Four Doctors Part 2

"Baby Doctor and posh Doctor seem to think I'm... scary Doctor."

Writer: Paul Cornell

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 8th October 2015

Printed in: DWC 2.01

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara, Eleventh Doctor, Alice, Tenth Doctor, Gabby

Synopsis 

The Doctor is the last of the Time Lords of Gallifrey. His Eleventh incarnation is a gangly boy professor with an old, old soul. Not guilty or embarrassed about anything, he has made mistakes - some enormous! - but owns each and every one. 

Former Library Assistant Alice Obiefune has grown into a courageous hero since her travels with the Eleventh Doctor began. Having put the death of her mother behind her, Alice now embraces all that travelling in the TARDIS can offer her. 

Verdict 

Four Doctors continued in tremendous style after a phenomenal opening part! Although I've started the latest issue of Doctor Who Comic nearly a fortnight after it was released, I don't have to wait long at all until I read the next part of this already sublime story! That's because this issue is unique so far for DWC in that all three stories printed are parts of the same umbrella title. Why that is I'm still not sure but it would be a crime if we had to wait four months to see a story of this magnitude unfold! I've taken some time to get to reading the issue due to my busy schedule of university work and wanting to do other Doctor Who related things, as well as watch the new series unfold on television, but as long as it's blogged that's all that counts. The story was a lot more quick paced than the first part which I expected with the Doctors and companions all met up. Once again though, the bantering and conversations between the three most recent incarnations was spectacular. It never fails to be good in a multi-Doctor story, whether it's just two incarnations as in The Two Doctors or numerous as we saw in The Light at the End. I just love it when past incarnations meet up because it simply shouldn't happen. Although it's happened many times now, it never gets old and I'm not sure it ever will. I'm yet to see how it goes in a novelised format but I have just ordered the Target novelisation of The Two Doctors so it shouldn't be too long before I see that play out. This is the first time I've experienced it without performances from the actors but having the excellent visuals of all the incarnations there certainly helps things. The characterisation from Cornell for all three incarnations was very good. I adored Gabby's artistic introduction, it reminded me a lot of The Arts in Space, and how she envisaged the other selves of the Doctor. What she got with the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctor was a lot different than she'd hoped. There was bickering, age differences and more than enough difference of opinion. Which in itself may seem baffling as despite the difference of appearance, they're all the same person. I absolutely loved the jumping through the different TARDIS interiors. The Tenth Doctor thinking the Twelfth's was the Master's was magnificent! I really did love that moment. This obviously is set before The Day of the Doctor so the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors had no recollection of that encounter, ensuring the Tenth Doctor wasn't impressed at all with his next incarnation's decoration of the TARDIS. The Twelfth Doctor bantering that the Tenth Doctor merely kept the TARDIS interior that came before him was quite funny but how would they react to any incarnation prior to the Eighth Doctor? Speaking of which, I was quite surprised we didn't get a single appearance of the War Doctor in this story, not that it really mattered but I figured we'd see each incarnation at least once in each part. The Reapers were very good and the reference to Father's Day was excellent. The chase for the Eleventh Doctor after the Reapers decided on the middle incarnation was very comedic. The way the three Doctors tackled their threat was superb but I'm still not sure why they can't recall the planet Marinus. That really is questionable but I have a feeling it will be worked into the story, after visiting their twice in the first incarnation and then during the Time War. The companions were very good here and I liked that the Twelfth Doctor remembered enjoying Gabby, though the foreshadowing of her departure was intriguing. I hope that's not soon! The new and improved Voord standing tall at the end of the part was superb and I just never thought they'd return in a modern Who story, especially one of this magnitude! It must have something to do with these Doctors being after the Time War, of which Marinus and the Voord are involved. I can't wait to see it unfold!