Untitled

"Those aren't Starks and Targaryens... they're Normans and Saxons!"

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 07 December 2023

Printed in: DWM 598

Featuring: Fourteenth Doctor, Donn

Synopsis

With the console of the Doctor's TARDIS on fire, the Fourteenth Doctor reconfirms to Donna Noble that the ship is completely out of control. However, he realises he can materialise it briefly setting the scene for four intriguing encounters with history.

Verdict

This was a fun little comic strip adventure to continue the adventures of the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna! I’m a massive fan of the Doctor Who Magazine comic adventures being in sync with the television stories, but I tell you what I’m bloody annoyed that this comic strip in particular doesn’t have a title! I can’t understand that. It does my head in to be honest. I know it’s a little thing but crikey having a blog entry that’s just ‘untitled’ and referring to this as the comic strip is strange. Obviously, it has no bearing on my enjoyment of what was a very fun little adventure, but I just don’t comprehend the reasoning. Surely any sort of name could have been included? Right, enough of my rant about that. Onto the comic strip itself and I must say it’s glorious to have this feature in DWM back up to eight pages. I sincerely hope that’s something we stick to as we head into the Fifteenth Doctor’s comic strip run because I do think that in the last couple of years six pages just hasn’t been enough. I was also a big fan of the format here with four widespread double pages spread across the magazine. It was good and succinct which made it quite fun. This comic strip bridging the gap between The Star Beast and Wild Blue Yonder is magnificent and whilst it’s a shame the magazine wasn’t out a week earlier, it’s a welcomed addition. The TARDIS malfunctioning from a simple coffee spill still seems to be a bit much as far as the extent of the damage and erratic nature of what’s happening. However, it did allow for some fun interactions across history as Donna hoped to get some air from a very smoky TARDIS interior. I wasn’t aware of the historical significance of a couple of characters like the Baron, but it was still fun to see the TARDIS in the line of aerial fire. Mentions of the Bermuda Triangle were fun and I wonder if the theme here and with the whole ‘mavity’ debacle with Isaac Newton last week will play any part in The Giggle with history changing. My particular favourite was the landing in 1066 and the Battle of Hastings with the Doctor and Donna seemingly aiding King Harold in his survival! That was very fun and seeing the imagery of the TARDIS on the Bayeux Tapestry was terrific. It looked stunning. The artwork for the whole comic strip looked great throughout to be honest. I thought the final panel was good stuff as we caught a glimpse of Donna as a child at a nativity scene and she once again was getting angered at Nerys. Even all this time back! That was a fun humorous moment and it was a nice touch that for the Christmas issue of DWM we got a little fleeting visit to that time of year, even if the Doctor and Donna didn’t interact. The whole involvement of the Squid was intriguing and quite fun, but nothing that could be taken too seriously. Donna’s reaction when they realised that issue wasn’t resolved was hilarious though and everything you’d expect of the companion. Overall, a really good little story (that should have a name!) and I do suspect that all of the history changing moments will make a little more sense after the final Special. For now though, a welcomed addition!

Rating: 8/10