Sick Building

"Get back to your family. But even there you won't escape. There is no escape. Not from what's coming."

Writer: Paul Magrs 

Format: Novel

Released: September 2007

Series: NSA 17

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis 

Tiermann's World: a planet covered in wintry woods and roamed by sabre-toothed tigers and other savage beasts. The Doctor is here to warn Professor Tiermann, his wife and their son that a terrible danger is on its way. 

The Tiermanns live in a luxury, in a fantastic, futuristic, fully-automated Dreamhome, under an impenetrable force shield. But that won't protect them from the Voracious Craw. A huge and hungry alien creature is heading remorselessly towards their home. When it arrives everything will be devoured.

Can they get away in time? With the force shield cracking up, and the Dreamhome itself deciding who should or should not leave, things are looking desperate...

Verdict 

Sick Building was a very good novel and continues the trend of this score in regards to ratings lately and also ensuring that the run of Tenth Doctor and Martha novels is maintaining a very high standard. Ever since reading Sting of the Zygons on the usual train journey home a few months back I've been hooked to this pair in prose reading the next four books in the series in relatively quick succession. When I've decided to read a novel, which has been more frequent lately, I've always leaned towards this pairing lately. I don't know what it is but they just work wonderfully for me in print. I loved them on screen and I've blogged every episode they did together so maybe it's getting new stories to fit in between those that makes me enjoy them so much. They're a breeze to read and the format isn't like the Classic era novels. The word count is certainly a lot lees which makes for a more relaxed read (not that a longer novel is bad in any way) and I think it's clear that the New Series Adventures are more for the family whereas I would argue the Classic novels were aimed at the adult audience. I don't mind either way! Just look at my last novel in Island of Death which scored higher than this so it's clear I have no preference of era. Though, it's come to my attention recently that granting full marks for a novel is an extreme rarity and I'm not sure why! My last was for The Crawling Terror which must be a year ago now with the new Twelfth Doctor novels released later this week. I hope I stumble upon a full marks story sooner or later. This didn't really get close but it secured its rating with ease. I loved how the start and finish was based around the sabre-toothed tiger. The Doctor's communication with the animal whilst in serious danger was superb. It amazed Martha how he could be so calm in life or death situations. I guess he's full of experience of them by now. I really liked Paul Magrs' style and the novel was really pacy which made the read easy but I did think he was borderline in regards to silliness on times. I loved the barminess of the Doctor being helped by a vending machine and sunbed when he was sent to the depths of level minus thirty-nine, but the belching resolution was a major reason this story couldn't get higher than what it did. The story of the Voracious Craw was intriguing and I found it quite interesting that the Doctor was almost excited by its presence. I loved the scenes in the TARDIS where he barely seemed to be paying attention to Martha. Is he really still missing Rose? Martha must be the unluckiest companion in terms of timing. Rose would be a tough act to follow but for me Martha exceeds her! She even references Rose, and humorously the Time War, in the story when Ernest claims that the Doctor doesn't know what it's like to lose things close to you. I think he knows more than anyone actually. There were some magnificent references in this story with mentions of The Daleks and The Monster of Peladon really putting a smile on my face. Classic story references in New Series Adventures novels is something I really do appreciate. This story is set some time into Martha's run as companion judging by the 42 reference. Smith and Jones and Gridlock also got great mentions as well which was nice. I really liked Solin and the way he just blurted out to Martha that he thought she was attractive was excellent. He was about as subtle as a bullet from a gun, but it was a great moment. He wasn't exactly wrong, was he? The Dreamhome was a very desirable place by all accounts as literally anything could be done for you! The bath even talked to Martha! The Servo-furnishings were quite the invention it had to be said. However, the Domovoi was not. She'd gone quite mad it had to be said and she was pretty much possessed with serving people. She didn't want the family to leave despite the impending danger of the Craw. The moment the Doctor rhymed the alien beast's name was pure magic. A proper Doctor moment. There was a lot of action which was good and I liked how once the crew eventually got to the TARDIS following Amanda's death, the Doctor still went back for Ernest despite the fact he'd left him. Of course he'd go back. The climax wasn't the best with the belching being pretty pathetic in my opinion, but thankfully the rest of the novel was very good and still secured a great rating. 

Rating: 8/10

Dalek War: Chapter Four

"Victory... or death!"

Writer: Nicholas Briggs 

Format: Audio

Released: May 2003

Series: Dalek Empire 2.04

Featuring: Suz, Kalendorf 

Synopsis 

Two thousand years ago, the galaxy was devastated by a great catastrophe. No one really knows what happened. Some say it was the work of the 'Dark One' of the 'Bringer of Death'. 

And in the ancient remains of a civilisation on the planet Velyshaa, a lonely outcast is uncovering evidence of who that terrible figure really was. 

Could it be that Kalendorf's determination to rid the galaxy of the Daleks will bring about the destruction of everything? Indeed, can the Daleks ever be truly defeated...?

Verdict 

Dalek War: Chapter Four was a very good finale to what has been a great and consistent second series of Dalek Empire audio adventures. This series has been hugely different from what I was expecting following the conclusion of Project Infinity. Although it's been clear that a war has been going on between the two Dalek factions, from different universes, there hasn't actually been any fighting portrayed to us as the listener. I was screaming out for a scene of action with Dalek crossfire but sadly we didn't get it. Maybe the Daleks from beyond the gateway just didn't quite go that way. It seemed more of a Cold War from where I was listening. The great catastrophe story at least gave the war some more credibility which I thought was good. Although it wasn't noticeable much in the last two chapters, it was absolutely clear here that the story was being told in retrospect with Saloman. I thought she was magnificent and she could have pushed Suz and Mirana for my favourite character had she featured more in the story and series. The opening of the story with her and Tarkov was superb and I loved the recollection of events. I liked the way she tapped into the thoughts of Kalendorf some time after he had passed, now standing in his tomb. Where she slept seemed pretty disturbing though! I still like the ambiguity surrounding whether Kalendorf has feelings for Suz. From my perspective, I would say that it is pretty clear he does. The heartbreaking farewell I guess it has to be called between Suz and Alby was really good. It was emotional but Suz was doing what she thought best. The unthinkable was happening - they were teaming with the enemy Daleks! Suz was outstanding once again in this audio and I really do love her character. She's been a shining light in this spinoff range and outside of Return of the Daleks, I'd love for her to meet and travel with the Doctor after all she's been through. What, with having the consciousness of the Dalek Emperor inside her head. The encounter between Kalendorf and the Mentor beyond the gateway was very good and I really liked the dialogue. It was an intriguing conversation to say the least! I can't quite comprehend what it would be like in another universe, but I imagine it would be quite the experience even if the Daleks weren't as good as we first thought they would be. I liked how this story saw a prominent role for the Dalek Supreme which for some of the series has seemed to be lacking. With the Emperor temporarily out of action, I think it's great that we had the Dalek Supreme taking on the leadership role of the Daleks. I really liked the references to The Sirens of Time, Invasion of the Daleks and Dalek War: Chapter One. The first was probably my favourite audio to get referenced and it did really throw my mind back to the very first audio story. That seems like such a long time ago now but somewhere near the very start of this blog you'll find the somewhat smaller entry than what I post now. As the blog has gone on, the amount I've said has grown considerably. And with finally purchasing a new laptop ahead of university I've been able to customise the blog and jazz it up a bit which looks good. My only problem with the finale was the way in which the war ended. The Alliance Daleks simply retreated as they felt the war was not winnable. The reasoning was understandable seeing as it wasn't their universe, but to run away due to a stalemate wasn't the best of ways to finish. I did like though that Kalendorf returned to Velyshaa. That was a nice way to finish the series. Unlike series one, this series has finished with no lead in so I'm not sure what to expect from series three which I think is a good thing. I look forward to going in on a clean slate where just about anything can happen! Overall though, still a fantastic audio adventure and a more than decent finale. Not quite as good as the first series, but a brilliant continuation of the spinoff range.

