Keepsake

"No false modesty! You saved my life, and now we must join forces to save another in peril!"

Writer: Simon Furman

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September 2011

Printed in: Doctor Who Classics: Volume 7

Featuring: Seventh Doctor

Synopsis 

The Doctor follows a distress signal to the planet Ryos, a waste dump. Here, he is chased into being unwillingly rescued by Keepsake and an unlikely and unhappy alliance is formed. 

Verdict 

Keepsake was a pretty good comic strip story but after the wonderfully brilliant Culture Shock I really did think DWM had finally found the direction they wanted to go in with the brand new Seventh Doctor taking up the pages. After getting rid of Frobisher in A Cold Day in Hell, something I think was now a mistake even if I'm not his biggest fan, we still haven't had the Doctor travelling with a companion! Well, we had Olla for one story but that didn't really end well now did it. You can get away with the Doctor not having a companion across many formats for a limited number of time, just look at the gap between series four and series five with the Tenth Doctor specials. They were hugely successful with the Doctor alone and that might be because of the looming return of the Master and regeneration of the Doctor, but even in each adventure there was a lite companion. Not having a companion in comic strips, especially ones at lengths such as this, is really hurting things and it's also taking away some of the Doctor's brilliance. We don't really get to see scenes in the TARDIS interior anymore because without a companion there is no need. The Deadly Assassin worked so well for the Fourth Doctor to be without company because it was a Gallifreyan story. But here, in a random visit answering a distress call, it hurt a lot and I think it's the main reason why my rating is perhaps not as high as it should and could have been. The depiction of Ryos was very good and the colourisation really added to the image of it being a waste and dumping ground of a planet. I really don't think I'd have captured that in my mind had the story been printed in black and white as it originally was. I think that's where I'm overjoyed by IDW for publishing these updated Classic DWM comics! Also a big thanks to Forbidden Planet for importing them into the UK allowing me to purchase! The story itself was decent with the Doctor being chased by the Ryos natives, what he had done goodness knows! The Doctor really could be dangerous if he was travelling alone! No restrictions and nobody to tell him how ludicrous some of his antics and suggestions are. A worrying thought. Although despite the image, I would argue that the Seventh Doctor is the most sensible incarnation since the First! That's an intriguing thought seeing that Sylvester McCoy pushes Patrick Troughton and Tom Baker to being the most goofy and comical Doctor. The hitchhike scenes were quite comical and I loved how the Doctor took the quick take off, an action trying to avoid the Doctor travelling aboard, as quick thinking and good help. That was the highlight I felt. I really liked how the Doctor took the initiative and demanded, in a subtly kind manner, that Keepsake (I think that's what the man was called, it wasn't clear whether that was the name of him or the ship!) would help to cure the distress of whoever the medic was that sent it. I didn't like the sudden ending with Keepsake somehow the hero being kissed by a women with an incredible figure and some quite stunning assets. The Doctor saying how it was Keepsake who was the hero was intriguing but I don't see why the story couldn't have been two episodes and we could see what just went on! The references to the strange bird looking like a certain someone's wife were comical. Overall, a decent story but a sudden ending and lack of companion hurt things. 

Rating: 7/10