Spare Parts

"I will not be your template for your monstrous parodies of human kind!"

Writer: Marc Platt

Format: Audio

Released: July 2002

Series: Main Range 34

Featuring: Fifth Doctor, Nyssa

Synopsis 

"I'm not even sure they are people by the end. They’re just so many tinned left-overs..."

On a dark frozen planet where no planet should be, in a doomed city with a sky of stone, the last denizens of Earth's long-lost twin will pay any price to survive, even if the laser scalpels cost them their love and hate and humanity 

And in the Mat-infested streets, round about tea-time, the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa unearth a black market in secondhand body parts and run the gauntlet of augmented police and their augmented horses.

And just between the tramstop and the picturehouse, the Doctor's worst suspicions are finally confirmed: the Cybermen have only just begun, and the Doctor will be, just as he always has been, their saviour...

Verdict 

Spare Parts was an excellent audio adventure! It perfectly portrays just how beautiful these Big Finish audios are and that they can do just about anything they want - and they're brilliant! With Genesis of the Daleks being highly acclaimed with it being the origin story of the Doctor's deadliest enemies, I think this story does a wonderful job in giving us a somewhat surprising origination for another great enemy of the Doctor's - the Cybermen! As you can see from the cover, the Cyber design is obviously reminiscent to what we saw in The Tenth Planet and I loved the fact that this story served as a prequel to that really. Mondas was already escaping its orbit and returning to its twin planet and the Cybermen were just being born with the final adjustments being made in this story itself. The Cybermen had arrived. It's obvious to say how this story helped form the basis for Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel with a lot of similarities though I do wish I had done this story first. That modern TV story depicted the creation of extremely different Cybermen to what we saw in the First Doctor's swansong. The Cybermen that appeared in that story remain my favourite design. It's just so wonderfully retro but it also sees the Cybermen as close to human as we ever saw. It was clear then that it hadn't been long since the Cybermen had made themselves machine-like and removed their emotions and this audio story confirms that. The purpose for which the Cybermen were created may have been the biggest surprise though. Unlike the story it inspired with John Lumic offering immortality in the form of Cybermen, the Mondasian Cybermen were created so they could reach the surface of the planet without dying. It was quite the surprise. The pairing of the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa is a decent one but it's far from being the strongest. I'm not sure whether that's because we didn't actually see it on TV apart from the beginning of Arc of Infinity or because they're just not as strong on audio as the likes of the Sixth Doctor and Peri. But hey, they both did a good job here. I loved their arrival on Mondas, especially once the Doctor had figured out where and when they were. It wasn't quite like Earth but it was extremely similar. There was no other explanation. The Doctor was on a planet that he never wanted to step foot on at the precise time he didn't want to be there. His first encounter with a Cyberman in the story wasn't actually quite that at all. I loved how he referenced the cloth mask, confirming beyond doubt what design of Cybermen we were dealing with here. With it being an origin story though that's kind of a given. The fact that a horse was half machine was quite the surprise though! A Cyberhorse? Now that would be something. The appearance of the Cybermats was fantastic and I loved how they were seen as pets on Mondas amongst the civilians. They were harmless. Of course they were, right? The Doctor's reaction to Nyssa inadvertently bringing one aboard the TARDIS was fantastic. He didn't like being where he was at all and he just wanted to get away. He knew he couldn't prevent the creation of the Cybermen because that could mean drastic changes in his timeline. He may not have regenerated for the first time when he did, Earth may not have been invaded and Adric may have survived. There was too much that couldn't be changed. I always love to echo that astounding line from The Aztecs. The Doctor could not rewrite history. Not one line. Nyssa working out that the population of Mondas would be the future Cybermen was intriguing and I liked the heartfelt references to Earthshock. They hadn't really stopped to mourn Adric. That was rather sad. Doctorman (a very intriguing and clever name) Allan being the creator was a surprise and I somehow can't see her returning in the way Davros has over the years after the events of this story. But now she's quite the place in Doctor Who history! The stories behind Yvonne and Thomas were brilliant and what happened to them in the story was quite sad. The Doctor being challenged over referring to a Cyberman as 'he' when he knew who had been converted was excellent. In turn, I loved how the Doctor knew what horror was being created but was helpless to prevent it from happening. The Fifth Doctor's been rather privileged in these audios though arriving here to meet the Cybermen before they knew of him and also in The Mutant Phase arriving to meet the Daleks before they'd first meet him in The Dalek Invasion of Earth. The fact though that every Cyberman the Doctor would ever meet was based off his own template must have been a sour pill to swallow though. I'm not sure how he must have reacted inside. But overall, an excellent audio story and I loved how the end was just the beginning of what we would see in The Tenth Planet. The voices were absolutely incredible.

Rating: 9/10

Dreams of Empire

"Perhaps it takes a civil war to bring home to them the problems with the way they treat others."

Writer: Justin Richards 

Format: Novel

Released: March 2013

Series: 50th Anniversary Collection 02

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Victoria

Synopsis 

On a barren asteroid, the once-mighty Haddron Empire is on the brink of collapse, torn apart by civil war. The one man who might have saved it languishes in prison, his enemies planning his death and his friends plotting his escape. The Second Doctor arrives as the last act of this deadly drama is being played out - and with both terrifying killers and cunning traitors to defeat, the future hangs in the balance. 

Verdict 

Dreams of Empire was a very good novel to celebrate the Second Doctor in this format as part of the 50th anniversary celebration! I know I'm reading over two years since its rerelease, but that doesn't matter at all, does it? I bought it in the anniversary year but with college and so much other unexplored Doctor Who I've struggled to find time for novels but slowly but surely I'm realising that it may be in my head that they take longer to do than is actually the case. Just look at me here, completing the whole thing in just about 24 hours (whilst fitting in around 9 hours of sleep and some more important History revision!). I like the little introductions these anniversary reprints have and I was intrigued to read what Justin Richards had to say. The way he came up with the idea of the novel was intriguing, even if I felt the idea of the Republic was drummed into us a little too much during the opening of the novel. Not that it hurt, I guess. The characterisation of the Second Doctor, as Richards explains in his novel, is a very difficult one to portray in prose but I must say with joy that he absolutely nailed him in this novel. Spot on. Perfect. I could easily read every line of the Doctor's in the familiar voice of the late great Patrick Troughton. But it wasn't just the Doctor whose characterisation was nailed - Victoria was absolutely perfect as well! Jamie wasn't what I'd call perfect but the good humoured banter between him and the Doctor was ever present which was lovely to read. I love this trio of travellers and despite popular opinion and what I may have said before, I think Victoria trumps Zoe when it comes to the Second Doctor's TARDIS trios. Zoe is probably better individually but as a whole I prefer the less intelligent and much more sweeter Victoria. The references to The Tomb of the Cybermen and The Evil of the Daleks were nicely placed and I imagine that this story is set rather closely to Fury from the Deep. Victoria was questioning all the death that the TARDIS adventures seem to bring and the Doctor had a brand new sonic screwdriver. Now since the aforementioned story is where the infamous sonic makes it debut, to me this is the first chronological appearance of the trusty tool! And it proved rather useful! I loved though how you could tell the Doctor was still getting used to his new device. It was certainly early in its time and I loved how that was presented. The plot was a good one and there were some excellent twists along the way. The pace was good though I thought the chapter lengths could have been trimmed down a little. The opening, before the Doctor and co were first mentioned, seemed a bit repetitive but it introduced us to most of the characters we would soon become acquainted with. Cruger was an intriguing villain and his motive seemed questionable. With the Republic being an Empire - in all but name - he wanted to become its Emperor. He craved power. It was quite sadistic the lengths he'd go to seemingly try and achieve that. Trayx was a character I really liked and his relationship and history with Kesar was a good theme throughout the novel. Speaking of the themes, the numerous references and analogies to chess were magnificent. I don't play often but I do rather enjoy a game of chess and I just knew the Doctor would outshine everyone without even seeming to be paying too much attention or concentration. The origins of chess being explored and it was lovely how the Doctor was intrigued by how the same basic principles originated everywhere. Later in life he'd learn that his own people were the crafters of the game. With this being a Second Doctor novel, so set prior to The War Games, I loved how Richards was delicate in revealing that the Doctor was not human. He'd implied it earlier on in the story but for those few avid first timers who want to do everything of all formats in order, this must have been a great inclusion. It's subtle brilliance. I may be making more of one line than needs to be but I just thought it was excellent. I was fascinated that Jamie had dreams of his previous adventures and he seemed to be frightened by the likes of Daleks, Cybermen, Yeti and Ice Warriors. Not that I can blame him of course but he hides it well on the exterior. His cautiousness towards Prion was great, especially when he was technically proved right when it was revealed he was actually a robot! I should have worked it out with the numerous mentions of him being devoid of motion. The relationship between Haden and Darkling was an emotional one, especially when the latter had to watch the former be murdered. Helana was a wonderful character too I must add. The threat of the VETACs was good and I liked their abilities. The fear of their ship arriving showed how dangerous they obviously were. I liked how they adhered to the command chain above all else. They held rank in high regard - like good soldiers and officers. The climax was action packed and saw a good resolution to the danger that was at hand. Overall, filled with the typical humour of the Second Doctor era, I like how this novel somewhat modernises this wonderful incarnation. A little repetitive and perhaps confusing at times, but a stellar job. 

