as the U.S. Children’s Bureau” (p. 10). She draws upon the work of scholars such as Laura Wexler and Ellis Hawley, though she counters Hawley’s rhetoric against big government despite his useful model for examining government development (p. 9). She structures her work around an examination of sentimental fiction, the development of social ideas regarding maternal bonds in the Victorian era, the actions of Black women in segregated post-Civil War America, and the actions during the Progressive Era that bridge early nineteenth-century activities with modern politics. Describing the role of early sentimental fiction, Masarik writes, “These sentimental writers used emotion to push readers to feel anger, sadness, or empathy for the characters that they read about, as well as feel anger or frustration at the social conditions that forced protagonists into horrific situations” (p. 19). She argues, “Sentimental culture captured the anxieties of two periods of danger, death, and grief in mother’s lives. One trop celebrated and mourned the purity and innocence of infancy and early childhood, the other warned of and mourned the loss of purity in late girlhood… The dangers to the family led some women to eventually move beyond sentimental reads to social activism by taking not just their own but ‘the sorrows of others’ to their hearts as well and acting upon those sorrows. Sentimentalism and emotion were core, driving forces behind middle-class women’s push into the political realm” (p. 39). Turning to political activity, Masarik opines, “It is worth noting how the funding that supported many philanthropic endeavors was coded male, while the reproductive labor of the day-to-day operations was coded female” (p. 42). Masarik writes of Victorian concepts of motherhood, “Nineteenth-century sentimental understandings of the mother and child bond, and the manner in which girls should transition into women, meant that any deviation from a sexually pure childhood and legally sanctioned sexuality in marriage was anathema. Therefore, social purity reformers were not just lamenting the rise of sex work on city streets but also the affront to middle-class standards of sexuality in young adulthood” (p. 56). Further, “The infantilization of young girls in need of rescue rallied middle-class women to their cause and perhaps filled a need for women who felt compassion in a different way, through their love of their own daughters both living and dead” (p. 65). Reformers did not solely focus on women and children. Masarik writes, “Raising moral boys was imperative to changing the status quo. Additionally, astute reformers argued that it was also a way to curb the sexual violence white men committed against Black women… [Martha] Schofield unabashedly highlighted the constant danger that some white men posed to Black girls and women, noting that white people were aware of this threat and did nothing” (p. 66). Age of consent laws offered an avenue for women to advocate for significant political change. Masarik writes, “…The battle over the age of consent caused a variety of reformers with different backgrounds to come together and argue that women had to be the maternal protectors and shields of the home. Many social purity reformers’ outspokenness was always couched in the understanding that these reforms were for the protection of the home, and particularly for the children that inhabited it” (p. 67). Describing urbanization in the New South, Masarik writes, “Women’s bodies became a central flashpoint in determining the future image of Atlanta. Prominent Atlanta citizens viewed women as either the city’s ‘best hope’ for future progress as respectable mothers raising prosperous citizens, or as the city’s ‘greatest threat,’ by embodying sin and vice” (p. 75). Contrary to the expectation of women’s labor occurring in the background, Masarik notes that “maternalists like Waller Barrett were very aware of the fine line they had to tow when entering the political realm, a space historically off-limits to women. They were stepping out of the Victorian home and into the turn-of-the-century public sphere by extending a woman’s capacity to mother, care, and nurture from her own family to the vulnerable of society” (p. 80). Addressing the early Progressive Era, Masarik writes, “As the Victorian nineteenth century gave way to the Progressive Era of the early twentieth, ideas about betrayed and fallen women took on more biological meanings, and a transition in the way reformers and