Official Secrets

"When kids with special powers can't find their parents... they tear the world apart."

Writer: Cavan Scott
Format: Comic Strip
Released: October-December 2016
Printed in: The Ninth Doctor #6-8

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Captain Jack, Brigadier, Harry

Synopsis

Welcome back to the 70s (or is it the 80s?)! The Doctor becomes entangled once more with the forces of UNIT when a cache of potentially devastating top secret material is leaked to the media. But does the UNIT whistleblower have a point? Alien invasion and internecine intrigue combine in an explosive new story!

Verdict

Official Secrets was a delightful comic strip adventure! It's always a great occasion when the Brigadier gets to meet a new incarnation of the Doctor and there's just something even more special when it's one from the modern era. We've seen the Tenth Doctor encounter his old chum in The Warkeeper's Crown and now was the turn of the Ninth Doctor! It was just brilliant to see and I liked that the initial meeting was delayed a little and we had to make do with the Ninth Doctor encountering his former companion in Harry Sullivan. He was quite different to how we last saw him in Terror of the Zygons and he even went as far as punching a minister in the face! I thought that was a little out of character for him but I have to say I was very impressed with the writing of his actual speech. The essence of his capture was wonderfully captured on the page which made for terrific reading. I thought the characterisation of the Ninth Doctor was decent and I also thought the writing of Rose was very good and definitely in line with how she was in Series One. She went through a lot with the Tenth Doctor and I think we come to think of her more generally alongside that incarnation of the Doctor, but here she was extremely caring (not that she wasn't in future) and really wanted to see that Dean didn't get hurt and didn't have to be caged up. Captain Jack's continued story arc of losing his memories was intriguing and with little snippets of information being offered, this time in the form of a photo in the UNIT archives, I am very interested to see what will come of it. Tara was a wonderful character and her role in bringing about the downfall of Albion Defense was outstanding. I really did love that and it was quite a twist as I was genuinely expecting her to expose UNIT. Benton was very good in this story and had a good relationship with Captain Jack and I liked his confusion at hearing UNIT referred to as the Unified Intelligence Taskforce rather than the first line being United Nations. The play on the UNIT dating controversy is getting a bit old now but I knew it was going to make an appearance. Rose played a crucial role in getting the information about Albion's true intentions out and I liked how the Brigadier picked up on the change in the demeanour of the Doctor. He didn't usually let his companions go into the field of battle while he watched. Seeing the Doctor almost like the Brigadier now was an incredible thought. The ending was unexpected with Tara inviting herself on the TARDIS and I am intrigued to see the direction from here. Overall though, a fantastic comic strip!

Rating: 9/10