Rating: 8/10

Empire's Fall

"Come on. Clara, give us a smile. You make the Weeping Angels look cheerful!"

Writer: Jason Quinn

Format: Comic Strip

Released: April 2015

Printed in: Panini DWA 01

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

The Doctor and Clara take on an alien empire's tax collector - but all is not as it appears!

Verdict 

Empire's Fall was a pretty good story to kickstart Panini's new Doctor Who Adventures comic strip adventures with the Twelfth Doctor but I think it's safe to say I won't be purchasing any future issues. With Doctor Who Magazine, Doctor Who Comic and usually the Doctor Who figurine to collect each month (each fortnight for the figurine!), the extra £3.99 just isn't worth it for 9 pages of comic strip that's aimed at an audience for children. After reading the preview for DWA in DWM, they seemed to be selling it on the fact that it was similar to Harry Potter in that it appeals to both children and adults. However, that's certainly not the case with this new regeneration of the magazine. It was 100% aimed at children - and that's fine - but I'll just be sticking to DWM and the wonderfully good comic strip of Blood and Ice that's currently ongoing. Through in the continuing story of The Swords of Kali from DWC and I think my Twelfth Doctor and Clara appetite will more than be fulfilled whilst the pair are off screen. This story wasn't too bad at all but as with the previous DWA comic strips, this was just basically an extension of what we got there. There's no doubting the artwork was hugely improved (it couldn't really get worse), but the story felt similar to ones that went before it. There was a decent story idea in the works and if it was extended upon I think it has the possibility to be pretty good but whilst it stays where it is, it's never going above my generous rating. The Governor arriving on Earth claiming the planet was overdue in paying its tax by some five billion years! The Doctor soon saw the flaw in the con-artist's plan - Earth wasn't even five billion years old! The characterisation of Clara was actually good (in DWA of all places) and it reminded of A Wing and a Prayer where she debuted in this format and the characterisation hasn't been bettered since in my opinion. It was good in the novels I must add though. The reveal that the Governor's mighty force was all actually an illusion was a good twist but immediately the enemy just got ridiculed. The appearance of UNIT and what I assume was Kate Lethbridge-Stewart was unexpected but I had mixed feelings about it. It was hardly the situation of Death in Heaven! But they were there and that was something to remember at least. The Doctor not being merciful was nice to see and I liked how he just sent the Governor on his way without his illusions. That ability was gone, and with it my chances of getting a future issue (unless the front page preview looks decent)! Overall, a decent story but I'm just the wrong audience. 

Rating: 7/10

The Swords of Kali Part 2

"Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster..."

Writer: Robbie Morrison 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 21st May 2015

Printed in: DWC #4

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara 

Synopsis 

A call from old friend, Tiger Maratha, prompted the Doctor and Clara to head to Mumbai, 2315 - only to find Maratha dead! His daughter, Priyanka, has been swept up in the conspiracy, discovering her father was killed by Chandra Scindia's powerful dynasty: ScindiaCorp. While exploring the Scindias' ancient fortress, the Doctor was thrown back to 1825, where renegade amazon Rani Jhulka saved him! Meanwhile, Clara and Priyanka are trapped in 2315, facing a horde of Thuggees! 

Verdict 

The Swords of Kali continued in excellent fashion with this brilliant second part of the story! I really loved part one and part two continued with the same quality despite a much different feel. I thought that was an admirable quality to have. It was undoubtedly the same story yet it kind of felt like its own independent adventure as well, which if I was collecting the Twelfth Doctor's comic strips separately as is the case across the pond in the USA, I'd be happy with. It didn't really matter too much in the UK Doctor Who Comic but it was something I really liked. I liked how we got a couple more sightings of the Fourth Doctor though I am longing just for a glimpse of the Classic TARDIS console that Tiger would have travelled with the Doctor in. If I get a moment like in Hunters of the Burning Stone where the Eleventh Doctor walked into the TARDIS during the events of An Unearthly Child, I'll be so thrilled. I can't see it happening but a similar opportunity is there. As in part one, I thought Priyanka had a magnificent relationship with both the Doctor and Clara but not at all at the same time in this part. The Doctor was in 1825 whilst Clara was in 2315. Just the 490 years between them then. After the cliffhanger of the last part, I thought Clara and Priyanka's dealing with the Thuggees was pretty good but that didn't pale in comparison to this part's cliffhanger! I think the Twelfth Doctor might just be the best Doctor in comic strip format. The Eleventh Doctor is still probably just my favourite on television ahead of the First Doctor and as I recently mentioned in my blog of The Maltese Penguin, the Sixth Doctor is my favourite in audio but now I think it's clear I have a favourite in this format that I seem to be doing a lot of lately. Whether it's in DWM or DWC (and hopefully DWA!), I just love Capaldi's incarnation in this format. I can read every word in Capaldi's Scottish accent and that's testament to the writer who has absolutely nailed the characterisation. It's not quite there for Clara but that doesn't seem to be anything new. The story told by Rani at the start regarding her lesbian fling with Khair-un-Nissa was very intriguing given the 1825 setting. I liked how when Rani and Priyanka met, lesbianism wasn't anything to be ashamed of in 2315 (though I'd say that's about 300 years earlier too!). The hidden message of Tiger was great and I liked how grateful he was for having travelled with the Doctor. I do hope we get to see the Fourth Doctor and Tiger's adventures at some point! The TARDIS seeming to remember Priyanka and taking her to the Doctor was a lovely moment and I liked how things turned sour when the Doctor found out that Clara had been taken. He cares for her so much that the incredible line from Dark Water needs echoing. You should know which one. The story's title kicked into full gear with the search for the swords of Kali kicking on with Clara's life the prize. Scindia's plan is getting dangerous and it seems the goddess is returned - and she's taken over Clara! An outstanding cliffhanger and surprisingly I wasn't annoyed by the heavy religion references. I can't wait for the conclusion in the next issue, and that's where you'll find the rating. 

Whodunnit?

"I've taken on a lot of strays over the years - stowaways, like Jones. And people who didn't have much to leave behind."

Writer: Al Ewing

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 21st May 2015

Printed in: DWC #4

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Alice, Jones

Synopsis 

Alice Obiefune and the Doctor have seen wonder and terror together - from a rainbow Allen dog loose in the streets of London, to Rokhandi, a verdant paradise turned creepy theme park. Last issue, they faced a SURVEYOUinc agent in the 1930s Bayou, and picked up a new travelling companion - Jones, destined to become a cosmic rock god, but supernaturally forgettable at this point in his personal timeline!

