Devil of the Deep

"All legends have their basis in fact."

Writer: John Peel

Format: Comic Strip

Released: January 1982

Printed in: DWM 61

Featuring: Sea Devil

Synopsis

A legend of the Sea Devils is told by one who experienced it up close and personal. 

Verdict

Devil of the Deep was a great little comic strip adventure to continue my way through the Black Sun Rising collection of backup tales from the pages of Doctor Who Magazine! This collection really does seem to have covered all bases when it comes to the infamous foes in the Whoniverse and the Sea Devils are certainly another race that fit that category. I think it's most intriguing that this comic tale actually pre-dates the broadcast of Warriors of the Deep so it really does show what kind of an impact The Sea Devils had as a serial. That cliffhanger of them rising from the sea is mentioned by so many older fans as one that stuck with them from their childhood so it's no surprise that they were picked as the next returning monster for these backup tales. The story was a simple one and at four pages it really doesn't need to try and be any kind of complex adventure. There's little room to play with but this one managed to do quite a lot in my opinion! I thought it actually shared similarities with Legend of the Sea Devils which is fascinating with the pirates at play and the historic setting! Given this came forty years prior to that Thirteenth Doctor special being broadcast, I wonder if this served as any kind of subtle inspiration for Chris Chibnall when it came to writing it? Knowing the kind of boyhood fan he is I would expect him to have read this comic strip at the time of release so you never know! I thought the pirate tale was fantastic and just incorporating the Sea Devils into legend was terrific. I thought the artwork was really impressive in capturing their likeness and it worked really well well for the Sea Devil present here to be the good guy. It was the pirates who would fill the role of enemy and that actually became a little uncomfortable when they captured the Sea Devil and started probing it and basically attacking it. It couldn't understand why it was being treated as such and that was quite saddening as a reminder of the human race. Deigo de Columba of Cordoba was a good character and it was interesting that the captain recognised the surname right away. He was shipwrecked and stuck on an island for years and years and the captain had sailed with his uncle. That sparked a really good flashback to the Sea Devils and how being thrown overboard didn't mean the end when a Sea Devil could rescue you! That was fascinating and just seeing the artwork for the hands an legs being bound was disturbing as I've always had a huge fear of drowning as being the worst way to die. The struggle and realisation must be horrific. I can't imagine what that's like! I thought the Sea Devil studying the differences on the planet from its own time was really good and I liked how he was just genuinely fascinated by the change of environment and the natural evolution, even if the turtles had stayed exactly the same! The use of the tracker was good as that was going to bring forth a different kind of devil from the sea for Velasque and that saw the end of the ship in devastating fashion. Would it really have taken the Sea Devil with it though if it was just back in its natural habitat? I'm going to lean towards that not being the case. Overall though, a great little comic strip adventure! More of John Peel in this regard please. 

Rating: 8/10

A Good Life

"His words were curing her, softly spoken magic spells."

Writer: Simon Guerrier

Format: Short Story

Released: December 2003

Printed in: Short Trips: Steel Skies 02

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Charley

Synopsis

There are many places that most of us can never see: places that are sheltered, locked away, cordoned off from the outside world. But to the Doctor, and those who travel with him in his TARDIS, there is no such thing as a locked door. Anywhere in space and time is open to them to visit – even if sometimes it might be better to leave such places well alone.

Steel Skies is a collection of stories based in enclosed and artificial environments: places constructed to keep the dangers of the universe outside, perhaps, or to keep their inhabitants locked in. It is divided into four sections, each exploring a different kind of confinement:

Section One, Flight, comprises four tales of travellers who left their homes for far-away destinations – to explore, to start a new life, or to fight for the survival of their species.

Section Two, Frontiers, explores the corridors, living quarters and ventilation shafts of four futuristic environments – designed to shelter men, women and children from harsh natural forces, or from the threat of nuclear war.

Section Three, Incarceration, tells four stories of punishment and imprisonment, from San Francisco's infamous Alcatraz, to the cage of a flightless angel in the dilapidated ruins of Heaven. 

Section Four, Isolation, deals with the loneliness and despair of being cut off from the world outside, by physical or mental incapacity, by the ravages of war, or caught between destinations aboard the TARDIS itself. 

A recurring theme in all four sections is the effect of the Doctor's arrival in these enclosed environments – sometimes positive, sometimes less so.

Verdict

A Good Life was a great little story to continue my way through the Steel Skies edition of Short Trips! I thought this fitted in very nicely with the overall theme of the book and I was initially skeptical when things started in what appeared to be sixteenth century England! Starting off an adventure with the Doctor ordering a cider is always fun as I do love that particular alcoholic beverage, although I’m not sure how much I’d enjoy one of five centuries past! I’d give it a try that’s for sure as I love trying new kinds of cider, but I don’t know if I’d be able to stomach an entire pint! It’s just unusual for the Doctor to even delve into having anything alcoholic and Charley pointing that out was good. I thought she was fascinating in this story because she was clearly smitten with the Doctor. This is obviously set close to the early releases of the Eighth Doctor and Charley’s adventures in the Main Range and that was really apparent. I’m obviously reading over two decades after it was released so I wonder how for contemporary readers and listeners of Big Finish how this story would have fitted at the time. The relationship between this Doctor and companion is just joyous at this moment in time and I definitely got that feeling, even with hints of Charley thinking she might want to leave. But then she was just happy to be exploring and living in the moment, whereas the Doctor wanted to find out every single detail of where they had arrived and why the TARDIS was saying they were in space. Finding out that they had actually arrived on an old Earth colony was good and tied in nicely with the overall theme of the book. It was unexpected that’s for sure but it was nice that Charley was just enjoying herself. It was completely different and that was really fun. The Doctor wanting to find out more though was good and definitely in line with his curious nature. He needed to know everything and the truth lay with Bryn. He was an intriguing character and I liked how he immediately exuded an enigmatic nature. The atmosphere changed whenever the Doctor was talking to him as he clearly knew everything about the colony and the village. Charley was urging the Doctor to just leave well enough alone and to just enjoy where they were, but he had a burning desire to know more. Bryn was able to tell him the truth and explain what happens when people of society reached eighteen and they were given a choice to stay or to explore. Most chose to stay which I was actually a little surprised by but the reaction of the Doctor when he stated that those who chose not to stay weren’t killed was hilarious. The simplicity of an ‘oh’ really had a profound impact. They had a relationship with another colony world with sporadic transport between them which was good. The Doctor seeing what he’d done to Charley in going too far in his quest for knowledge alongside the realisation of her physical toll in Minuet in Hell was powerful stuff. He was genuinely sorry and I love the idea that they then just had a holiday! I know Charley would have enjoyed that and honestly I’d love another short story just depicting that. I’d definitely read them having a chilled out time and enjoying themselves! Overall, a great little read. 

Rating: 8/10