social workers understood female sexuality took place” (p. 87). This entailed the transition from strictly moral language to terms incorporating eugenics and linking biology to morality in a far different manner. To this end, “The increasing connections between private charity and public welfare created spaces for women to hold positions of authority… This network of reform-minded women’s clubs was part of the Progressive Era movement toward an expanding state and federal apparatus in support of social benefits. However, this network largely maintained vestiges of nineteenth-century sentimental ideas about family and motherhood, and their romanticized views worked their way into public policy” (p. 93). Masarik notes that Black women faced their own challenges and paths to sentimental activism in the post-Civil War era. She writes, “Through social welfare, middle-class women would guide the race toward uplift and respectability. Black women reformers founded social welfare organizations, such as settlement houses, kindergartens, and rescue homes, to build their communities while imposing a moral ideological framework centered on middle-class values” (p. 98). Further, “Black women reformers developed a reliance on a Victorian sexual morality based on an ideology of sexual control or even denial to counteract the white social construction of ‘devious’ blackness. Members of the Black middle class felt intense pressure to adhere to Victorian sexual respectability, for their own safety against white men, and to control their tenuous grasp on their middle-class economic and social power” (p. 105). The labor market brought its own moral pitfalls. As Masarik notes, “Within the Victorian code of sexuality, the appearance of purity or moral sexuality was easier to claim when one labored inside of one’s own home. A majority of Black women of all economic statuses worked outside of the home, primarily out of economic necessity” (p. 110). Activism from club and other associational organizations achieved official success through the creation of the U.S. Children’s Bureau in 1912 (p. 135). Further, “to make lawmakers listen and act, large numbers of American women agitated en masse for their demands through the women’s welfare network” (p. 137). Of sentimental organizations, Masarik concludes, “Longstanding women’s voluntary organizations, coupled with the long histoy of grief and sentimentalism surrounding child and maternal death, wove the threads that knitted the associational state to the realm of reform and volunteerism” (p. 141). Masarik continues, “Groups like the GFWC, DAR, and the National Congress of Mothers were at the forefront of demanding change,” helping to advocate and publicize the work of the Children’s Bureau (p. 147). Masarik argues, “Despite a small budget, the Bureau was able to accomplish so much because of the support of the women’s welfare network” and that “the government relied on the groundwork that local organizations laid while local organizations benefited by having their causes supported and taken seriously by the government” (p. 153). These efforts were chronically underfunded and – as a result – understaffed while mothers’ pensions similarly suffered from a lack of funding and political will. Masarik writes, “Thus the need for an associational welfare state continued” (p. 161). Masarik concludes, “Sentimentalism is still an important element in public discourse surrounding children, sexuality, and welfare… The piecemeal, associational welfare state that we have today has of course aided in lowering child mortality in the United States, but the country is in no way at the vanguard of safeguarding infant and maternal health” (p. 171). She argues, “The limited supports of the current welfare state have their roots in the powerful networks of women who marshalled both sentiment and social science to advance women’s presumed shared interests” (p. 172). She argues that such collective action and modern sentimentalism offers hope for policy change to “promote the welfare of all” (p. 172). Masarik’s “The Sentimental State” offers an excellent study connecting several threads of nineteenth-century political thought as well as the role of race and gender in the United States to explore the link between decades of activism and modern political efforts. She uncovers the often-obscured role of women in these activities, highlighting how gender could offer an avenue for entry into the political arena that would normally be denied to women.