Verdict 

Whodunnit? was a decent start to what is obviously a two part story but it seems to have followed the pattern of the TV series in that the second part has a different name. I'm not a fan of that on the TV series and I think it makes even less doing it in the comic strips! This isn't a jab at the story at all but more so the writer of the overall story. Thus far with the Eleventh Doctor segment of Doctor Who Comic UK, every story has been a one part adventure which I think is very good. Out of the three stories to feature each month I think it definitely works to have one Doctor with a brand new story. Whilst the Twelfth and Tenth Doctors can have longer stories spread over a couple of issues, as was the case with Terrorformer and Revolutions of Terror respectively, a constant new story would be great. But it appears that early trend set with the Eleventh Doctor is over, even if the second part does have a new name which goes against what the other two segments of this comic are doing. Although in saying this, the intention of course was for each Doctor to have his own series of comics, as is the case in the USA where these comics were intended for. Speaking of the Eleventh Doctor adventures ahead of us, judging by this story I'm not going to be too keen on the companions. Alice really wound me up in this story although it may actually be a good thing - I'm not sure. It's only the bloody fourth story and we're already having it teased to us that Alice wants to go home? What's that all about. She should be having the time of her life travelling the universe and seeing all its wonders. But instead she's just interested in getting back home so she can sort out the issues she's having with her landlord. I was completely baffled but it was a nice littler reference to After Life. After Jones arrived as companion in What He Wants..., he was intriguing here. He did genuinely seem thrilled at seeing space out of a window but his constant random song writing out loud was grinding my gears near the end of the story. The Doctor describing his companions and how he's given them better lives was wonderful and I think Alice's reaction may be why I have a newfound grudge against her. She was outraged! Jones was just oblivious and to me he almost seemed high! The William Hartnell tribute was a wonderful touch but I wasn't keen on the flashbacks to Alice and her mother visiting her father's grave. She's all grown up now, surely she could move past whatever hurt her in her childhood? I know that may sound cynical but it's getting tiresome now in my opinion. After The Friendly Place, I wasn't expecting August Hart to appear again so soon. I knew it was inevitable but I thought we'd be kept waiting for a good few issues yet. The reference of this story in that aforementioned first meeting with Hart is now all the better. I think it's intriguing though as no matter what happens in this story, we know Hart survives and ends up on Rokhandi. That's certainly kept my interest levels up. The paradox mention was nice but it does seem that even the Doctor has accepted Alice wants to leave her travels in the TARDIS. She'd even leave in favour of landlord trouble if given the choice. The cliffhanger though finally made Jones relevant as companion as he was facing some trouble in the too frequently mentioned toilet. What was Arc? Overall, it was good but could have been better. Despite being advertised as a murder mystery it wasn't really that at all. However, I am left anticipating the next part (which is where the rating will be).

The Maltese Penguin

"I think this could be the continuation of a beautiful friendship..."

Writer: Robert Shearman 

Format: Audio

Released: June 2002

Series: Main Range 33.5

Featuring: Sixth Doctor, Frobisher

Synopsis 

"My friends call me Frobisher. My enemies call me Mr. Frobisher. And the junk mail department of the Galactic Readers' Digest call me Mrs. F R Rubbisher - but that's neither here nor there."

It was just another quiet day on the mean streets for Frobisher, private eye. But then a dame walks into his office and into his life. A dame who is drop dead gorgeous and drop dead deadly, offering him a case he just can't refuse.

Well, he could refuse it. If he really wanted to. But he has to pay the rent.

When their paths cross, Frobisher finds himself involved in a web of mayhem and intrigue. A web of gangland killings, corrupt cops, sentient bloodstains and very rude hotel receptionists. A web of murder and deceit, treachery and fisticuffs.

That sort of web. You know. The sticky kind. 

Verdict 

The Maltese Penguin was a pretty good story but it could have been a lot better. It sees the return of popular comic strip companion Frobisher into the performed world of Doctor Who after first appearing in this format in The Holy Terror. Now I enjoyed that story but I just didn't like the dynamic of the Sixth Doctor and Frobisher and with a severe absence of the Doctor in this story, it definitely scores lower than the penguin companion's first audio story. I do hope that by doing the audios before the comic strips to feature Frobisher, I prefer the companion in print as I've just purchased the graphic novel of Voyager. Funnily enough though, the only comic strip I've done to feature Frobisher is actually his last regular appearance! A Cold Day in Hell saw Frobisher battle the Ice Warriors alongside the Seventh Doctor but he was sad that Peri was no longer travelling with them after the events of The Trial of a Time Lord. That made me find some of the events in this story strange but maybe when I read through the Voyager graphic novel things will become clearer. The character of Alicia was intriguing but I wasn't sure on why they made her out to be so unbelievably attractive for an audio story! We couldn't see her so I don't think such a big fuss needed to be made to be honest. It was clear Frobisher was smitten with her, why couldn't it stop there? The dialogue between the pair was certainly interesting but at times it seemed a tad repetitive. I thought it was really nice how the Doctor came to Frobisher a couple of times during the adventure to see if he was ready to return to TARDIS duty. His pride stood in his way as he wanted to show the Doctor that he could be a private eye and be successful. I thought it was rather sad though how the penguin was annoyed that it was the Doctor who always triumphantly saved the day. He was the one with the bigger on the inside time machine to be fair! Whilst Frobisher had found a missing cat, the Doctor had saved the universe twice, and he wasn't afraid to gloat which was superb. It's lovely seeing the softer side of the Sixth Doctor in audios and when starring alongside Peri, they're definitely my favourite audio TARDIS pairing, though the Fourth Doctor & Leela and the Eighth Doctor & Charley run them pretty close! Dogbolter was a pretty good enemy but I wasn't a fan of the voice at all. It didn't fit a Doctor Who story in my opinion. The character was quite humorous at times though and I liked the friendly banter at gunpoint. Mr Wiseass was striking again. The moment where Frobisher was thrown off the cliff and quickly needed to revert to a form that would take the landing in water fine, what else other than a penguin? A great moment and it was definitely the highlight of the audio. Calling the something that Dogbolter was after just that - the something - didn't please my appetite at all. Surely something even slightly more creative could have been thought of, no? The fact that it was joke was actually a clever twist though. I wasn't all that struck on the revelation about Alicia though. She was actually Frobisher's wife. It was supposed to be this wonderful moment but I just can't buy into the character in the audios. He left his wife to travel with the Doctor which was quite sad though. Overall, an interesting story but with Frobisher basically the lead character it didn't work as well as it may have. I did love the taking of the Sixth Doctor's form though. Probably a generous rating!

Rating: 7/10

Neverland

"Your life has been rich, your stories many, history is filled to bursting. You have lived more life than ever dreamed possible, but now your time is up."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Audio

Released: June 2002

Series: Main Range 33

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley, Romana II

Synopsis 

The Web of Time is stretched to breaking. History is leaking like a sieve. In the Citadel of Gallifrey, the Time Lords fear the end of everything that is, everything that was... everything that will be.

The Doctor holds the Time Lords' only hope - but exactly what lengths will the Celestial Intervention Agency go to in their efforts to retrieve something important from within his TARDIS? What has caused the Imperiatrix Romanadvoratrelundar to declare war on the rest of creation? And can an old nursery rhyme about a monster called Zagreus really be coming true?

The answers can only be found outside the bounds of the universe itself, in a place that history forgot. In the wastegrounds of eternity. In the Neverland. 

