Sin Eaters

"The universe is riddled with evil and the Doctor knows the cure."

Writer: Cavan Scott
Format: Comic Strip
Released: March-April 2017
Series: The Ninth Doctor #11-12

Featuring: Ninth Doctor, Rose, Tara

Synopsis

The Doctor is arrested for the murder of Tara Mishra and is taken to Hesguard Institute, a place that prides itself on being able to cure its patients of their criminal urges. But when they try their "treatment" on the Doctor, it becomes apparent that their cure isn't as effective as it would seem.

Verdict

Sin Eaters was a very good comic strip adventure to kick off the graphic novel of the same name! Sadly, it's the final instalment of the Ninth Doctor's ongoing series and even though I'm still far from finished, it's been fantastic to get an extended run of comic strip adventures with him, Rose and Captain Jack. He wasn't around for long enough on television to get a lengthy DWM run but Titan have certainly done him justice. Captain Jack didn't feature here following on from the events of Slaver's Song and that meant, for the most part, we really did just have the Ninth Doctor and Rose. However, it wasn't quite as we remembered as the former was pretty much incarcerated for most of the story. The Hesguard setting was really good and I liked how it had connections with being a Stormcage. We know all about them because of River Song! Rose was posing as an Earth examiner and I have to say, it wasn't the beginning I expected after the previous story's cliffhanger with a Judoon arresting the Doctor for the murder of Tara! We all knew that couldn't have actually happened but as it turned out, it was quite an audacious plan from the Doctor to get into the Institute here. What was happening was quite something as it was a reformative institute for criminals where their sins were literally eaten away from them. The Doctor set things off though and was pretty much responsible for a lot of the wrongdoing that occurred in this adventure as his dark side manifested a conscience and that allowed for quite the image of a bulky and just aggressively insane Doctor! The multiple personality disorder comments were good and seeing some of the faces of old incarnations trying to get out from within the Sin-full Doctor was very intriguing. The image of the Doctor in the orange attire so associated with American prison was something in itself as well. Rose was great in this story and I liked how Tara sprung a surprise in showing up to save her life. With just three issues left, I'm very intrigued to see how things are left between everyone. The way the Doctor tricked his doppelganger into the Void was typical of him and really creative and I like how concepts we know about because of TV episodes after the Ninth Doctor's run can be applied in the comics. It's really terrific and I do enjoy when it happens. I thought the ending came quite quickly and I liked that Tara questioned him but Rose told her that's just the way it was. It was quite a good summing up of the Ninth Doctor really. Overall, a very good comic strip!

Rating: 8/10