The Swords of Kali Part 1

"They're only eyebrows! There should be a law about judging a man by his eyebrows!"

Writer: Robbie Morrison

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 23rd April 2015

Printed in: DWC #3

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

The Doctor and Clara came to the ice world of Isen VI only to find it terraformed into a lush jungle! The terraforming machinery woke a corrupted, starlike being - a Hyperion. Stoking the fires of the Hyperion's ego, the Doctor kept it occupied until the terraformers could direct a vast storm into its path - a storm they flash-froze, putting the Hyperion back on ice! Now Clara and the Doctor travel on to a new adventure... unaware that there are more Hyperions still out there... including one frozen in Earth's own solar system!

Verdict 

The Swords of Kali opened in excellent style with this first part in today's newly released Doctor Who Comic UK! It looks like I was lucky to pick up the issue in my local WH Smith (my supply of all DWMs, figurines and some novels) as there was just the one copy so I quickly picked up! Ever since Titan announced that they were bring these stories to the UK for release, it's been this third issue that I've been most looking forward to! That's because this story, and the Eleventh Doctor's segment, will be entirely new to me which I was looking extremely forward to! The Tenth Doctor's first story also comes to an end here so I'm looking forward for his new story next month. But for now it was all about the Twelfth Doctor and Clara. I thought DWC got things a lot more representative for Clara in this story and that's a breath of fresh air as I'm not convinced at all that DWM have got her characterisation correct. I thought it was wonderful how the Twelfth Doctor was visiting Leonardo da Vinci at the time he was painting the infamous Mona Lisa. At first I thought we might have had some sort of linking with City of Death but that didn't come sadly. Not that there's an obligation that it should of course! I thought the moment where it revealed that Clara was the model for the Mona Lisa was incredible! I couldn't quite believe it! She must be one of the most travelled and experienced companions ever, probably the most! She was there when the First Doctor left Gallifrey. She entered the Doctor's timeline. Now she's the bloody Mona Lisa! I love it! I loved the fact that Da Vinci was appearing at all but that was trumped by a flashback and a couple of images of the Fourth Doctor! I certainly wasn't expecting anything like that so it was a wonderful surprise. I liked how the Doctor spoke about the TARDIS phone and how he'd given out its number and then forgotten all about doing so. It's always a special occasion when the TARDIS phone calls. Just look at the beautiful moment in The Bells of Saint John for example. I did like how the Doctor immediately recognised who was phoning, despite it being some nine incarnations ago for him! I think giving the name of Maratha was very subtly clever as at first glance I mistakenly read it as Martha! As much I'd love her to return with a different Doctor, I was quite glad it wasn't her for some reason. Perhaps because I was intrigued by the fact the Doctor had a history with Tiger! I really was fascinated that he'd travelled with the Fourth Doctor a couple of times. I liked the jump in setting from 22nd century Mumbai all the way back to the same location but in 1825! The idea of a four dimensional location was one I found magical. I've often wondered what time meant as a fourth dimension and now I know! A place that exists simultaneously in more than one time! Brilliant. I'm not a fan of calling a character Rani (unless she turns out to be the Time Lady!) though. Priyanka was a great character I must say though and I liked how she just kind of got muddled up in being a companion for the story. Her memory of the Fourth Doctor was stunning. The climax was good and I did like the cliffhanger with the Doctor jumping times back to 1825 where we came full circle with what we saw at the start of the comic. Possibly a bit complex in places with the plot, but this looks to be a promising adventure for however long it lasts!