Verdict 

Neverland was a very good audio story to conclude this little mini-series of adventures to feature the Eighth Doctor and Charley! It concluded the story arc that started with Invaders from Mars (I'd argue it actually started with Storm Warning) and tied some loose ends up of the five episodes that preceded it. I thought the length of the best part of 2 and a half hours was probably a bit excessive and with just the one cliffhanger, 72 minutes at a time for an audio story as in depth and complicated as this one was maybe a bit too much for the casual listener. However, I made do and thankfully there were a lot of great elements. There was an abundance of past story references with Seasons of Fear, The War Games and The Daleks' Master Plan all getting a nice mention! The continuity from The Time of the Daleks with the Daleks being trapped in the vortex was brilliant and I loved how the Doctor saw Romana give the order for their extermination, and was horrified by it, in the Matrix projection. The theory of anti-time coming true was an intriguing concept and I liked how the Doctor thought it ridiculous. Paul McGann gave another magnificent performance as the largely forgotten Eighth Doctor. I say that in the general sense but he's far from forgotten in my eyes! Whether it's in comic strips with Izzy or in the audios here with Charley, I really am loving this incarnation because there's so many ways you can go with him. There seems to be an enormous gap between The Movie and The Night of the Doctor and that just leaves so much available. The return of Romana wasn't quite as triumphant as I was hoping. Although there were signs of chemistry between her and the Doctor, it was obviously nothing close to what she shared with the Fourth Doctor but I thought she and the Sixth Doctor in The Apocalypse Element had a much better relationship. I must admit though that I'm liking the fact she is Lady President. The Doctor again showing a disliking to Vansell was good and his plan was just utterly insane! But that was somewhat down to the effects of anti-time. The Zagreus rhyme was played upon wonderfully throughout the adventure though I was surprised by the story, at a length of nearly 150 minutes, left things unresolved! And now there's a 17 story wait until the Eighth Doctor returns to the Main Range. I must admit though it'll be nice to hear some of the other Doctors now! The fact that Rassilon appeared was a massive deal in my opinion! I thought Russell T Davies was pretty bold to bring him back in The End of Time but I found it even more audacious here. Rassilon was still alive and kicking, or at least we think. I thought the ambiguity around that was very clever. The reference to The Five Doctors and the Doctor going into the Tomb of Rassilon was good. Taris was a pretty good character and I loved how she was annoying just about everyone in the end! The standout scene of the story though was when Charley was almost begging the Doctor to shoot her. Her life didn't matter. It was supposed to be over anyway. Of course she'd sacrifice herself to save history. The Doctor just couldn't bring himself to do it however, and with the cliffhanger he seemed to pay the cost. The Doctor prevented the Neverpeople from returning to Gallifrey, but at what cost?

Rating: 8/10

The Arts in Space Part 1

"I'm on an alien planet, with an alien. He's so used to it - the way he just walks, like it's normal to see all this..."

Writer: Nick Abadzis 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 21st May 2015

Printed in: DWC #4

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Gabby

Synopsis 

After helping to defeat the monstrous Cerebravores - weaponised, mood-altering parasites that feed on fear - Gabby Gonzalez has convinced the Doctor to take her with him... for just one trip! 

So begins Gabby's first adventure in the TARDIS...

Verdict 

The Arts in Space started off tremendously well with this opening part of the story that sees Gabby's first adventure in the TARDIS! She seems to be enjoying her very first outing very much! Now, today is the release day of Doctor Who Comic UK in which we get a brand new story featuring the Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors and they're printed in reverse order to what I have just mentioned (ie the Twelfth Doctor's is on the opening pages) but I decided to start off with the Tenth Doctor because it would be the first 'new' story that I've had in this collection due to my previous reading of Revolutions of Terror. That's not the only reason I must admit as with my two recent comic stories featuring the Eleventh Doctor and Clara from The Blood of Azrael graphic novel, I have a little policy that I must do two stories featuring a different TARDIS pairing before returning to a Doctor or companion who appears with a different companion or incarnation respectively. So I'll be returning to the comic on Saturday with the Twelfth Doctor after doing something completely unrelated tomorrow! Thursdays are becoming a rather expensive aren't they? As well as picking up this comic in my local WH Smith I also bought the latest figurine of Lady Cassandra of which I'm thoroughly impressed! It's been an expensive week for myself but after getting rather lucky in the bookies I thought I deserved to treat myself with the added purchases of The Good Soldier and Voyager graphic novels, the DVD of The Visitation, the Grave Matter novel as well as some cheeky Target finds of The Ark in Space and The Sontaran Experiment! Anyway, that's enough about my week. Back to the story at hand and I thought it was a wonderful first venture for Gabby outside of New York. The letter format that dominated the story was an intriguing direction to go with but it definitely worked, provided in part 2 we get most of the storytelling and I'll be absolutely fine with that. Reading her thoughts was fantastic and I loved her opinion on the Doctor. He was the skinny 900 year old alien who travels in time and space in a battered 1960s British phone box. Her misunderstanding of it being a disguise from the past was excellent to see. I know for a fact that I'm going to love Gabby! Her reaction to exiting the TARDIS for the first time was truly stunning. The birdsong was different. Gorgeous. It seemed clear from the get go that the Doctor had immediately taken a shining to his new companion and just as with Martha, the whole one trip business isn't going to work. The appearance of a Quark, Ice Warrior and Handbot was interesting and I am intrigued to find out if that's what the Tenth Doctor and Gabby will come face to face with in future stories - I certainly won't be complaining if it's true! It's about time a past foe returned in the comic strips as the Sontarans did in Instruments of War. The references to Revolutions of Terror and Logopolis were fantastic and the mystery surrounding Zhe and her art was fascinating. I imagine all the storytelling will occur in the next part, and if that's where the story completes then that's where the rating will be. Overall, a great start with a good cliffhanger! 

Welcome to Tickle Town

"I had to keep loving, you see. I had a duty... to protect my children... and my legacy."

Writer: Scott Gray 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: September - October 2013

Printed in: DWM 465-466

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

The Eleventh Doctor and Clara arrive in a 24th century theme park. Tickle Town. Despite the happy and ebullient appearance, all is not as it seems. What really is going on at what's supposed to be one of the happiest places on the planet?

Verdict 

Welcome to Tickle Town was an intriguing comic strip adventure to say the least! It was quite a barmy adventure and immediately when I saw the name of the story I was skeptical about whether it would work or not. However, we were in the more than safe hands of Scott Gray who hasn't really failed me yet in the comic strip adventures. Jonathan Morris gets that honour for graphic novels and Doctor Who Magazine continuous reading that I've entailed. One off comic strips that I'm lucky to come across, such as The Time of My Life, I can't say I remember the writer but when I read in a bulk I know and The Child of Time could have been such a better first collection of adventures for the Eleventh Doctor. Anyway, back to the story at hand. Reading this novel actually was a little milestone personally as it meant the Eleventh Doctor became the second incarnation of which I've read all the comic strips from the pages of DWM. The Ninth Doctor wasn't all that difficult really. And the Twelfth Doctor's run is incomplete so that doesn't count. Again I thought the characterisation of the Doctor was excellent and although Clara's wasn't quite up to the standard of A Wing and a Prayer, it was still good which was nice to see. I'm not sure what went wrong from when I started collecting DWM (about 10 years too late) from John Smith and the Common Men but from Pay the Piper onwards and into the Twelfth Doctor era, they just don't seem to have nailed her. The amusement park setting was good and I loved the reference to Silver Nemesis. I'm guessing this story takes place between The Name of the Doctor and The Day of the Doctor based on that reference. Having actual characters of Hopalong Harry and Constable Claws really was something. I can't say I watched the original TV shows of which they were from but I enjoyed how they were from Clara's childhood and she poked fun at Claws for his show being rubbish. It was perhaps hard to take a character who looked like Constable Claws seriously but I guess it did provide some good humour. Meera and Rupundi were great characters and I loved their reaction to discovering that the Doctor was new to the amusement park. The fact that the residents were trapped, and had been for some twenty years, was quite a shock even if it was obvious something was going on that wasn't quite normal. The reveal of Tobias Tickle still being alive wasn't exactly expected though I was intrigued by him appearing on the founder statue. I can't say the idea didn't pop into my head but I didn't anticipate him being as completely mad as he was. He trapped the five thousand people who showed up for opening day to save them from what he thought was a looming war in which humanity would be no more. Of course he was deluded as he even created a ride to show what was supposedly on the outside world. Hopalong Harry coming to Clara's aid and then helping the Doctor was a nice touch to finish on. The climax was eventful and I loved how the Doctor opened the gates giving everybody their freedom. The cartoon characters were gone and Tobias Tickle's horror vision was eradicated. Overall, a decent adventure! I've now completed The Blood of Azrael graphic novel, though in completely the wrong order! 

