Revolutions of Terror Part 1

"Take my hand... Hold on tight."

Writer: Nick Abadzis

Format: Comic Strip

Released: August 2014

Printed in: DW10 #1

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Gabby

Synopsis 

Gabriella Gonzalez is stuck in a dead-end job in her family's New York laundrette, dreaming of college and bigger, better and brighter things. 

So when a strange man with an even stranger blue box barges into her life on the eve of the Day of the Dead celebrations, talking about an infestation of psychic aliens, she seizes her chance for adventure with both hands. After Donna's tragic exit, the Doctor thought he was done with companions. 

But Gabby Gonzalez is going to prove him wrong - if she survives the night! 

Verdict 

Revolutions of Terror was an exciting start to the new range of Titan's Tenth Doctor comics. A whole new companion is clearly being introduced here and her backdrop seems mightily intriguing! Gabby's introduction was done very well with her right in the middle of family conflict inside the family business. That never happens does it? I liked the contrast of your usual and sometimes stereotypical companion in the revived series. But here, for what's supposed to be an American audience (oops!), a Mexican girl living in NYC doing an evening Accountancy class around 2 jobs is a unique perception on an ordinary girl. Based on first impressions, Gabby is far from ordinary! She seems feisty, courageous and intelligent which can only be a good sign as those are wonderful ingredients for what will become companion. The Mexican rituals were interesting and a Halloween setting is something that's been needed for ages in Doctor Who. Throw in a Mexican family and the upcoming Day of the Dead and the Doctor could be thrown into something quite dangerous. I thought the format of the story was much better than that of what we get in DWM. I like a comic specific magazine and it definitely felt more comic-like, rather than Who or story-telling like which I think is needed from this format. Doctor Who is invading the comic strip style so it should take that on and see what can be produced. The use of what was essentially pre-titles in a comic was baffling yet brilliant because I just wasn't expecting anything of the kind! The start of this story, which will stretch over a few issues as far as I'm aware, was very good. New York is being hunted by the "devil" and washing machines are attacking. Superb sentence I must say. The attack of the washing machines was intriguing to say the least and I look forward to the explanation in future issues. The so far unnamed monster looked very terrifying and demon like which was fantastic and certainly seemed to tie in with the Mexican ritual theme that's started here. The lead in at the end into the next issue where the story's elements will continue was superb. It's basically where Gabby becomes companion which is lovely. However, she's trapped on a subway with the demented beast! I look forward to seeing how the Doctor can prevent things from going horribly wrong in the next issue. Overall, a fantastic start but it brings me a first. A post without a rating, and that's because once I blog the issue that concludes the overlapping story, I'll rate the story as a whole. It's just like TV. I won't rate the first part of a two parter, I'll judge it as a whole. And that's no different with the comics here. But I was impressed with the start!