Rating: 8/10

Dalek War: Chapter Three

"We must all unite against a common enemy."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs 

Format: Audio

Released: March 2003

Series: Dalek Empire 2.03

Featuring: Suz, Kalendorf, Alby, Mirana

Synopsis 

Kalendorf's victorious fleet has entered Earth's Solar System. But what has happened to the planet Jupiter?

Meanwhile, Alby and Suz are being held captive by Enemy Dalek forces. But with the Emperor's consciousness inhabiting Suz's mind, can Alby ever again trust the woman he loves?

And could it be that Kalendorf and the Mentor have stumbled into a Dalek trap? Time may be running out for the human alliance with the Daleks from another universe...

Verdict 

Dalek War: Chapter Three was another good and solid audio story to continue along the second series of Dalek Empire. The stories really are following suit in terms of quality and theme, but despite the good scores I am hoping for some more action to shoot the ratings up into the higher grounds of 9 and 10/10 scores. Hopefully Nicholas Briggs gives a storming finale to make this already good series great. The tone is certainly different from the first series but that's also allowed for a considerable development of the main characters. All of whom I think are great. Kalendorf is filled with mystery during this episode and we're never quite sure what his true intentions are or what side he is on. What's his agenda in the long run? I'm not sure. It seemed clear that prior to this story Kalendorf had some sort of feelings for Suz but after seeing her for the first fin in so long, he barely paid her any attention which was a surprise to me. Alby and Suz consummating their reunion with a kiss was a nice touch and after their love story and separation seeping over into the second series, it's great to see the pair back together. They both at least deserve each other. I thought this story made the cliffhanger of the previous chapter a bit anti-climactic as Suz proclaiming to be the Emperor of the Daleks was barely mentioned. I really did think a lot more would be made of that as it was built up during the previous instalment. Of course, we know the threat of the consciousness is still there within Suz and the Daleks from the primary universe will do anything to get to her. I just love the way they say Susan Mendes. It makes her sound so important, which she is, but it adds menacing to the Daleks and what they want with her. The Mentor was very good again and I like the enigma behind her being the creator of the Alliance Daleks. She's so different from Davros and it also appeared that these Daleks weren't created on the alternate universe's Skaro by the way she talked about the planet. I loved the continuation from Mission to the Unknown and The Daleks' Master Plan in having the Daleks use varga plants! That really was a tremendous throwback. The latter of the two Dalek stories ranks as one of my all time favourites so any reference to that I enjoy. I loved how Jupiter was used as part of the setting because of the apparent impossibility. Could the biggest planet in our solar system really be inhabited? It would appear so - and by Daleks! Mirana was back to her best from Dalek War: Chapter One here and she's right back in the picture in potentially pushing Suz in who would be my favourite character in this second series. She was superb. Morli sadly won't be in the running in that category as she was brutally exterminated! I loved the irony though of the Daleks coming in to save Suz right at the vital moment. Morli had been brainwashed by the Mentor and was planning on killing Suz, but Alby was having none of it! She was still herself despite what was dormant inside her head. Saloran was a magnificent character too and I loved her description of Kalendorf as being a warrior. What word would be better suited? The conclusion was most intriguing with Kalendorf seemingly using telepathy to get Suz on his side - and to team with the enemy Daleks! Granted that the Alliance Daleks aren't much better, but surely she wouldn't team with her enemy? Alby's involvement in the cliffhanger was very good and I'm looking forward to seeing the resolution in the final chapter! Just what is Kalendorf up to?

Rating: 8/10

Dalek War: Chapter Two

"We are entering your mind. You cannot resist us!"

Writer: Nicholas Briggs

Format: Audio

Released: February 2003

Series: Dalek Empire 2.02

Featuring: Suz, Kalendorf, Alby

Synopsis 

Two Dalek races are now locked in fearsome combat. The Mentor and her Daleks originate from an alternative universe and have pledged to fight alongside the humans and their allies. But where is the evil Dalek Emperor?

The Dalek Supreme forces have found Susan Mendes. Will she, Alby, Mirana and Morli be able to escape?

Meanwhile, Kalendorf’s forces seem to be winning the war in Earth’s Solar System. But the Mentor’s suspicions are growing...

Verdict 

Dalek War: Chapter Two was a fantastic continuation of what is thus far a very solid second series of Dalek Empire audio stories. After yesterday's listen seemingly serving as a story to get me back into the story and get re-affiliated with the excellent characters, this was back to its best with some great storytelling. Suz was once again the star and I really do love her! Not in the way Alby does of course, but I just think she's superb. After the first chapter I thought Mirana might push her for that right but she didn't feature heavily enough in this story to threaten sadly. I thought the plot of this one was slightly improved and I thought it was good that the Daleks featured more prominently. Suz standing up to them was sublime and I loved her referencing Invasion of the Daleks when she said she was more than prepared to kill herself if it meant preventing the Daleks getting their precious Emperor back. The fact that the Dalek Emperor hid himself, or rather consciousness, in Suz is pretty distributing but it created a magnificent conclusion and lead in to the next chapter. The references back to Dalek War: Chapter One were good and I like how Suz is more in the know of what's going on in this audio adventure. My thoughts that the retrospect way of storytelling would continue were proved right and I like how it's almost not noticeable. It's very clever that it's obviously a recount of how they got to where they were now. Is where they're telling the story from going to be seen in series three perhaps? I'm not sure if that will be the case to be honest. I don't think overlapping three series would be a good idea but if it could be done effectively then I wouldn't object. The difference in voice and tone between the Daleks and Alliance Daleks is very good and I liked how the former left a hologram of the Emperor casing as a trap to lure Alby. I thought Morli was a fantastic character and it's nice to see that somebody is bringing humour to what is actually turning out to be quite a dark and emotional story. The reunion of Suz and Alby after all their time separated was lovely and that just made the conclusion all the more sad. I must say I really am surprised by the direction of this second series after the cliffhanger of Project Infinity. I really wasn't expecting this but I can't say I'm disappointed. As the ratings show, it's been very solid so far so I have few complaints. Although the plots have been decent in these opening two stories, I am now hoping for some more action in the last two chapters of the series. I'm also expecting something special from Suz following the way she was left off here! The torment she must have gone through would be immense. The Emperor's revival was coming. She was him and he was her. Together as one, Suz was the Dalek Emperor. I'm sure the Dalek Supreme will be more than happy but on the other side I'm sure the Mentor will be disgraced that her earlier orders were not carried out. The revelation that these supposedly 'good' Daleks were still very Dalek as we know them was magnificent. They were still destroying planets but just for very different reasons. The war is only going to get worse by the looks. The Angel of Mercy has been taken over by the Dalek Emperor and Alby must surely be heartbroken. It was a superb ending to a very good story and I hope this serves as a great lead in to the next instalment. Overall, another solid and very good audio story. 

Rating: 8/10

Dalek War: Chapter One

"Victory for the Daleks! Victory for the Daleks!"

Writer: Nicholas Briggs 

Format: Audio

Released: January 2003

Series: Dalek Empire 2.01

Featuring: Suz, Kalendorf, Alby, Mirana

Synopsis 

The galaxy is in the grip of a terrible war. Kalendorf and his alliance forces are fighting alongside Daleks from another dimension. Their common cause? The defeat of the Dalek Supreme's mighty army.

But where is the evil Emperor of the Daleks? And it can it be that the legendary Angel of Mercy, Susan Mendes, has already been exterminated?

With civilisation on the brink of destruction, it may now be impossible to tell friend from foe...