Rating: 8/10     

A Wing and a Prayer

"I can't believe I'm actually going to have dinner with Amy Johnson! Look at me, I'm a time traveller!"

Writer: Scott Gray 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: June - August 2013

Printed in: DWM 462-464

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

The Doctor and Amy meet Amy Johnson, the first woman to fly from England to Australia. In Baghdad, the Doctor catches up with an old friend but sand monsters are forming and killer insects are on the loose.

Verdict 

A Wing and a Prayer was an excellent comic strip adventure! Now you may be thinking that this is a rather random story to be doing but whilst I'm in college (and officially have just seven educational days left) I thought I best take advantage of the college library having the graphic novel of The Blood of Azrael. Now, I completed the title comic strip of the graphic novel probably just about a year ago but the first two stories in this I had never done previously. That's what had put me off purchasing this graphic novel previously because I'd only be buying it for two stories consisting of five parts. For £13.99, it's just not worth it. Look at my recently purchased The Good Solider of which the contents I'll soon be blogging. I get 9 stories for the same price! So whilst I'm just in time, borrowing the graphic novel makes sense and here we are meeting Amy Johnson. For Clara's first comic strip adventure I thought they absolutely nailed her on the head in terms of characterisation. She was absolutely perfectly portrayed from the TV series in my opinion, which was somewhat of a surprise to me because in following comic strip stories I've been rather critical of her characterisation. No such problems here! The same goes for the Eleventh Doctor (not that I can really recall any major characterisation problems) who was perfectly captured here. If I can imagine the lines being said by the actor who plays the incarnation then things are working out well. The plot of this one was intriguing with killer insects with very alien powers! That's probably because they were alien but I guess I'm trying to say they weren't like what we saw in The Web Planet. The Howling Storm was a great name, even if it was for a pack of insects, and I liked how Koragatta was being hunted for deserting the Mother Prime. The way that worked against him at the climax with Bradshaw was somewhat ironic to say the least. Bradshaw is pretty much everything I hate in a person. His attitude towards women was a disgrace (I know the setting was 1930 but pompous and arrogant men I despise). I really wished Amy slapped the taste out of his mouth as that's what he deserved! She'd complete her mission of flying to Australia and he'd be gutted. Not that he'd live to see it though. Koragatta (they can't pick simpler names can they!) growing in size for the cliffhanger was rather impressive and I really thought the artwork was marvellous. The climax was fantastic with the Doctor and Omar (the best fez seller in the galaxy, ha!) being saved by Amy and Clara. The reference to The Impossible Astronaut was neatly placed and I liked how this story bore similarities with The Aztecs and just like Barbara there, Clara wanted to warn Amy about her future death. The revelation at the end surrounding Amy's body never being found was wonderful though! Overall, an excellent comic strip debut for Clara! My favourite TARDIS pairing doesn't fail once again. 

Rating: 9/10

The Last Dodo

"When you begin to wish you're facing monsters instead, you know it's getting bad." 

Writer: Jacqueline Rayner

Format: Novel

Released: April 2007

Series: NSA 14

Featurung: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis 

The Doctor and Martha go in search of a real live dodo, and are transported by the TARDIS to the mysterious Museum of the Last Ones. There, in the Earth section, they discover every extinct creature up to the present day, all still alive and in suspended animation. 

Preservation is the museum's only job - collecting the last of every endangered species from all over the universe. But exhibits are going missing...

Can the Doctor solve the mystery before the museum's curator adds the last of the Time Lords to her collection? 

Verdict 

The Last Dodo was a magnificent novel and once again the wonderful Jacqueline Rayner has not failed me! I do love her writing (as I've mentioned in a recent blog) whether it's in print, for comic strips or to listen to in the audios. Her column is one of my favourite parts of Doctor Who Magazine because she's just so barmy and I think I can somewhat relate to her on that front, even if that possibly doesn't shine through in my blog. Her ongoing comic strip Blood and Ice has been absolutely phenomenal so far and I'm confident it'll continue up to the high standard set in the first two parts. Just like the flashback to The Tenth Planet there where the Doctor seemed frightened at being back at the place where he first regenerated, the Doctor's disgust at the Time Lords for exiling him in The War Games is still fresh in his mind. When I read the comparison the Doctor made between a zoo and his exile I almost openly cheered! Now, considering I was reading this book on a train that may not have been the best idea. Thankfully I held my glee in and just mouthed wow once or thrice. It was similar to how the Third Doctor reacted in Walls of Confinement when visiting a zoo. That's the story I immediately thought of when the Tenth Doctor reacted in the way he did to Martha's request of going to the zoo. I loved how the question presented to Martha was explained as almost an impossible one. If you could go anywhere and anywhen in the universe, how could you immediately think of a place? It was daunting for Martha. I liked how this novel was set during her early days in the TARDIS but seeing as she's, I'm assuming, a full time companion then I place it after The Lazarus Experiment. Especially seeing as Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks was referenced in the previous novel of Sting of the Zygons. The idea of going to see a dodo was intriguing. I wasn't really sure what a dodo was before picking up the book but it was explained to me which I liked. The I-Spyder Book of Earth Creatures guide was a wonderful instrument for the novel and I loved how after each chapter we were given a little summary of a certain creature that we'd have just encountered or that had been mentioned. The certificate points rolling up throughout was also very clever. I thought it was very Jacqueline Rayner. However, as much as I loathe to criticise this woman she's probably the reason why this book doesn't receive full marks from myself. I liked the idea of occasional narration from Martha but in the dialogue I found it a bit too much as if Rayner herself was the character. The characterisation of Martha was a long way off in the narration segments in my opinion. During the rest of the novel it was absolutely fine. The relationship between the Tenth Doctor and Martha was excellent once more and I'm really loving this pairing lately! The plot was really intriguing and the idea of the Museum of the Last Ones was absolutely outstanding! An organisation housing a planet sized museum of the last of every single species in the entire universe! Considering this is Doctor Who, the scale is incomprehensible. The references to Mondas and Tara were nice inclusions. Was there a Cyberman there? The version that we see in the First Doctor's swansong? Or that returns in my recently purchased graphic novel of The Good Soldier? I'd like to think so. I also like to think that the inclusion of Tara subtly implanted in our minds the obvious story of The Androids of Tara for the revelation about Eve actually being an android herself! That was a surprise I must say. I loved how it was a burning desire to complete the collection but surely it would be impossible. Species die out every second and to have sections for every single planet well completion is surely way out of the question. So instead of having species die out all the time on Earth she'd just destroy the planet and keep Martha in MOTLO as the last human. Poor Cassandra. The Doctor being suspended in animation was worrying as it left Martha on her own to sort things. Eve hearing the words Time Lord was magnificent. As soon as the MOTLO acronym was explained in full I knew the Doctor would end up in trouble sooner or later. I liked the Earthers with Frank and Tommy standing out the most. Martha's doctor instinct (the profession not the man) was lovely to see. Smith and Jones wouldn't be forgotten. The fact that dodos were planting 21st century Earth with bombs just about sums up Jacqueline Rayner, doesn't it? Somehow she made it work! The Doctor technically using the past to aid saving the future, a sort of paradox, was a brilliant resolution I thought! It explained the one thing I was querying as to why there weren't 300 billion other species roaming around Earth. The Doctor had sent them all home. Every section. MOTLO was closed and the Doctor gave all the species the true meaning of freedom. They'd die out of a living death. Hr'oln coming in at the end explaining MOTLO's creation and Eve's obsession was a nice kind of epilogue and I loved how Martha became the first person to receive the I-Spyder certificate. It was a nice touch that the Doctor was considered an Earth creature - he's certainly been spotted enough through the millennia! Overall, an excellent novel with a barmy plot and a dodo called Dorothea. A really good adventure. 