Mark Waid’s “Star Wars: Princess Leia” collects issues #1-5 of the titular series written by Waid, illustrated by Terry Dodson, inked by Rachel Dodson, colored by Jordie Bellaire, lettered by Joe Caramagna, and with cover art by the Dodsons. The story begins mere minutes after the end of “A New Hope,” with Princess Leia finding herself seeking a purpose in the wake of Alderaan’s destruction. She recruits fellow Alderaanian pilot Evaan Verlaine for her personal mission as the last surviving member of the Alderaanian Royal Family to seek out and rescue any surviving Alderaanians before the Empire can eliminate them in retaliation for the Death Star’s destruction. Leia’s travels first take her to Naboo, offering a chance for her to encounter a Force-vision of her mother, the late Queen Amidala. Similarly, Artoo-deetoo has a homecoming, though without the fanfare. From there, they travel to Sullust, where Leia finds a group of particularly paranoid Alderaanians. She wins their loyalty, but needs their skills to find a spy in her midst. Evaan also helps introduce Nien Nunb to Princess Leia. Once Leia learns the identity of the spy, she demonstrates her willingness to risk her own life to preserve every remaining Alderaanian life. Meanwhile, her emissary to a different Alderaanian enclave encounters difficulty due to the fact that the Alderaanians have married and had children with the local population. Some want to accept anyone with Alderaanian heritage in order to keep any trace of their people alive while others reveal their racism. The story is a great Leia-centric “Star Wars” adventure, taking place shortly after the original film. The connections with Nien Nunb help connect to Cecil Castellucci and Jason Fry’s novel, “Moving Target,” while the setting neatly parallels Marvel’s relaunch of the “Star Wars” comics. Further, Leia’s brief glimpse of a Force-vision of her mother is a moving scene. Both Luke’s wardrobe as well as that of Evaan help to establish a style that appeared in Kevin Hearne’s novel, “Heir to the Jedi.” Waid is an able storyteller and uses Leia’s quest to rescue Alderaanian survivors as an introduction to explore Leia’s character. The Dodson’s art works particularly well with Waid’s writing, capturing character likenesses and imbuing scenes with a dynamism befitting “Star Wars” storytelling.

Devin Grayson’s “X-Men: Evolution – Volume 1” collects the first four issues of the comic featuring artwork and colors by Udon with Long Vo, Charles Park & Saka with letters by Randy Gentile. The issues serve as a prequel to the series of the same name that aired on Kids’ WB from 2000-2003. The series, based on the early “X-Men” comics, features a younger version of the team set in contemporary times that debuted shortly after “X-Men: The Movie.” The stories focus on Charles Xavier forming his school and recruiting other mutants to the cause of peaceful co-existence with humanity, beginning with Ororo Munroe, Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Kurt Wagner. Each issue focuses on a specific character. It also briefly showcases the ideological split between Magneto and Professor X. It’s a fun companion to the animated series for fans of the show and works well as a prelude to the series episodes.

Alyssa Wong’s “Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Omnibus, Vol. 2” collects “Doctor Aphra” (2020) #1-25 written by Wong with pencils by Marika Cresta, Ray-Anthony Height, Robert Gill, Minkya Jung, Federica Sabbatini, and Natacha Bustos; inks by Victor Olazaba; colors by Rachelle Rosenberg; letters by Joe Caramagna; and cover art by Valentina Remenar, Leinil Francis Yu, Sunny Gho, Joshua “Sway” Swaby, Sara Pichelli, Nolan Woodard, and W. Scott Forbes. The story continues the saga of the “Star Wars” galaxy’s favorite rogue archaeologist, Chelli Aphra, following the events of “The Empire Strikes Back” as the Rebel Alliance is on the run and Darth Vader holds a grudge against Aphra for the fallout from their partnership. Meanwhile, she’s put together a new team consisting of herself, Black Krrsantan, Detta Yao, Doctor Eustacia Okka, Just Lucky, and TA-418 while they try to evade Ronen Tagge, a member of the wealthy Tagge family who seeks out rare, one-of-a-kind pieces just so that he can be the last to hold them before destroying them in the ultimate display of privilege. Dealing with these artifacts eventually brings Aphra into conflict with Domina Tagge, whose family business threads a narrow path in the Empire in order to enrich itself and maintain a political status quo beneficial to their plans. Aphra’s emplyment with Tagge leads her to missions involving Crimson Dawn and malevolent Ascendant artifacts. This volume concludes with an Ascendant artifact taking possession of Aphra, leading her associates to unite in order to free her from its grip. Wong’s writing advances Dr. Aphra’s narrative while expanding the scope of the “Star Wars” galaxy to include more groups paralleling the Jedi and Sith in the ancient past. Cresta, Height, Gill, Jung, Sabbatini, and Bustos’ art all brings Wong’s story to dynamic action while Rosenberg’s colors pop. A great collection for fans of Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra, though less than half as long as the first omnibus.

