Spiral Staircase Part 1

"You move through this reality like smoke, a beautiful, dangerous idea."

Writer: Nick Abadzis 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 11th February 2016

Printed in: DWC: Tales from the TARDIS 03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Gabby

Synopsis 

New York City is in a state of emergency as strange structures suddenly pop up all over the city - including an extension to the Empire State Building. Famed movie star Dorothy Bell is rejuvenated into her youth but there's something merged within her. But something more sinister is setting its sights on Earth...

Verdict 

Spiral Staircase continued the story already started in The Fountains of Forever very well with this third part of the story as a whole. Now, don't get me started on the confusion that the name of this comic strip adventure brings because I just don't understand what the hell they have decided to do! After some research I discovered that the story as a whole has five parts, but only three different names which is unprecedented but extremely baffling. I mean, the first part of the story actually has two parts? And the second part of the story which are actually the third and fourth instalments are taken back to being called part one and part two? Well, confused I was. Very much. I must admit that when I purchased this latest issue of Tales from the TARDIS, I had a momentary panic as I thought they'd gone and skipped ahead without finishing The Fountains of Forever. I would of course learn that it wasn't the case but I just don't understand why they can't give an umbrella title or have an individual title for each part because doing it this way just makes things very confusing! Anyway, enough of a rant over the name as it doesn't really mean too much. The story itself continued very well and after rereading the first two parts I delved straight into this third instalment. I'm not sure what relevance the name has yet but I hope that comes in the fourth part (or second). I must say just how much I'm loving Gabby as companion and I hope I get to read adventures with her and the Tenth Doctor for a long time to come yet. They're truly magnificent together and with Cindy playing a prominent role in this story, we can see just how much Gabby had grown as a character since her debut in Revolutions of Terror. I bloody love her though and I hope she stays for a long, long time. Speaking of Cindy, she was very good in this part and I liked how she willingly did as the Doctor said and stayed out of the way. I think she realised that she was out of her depth which was really good and just again highlighted how good Gabby now is. The characterisation of David Tennant's Tenth Doctor was pretty good which was great and there were definitely some of the traits that made him arguably the nation's favourite Doctor yet. He's not mine, but he rarely gave a bad performance. Dorothy going around New York and affecting all the landmarks was quite the scene and I think this must be the story that has impressed me most with artwork as the skyline presented was almost like looking at a picture. I've been to New York and what I saw on the pages here was very real which was actually quite remarkable. Credit must go to Rachael Stott for a spectacular job. It added so much to the story which was fantastic. Cleo was good once again and I'm liking her character more as the story goes on but I do think there's something more to her which I hope does get realised. Erik and Hanif are pretty creepy dudes and the latter seems to be believing in some religious prophecy regarding the artefact that allowed Dorothy to be rejuvenated. I'm not quite sure what she has been merged with but

my interest is there and that's one of the most important things in a story. The same can be said for whatever is inside the mysterious black ship headed for Earth. Judging by what it has said, it seems to recognise the Doctor and has been involved with the planet before so that points to a past enemy which excites me greatly. For now though, we had a very good third instalment of the story which now has a new bloody name! Overall, a very good continuation and I now anticipate the fourth part very much!