Rating: 9/10 

Pyramids of Mars

"All the humans... birds, fish, reptiles, plants... all life is my enemy. All life shall perish under the reign of Sutekh the Destroyer!"

Writer: Terrance Dicks

Format: Novel

Released: December 1956

Series: Target 50

Featuring: Fourth Doctor, Sarah 

Synopsis 

'Egyptian mummies building a rocket? That's really crazy, Doctor!' 

Returning to UNIT HQ, the Doctor and Sarah are thrown into turmoil when the TARDIS is caught up by a mysterious force. Sutekh, the last of the Osirians, has been released from his pyramid prison by Egyptologist Marcus Scarman, and now plans to avenge his imprisonment by destroying all life in the cosmos. 

Professor Scarman, possessed by the spirit of Sutekh, builds a rocket and flies to Mars, for it is here that the mystical eye of Horus lies - the key to Sutekh's prison. Can the Doctor stop the evil Egyptian's path of destruction?  

Verdict 

Pyramids of Mars was a very good novelisation of the much credited TV story! Despite my liking of the novel, apparent from the positive rating I have awarded, it didn't quite seem to capture the allure that made the TV story an instant classic. The TV version of this story was so very close to getting full marks and was only trumped during season thirteen of the Classic run by the outstanding The Brain of Morbius, the story of which I recently picked up the Target novelisation off a stall in Cardiff for a mere £2.50. Now that's what I call a bargain. Now back to point and usually Terrance Dicks manages to capture the feel of the TV story so well, just as he did in Doctor Who and the Keeper of Traken which may just be my favourite Target novelisation, but I felt the wonder from the TV serial wasn't quite captured here and I'm not sure why. Now I'll admit I was reading this slightly tiredly on a pretty packed train but that's been the case for many gems before like Earthshock not too long so maybe it was my fault (I doubt it though). The story itself is obviously a good one but here I found myself comparing Sutekh to just being a kind of cheap knock off to Omega which was something that definitely was not the case in the TV version! I loved Sutekh in that, and he was still great here but he just seemed a bit too much of an egomaniac. The presentation of the Fourth Doctor and Sarah was beautiful though and that's a pairing that I really do love. They're just absolutely perfect together. I found the subtle reference to the Doctor not wanting to talk too much about adventures he experience in a past incarnation mightily intriguing and I also loved the numerous past story references. I loved the little tribute to Victoria as companion with Sarah wearing a coat that previously belonged to her. It was nice knowing that the Doctor hadn't forgot her and was still find of his former companion. The Fury from the Deep reference was nearly placed. I also liked how we were given a footnote telling us that the description of the Zygon invasion that obviously occurred in Terror of the Zygons could be found in Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster, a novel I do own and look forward to reading because I felt the Zygons worked really well in print with Sting of the Zygons. I also liked the mentions of Death to the Daleks and Planet of the Spiders. The amount of death in this story is quite surprising with pretty much every guest character ending up deceased! Marcus Scarman was a good character and I liked how he'd fallen under the influence of Sutekh. The prologue gave us a nice history of Sutekh and his race and why he ended up trapped in a pyramid on Earth that was controlled from Mars. His brother Laurence was equally as good and although the Doctor had told him that what he saw in his brother was just an animated slave of Sutekh, he couldn't kill the image of his brother. Like Sarah, I sympathised with him a great deal on that. I liked the character of Ibrahim and the commitment of him and his family to Sutekh over the years was wonderfully rewarded - with death. Doctor Warlock and Ernie Clements were great characters too. The plot was well placed the style was unmistakably that of Dicks. I should know because I've read loads of his work over the past year! The climax of the story was done greatly and overall this was a decent novel! 

Rating: 8/10

The Spear of Destiny

"This theory is that many stories that scholars of your time believe to be myths, legends and mere tales were, in fact, originally based on real events..."

Writer: Marcus Sedgwick 

Format: Novella

Released: November 2014

Series: 12 Doctors, 12 Stories: 03

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis 

The Third Doctor and Jo Grant are on a quest to track down the magical spear of Odin. Caught in a vicious battle between two Viking tribes, the Doctor must stop the spear getting into the wrong hands before it's too late.

Verdict 

The Spear of Destiny was a brilliant novella! A really great adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's not quite the same as reading a book but now I'm three stories in, I'm really loving these short stories that make up the 12 Doctors, 12 Stories collection. I'm really liking how they can be done rather quickly but you still get the feel of having read a book, or rather in this case something that is a novelised format. It's still a lovely feeling finishing the novella and I like how with it being pretty short, the pace is brilliant. I found myself flying through the chapters which was a really nice pleasant evening read after getting revision done early. The pairing of the Third Doctor and Jo is always a great one and it's one I certainly enjoy in print as they're portrayed on the pages excellently well - the characterisation is spot on. It wasn't too long ago at all that I read Doctor Who and the Carnival of Monsters and the pairing were captured here similarly to the way they were there which is something I find wonderful when you consider the difference in publication date! It doesn't matter the time or the technology the book is being produced on, writing for these characters doesn't seem to fail. The good humour that comes with Jo was nice to see and I liked how she disapproved of the Doctor's somewhat exuberant attire. The comments about the cape were hilarious although I liked the irony in her wishing she'd accepted the offer of it to keep her warm. The idea behind the story is a very bold one but it absolutely worked. Here we were in the 2nd century and we were seeing the creation of Norse mythology! Except it wasn't mythical at all. That's a concept I find both magnificent and actually very likely. I'm not superstitious in the slightest and I'm most certainly not religious (I wasn't too happy with the Doctor mentioning events about Jesus at all), but I do believe some mythology holds truth in it. None of this rubbish about different gods and what have you, I do believe that what was presented in this novella is more than feasible. I enjoyed the references to The War Games and The Three Doctors when talking about the Doctor's exile and I loved how defensive he got when Jo basically told him how it was and that he worked for UNIT. He tried to protest that he didn't but it just didn't work. Of course he did. The return of the Master, for the second story running in this little collection, was done magnificently and even before I read the words I knew it was coming. I'm not sure why but I just did. Is there a possibility that somehow I knew the word Frey meant Master? I'm not so sure. I'll give credit to the writer and just say he created a great atmosphere and surrounding that the Master would just fit into wonderfully. It sort of had a similar feel to Time-Flight in the fact of the historical setting. I liked the Viking characters and I thought Odin was very good. The revelation about the Spear of Destiny was incredible (excluding the crucification) and I loved the supposed adventure it had been on through history, always killing its victim. The pondering over Hitler's usage, had he ever touched it, was a great moment. Anytime Hitler is mentioned I love a moment where the possibility that the Nazis could win the war becomes apparent. It happened in Colditz and it happened here. The ultimate way the Doctor yet again defeated his arch nemesis was superb. He gained the upper hand right at the end once more. Doesn't the Master get sick of being trumped by his bitter enemy, even if he is a much better TARDIS pilot? Jo accidentally stumbling upon the Master's dimensional stabiliser was also a nice throwback to The Time Meddler. Overall, an excellent story! 