Verdict 

Dalek War: Chapter One was a very good start to the second series of Dalek Empire! I must admit it does seem a while since I finished series one, which was last November, and this story really was nice to reintroduce myself to the fantastic characters this spinoff range has created. Of course, Kalendorf was a centrepiece of the first series after initially making his audio debut in The Sirens of Time. I liked his story in this audio adventure with the constant talk of him continuously changing sides. Would anybody be able to trust him? I'm not so sure. I think I'd forgotten how much I loved the character of Suz and once she was woken up from her six year sleep she instantly became my favourite character in the story. The emotion she portrayed was fantastic and I loved her reminiscing of Alby. Those two certainly had quite the story in the first series. With the love interests, I think I mentioned this whilst blogging last year, but Dalek Empire really does have the feel of a sci-fi soap opera! I think it's brilliant and I really do like the atmosphere. I must admit, this audio surprised me in the way it started. After the brilliant conclusion to Project Infinity, where the good Daleks from the other side of the dimensional gateway emerged, I thought we really would have war on our hands. Although now after listening, I hope that's saved and built up to me a great moment. I'm confident that Nicholas Briggs will deliver. I was intrigued by how the story was pretty much told in retrospect and based on the way this ended I am expecting that to continue. I have no problems with that at all. Although it seems I really like Suz, I think Mirana is going to go close in being one of my favourite characters. The female characters are magnificent in this story and Mirana guiding Suz through the events of the past six years served as a good recount of the first series for any listeners that perhaps may have forgotten due to the length of time between release. During the telling of past events, the references to Invasion of the Daleks, "Death to the Daleks!" and Project Infinity were very good. I really liked the emotion Suz had when she remembered her rallying of the troops in bringing death to the Daleks. That was one of my favourite moments of the whole first series so hearing that once again was fantastic. It was great to hear Alby once more and it's going to be interesting to see how the love story with Suz goes seeing as she's been asleep for the last six years! The revelation that the Mentor was the creator of the Alliance Daleks was superb but most unexpected. I'd love for Davros to one day meet her! That conversation would be a heated one I would think. I liked how she served as a sort of Queen Dalek. We had the Dalek Supreme featured and the Emperor mentioned with some big implications for Suz, but I really like the sound of the Mentor. There will be no good Davros by the looks. The Daleks themselves, from this universe, were up to no good again and I just love the way they say Susan Mendes. They still desperately want to acquire her in the hope it'll win them the war. Daleks using the phrase 'enemy Daleks' is brilliant in itself. The cliffhanger finish was very good and exciting and immediately from the off in the second series I'm left wanting more! Overall, a very good return to the range. I hope we get some more action in the next stories! 

Rating: 8/10

Last Christmas

"You're a dream who's trying to save us?"

Writer: Steven Moffat 

Format: TV 

Broadcast: 25th December 2014

Series: 2014 Christmas Special

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis

Clara is in for one Christmas Eve that she's never going to forget. Reunited with the Doctor, she faces what could possibly be her last Christmas. 

Something sinister lurks in an arctic base at the North Pole and it's beyond even the most terrible, nightmarish creatures the Doctor has faced before. Who ya gonna call? Santa Claus!

Verdict 

Last Christmas is a pretty good episode but it definitely has its flaws. With the return of Doctor Who to our television screens only a couple of weeks away now, I thought it would be a good idea to give the latest Christmas special a rewatch for the first time since its broadcast. I can't believe it's been 9 months since Christmas Day and we've just had the wonderful news that Alex Kingston will be back as River Song in this year's special so I think it's already going to top last year's. Following Death in Heaven's heartbreaking conclusion with both the Doctor and Clara lying to each other to benefit the other, they angrily blurted out the truth. It wasn't quite the emotional reunion one might have expected which was a shame in my opinion. For a Christmas story, which for some reason BBC seem to instead has a heavy Christmas theme, this was quite dark despite the Christmassy elements. The Dream Crabs were intriguing enemies and I liked the idea until they went as far as having dreams within dreams. That just takes things a little far and can make things hugely confusing. Let's try and talk about some positives because despite my criticism there definitely was a lot of good! Peter Capaldi was once again simply magnificent as the Twelfth Doctor and I really do love his incarnation. I can't wait for his second series to be added to our availability of televised stories for this Doctor. Jenna Coleman was fantastic also, as always, and she simply looked stunning. I think she's just such a good companion and following this story I think her relationship with the Doctor is going to be so much more positive. We'll have lost Danny thankfully, whose appearance in this story I loathed, and Clara can just be independent. I'm not sure about Santa Claus appearing in a Doctor Who story the way he did. The question of whether he was real or not should not have even been mentioned in this programme in my opinion as there are so many young fans who will of course be believers. Once the seed of doubt is in a child's mind, it won't be long before they realise the truth. Nick Frost played a good Santa though in my opinion and I liked how he gave a different slant to what we might have expected. It was great to see Dan Starkey get to appear outside of the Sontaran gear and as an elf! The banter and comments about being racist between the elves were brilliant. The foursome of trapped scientists were very good and I liked how Michael Troughton finally got his appearance in Doctor Who following in the footsteps of his father and brother. I liked Shona's reaction to Santa's arrival and I thought before that she showed some interesting dance moves to say the least. The Doctor not being happy with missing the obvious was superb although he seemed to know more than he was letting on. He could see when they had just awoken into another dream. Despite not being a fan of a lot of the plot, the concluding scene is what gets this story the rating it does comfortably. When the Doctor goes to Clara apparently 62 years since they last met, the emotion is just magical. The Doctor realises how much he cares for Clara. He'd be willing to come back every Christmas. The moment he said she didn't look any different aged was beautiful. The scene was gorgeously played out by Capaldi and Coleman and I was thrilled she stayed on as companion. Overall, it could have been a lot better but it wasn't bad at all. 

Rating: 7/10

The Good Soldier

"You said this type of Cybermen first attacked Earth in 1986..."

Writer: Andrew Cartmel 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: July - August 1991

Printed in: DWM 175-178

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis 

High above 1950s Nevada, USA, the Mondasian Cybermen who attacked the planet in 1986 are looking to acquire the weapon that will see them invade a lot earlier, changing the landscape of history forever...

Verdict 

The Good Soldier was another excellent comic strip story to continue along my reading of the graphic novel of the same name. I always find it an interesting read when I reach the title story of a graphic novel as despite some other opinions I think it should justify why the whole collection is named after one specific comic strip. Unless there's something more featuring the Cybermen in the comic strip stories that lie ahead in this graphic novel, I think the graphic novel's cover is somewhat misleading as although this story wonderfully features the Cybermen prior to The Tenth Planet, a story that was wonderfully referenced as you can see from my opening quote, the design was somewhat different to that story and the impressive artwork on the graphic novel cover. I really like that Andrew Cartmel was still penning some Doctor Who stories in whatever way he could with the programme off air. Sadly he never got to carry out the Cartmel Masterplan, which based on the DWM interviews last year, would have been outstanding. Luckily for me reading now though, he produced this great script! It was fast paced, action packed and it served as a loose little prequel to The Tenth Planet which is just magnificent. I love how that story is significant for the second comic strip in a row following the incredible appearance of the Second Doctor following his regeneration in my reading yesterday of The Chameleon Factor. I love the irony of the Seventh Doctor technically helping the First Doctor regenerating by ensuring that the Cybermen didn't attack any sooner than 1986. The moment the Doctor told the soldiers that the ship that was docking them was tiny in comparison to the warship was superb. I really loved the cliffhanger to part one as it was such a striking image! It was almost like a resurrection of the Cybermen! There's a future Doctor Who story name right there. If only I was any good at writing... I'm fine with just enjoying giving my verdicts on the great work of others. And Andrew Cartmel certainly is a great. The advancement from part to part allowed a fantastic flow to the story. Once again, the characterisation of the Seventh Doctor was spot on as has been the case in pretty much every comic strip so far in this sublime graphic novel. Cartmel must have done something pretty special here as I even seemed to quite enjoy Ace! She was the good soldier. She took command of the ship and sent the reactor critical just as the Cybermen took the bait. The warship blew into smithereens and this batch of Cybermen were no more. Colonel Rhodes's conversion was almost disturbing but I found it very intriguing. I'm not sure whether it's because these Cybermen were before we ever saw them on television, but it just struck me that maybe they were a little too advanced than what they should have been. That's where this story loses the point in my rating sadly. I much preferred Spare Parts as an interpretation of the Cybermen before they chronologically made their first appearance. But in saying that, they were destructive and evil so they still made great enemies for me. Overall, a fantastic comic strip story with a superb idea! 

