Field Trip

"Night at the museum."

Writer: Alan Barnes

Format: Comic Strip

Released: October-November 2025

Printed in: DWM 622-623

Featuring: Fifteenth Doctor

Synopsis

Coinciding with a school trip at the Museum of Natural Wonder, the Fifteenth Doctor investigates some very strange readings emanating from the collection. A very rare and unexplained artefact is not quite as dead as it seems...

Verdict

Field Trip was a pretty average story to continue the comic strip adventures of the Fifteenth Doctor. I find these shorter page counts to be really detrimental to the comic stories when the length of parts is pretty minimal as it really does feel that by the time a story has started, we're already building towards the cliffhanger which isn't the best way to go in my view. I really do wish we could get an extra two pages per issue as I feel like that would be really positive and helpful for adding depth to a story. I would have liked an explanation here as to why the Doctor was travelling alone as we've just gone from Belinda's debut in this format in His Mad Pranks and now she's nowhere to be seen? That doesn't make much sense to me and I know the placement can easily come around the time of Joy to the World between on screen series, but just a little line to explain would have been welcomed in my view. I think the Museum of Natural Wonder is a superb setting and getting a Doctor Who version of Night at the Museum sounds magnificent on paper. I was a huge fan of those movies as a child so this initially excited me, but it soon became something of a let down. Did my expectations get too high in anticipation? Perhaps, but the second part literally opens in paying homage to the films! One thing that this comic strip story has going for it in a major way was the artwork. The illustrations and colour were nothing short of phenomenal. The likeness for Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor was exemplary and I think the design of the dinosaurs and then the Ossuarian Phalanx were hugely impressive. The vibrancy of the Jurassic Age period being portrayed and then the eery feel of the three-skeletal Phalanx was a strong contrast. Hasan was not a bad character but there's just something about a child filling the companion role that feels lesser than. It almost makes the entire story feel aimed at a younger audience which takes me out of it slightly which is a shame. I don't feel like the comic strip in the pages of DWM has lived up to its potential for a very long time now which is a big shame to say and this is just another example. From the reveal of the three skeletons actually being one creature and one returned that had been around for over two million years, things just felt flat. Professor Bryte looked like she had potential to be a bit of a villain but we just didn't get to spend enough time with her to make that the case. I did love the Doctor's little nod to Invasion of the Dinosaurs when it came to potentially getting UNIT involved and their past dinosaur experience, but the whole heart of stone thing just didn't get going. Hasan was confident and I quite liked that he worked out what the supposed ancient enemy of the Bo'rof-jin actually were. They were the Borophaginae which was fine as a concept, but seeing a three-headed skeleton cower at a schoolboy getting on the floor and barking was just ludicrous. I couldn't buy into that and was actually shaking my head. The Doctor looked on in admiration and I appreciate that Hasan was clever to work it out, but still it just felt so silly. The imagery of the barking creatures with ancient genes was strong to finish on though and the epilogue with the Doctor getting Hasan back to his dad after the trip and off the school coach was a nice touch. Overall, a super setting but a plot that kind of felt flat against a beautiful backdrop of artwork. 

Rating: 5/10