Rating: 9/10

The Time of My Life

"I just want to say that, whatever's happened, Doctor, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I've had the time of my life."

Writer: Jonathan Morris 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: August 2008

Printed in: DWM 399

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Donna

Synopsis 

Donna Noble has lost all memory of her travels with the Doctor. But all is not lost, because she's got one final thing to do before saying goodbye.

Verdict 

The Time of My Life was a magnificent comic strip and quite a touching tribute to the wonderfully good companion that was Donna Noble. As is noted in the editor's column of DWM 399 itself, with all that goes on in the series 4 finale such as the Doctor regenerating but preventing a change of appearance, Davros's mad plan going into fruition and an abundance of companions, it's sometimes difficult to remember how sad a farewell Donna got. As is stated in the same aforementioned column also, it does bare resemblance with The War Games and the departures that Jamie and Zoe were given in having their memories of travelling with the Doctor removed, except for their first adventures of The Highlanders and The Wheel in Space respectively. However for Donna she doesn't even get to remember her first meeting with the skinny alien in a suit. Although The Runaway Bride is mentioned, Donna will now have no recollection of mysteriously getting on board the TARDIS in her wedding dress! I liked the subtle reference to Turn Left with Donna mentioning how she shouldn't have told the Doctor to stop in dealing with the Racnoss. I still maintain that that comment is made too much of but that's for criticism in the blogging of the penultimate story of series four whenever I get there. The jumping between adventures in the comic strip was a good little format to see Donna off from this medium. It was pretty much one little story to a page with us jumping from adventure to adventure by conversation! The last word heard in one place would lead us to the first word said in another place. For a tribute and farewell story for a companion, this was somewhat rather a happy feeling comic strip. It was nice to see how appreciative Donna really was of the opportunity she had in travelling in the TARDIS with the Doctor. She'd seen Pompeii burn, the Sontarans, the Doctor genetically create a daughter, a giant wasp and the biggest library in the universe. Not too shabby a collection (and that's just on TV - I'm yet to properly delve into the Tenth Doctor and Donna's comic strips and novels). As well as Donna showing her appreciation, it was actually really nice to see that the Doctor valued having a companion like Donna. She was the privelaged one he chose to share the half-millennium rarity of the Zyglots with. I loved how she was prattling on about her hair being messed up by the wind and then she caught sight of the wonder and just stood in awe. It was indeed a fantastic sight for a fantastic companion to see. The moment on the final page in the TARDIS was a real heartfelt one with Donna initiating the message for the Doctor. The Doctor was so sad to see his great friend say goodbye and for this incarnation of the Doctor it seemed to be on par for sadness as the closing moments of Doomsday. But overall, a wonderful tribute to Donna! 

Rating: 9/10

The Cornucopia Caper

"Genius is a burden. Genius forces a man to accept challenges ordinary people would never consider."

Writer: Scott Gray 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: June - August 2012

Printed in: DWM 448-450

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory 

Synopsis 

The Doctor, Amy and Rory arrive in Cornucopia, a city ruled by crime. In the midsts of a robbery, the mystery of the ziggurat above the city will soon become clear...

Verdict 

The Cornucopia Caper was an excellent comic strip adventure to conclude my reading of The Chains of Olympus graphic novel! This was certainly the quickest graphic novel I've read to date and to be honest I'm rather glad that I didn't buy it and instead borrowed the gem (in terms of it being where it was) from my college library. I think it's a bit cheeky if I'm honest to comprise a graphic novel of just three stories totalling just nine parts. Surely this should have been combined with Hunters of the Burning Stone where the story arc of "what is buried in man?" concludes with The Broken Man. But anyway, it was three stories I haven't read and once I return this to the library and replace it with The Blood of Azrael, my reading of the comic strip era of the Eleventh Doctor will be complete, albeit in a somewhat jumbled order! But hey ho, I know what happens and what order it came in. Anyway, to the story at hand and I thought it was excellent. A very well played out story that was actually the beginning of some quite important plot threads concerning Hunters of the Burning Stone and The Blood of Azrael with the excellent characters of Horatio Lynk and Miss Ghost. I liked the latter's relationship with the Doctor and the tease about her true identity and the past she's had with the Doctor. I also liked the former's relationship with Amy who, for what seems like the very first time since her comic strip debut in Supernature, actually seemed to be characterised somewhat correctly! The dialogue actually felt like I could imagine it coming from Karen Gillan herself which is something I always look for. Rory's characterisation hasn't been brilliant in his short comic strip stint but he's just about going unnoticed in terms of criticism. I loved the setting of Cornucopia and the idea of a crime based enterprise for a society was phenomenal! Some of the terms used for what would appear to be the law were magnificent! Just when the Doctor thought he'd talked himself out of trouble again, now with a police cover story to account for their supposed break in, he discovers that police are illegal in Cornucopia! He again failed to take his companions to Rio and even by the Doctor's standards, landing on a planet some distance from Earth is quite the achievement. The fact that K'roxx was a Mobox was a big surprise to me and a nice little throwback to Ophidius and Uroborus. I thought Granny Solasta was a good villain and her mind being crazed about fortune was brilliant. Her reaction upon arrival to the Bank of Heavens was superb and captured everything about her character in an instant. The Doctor agreeing to taking Granny and her associates to the bank in the TARDIS under duress was somewhat a surprise but nothing like what we saw in the cliffhanger to part two! That was amazing with the Doctor punching Rory to prevent him from laying his hands on the echo universe, whatever that may be. Part one's was pretty good too! I really liked the climax to what turned out to be a superb comic strip adventure! 

Rating: 9/10

Sticks & Stones

"You're rewriting the language centres of the human brain, then the DNA code of their entire bodies! You're translating them into living names!"

Writer: Scott Gray 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: April - May 2012

Printed in: DWM 446-447

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis 

As an Allen graffiti artist attacks London, the Doctor discovers that the sticks and stones rhyme is incorrect - words can hit you! 

Verdict 

Sticks & Stones was a great comic strip to continue along my reading of The Chains of Olympus graphic novel! It's not going to be a long read as opposed to some other graphic novels that I've done like Oblivion and The Child of Time as I've only got the one story left to do but that just makes the fact I borrowed this from the college library all the more beneficial. I absolutely loved the name of the story once I'd read the contents! It was really clever I must say. I liked how the Doctor and his companions were separated for the majority of the story and I also thought it was quite funny, for whatever reason, that on today's Election Day I should be reading a comic strip where a 24 hour news channel is featured! They'll be getting a lot of views over the next few days as we look to see who will form the next government. Let's hope my vote counted and the Conservatives got in! I think I'll be calling on the Doctor if Ed Milinand is looking likely to be Prime Minister when I wake in the morning. Speaking of which, I thought the characterisation of Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor was spot on in this story. I was really impressed with that. I also think they've got Rory nailed down but, despite them doing better with Amy, I'm still not sure it's justifiably representable of the companion. I liked the artwork in the story and the idea of a graffiti artist targeting historic London landmarks was great! The culprit never got caught and wasn't even seen in doing the act. Of course, there was something alien about the mysterious Monos. It appearing on the likes of Big Ben and St Paul's Cathedral, historic landmarks in Doctor Who (Aliens of London and The Invasion), was magnificent. I liked the reference to The Chains of Olympus with the Doctor typically referring to Rory as Roranicus. I think the Doctor's going to like that one! The appearance of good old Boris Johnson in a Doctor Who comic strip was excellent (again, on today of all days!) as that really was not expected! The artwork was actually terrific of the mayor of London. The cliffhanger was decent with people being literally translated into walking words. Well, just the same word repeated. Monos. Everywhere people turned there was Monos. Everywhere people spoke it was Monos. The same word over and over, and Amy was caught in the middle. The reference to the TARDIS food machine, something that I adored back in the era of the First Doctor, was wonderful. I loved how Judy was dyslexic and couldn't read that all of the words were Monos! I loved that revelation. The Doctor's reaction to discovering that was great to see. Despite all the doom and gloom, there was somehow quite a happy atmosphere I found. That was until the rather fancy spaceship was entered and the Doctor came face to face with a necrotist. This seemed to be a little preview of what would become the Eleventh Doctor's swansong in comic strip format, The Blood of Azrael. The artwork wasn't quite as disturbing as it was in that story but any necrotist can't be a good thing. The way the Doctor and Rory ended up defeating the evil artist was good but I wasn't convinced on the amount of jumbled dialogue that came from the TARDIS translation being scrambled. That hurt the story I felt. But overall, a very good little adventure with a nice lead in to the next story and the graphic novel's finale. 