Marjorie Liu and Jason Aaron’s “Star Wars: Han Solo” collects “Han Solo” #1-5 written by Liu, penciled by Mark Brooks, inked by Brooks and Dexter Vines, colored by Sonia Oback and Matt Milla, lettered by Joe Caramanga, with cover art by Lee Bermejo, Tula Lotay, Olivier Coipel, and Kamome Shirahama as well as “Star Wars” #8-12 written by Aaron, penciled by Stuart Immonen, inked by Wade von Grawbadger, colored by Justin Ponsor, lettered by Chris Eliopoulos, with covers by Stuart Immonen, von Grawbadger, and Ponsor. The first five issues from the “Han Solo” miniseries focus on Han and Chewbacca entering the Dragon Void race as cover to pick up Alliance spies within the first year after the Battle of Yavin. They do this as a secret mission for Princess Leia in a story that explores Han’s morality and sense of duty. The story evokes Brian Daley’s “Han Solo Adventures” from the late 1970s, though using the current aesthetic of the “Star Wars” galaxy. The “B” story, from “Star Wars” #8-12, alternates between Han Solo and Leia Organa’s encounter with Sana Starros, who claims to be Han Solo’s wife and wants to collect the bounty of Leia, and Luke Skywalker traveling to Nar Shadda seeking a covert way to Coruscant in order to learn more about the Jedi. The Han/Leia/Sana story has the types of romantic misunderstandings that characterize Han and Leia’s relationship in the Original Trilogy. Meanwhile, the Luke story affords a deeper look at Luke’s process of learning more about the Jedi and the Force following Ben Kenobi’s death but prior to his trip to Dagobah. In this, it resembles elements of Kevin Hearne’s “Heir to the Jedi.” The addition of these stories to the “Han Solo” collected book feel somewhat disjointed. They work well as “Star Wars” books, but are tonally and thematically different than the “Han Solo” series. That being said, fans of the Original Trilogy will enjoy this collection and its character-driven stories.

“Star Wars: Vader Down” collects the titular one-shot issue, “Star Wars” #13-14, and “Darth Vader” #13-15 written by Jason Aaron and Kieron Gillen with art by Mike Deodato and Salvador Larroca, colors by Frank Martin Jr. and Edgar Delgado, letters by Joe Caramagna and Chris Eliopoulos, and cover art by Mark Brooks. The story begins with Darth Vader in pursuit of Luke Skywalker following the destruction of the Death Star. Having learned from Doctor Aphra that Luke is on Vrogas Vas, Vader stumbles across three Rebel X-Wing squadrons at a secret refueling base with Luke among them. He destroys two squadrons only for Luke to commence a kamikaze run at Vader’s TIE Fighter, downing the Dark Lord of the Sith on the planet’s surface. While the Rebels work to take Vader down, Aphra works to ensure Vader gets Luke Skywalker as his prize in order to prove herself to Vader. Meanwhile, Han Solo seeks to save Luke while Princess Leia supports the Rebels troops in the field. All find themselves in a trap when Mon Calamari cyborg Karbin reveals himself as the architect of the conflict in a bid to usurp Vader’s place in the Empire. The story proves Darth Vader’s prowess in a way that few have, showcasing him defeating an entire Rebel base single-handedly. Meanwhile, the plot focused on Luke Skywalker helps fill in elements of his early Force instruction between “A New Hope” and “The Empire Strikes Back.” Leia continues to prove herself a leader as Han demonstrates that, for all his swagger, he remains loyal to his friends above all. Finally, Dr. Aphra steals the show as a secondary character continuing to build her own narrative. The result is a solid story within the larger narrative of the “Star Wars” comics set between Episodes IV and V. A great treat for fans.