Rating: 9/10

The Chameleon Factor

"It's irritating and it's got a heart of stone!"

Writer: Paul Cornell 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: June 1991

Printed in: DWM 174

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace, Second Doctor, Polly, Ben

Synopsis 

The Seventh Doctor recovers the signet ring that he wore during his first incarnation, and with it being stuck in the console it's decided to alter the interior chameleon circuit somewhat.

Verdict 

The Chameleon Factor was an absolutely brilliant little comic strip! I was hoping for something great knowing that Paul Cornell was the writer but with just one part and six pages to play with, I wasn't quite sure what he'd be able to produce. However, what we got was simply sublime. I've criticised many Doctor Who Annual comic strip stories due to their short length (often six pages as was the case here) but with this story Paul Cornell has even eclipsed The Time Sickness in how to do a superb comic strip adventure with the limited length. It is possible to do it and that's what probably annoys me about the usual poor quality of the Doctor Who Annual adventures. The fact that this sort of served as a loose sequel to The Power of the Daleks is just wonderful. The long sought after missing serial is simply divine and I loved how in just a couple of scenes Cornell captured the mystery of Patrick Troughton's that was portrayed on screen so wonderfully well following the first ever regeneration. Although it probably wasn't difficult due to the minimal dialogue, it was lovely to see Polly and Ben once again and great in that they were characterised very well. Was this possibly their comic strip debut? My knowledge on the very early comic strips is extremely limited sadly. Oh how I'd yearn to discover the comic strip adventures of the first two Doctors in particular. Speaking of characterisation, the depiction of Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor was once again brilliant, as it consistently has been throughout my reading of this graphic novel. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing what the title story has to offer as that's what's next going through the pages. In what is surely unprecedented prior to this point, we had a debut of a brand new TARDIS interior in a comic strip story! I suppose with Doctor Who having been off the air for four years, there was little chance of it coming back anytime soon so the writers behind Doctor Who Magazine had free reign on what they wanted to do and the direction they wanted to take the adventures of the Seventh Doctor and Ace. The companion that I really do not like wasn't bad at all in this story to be fair. In saying that, it's probably down to the fact that she had barely anything to do so we didn't see much of her. I know I'm sounding really harsh, and from interviews that I've seen Sophie Aldred is absolutely lovely, but I just can't get to liking her character at all. To me, she's just not a good companion at all. I much prefer the Seventh Doctor when he's travelling with Mel or Bernice, or even a trio that involves Ace isn't too bad at all. Just look at how I enjoyed my recent listening of The Dark Flame. The plot of this little story was very good and simple but highly effect. I liked the reference to The Tenth Planet and the throwback nod to William Hartnell's First Doctor with the return of the ring to the Doctor's hand. Just some six incarnations later! The whole adventure technically taking place entirely inside the TARDIS was clever and I thought it was brilliant the way the new interior tied in with the story. Overall, short, sweet and just sensational! This is how you do a comic strip with only six pages to play with. 

Rating: 10/10

  

Island of Death

"That was one of the things she liked about the Doctor. Arrogant at times, yes, but always honest."

Writer: Barry Letts

Format: Novel

Released: July 2005

Series: PDA 71

Featuring: Third Doctor, Sarah, Brigadier

Synopsis 

"He would learn nothing from the internal organs - and for a very good reason: there was nothing there. The dead girl's body was literally just skin and bone."

A New Age cult worships a hideous God - or is it a demon? - called the Skang. What possible connection can it have with the mysterious corpse on Hamstead Heath?

Sarah Jane Smith enlists the help of the Third Doctor and the Brigadier, and their investigations take them halfway across the world, to a remote island that has been turned into a paradise for the followers of the cult. 

But the island is not what it seems, and neither is the Skang itself; and the Doctor and his companions are faced with the task of saving not only its devotees but the whole of mankind from a loathsome death. 

Verdict 

Island of Death was a fantastic read for what is incredibly my first original novel to feature the Third Doctor! I'm way over 500 blog entries now but it's only with this story that it's my first. I've obviously read many Third Doctor Target novelisations by now so I'm more than comfortable with this incarnation in prose but just not at this extended length. I thought the characterisation of Jon Pertwee's Doctor was superb throughout and Barry Letts captured the mannerisms of the great actor magnificently. I liked how he made Sarah the focus of this story and although she wasn't narrating, most of the events seemed to be perceived from her point of view. That allowed the bickering that comes with the Third Doctor and the Brigadier to be just as delightful as it always was on screen. The relationship between that pair is wonderful and I love how angry the Doctor makes the Brigadier. He seems to do it unintentionally but I'm not always convinced. He surely knows what he's doing most of the time and I noticed that in prose that feeling came across quite strongly. The characterisation of the Brigadier I imagined as actually being quite difficult but Nicholas Courtney was captured marvellously. The dialogue was absolutely spot on and I loved the humour of seeing what the Brigadier would be like high! That ability of the Skang was intriguing but it was certainly effective. They could show you absolute paradise and euphoria when actually what was there was nothing more than mediocre at best. I thought the journey to Stella Island was very good and I liked the events that came with the lengthy trek in having Alex on board. He'd been given an excision and was stuck in pure human form. Of course, at this point the truth about the Skang had only been hinted at but I liked the anger he vehemently ventilated. He was distraught at the punishment handed out by Mother Hilda but by boarding the Hallaton and directing the crew to the location, he would have a second chance. Redemption was definitely on his mind but he got more than that. His plan worked brilliantly as he actually deposed Mother Hilda! Only hours after being accepted back as a Skang, he was now their leader! The way he positioned himself was very clever and his allegiance with Brother Dafydd worked a treat. There were a lot of interesting relationships in the story. Jeremy took quite a fancying to Emma and he thought he could see himself marrying her until she jumped ahead of him in the queue and became the first victim of the Skang massacre. Thankfully, it was a full scale massacre that never came. Humans having two-thirds water inside our body was actually a main reason for the Skang deeming the human race a failure. The descending of the Great Skang wasn't as impressive as it could have been but it was still a good moment. I was intrigued by Sarah's thoughts about Sammy whom she obviously had a love interest in! Another thing that shocked me was the Doctor using the word orgasm. I've not got a problem with that at all as the use of it was just brilliant. He was trying so hard to rile Mother Hilda but it was to no effect. She stood firm. Her explanation of the Skang becoming almost fused with the human personality they took over was a very interesting concept of species. They had a whole togetherness about them but by planning on taking over the human race they would take on all kinds of different personalities. The plot played out very well and I enjoyed the pace a lot. The climax was quite fortuitous for the Doctor in that the TARDIS had humorously not brought them to Bombay but the piece he was repairing actually sent each Skang into a completely different time loop. After the horrific death of Emma, the Doctor found the resolution. Overall, a fantastic novel. 

Rating: 9/10

The Movie

"I was dead too long this time..."

Writer: Matthew Jacobs 

Format: TV 

Broadcast: 27th May 1996

Series: 1996 TV Movie

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Seventh Doctor

Synopsis 

New Year's Eve 1999. Earth is about to run out of time...