Rating: 8/10

The Chains of Olympus

"We turn our backs on wisdom and offer our face to war!"

Writer: Scott Gray 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: December 2011 - March 2012

Printed in: DWM 442-445

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis 

The Doctor, Amy and Rory travel back to Ancient Greece and encounter the Doctor's greatest hero: Socrates! But Athens faces deadly danger - creatures from myth stalk the streets, and the wrath of the gods may destroy mankind!

Verdict 

The Chains of Olympus was a great comic strip adventure to kick off the graphic novel of the same name! I was wondering through my college library looking for books on Nazi History but before I got to the History section, I noticed a new batch of graphic novels of which three were Doctor Who! I immediately borrowed this graphic novel as it was the only one I'd not done any stories from previously and to be honest, judging from the length of the novel and price of £12.99, I'm grateful to be able to read this for free! I better be quick taking advantage because I leave the college in less than a month permanently! Anyway, to the story at hand and immediately the atmosphere seems a lot more cheerier than its preceding graphic novel The Child of Time, which I wasn't overly fond of. Rory is now a part of the comic strips which is a bonus and I must say I did like his debut in this format! It was rather humorous with him emerging from the TARDIS in Ancient Greek attire! Amy, even in comic strips, looked magnificent in Greek attire but I'm still not fully pleased with her characterisation as I don't think it's quite what the TV series was, but it was certainly an improvement from the last graphic novel. The Eleventh Doctor was captured brilliantly though I must say and I loved the idea of for once, he was meeting somebody he considered a hero - not showing somebody else theirs. He was absolutely overjoyed to be in Athens is 410BC as he would meet arguably the most historic philosopher of them all - Socrates! It's about time we had an adventure with this wonderfully historic figure and I think the Eleventh Doctor suited it down to a peach. But things weren't as the Time Lord was hoping. His hero was a drunken mess and it seemed like history was mistaken. Plato was a great character and I liked his relationship with the Doctor very much. I really liked Calidora and the story behind how she created Athena, albeit somewhat inadvertently. The fact that the mighty gods weren't actually gods was a good twist. They were just fed to believe they were the gods when in fact they were just more or less dreamed up. The Doctor and Socrates going through the portal (now that's a wonderful sentence!) was great and once inside I adored how Socrates fulfilled his historic role as the asker of the awkward questions. His questioning of Zeus was just magnificent and I loved his circle reference. Rory defeating the God of War was something quite spectacular as well! The story was decent but there were a few elements which brought the rating slightly down but it's still a very good mark! I wasn't overly struck on Alexios and I also wasn't majorly impressed with the cliffhangers. Part one's was good but the following two seemed a bit repetitive. Danger cliffhangers don't seem to have an effect in comic strips in my opinion. But overall, a great story to kick off the graphic novel! I loved the references to The Myth Makers and The Eleventh Hour. 

Rating: 9/10

Sting of the Zygons

"We shall not have to sleep away the centuries. Our future victories are assured. Whatever plans this Doctor may have, he is playing into the hands of the Zygons."

Writer: Stephen Cole

Format: Novel

Released: April 2007

Series: NSA 13

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

The TARDIS lands the Doctor and Martha in the Lake District in 1909, where a small village has been terrorised by a giant, scaly monster. The search is on for the elusive 'Beast of Westmorland', and explorers, naturalists and hunters from across the country are descending on the fells. King Edward VII himself is on his way to join the search, with a knighthood for whoever finds the Beast. 

But there is a more sinister presence at work in the Lakes than a mere monster on the rampage, and the Doctor is soon embroiled in the plans of an old and terrifying enemy. As the hunters become the hunted, a desperate battle of wits begins - with the future of the entire world at stake...

Verdict 

Sting of the Zygons was an outstanding read! I know it was good because I finished the entire thing in one day and that's a very rare occurrence when it comes to reading. I was absolutely flying through the pages on my usual fortnightly or so Sunday train journey home (postponed of course for the bank holiday) and by the time I reached home I only had 61 pages left to my surprise! My aim was to get to around the halfway mark of 125 pages but I exceeded that and went onto finish the novel just before midnight. A lovely read. It was my first full length original novel featuring both the Tenth Doctor and Martha and ever since my relatively recent rewatch of Series Three, this pair has grown on me massively and surpassed my favourite Tenth Doctor pairing of him and Rose. They just gel together wonderfully and even in this novel the relationship is fantastic. It was the same in Made of Steel and it was nice for it be continued in print here. I love the idea of the Zygons getting a return in novelised format! They certainly deserve it in my estimation. I was slightly critical about their legacy when I watched Terror of the Zygons for the first (and thus far only) time as I didn't think they really did too much. But despite that the monsters certainly left an imprint on my thoughts and it's fair to say they won't be forgotten. They triumphantly returned to televised Doctor Who in spectacular fashion in the 50th anniversary special The Day of the Doctor and it's fair to say they were brilliant. I'm glad I hadn't read this book prior to the special as, along with the listening of Zygon Hunt, my knowledge on the monsters was enhanced and that's important when you're reading due to the nature and depth the story goes into. Here were the Zygons, desperate and on their last supplies. But as it was pointed out, the Zygons had nothing to lose which made them more dangerous than ever. The references to Terror of the Zygons were fantastic but I did like how the Doctor had the upper hand in knowing all about them but them not knowing of him. It reminded me a little of the Fifth Doctor's predicament in The Mutant Phase where the Daleks didn't know anything of what would become their greatest enemy. The Zygons didn't know about the events of Loch Ness but the story shared some similar themes which was nice to see. I really liked Stephen Cole's style here. For many, this probably would have been the first encounter they had with the Zygons and through Martha they could learn all about them. For those of us with the benefit of past (and future) knowledge, it was wonderful to see them back. I like how David Tennant's Doctor got an adventure with the actor's favourite villains, even if he himself didn't star. He would of course fulfil that wish in the 50th anniversary special however. The 1909 setting was great and I thought the plot of the Zygons was superb. They wanted to kill Edward VII in order for his funeral to take place where many leading figures across Europe would gather so they could take the form and take over the continent and eventually the world. A quite brilliant plan. The characters of the story were very good with Victor and Romand standing out as my favourites. Cole managed to capture the early 20th century dialogue elegantly and I liked how he made the Doctor and Martha follow suit. Any time I see a character called Clara in a story broadcast, released or published prior to Asylum of the Daleks, I must admit I do like to think that she's a splinter or fragment of the current companion we saw enter the Doctor's remains in The Name of the Doctor. I like to think that she was here to save the Doctor from the Zygons but she was just too late. Ian was a good character and I liked how he obviously took a shine to Martha. Why wouldn't he? The reference to Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks was neatly placed. Haleston was quite a funny character and I also liked the stereotypical nature of Nanny Flock. The only slight issues I had with the story were Teazel (I'm not a fan of dogs, especially heroic ones) and the fact that almost literally everything in the village was a Zygon! Even the cows! The comedic remark maybe made up for it slightly. I quite liked how I worked out early on that the Doctor was a Zygon and Martha's reaction to that was wonderful. Overall, a superb novel! 

Rating: 9/10