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Tuesday, April 07
Doctor Who: Four Doctors – Collected Edition REVIEW
Doctor Who: Four Doctors
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artists: Neil Edwards, Ivan Nunes (colorist)
Publisher: Titan Comics
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Review
The best bit about any multi-Doctor story is how the Doctors interact. Paul Cornell, who’s written for two of them on screen (Nine in “Father’s Day” and Ten in “Human Nature”/“Family Of Blood”) and is an out-and-prod long-time Who fan, clearly knows this and so for a special five-issue “Four Doctors” mini-series last year he crafted a tale that’s deliberately light on plot but crammed full of amusing insights into how various Doctors differ and, as importantly, how they don’t.
Now those five issues have been collected together into this great-looking hardback edition by Titan, and the whole thing works brilliantly – possibly better – as a complete graphic novel.
Although timey-wimey is now an overused phrase “Four Doctors” unashamedly claims go be the timiest-wimiest tale of all (we kid you not – that phrase is actually in here, in word bubbles). Clara tries to prevent a destines meeting between three of the post Time War Doctors because of a mysterious photograph that spells the END OF EVERYTHING (or universe domination by an unlikely enemy from the Doctor’s past, at least). But things don’t quite go to plan the as various potential timelines don’t just interweave, they damn near strangle each other in a big temporal tangle.
Cornell captures each Doctor brilliantly and has enormous fun getting them to rub each other up the wrong way. The plot rattles along with surprises and twists at virtually every turn (of the page). It doesn’t make a whole load of sense in the details and potential continuity problems are dealt with via throwaways lines but this almost seems like a cheeky in-joke at the show’s expense rather than lazy plotting. And, like the show at its best, the grand sweep of the action makes plot-hole nitpicking a joyless “wood for the trees” experience. Plus, there’s a WMMD (Weapon Of Mass Multidimensional Destruction) in there called a “Continuity Bomb”; it may as well as have a winking eye painted on it. The plot gets a little unfocussed in the final issue, but it’s no great problem; it just feels a little like Cornell is having to cover a lot of ground quickly because he got carried away with the more fun stuff.
Plus, as a fan, Cornell can effortlessly and seamless drop in continuity references that can’t fail to make a fan smile. There’s also a lovely section where the Doctors get to bitch about their respective TARDIS interiors.
There are very few characters. Aside from the Doctors and the various companions there’s a couple of cameos and the monsters (who are barely “characters” anyway, just a threat with a few lines of exposition). This is clearly a deliberate move to let the Doctors share the spotlight. Of the companions, Clara fares well, but Ten’s and Eleven’s current comic companions, Alice Obiefune and Gabby Gonzalez do suffer a little from being not so familiar and therefore feel a little underdeveloped. But hey, only five issues… something’s gotta give.
The art is impressive and wonderfully detailed in places. Only Ten has the occasional “referenced from a publicity photo” look and there’s one alarming panel in which Twelve looks like Margaret Thatcher. But in “licensed” comics it’s too easy to get hung up on likenesses. Bottom line here is – if this weren’t a Doctor Who comic it would still be a gorgeously colourful sci-fi comic.
The collection also includes the some wonderfully cartoony comics strip interludes too, which manage to be just as geekily loveable as the main action.
And if you’re wondering why we only seem to be referring to three Doctors when it’s called “Four Doctors”, well… the answer that is not quite as obvious as it might seem in the first few pages (one of which is reproduced below). But as River Song would say, “Spoilers!”
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Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor – Year Two #1
Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor – Year Two #1: “Clara Oswald and the School of Death”
Writer: Robbie Morrison
Artists: Rachael Stott, Ivan Nunes (colorist)
Publisher: Titan Comics
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Review
It seems like an age since we last saw Clara and the Doctor together, after the two went their separate ways at the end of the latest series. When we saw the Doctor last he was at a restaurant opposite the Singing Towers of Darillium with River Song for their 24-year-long dinner date. Now, though, Clara fans can rejoice, as she continues her adventures with the man in the big blue box in the new comic series of Doctor Who.
At the isolated Ravenscaur High School on an atmospheric Scottish island, Clara begins an investigation into the disappearance of her friend, a teacher at the prestigious school who left her an ominous voicemail moments before she vanished. The Doctor, fresh from an attempt on his life by a galactic mercenary (never a dull moment, eh?), joins Clara in her mission to go undercover as a replacement teacher, and the pair soon begin the inquiry. However, nothing at the school is at it seems, as a mysterious alien force seems to be at play.