Returning home to Gallifrey with the remains of his arch enemy, the Master, the TARDIS is forced off course, plunging the Doctor into the middle of a street gang's gun battle in downtown San Francisco. 

Critically wounded in the shoot out, the Doctor has to regenerate to save his own life. And he's not the only one - the Master too has a new body with which to wreak havoc, and his ultimate goal is to take the Doctor's own existence. 

As the clock counts down to the start of a new millennium, the Doctor has to stop the Master destroying all life on Earth. But at what cost...? 

Verdict 

The Movie is a fine example of a Doctor Who story and I'm still stumped to this day why we didn't get an Eighth Doctor reboot with Paul McGann! His performance is magnificent and despite some criticism from fans, I love this story and I think it's brilliantly written. Other than The Night of the Doctor minisode, which I think should have been made into a full length episode, this is all we've got of Paul McGann on screen. He's just superb and he only improves in the audios which is natural with him growing into the role. This was another watch for me with my cousin whose knowledge of Doctor Who is growing greatly lately. Following on from his first Fourth Doctor story yesterday with Destiny of the Daleks, I've added the Eighth Doctor to his list of stories with each Doctor now and that just leaves the first three incarnations for him to watch now. We'll get there for sure. This story really captures Doctor Who but also certainly has the feel of a movie which is incredibly important. It's action packed, well paced and full of eventful ongoings. My cousin really likes the Seventh Doctor so he questioned me right away as to why Sylvester McCoy looked a lot older from his original tenure back in the late '80s. I then had to explain about the cancellation and he seemed to understand which was good. The scenes in the TARDIS with the Seventh Doctor were good and I think one sometimes forgets that it was actually this incarnation that redesigned the TARDIS interior so drastically. I must say though, it looked incredible. There was quite a lot of humour mentioned about the interior in The Four Doctors but I'm a big fan of it. It just looks so impressive. I really loved the new materialisation sequence and I'd have liked that to have been taken over into the 2005 arrival. It's clear that this movie sets the tone for the revival starting in Rose with the everyday life situations, more movie-like stories and production and the hint of romance with the Doctor. He certainly seems to be smitten with Grace! Now, in my opinion Grace should not be considered as a companion. She's absolutely brilliant in the story and her relationship with the Doctor throughout is fantastic but she flat out declines to be companion at the end of the movie so how can she be considered one? The Doctor seemed to like kissing her! This story sparks huge debate in that it's claimed that the Doctor is half-human. That fact is pretty much forgotten throughout continuity and it could just be taken as post-regenerative trauma, which as my opening quote suggests, would be quite surreal this time around. The Doctor forgot who he was for quite a considerable time. The story behind the Master was very good and I loved the visible continuation from Survival. The Master seemed to have wasted all thirteen of his lives and after being exterminated on Skaro, the Doctor was taking his remains home. But even in death, the Master could not be trusted. He had a plan and took over another body in the form of Bruce. Eric Roberts plays a ruthless and fantastic Master in my opinion. He really brings aggression to the role which at this point in his life is something I'd expect. The regeneration itself was unique and quite gruesome but the moment the Eighth Doctor emerges from the morgue is superb. The attire is brilliant and I'm glad to see the sonic screwdriver was back! I liked the An Unearthly Child reference too. The way the Master tricked Chang Lee was excellent but his plan was audacious to say the least! He'd open the Eye of Harmony, take the Doctor's body and his remaining regenerations and destroy the planet with it! The New Year's Eve setting of 1999 is clever and I like how this is a hint of a Y2K prelude. The Master defeating himself by letting the truth slip was typical and the Doctor was just about safe thanks to heroics by Grace. The Master was consumed by the Eye of Harmony, which then brought back Grace and Chang Lee, but the Doctor wanted to save him. The story of fighting off death came beautifully full circle for Grace. Overall, a wonderful story and more than fitting of a Doctor Who movie! My cousin enjoyed once more which was a bonus, and I loved it. 

Rating: 10/10

Destiny of the Daleks

"This moment is unique in the universe - Davros lives!"

Writer: Terry Nation

Format: TV 

Broadcast: 1st - 22nd September 1979

Season: 17.01

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Romana II

Synopsis 

When the Doctor and the recently regenerated Romana arrive on a radioactive planet, the Time Lord has the strangest feeling that he has been there before. Exploring the ruins of an old city, it is not long before they discover the disturbing truth. The TARDIS has materialised on Skaro - original home to the evil Daleks. But who are the mysterious Movellans and what terrible treasure are the Daleks seeking? The answer lies deep beneath the city...

Verdict 

Destiny of the Daleks is a magnificent story to open the seventeenth season of Doctor Who! I really do like this story and it almost seems like it's forgotten in some quarters due to it not being the only Dalek encounter for the Fourth Doctor. This was another watch with my fast-growing seven year old cousin who is expanding his Who knowledge greatly by watching Frontios, Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways, Blink and The Time of the Doctor! He's certainly used to regeneration now so he thought the opening scene was rather funny! I must admit, I do like it and I think it's very intriguing that it appears Romana is regenerating by choice after she sees a body she rather liked in The Armageddon Factor, a story that was nicely referenced. Regeneration being a choice seemed to be further confirmed in Last of the Time Lords. However, after my recent reading of Heart of TARDIS, I like how this again went some way to confirming that the choice of body wasn't available if regeneration was forced as has been the case every time the Doctor has regenerated. He's usually falling off buildings, saving companions or getting shot! This is such a good debut for Lalla Ward in the companion role and she looks absolutely sensational doing it. She's just beautiful and her fashion sense is magnificent as she looks divine in her attire. I love how she had her own long scarf but she made it look rather elegant. Lalla simply looked gorgeous. It was great watching this with my cousin as after watching Revelation of the Daleks and Remembrance of the Daleks with him relatively recently, he loved the part two cliffhanger in which Davros returned. I imagine on broadcast that would have been fantastic if the fact was kept hidden but to me it was the cliffhanger of part three that I thought was best. The chemistry between Tom Baker and Lalla Ward was captured instantly and together they may just form my favourite TARDIS pairing. There's no doubt in my mind that the latter, in this incarnation, is my favourite companion of all time. She portrayed emotion and aggression in response to the Daleks excellently and I also love the fact that she's a Time Lord, and in terms of Gallifreyan knowledge a more intelligent one. K9 being repaired was quite a comical start. I liked the Movellans but I'm not sure anyone would buy that they were just as good as the Daleks! The idea though was superb in that computer logic would always mean a stalemate. So the Daleks seeked to find their creator to make them organic again and break the deadlock as they would deviate from logic. Davros would have none of that though! I also liked the foreshadowing of the two sets of Daleks when he commented about the Supreme Dalek title needing to be disputed. There was peril in the ranks already. Tyssan was a very good character and I liked the story development he went through during the four episodes. At first he seemed evil by hunting Romana but once he was brought aboard the ship by the Movellans, the truth behind him was revealed and it was far from evil. The setting of Skaro was great and I liked the references to The Daleks and Genesis of the Daleks very much. The Doctor's reaction to finding out where they were was superb. Tom Baker gave a dazzling performance and the change in actor for Davros wasn't bad at all. The sight of the Daleks being decorated in explosives was magnificent and I quite liked the way the Doctor made Davros hit the trigger that would blow them up once they were clear of the Movellans. The climax really was good and I liked how Davros was dealt with. Overall, a superb story and my cousin really enjoyed his first Fourth Doctor story! He found him hilarious which was lovely to see. 

Rating: 9/10

Screams of the Jungle Part 2

"You want me to trust you? You're wearing the face of my dead boyfriend."

Writer: Jonathan Morris 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 20th August 2015

Printed in: DWM 490

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

The Doctor and Clara are in peril. The former is being chased by what appears to be a T-Rex and the latter is shocked that her dead boyfriend Danny Pink seems to have been resurrected! But what truth lies with the spirits of the jungle?

