Planet of the Dead

"Adric and Jamie are dead, Doctor! Try to remember - this was all a terrible hoax!"

Writer: John Freeman

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September 2011

Printed in: Doctor Who Classics: Volume 7

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Frobisher, Sixth Doctor, Peri, Fifth Doctor, Adric, Fourth Doctor, Third Doctor, Second Doctor, Jamie, First Doctor, Katarina, Sara

Synopsis 

The Doctor is attacked by the companions he sadly lost, and his previous incarnations, all appearing in the form of shape shifters.

Verdict 

Planet of the Dead was quite a remarkable comic strip adventure and it finally gave me that standout story that usually appears in graphic novels (usually the one it's named after) with me slowly believing that I may not get one from this IDW collection of early Seventh Doctor comic strips. I think you can see just from my 'featuring' section of the information segment how good this story was going to be! Now, I might have slightly mislead readers in saying that those incarnations and companions appeared because technically they did not. Instead it was the shape-shifting Gwanzulum impersonating those the Doctor has lost and then his previous selves. Even before the shocking returns occurred, the brief scenes with the Doctor alone on the dubbed planet of the dead was terrific. He'd stumbled across a secret entrance leading underground and despite his acknowledging that he shouldn't go down, his curiosity once again defeated him. He stumbled down the steps but I'm sure he couldn't even begin to imagine who he would see! Adric was there to greet the Doctor. Yes, Adric! With Adric being my least favourite companion of all time, pronanly by quite a distance, I think this was the first time I was happy to see him! As if one deceased companion returning wasn't enough, we saw Peri followed by Jamie soon follow. The Doctor's reactions to seeing his former companions were quite similar to my own - shock but happiness! I must admit I was baffled how the three companions recognised the man as the Doctor as they'd all travelled with incarnations prior to the Seventh Doctor, but the fact they were there was more than enough. As if it wasn't enough, Sara and Katarina made a shocking appearance! I thought it was quite sad how the Doctor didn't seem to fully recognise or even remember Katarina. It sadly contradicts the amazing line the First Doctor gave in The Daleks' Master Plan when his new Ancient Greek companion plummeted out of that spaceship. It did though keep in line with the dark nature of part one and the amount of death that comes with the Doctor. With the aforementioned companions present, I really liked the references to The Trial of a Time Lord, Earthshock and The Myth Makers. The fact that the companions turned on each other provided a tremendous climax to the first episode as Sara blasted Peri in the face! The companions soon showed their true identities as they reverted back to their normal embodiment of the Gwanzulum. The beginning of episode two was quite comical with the Fourth Doctor waking and shaking up the a Seventh Doctor! That cheesy smile was brilliant to see. As if we didn't get treated enough with the companions, all six previous incarnations of the Doctor appeared! I just love the dialogue that comes with multi-Doctor stories and it was no different here, even if the past incarnations were actually shape-shifters! I loved the still of where all of the Doctors stood side on in numerical order. I loved the idea of the First and Sixth Doctors arriving together - of any of the Doctor's future incarnations I'd imagine his first body would approve of his sixth's attitude and policy the most. The attempts of the Gwanzulum to get off the planet via the TARDIS was genius and I liked how they tried to get the Seventh and current Doctor into the TARDIS first allowing them entry. However, he got it in and then left what appeared to be his previous selves (actually disguised) on the planet they were so desperate to escape with no way of exiting. The Doctor had quite an experience but walked out comical. Overall, a wonderful comic strip and easily the best Classic series era comic I've read! 

Rating: 10/10