When it comes to Doctor Who, it is common practice for the audience —or in this case, readers— to want to know why an alien invasion is taking place, and how the Doctor is going to solve the problem. In this sense “Clara Oswald And The School of Death” does its job well, as the introduction to the menacing aliens means that the comic is rife with intrigue at its climax, especially since we are yet to discover their names, or to even see them come face-to-face with the Doctor and Clara.
The comic captures the traits and mannerisms of Peter Capaldi’s Doctor and Jenna Coleman’s Clara excellently. The depiction of the Twelfth Doctor is especially good, as his sarcasm and wit is so on point that it almost seems like the man is talking to us through the pages.
Some of the dialogue between Clara and the Doctor, and the transitions from panel to panel doesn’t always flow well, though. The sudden appearance of the Doctor in Scotland without any prior indication that he had travelled there, for example, seems to disjoint their conversation somewhat. Even some of the phrases by characters seem like they should have been narrated, rather than spoken.
The artwork, meanwhile, effectively adds to the atmosphere of the story. Alice X Zhang’s cover art is especially beautiful, its dark brushwork suiting the story and the Twelfth Doctor’s more sombre look, quite well. It is Rachel Tott’s art, though, that is featured predominantly throughout the comic. Her background and landscape artwork is particularly noteworthy for its attractiveness, but there are other aspects of Tott’s artwork that don’t work as well. She’s not very good at capturing motion and movement, for example. Panels featuring people falling or when a car racing along seem particularly flat and this does remove you from story somewhat.
Of course, this comic is only a taste of what is to come. Robbie Morrison’s story has potential to provide an interesting adventure for the time-travelling duo, despite some minor issues with the dialogue and artwork. While the story has a similar premise to much we have seen in the Doctor Who on TV before, it’s perfect enjoyable and intriguing. Even if there are many unanswered questions left at the end of this first issue this new adventure certainly proves to be a good way for everyone’s favourite Time Lord to start the year.
Review by Roxy Simons
Click on preview pages for larger versions:
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This Charming Who: 10th Doctor Comic Salutes The Smiths
Morrissey once asked, “How Soon Is Now?” and who better to answer him than that temporal expert, the Doctor? This tribute to consummate ’80s indie warblers The Smith is the latest in a series of rock and pop inspired covers for Titan’s Doctor Who range. You can see the previous ones here.
The cover sees the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) in front of the iconic Salford Lads’ Club, which The Smiths posed in front of for the inside cover of their album The Queen Is Dead. Click on the image for a larger version.
This special variant cover for Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor #2.6 is exclusively available from comic store AOD Collectables from 3 February – visit the store here.
Written by Nick Abadzis with art by Elena Casagrande, the issues see the Doctor and Gabby caught Neanderthals and Cro Magnons, and their actions will shape the direction taken by humankind in the millennia to come! Plus: Cindy discovers an alarming secret back in NYC… and in deep space, Anubis grows impatient!
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Deus Ex #2 Cover Reveal
Titan has revealed the three variant covers for issue #2 of it eagerly anticipated Deus Ex comic series written by Alex Irvine (Iron Man, Daredevil) with art by John Aggs (John Blake, Robot Girl). This all-new comic series is a prologue to the next release in Eidos-Montréal’s Deus Ex computer game franchise, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. The first issue (the covers to which you can see here) goes on sale on 3 February 2016 while issue #2 is on sale in March.
Click on all images for larger versions.
• Deus Ex #1 Variant Comic Covers
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Jazzy Variant Covers For Titan’s Doctor Who Comics
Titan Comics have revealed some jazzy variant covers for three of its Doctor Who comics created by Japanese artist Question No. 6. All of them will be available early next year. The Tenth Doctor Adventures Year Two #2.6 and The Twelfth Doctor Adventures Year Two #2.2 will be available on 13 January with The Eleventh Doctor Adventures Year Two #2.6 published on 3 February. Are we supposed to read anything into Ten and Twelve being given bow ties? Or maybe they’re transparent alien butterflies…?
Click on all images for larger versions…
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MCM London Comic Con May 2015 In a Nutshell video
Over the weekend at MCM London Comic Con, one of the talented MCM video team members, Josh McCullough was once again let loose with his camera to catch some of the highlights from the event at the ExCeL centre.
The ‘In a Nutshell’ video includes a look at areas of the event, such as the stalls, VidFest, Esports and Fringe Stage. There is also the likes of Hello Kitty, some of the video games (Farming Simulator 15 anyone?), cosplayers, My Little Pony plushies, maneki-nekos and even a guitar playing Titan?!
Intrigued? Well click play below to watch the video. You can also catch up on all of our video content from the event on our YouTube Channel.