Verdict 

Screams of the Jungle continued magnificently in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine. I'll get to the comic strip in a minute but I think it's a great shame that the wonderful magazine and Colin Baker aren't seeing eye to eye. The interview wasn't actually that nice to read with the actor who portrayed the superb Sixth Doctor taking a shot at DWM because of the Mighty 200 poll which placed his debut story The Twin Dilemma at the bottom. I'm not sure I understand his point in not having favourites as I think every single Whovian has a favourite Doctor, story and monster! Most of us have lists! I've praised Colin Baker numerous times in this blog but I wonder if he ever came across it, would he not like it because I give each story a rating? His debut story would certainly be up in the higher end of ratings as despite its unpopularity, I really like his debut. The only viewing I've had got it a 9/10. In my opinion, how anything scores lower than Love and Monsters is beyond me, but that's for a blog on another day. The magazine really looks to be a good one and I've actually read a lot of it, it's just taken me a while to get to reading and blogging the comic strip! That comes just over a week since the magazine was released. I'm looking forward to the new series preview very much and the cover really has got me in the mood for Series 9 which begins not far from now on September 19th! It's stunning and I'm looking very forward to seeing what DWM has to offer with the Secret Diaries of the Master. I'm sure that'll be an interesting feature. The promotion feature on the new 'Complete History' collection that will be released may persuade me to get it but with university on the horizon I just can't see that I'll be able to afford it! It's going to be a struggle to keep up the collection of DWM and DWC (providing I can find a supplier of the latter!). The feature on the translation in Doctor Who stories should be interesting also. I'm particularly looking forward to the previews of the three upcoming novels that form the intriguing arc of the Glamour Chronicles. I can't wait for those! Now, back to the comic strip and I thought it was absolutely superb this month. After part one, which had to follow the brilliant Blood and Ice, I was a bit skeptical on whether this story would deliver. I've not been a huge fan of Jonathan Morris in the past but he has produced a sublime second part here. After a great cliffhanger, we finally had the best characterisation of Clara in DWM yet in my opinion. She was disgraced to see that somebody would be a Danny imposter! I loved it. Clara is a wonderful companion on television and hopefully DWM follows DWC in the way she's characterised. They're getting there and my favourite post-revival companion seems to be getting fair treatment in the comic strip stories now. The team of the Doctor, Mr Hitch, Wiremu and Gela went through quite a lot in this segment of the story! There was torment, adventure and death. The hunt for the Hadax Ura wasn't as straightforward as they first thought. The truth of the superweapon was revealed in horrible fashion. It was created to stop the war, but how it would go about succeeding that was horrific! It would wipe out both sides and use them for its own gain. The revelation that the jungle was computerised was a shock and I loved how the water represented the data streams. The characterisation of the Twelfth Doctor was once again outstanding as it always seems to be in DWM. The cliffhanger was once again marvellous with Clara apparently going under cybernetic transformation! At one point in the story I thought the Cybermen would return but I'm glad that's not the case now. Clara seems to be in some serious trouble now though! I'm anticipating the next bumper issue of DWM and part three of the comic strip very much. 

The End of Time

"Events that have happened are happening now."

Writer: Russell T Davies

Format: TV 

Broadcast: 25th December 2009 - 1st January 2010

Series: 2009-10 Christmas/New Year's Special

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Wilf

Synopsis

It is the Tenth Doctor's final journey — but his psychotic nemesis, the Master, has been resurrected on Christmas Eve! Each determined to cheat death, the battle rages from the abandoned wastelands of London to the mysterious Immortality Gate, whilst the alien Ood warn of an even greater danger approaching, as a terrible shadow falls across the entire universe.

With the sound of the drums growing louder in the Master's head and an ancient trap closing around the Earth, the Doctor and Wilf must fight alone. Sacrifices must be made, the Time Lords have found a way back from beyond the Time War, and the deadly prophecy warns: "He will knock four times."

Verdict 

The End of Time is a phenomenal story and a worthy way for the Tenth Doctor's tenure to end. David Tennant really was brilliant as the Doctor and I'm not surprised why in the view of the casual fan, he is seen as the best. However, despite my loving of him and the fact he was my first ever Doctor, he doesn't actually rank in my top three Doctors. There's no disputing he's excellent and this story is fitting for his sendoff. After the build up dating all the way back to Planet of the Ood, it did return. He did knock four times. The Doctor's song did end. It started off in great fashion with everyone having bad dreams about the Master. After the horrible events of The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords, which were nicely flashbacked to, they'd forgotten all about the horrors of Harold Saxon, or at least most of them had. This was an intriguing viewing for myself for two reasons. The first was the fact I was watching with my cousin, who I hadn't seen for over a month thanks to A-Level results and sorting out university, and this was his first story to feature the Master and also his first in which the Doctor regenerates. I brought up a choice of stories for him but I quickly eliminated that choice when we were on the bus home from town, in which I excellently found the novels of Hope, Skypoint, Doctor Who and the Zarbi and Terror of the Autons for all less than £5! A steal. But he asked me how the Doctor changes so to suit me with my sporadic rewatch of the 2009 Specials also, I decided on this story for my viewing. The other reason this watch was interesting because it was my first viewing since The Day of the Doctor aired and the concept of the Time War was drastically changed. Dialogue within this story ties in with the Anniversary special magnificently which is a relief. Gallifrey was returning at a point before it was saved in the 50th celebration episode so to me everything made sense. I loved the mention of the Doctor possessing the Moment and for the first time I could picture that in my head as being the War Doctor and actually seeing the events! The cliffhanger to part one was incredible and on broadcast I really was stunned. The Time Lords were coming back! Oh, and the entire human race was now the Master. I almost forgot about that bit. The idea of the Immortality Gate was excellent and I thought the mansion setting was superb. It really was a good focus point. Bernard Cribbins gave a sensational performance and for me he was definitely a companion in this story. People argue that the likes of Astrid, Jackson and Christina are companions but I wholeheartedly disagree. However, Wilf certainly is in this story. His pensioner search party of the Doctor was just magnificent! Minnie was hilarious. I was thrilled to come up to my grandparents to find that my cousin had discovered that Doctor Who was shown on Watch and the Horror Channel and he has since viewed about 12 episodes! They were mostly Ninth and Tenth Doctor stories but he's also added another incarnation to his watch list after he told me he'd seen Snakedance! I was delighted to hear this and I have definitely converted him into a Whovian. I had to try and explain why Donna had forgotten the Doctor without spoiling her swansong which wasn't easy but he didn't ask too many questions. The flashbacks to most of Series 4 were good though the added threat of her remembering the Doctor to the cliffhanger, which would cause her to die, was superb. The Master was arguably at his most disturbing in this story after his resurrection went horribly wrong. All he could do was die, and that's what the Master fears most. Lucy's cameo was a fantastic one. I liked the references to Voyage of the Damned and Partners in Crime and the action packed scenes of the missile attack were marvellous! My favourite moments were probably the scenes on Gallifrey, which are phenomenally rare in the revival era, so it was nice to see that they were restored temporarily. Timothy Dalton played Rassilon sublimely and it's magnificent to see the effects the War were having on the race. Their ascension plans were pretty disturbing and it's no wonder the Doctor put an end to it all. The use of the Gallfreyan exclusive diamond, combined with implanting the drumming into the Master as a child, as means of a pathway out of the time lock was incredible. I loved the dialogue between the Doctor and Master in discussing things when they were children. That's wonderful to think about. The drumming of the Master being the heartbeat of a Time Lord was fantastic and I loved how it served as a possible reason for his madness during his life. The Time Lords were to blame. At least we had some sort of possible explanation. Rassilon arriving and reversing the Master's altering of the human race was brilliant but I loved the audacity of the great villain to want to change every Time Lord into himself as well! His opinion on saving the Time Lords soon changed. The moment the Doctor and Master told each other to get out of the way was simply stunning and at the end of it all, it seemed the Master would see the final days of the Time War. In cutting the link though, radiation was flooded into the chamber which housed Wilf and it was critical. He knocked four times for someone to let him out. The Doctor thought he had survived, but the prophecy had come true. Of course the Doctor would save Wilf. It was his honour. The Doctor soaked up the radiation in torment but once all was done, he could put off regeneration but not for long. He got his reward in an incredible flurry of scenes in which he was saying goodbye to Martha, Mickey, Sarah Jane, Joan Redfurn's descendant, Donna and Rose. It was the perfect farewell. But it was time for a new song now. The regeneration sequence was incredible and despite the Tenth Doctor not wanting to go, the Eleventh Doctor arrived in quite spectacular fashion! A fitting end for Tennant. Superb. 

