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