Doorway to Hell Part 4

"We are all lost here."

Writer: Mark Wright
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 6th April 2017
Printed in: DWM 511

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Jess

Synopsis

With the Master holding all the cards over the Doctor and the Collins family trapped in what appears to be Hell, will this finally be the moment the Master is victorious over his greatest adversary? Time spillage and emotions are flying everywhere, and one Time Lord won't escape with his life intact...

Verdict

Doorway to Hell concluded in stunning style with this fantastic fourth and final part of the story! This comic strip sees an end to filling the void between the TV series being on and off air and Bill will soon be joining the Twelfth Doctor on his comic travels in the next issue. But we have to meet her on screen first and it really does feel like an eternity since her casting was announced and that brings me to my little preview of this month's edition of Doctor Who Magazine. Now, I only finished the last issue today which I thought was brilliant but I am now looking very forward to being formally introduced to Pearl Mackie! Bill looks set to be a terrific companion and I can't wait to watch The Pilot tomorrow evening. I am looking forward to the preview in this issue, along with the two episodes that follow it, but I must say I really am not a fan of the title of episode one. I am sure I'll talk more about that in tomorrow's blog though. This issue really does look set to get me in the mood for Series 10 and I really am anticipating its arrival! The interview with Pearl herself should be great and I like how she is taking the centre of attention for this issue, which is absolutely right. The cover looks wonderful too. The Art of the Producer interview also looks set to be good and I like how the magazine now seems to be all about the current product. It's exciting to have Doctor Who back on our screens again and this issue will definitely add to my excitement. Now, to the comic strip itself and I must say I adored every part of it! This is definitely the best Twelfth Doctor comic story to date from the pages of Doctor Who Magazine and I am glad that the hype of the inclusion of Roger Delgado's original incarnation of the Master was lived up to. For me, the story was all about the Master and as he is my all-time favourite Doctor Who villain, I was delighted to have a full story with the original incarnation up against the current Doctor. It really was wonderful to see and just highlights the beauty of the comic strip format. Just about anything can be done and it's delightful to read every month. But this story didn't just include the original incarnation of the Master, it actually served as his regeneration story which was something I did not expect! Now, we saw the Master regenerate at the end of Utopia but a Classic era incarnation getting a regeneration in 2017 was just so unexpected! It worked wonderfully though and I liked the ambiguity surrounding just what the next incarnation of the Master looked like. Was it one we have met before? Unlikely but I think it's good that they kept it hidden. It's nice that we have a bit of closure for this incarnation of the Master though as that was not able to happen with Delgado's untimely passing. I thought the relationship between the Doctor and the Master was superb in this part of the story and once the Doctor worked out what the Master was after, he absolutely went to town on ridiculing the threat he provided him. He made the Master sound miniscule which was just incredible. The Master's reaction to the Doctor announcing his age was brilliant and I liked the continuity from Heaven Sent/Hell Bent. The way the Master's regeneration was triggered was terrific and put an end to the plot hole of the story excellently and I also loved how the Doctor did admit that the Master truly has mastered the art of survival. The way the Doctor departed from the Collins family was quite emotional but I liked how it brought a clear end to the story arc and saw thing all caught up ready for the new series. Overall, a simply superb comic strip story!

Rating: 10/10