Rating: 10/10

Party Animals

"Perhaps I should start calling you Dorothy..."

Writer: Gary Russell 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: May 1991

Printed in: DWM 173

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis 

The Seventh Doctor and Ace attend a party full of sorts of personalities, many of whom the Doctor has previously encountered. But with the arrival of an old friend, both past and future, things certainly get interesting...

Verdict 

Party Animals was a superbly bonkers little comic strip! This continued my reading of The Good Soldier graphic novel in magnificent fashion and after my perhaps skepticism on whether the latest collection of comic strips would be any good after Fellow Travellers, I'm certainly being proven wrong if the last two stories are anything to go by! I think I was initially worried that after reading the sublime collection in Voyager that this wouldn't live up to expectation but with this story being a great follow up to The Mark of Mandragora, it seems I'm sorely mistaken. I'm delighted about that though and I'm excited by the prospect of having the title comic strip yet to come. I really liked the start of this story which is where the opening quote came from and it's one that I just absolutely adore! Ace constantly referring to the Doctor as Professor is one thing that really irritates me about her and is probably a large reason why she's my least favourite companion of all time. That's not his name and despite her continuously being told that, she still persists with the incorrect title. It really does annoy me so for the Doctor to turn the tables and try and annoy Ace by calling her Dorothy, which is actually her name so it differs from her calling him Professor, which she instantly wasn't happy about. Now she was in the position she puts the Doctor in and she didn't like it. Maybe she'd call him his proper name now? I bloody hope that's the case! There was no real plot to this story other than a great big party and I don't know why but I just loved it! It was clustered and disorganised but it was just so much fun. Considering this story only had six pages to play with it did rather a lot! We saw Daleks apparently thinking of love, Draconians and even a nice throwback to Polly the Glot! Ace got to club a Sontaran which I'm sure she would have enjoyed! However, I thought the artwork of Ace was pretty horrendous which was a real shame. She looks so detailed on the cover artwork but once inside, in this story particularly, Sophie Aldred was not captured greatly at all. I think that's a real shame in a story such as this where so many past villainous and characters were captured wonderfully. The Kandy Man, Minotaur and Ice Warrior were illustrated fantastically. It was like a trip down memory lane with all these characters popping up! It even seemed that the Melkur wanted to join the party which was quite a shock I must say after the events of The Keeper of Traken. I was also very intrigued to see what appeared to be Bart Simpson in the amalgamation of many alien races that had assembled at this party. The characterisation of the Seventh Doctor was once again nailed and thus far in the graphic novel a job well done has been achieved in terms of that. I quite liked that the Rani got namedropped but I wasn't quite sure about the story surrounding Shaman Khan. I did like the final page though I must admit in it being the Doctor's future and his past. The cameo shot of the Fourth Doctor was tremendous and I do love seeing past incarnations of the Doctor crop up in comic strip stories. It's so simple how it can be achieved so I like that it's taken advantage of. It definitely should be. Overall, as I said at the top the best way to describe this comic strip is just superbly bonkers! It definitely impressed me especially with it only being six pages and I'm now really looking forward to seeing how the rest of the graphic novel pans out! 

Rating: 9/10 

The Mark of Mandragora

"The Helix is like a cuckoo in the nest, making the place its very own, making us the intruders..."

Writer: Dan Abnett 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: November 1990 - April 1991

Printed in: DWM 167-172

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Ace

Synopsis 

London. The end of the twentieth century approaches... perhaps more literally than anyone expects. Allied with UNIT, the Doctor and Ace have unlocked the secret of the Falling Star nightclub. That secret is raw energy of the Mandragora Helix, preparing to infect Earth with its infernal power...

Verdict 

The Mark of Mandragora was a simply stunning comic strip adventure to continue along my reading of The Good Soldier graphic. With the preludes that came with it, I have split the blog entry as you can see below and wrote my comments immediately after reading. 

Darkness Falling

This comic strip takes on a unique format in that it has not one but two preludes printed in the pages of DWM prior to its official beginning. With each prelude just three pages, there's no way I can count each of them as a separate story instead I'm including in the overall comic strip adventure as a whole. With build up like this, I really hope it lives up to the hype! I'm not sure I would be a fan of the DWM each of these preludes were printed in as the comic strip is a large reason why I purchase the magazine so to only get three pages of comic strip would have been quite disappointing, even if the Brigadier was featured! UNIT was in big trouble, and even with the great man looking more like his old self than what we saw in Battlefield, he was hoping for the help of the Doctor. I get the feeling he'll soon be on his way...

Distractions 

Now this was a wonderful prelude to the overall comic strip adventure! The Seventh Doctor and Ace had arrived into the picture and would you know it, Ace was upset. She'd been wondering about the TARDIS for four hours and the Doctor hadn't bothered trying to find her. I can't say I blame him. But she did manage to find her way to the secondary control room which was magnificent to see once again! That really is a throwback to the Fourth Doctor era! We had a superb flashback and reference to The Masque of Mandragora, and it appears that the deadly Helix is back for revenge! It's been biding its time and growing with each visit of the TARDIS, and now it appears ready to strike! Let the adventure begin! 

The Mark of Mandragora

Now this was more like it! A simply stunning adventure that more than made its mark. Pun absolutely intended. I really did love this comic strip and there's no doubt that this was a triumphant return for the Mandragora Helix. I really did like The Masque of Mandragora, but I've only watched it once and that was probably three years ago now. However, I have read the novel within the last year and I absolutely loved that! I liked the continuity from the aforementioned TV story in that it was set roughly 500 years after those events. Despite the waiting game, the Helix still remembered the Doctor and the defeat he caused in their last encounter. However, this time it was the Helix that had the advantage of using the Doctor's TARDIS against him. That advantage though would be the cause of defeat. I really liked Captain Frost being part of UNIT but I was surprised that the Brigadier didn't appear more prominently. He only had cameo roles which I thought was a shame. We could have had an extension of Battlefield, a story that was neatly mentioned, in that the Seventh Doctor and Brigadier could join forces once again. Although I haven't read The Iron Legion, I loved the reference to it and the fact that they were referencing a comic strip adventure that was released 160 odd issues before the one the reader was holding! The audacity! I thought it was brilliant. I also liked the reference to Fellow Travellers and that story can now have an added subtly to the title as we know the Mandragora was waiting and rebuilding in the TARDIS. The drug Mandrake being used throughout London was clever and I liked how it would hide the mention of the Mandragora as it used its previous name. Stranks served as a very good villainous enemy and I liked the dialogue he and the Doctor exchanged. I wasn't struck on the artwork for Ace but I thought the characterisation of her was excellent. They also absolutely nailed Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor which was fantastic to see. I thought the cliffhangers were very good and the pace of the story was perfect. I was quite surprised that the Doctor accepted defeat but in the end he got lucky. The TARDIS prevented the Mandragora from reverting the Universe to its own design by being the weak link. It hiccuped and actually saved the Doctor! I bet that got mentioned at one point during unseen conversation in The Doctor's Wife. I liked how the Doctor was utterly depressed when he thought the TARDIS was gone forever, disintegrated into nothingness. He'd reluctantly agreed once again to join UNIT which I bet he wasn't thrilled about. But then ebullience came together as the TARDIS came to him and Ace and put a smile on the Brigadier's face as he knew they were off adventuring once again. Overall, a stunning comic strip adventure! This graphic novel must be something special if this gets topped. 

