Fugitive

"The universe is riddled with people who should be dead but who live because of your actions."

Writer: Tony Lee
Format: Comic Strip
Released: September-December 2009
Printed in: Doctor Who Ongoing (2009) #3-6

Featuring: Tenth Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor is put on trial by the Shadow Proclamation for saving Emily Winter's life in the 1920s and thus breaking the precepts handed down to them by the Time Lords by interfering with a static point in time. But there's dissension in the ranks as Mister Finch returns and is out for revenge. Forming an unlikely alliance, the Doctor looks to thwart the Krillitanes once again...

Verdict

Fugitive was an outstanding comic strip adventure! It was another impressive story from IDW and it has concluded my reading of the second volume of the Tenth Doctor Archives. I am already looking forward to the third and final collection but as my local library doesn't stock a copy, I am not sure when I will get around to reading it. Anyhow, the story followed on nicely from Silver Scream and the Doctor was facing the consequences of his interference in 1920s Hollywood and saving the life of Emily Winter. He was reminded of what occurred last time he did something like this with Charley Pollard which was an excellent reference to the Big Finish audios and now the Shadow Architect was showing no tolerance. The Doctor was put on trial and prosecuted by Mister Finch who made a stunning return, now permanently in human form. The idea of a Krillitane having a position in the Shadow Proclamation seemed a little sketchy but the prospect of them trying to crack the Skasis Paradigm for the Proclamation was most unexpected! The Doctor was soon sentenced to death and he was to be put in prison transport with a Draconian, Sontaran and an Ogran. It was like the start of a good joke, as the Doctor acknowledged, but I loved how he was challenged to the effects of his actions. The Ogrons had failed miserably and were on the verge of economic collapse following the events of Day of the Daleks as their reputation was tarnished following defeat to the Third Doctor. They had been replaced by the Judoon as the most reputable mercenaries for hire and I loved how that was a great clash of two eras of Doctor Who. The Sontarans were now resorting to potential alliances because the actions of the Doctor had led them to a losing position in their battle against the Rutans. Kraden was a superb character as the Draconian and I liked how he was making the Doctor see things from a different perspective. The story was very pacy and full of action which was terrific and I loved how maddening the Doctor made Finch. He of course would see that he was defeated once again and I found some irony in the idea of using the likes of Ogrons and Sontarans to crack the Skasis Paradigm - they weren't the most intelligent of species. The revelation that the Shadow Architect suspected some wrongdoing within the Shadow Proclamation was most unexpected and she entrusted the Doctor, without his knowledge, to root out the problem and solve it. There would be no more un-loyal Judoon and things would be restored. Of course, they proclaimed that they'd rather the Doctor travelled alone, so what did he do? Well, Emily and Matthew look set to become temporary passengers in the TARDIS. Overall, an excellent comic strip!

Rating: 10/10