The First

"If you are not the first, you are nothing."

Writer: Dan McDaid
Format: Comic Strip
Released: August-November 2007
Printed in: DWM 386-389

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Martha

Synopsis

A trip to the Antarctic Circle proves eventful for the Doctor and Martha as they find themselves battling to save the human race from the Skith, a race intent on gaining accurate knowledge about all they encounter. The lengths they will go to get this knowledge are quite horrifying....

Verdict

The First was a great comic strip adventure to continue my reading of The Widow's Curse graphic novel! I really liked this was and was quite pleased to see that it was set in 1915 and featured historical figures, even if I hadn't come across them myself in my studies or research. The Antarctic is a fantastic setting as it's probably the most lonesome place on Earth for danger to happen and I thought the Doctor and Martha's arrival was very good. They quickly tricked the expedition into thinking they were from the society, a very vague explanation from the Doctor which was good, but the psychic paper wouldn't work on Shackleton. He was brilliant and I loved his desire to be the first to do anything. He didn't want to step in the footsteps of anybody else so it was quite fitting that someone like him would encounter the Skith. Their desire for knowledge was actually quite unhealthy and whilst they cherished being the first, they were extremely selfish with what they learned and accounted. They would simply then turn a planet to ice which was quite horrifying. I really liked Martha in this story and her relationship with Hurley was terrific. I loved that he took a sneaky picture of her and his diaries serving as a form of narration for part of the story was very good. Things coming full circle with his cherishing of his photo of her was a lovely way to finish the comic strip. I was quite surprised that most of the danger was actually thwarted by the end of part three so I was a little sceptical about what part four would bring. However, it turned out to be pretty eventful with the Doctor giving himself to the Skith-self to find the control annex that would bring events and the danger to a close. It was a noble sacrifice and the way he told Martha that this was their life was brilliant. Him and Shackleton hurtling towards the sun on a melting ship of ice was quite interesting to say the least with the latter quite easily dispatching the Skith Leader. Martha though rescued the day with the TARDIS and sonic screwdriver which was pretty good. Clark returned to normal following a hugely eventful transformation process with the Skith-self and I liked the banter that came with him and other members of the expedition. The Doctor being right that everybody lived was excellent, even if he was saddened by the fact that the Skith took it upon themselves to be evil and choose death. The Doctor saw that they would be the ones who died in quite gruesome circumstances. He wasn't offering second chances. Overall, a great adventure!

Rating: 8/10