Rating: 10/10

The Face of Evil

"How could he be so cheerful when he'd just been condemned to an agonising death?"

Writer: Terrance Dicks

Format: Novel

Released: January 1978

Series: Target 25

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Leela

Synopsis 

"When Xoanon gets desperate enough, he's going to destroy everything..."

Thinking the controls are set for Earth, the Doctor is surprised when the TARDIS lands in a huge primeval forest where chaos reigns - chaos for which the Doctor is partly responsible. This is home to the Sevateem and Tesh tribes, who are constantly engaged in savage wars to appease their god Xoanon. Through meeting Leela, the young female warrior brandished by her tribe, the Doctor discovers that the constant raging battles between them are instigated by none other than Xoanon, in reality an all-powerful giant computer. With Leela as his companion, the Doctor must not only battle with Xoanon, but reconcile the differences between the two tribes - who are both intent on subjecting them to their savage law. 

Verdict 

The Face of Evil was a tremendous novelisation of one of the first Classic era adventure I'd ever watched! I remember first watching this story on television on UKTV Gold I think it was, something wonderful like that! I enjoyed it then as I was first getting into the Classics and after rewatching during my 260 day run of watching the lot, I really did like it. I bought the novel for a mere £2 which is beyond a steal as that's less than the RRP! It's a prized piece of my collection and it was excellent portrayed in novelised format by the genius at work himself - Terrance Dicks. I love his work in the Targets, and the original novels actually with greats like Players and Endgame. He just knows how to set out and pace a novel but it also feels like the television story at the same time which I think is important. I loved how he included an explanation for the face on the mountain being the Fourth Doctor and not a previous incarnation. At the time it perhaps raised a question as there was never a time where the Fourth Doctor travelled alone until the story immediately before this. I thought Leela was the star of the novel, and rightly so. She's such a great companion. Her primitive nature matched with the wit and humour of this incarnation of the Doctor makes them quite a pairing. Reading the story in which they meet, it's lovely to see that they immediately have the chemistry that would make them a much loved TARDIS pairing. I have the novel of The Talons of Weng-Chiang to read with this pairing and that certainly is one I'm looking forward to. The story of Leela over the course of the novel is wonderful as she goes from being banished for blasphemy to forcing her way into the TARDIS. The Tribe of Sevateem was very good but I loved the revelation that came with them and the Tesh. Over generations, Sevateem had gained its name by deviating from Survey Team, the name which was on one of the holy relics of Xoanon. Tesh had also deviated from techs, the technician wing of the original colonists that came to this planet. It was quite ironic how the Sevateem and Tesh were both the same race, just separated by being descendants of different parts of the crew! This novel reminded me a little of Night of the Humans, not quite on that scale but it was certainly close. They'd created a whole religion based on a wrecked colonist spaceship. Thankfully there was no Wild West worshipping going on this time. Leela's reaction when she first met the Doctor was magnificent. Despite her blaspheme, she couldn't deny that standing right in front of her was the Evil One. Not the Master who she'd later meet in The Evil One, but the Doctor! I loved the characterisation of the Doctot and you could really just read it in the voice of Tom Baker with ease. That's when the characterisation in novels and comic strips is good in my opinion. He seemed to take on being this great evil one with extraordinary calmness! The guest characters were all very good and I really liked Neeva. His particular place on religion and the word of Xoanon was intriguing. I really liked Calib too as Leela seemed to believe that he was the strongest member of the Tribe. She had respect for him and I admired that. U loved the Doctor's reaction to seeing his face carved into the mountain and he really did see that things had taken a turn for the worse now! I really loved the references to Planet of the Spiders and Robot in explaining how the Fourth Doctor had come to this place before when he was still suffering from the trauma of his accelerated regeneration. That was a magnificent deviation from the TV story. The threat of the invisible monsters was excellent and I liked the barriers holding them out. The references to The Hand of Fear and The Deadly Assassin were stunning and it was nice to see that the Doctor missed Sarah being by his side complaining about their latest location. He obviously missed having a companion but that was all change now! After the thrilling climax, Leela bundled her way on board! A great ending to a wonderful novel. 

Rating: 9/10

The Big Bang

"You know there's no such thing as stars."

Writer: Steven Moffat 

Format: TV

Broadcast: 26th June 2010

Series: 5.13

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory, River

Synopsis 

The Alliance has trapped the Doctor in the Pandorica. The TARDIS has exploded with River inside. Rory has shot Amy and the cracks have swallowed everything but the Earth and the Moon. 

The fate of all existence lies in the hands of a little girl who still believes in stars.

Verdict 

The Big Bang is fantastic fifth season finale and an excellent conclusion to the story already started in The Pandorica Opens. It expertly closes a lot of story arcs from the past 12 episodes, but in typical Moffat fashion, it potentially leaves us with more questions than answers! I remember when watching this on broadcast, which I can't believe is over five years, and I was quite shocked by how different it was to the story's first part. After the incredible cliffhanger, the resolutions are all pretty simple really. The Doctor escapes the Pandorica thanks to his future self and what must be a paradox. In doing so, he instructs Rory to place Amy in the Pandorica as that will force her to stay alive which, after being shot by her soon to be Auton husband, is exactly what she needed! River being trapped in the exploding TARDIS, which wonderfully acted as the replacement for the Sun in this timeline with the absence of the stars. I loved how the Alliance miserably failed to save the universe and once more it was left to the Doctor to save all of creation. The idea of the TARDIS exploding at every point in history was incredibly audacious from Moffat. At just one point in time you'd wonder why it would cause a threat to the whole universe, but with it at every point in history the threat was gigantic. History was falling apart and the Doctor, Amy, Rory and River were only surviving by being at the heart of the storm. I really like Amelia and despite being the younger self of Amy, I love the differentiation between the pair that comes with simply extending her name to what it fully is. I loved how she was the girl that believed in stars. In this timeline, the stars had never existed. The Richard Dawkins reference was quite funny I must say, that was a real nice inclusion. Rory committing himself to 2,000 years of guarding his soon to be wife in her perfect prison was quite incredible I must say! I thought it was really nice of the Doctor to show his admiration of that at the pair's wedding. With the Doctor destined for the other side of the cracks, closing them for good and allowing the universe to be fully rebooted, I absolutely adored the comparison of the TARDIS to the well known wedding craze of having something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue because well, the TARDIS was all of them! The way the Doctor saved himself by implanting ways for Amy to remember him once he was erased was magical. The scene being repeated from The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone was simply stunning and this time we knew what it meant! That caused a bit of confusion during that story but it just lead up to something beautiful here. I thought the Doctor being at Amelia's bedside and telling her the story of the TARDIS was sublime as well! I really liked how this episode followed suit of the previous by having a lone enemy. Only this time it wasn't a Cyberman, it was an Underhenge Dalek! The restoration field of the Pandorica had brought the Dalek back. Now, the Doctor had one of his most dangerous, incredible and audacious plans to save the universe ever! He was going to fly and pilot the Pandorica straight into the heart of the TARDIS explosion and release the restoration field at every point in history! The comparison to cloning from a single cell was really good. It of course worked and just about all was back to normal. For the second time now, the Doctor escaped regeneration following being exterminated by a Dalek. The ending was really nice with the TARDIS trio finally reunited. Overall, a sensational finale! 

Rating: 10/10