Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

Writers - Al Ewing + Rob Williams
Artist - Simon Fraser
Colorist - Gary Caldwell
Letterer - Richard Starkings + Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt
Editor  - Andrew James
Assistant Editor - Kirsten Murray
Designer - Rob Farmer
Humour Strip - Marc Ellerby
Released July 8 2015 - Titan Comics

One crisis is averted, but still there is much to do for the self-proclaimed 'Mad Man In A Box', as his ship is now gone and potentially in the hands of malicious forces who could devastate the entire course of galactic history.

The Doctor, with no TARDIS to help out , must somehow save two of his companions from a time-bending fate of potentially eternal nature as the musician and the mysterious ARC creature have embarked on a very drastic merger.  This rescue mission is no easy feat as Jones seemingly wants to go out in a blaze of rock super-power glory, and ARC is determined to resolve the mystery hanging over it. And after so much emotional turmoil will Alice be cut off from her own time and life back in London?

What happens to Jones and ARC over the course of the narrative is gripping and helps pay off much of both the year long arc as well as finding something truly memorable for these fine characters to do. Alice is (and remains) the standout but she has perhaps one of the more traditional roles in this particular release, and allows the confused and overwhelmed Doctor to really show how sensitive he can be - below all the mad-cap bluster and energy he normally has to show.

Ultimately it is the lead man, so well brought to life by Matt Smith for the first half of the televisual decade, who is given the really thought-provoking material. He shows his vulnerability, but also his sense of responsibility. He shows his initiative to look after his friends, but also readily admits he could fail in that assumed duty. He seems every bit an alien with a humanoid exterior, and yet a man who will always pride Earth as his home, especially now the Time Lords are no more.

And his reaction right at the end to who actually is the Gallifreyan who has been following him (unbeknown, despite some potentially revelatory moments) through time and space provides a wonderfully personal cliffhanger, as opposed to the 'big MacGuffin' in the hands of latest 'seemingly undefeatable bad guy'.

Once again the art is wonderfully suitable for living up to the fevered imaginations of the writing team on the Eleventh Doctor line, with this time round both Al Ewing and Rob Williams being involved together in coming up with surprises galore for a more than clued-up readership. Simon Fraser has proven he has the sheer quality needed for big ideas and epic events, so I welcome his presence for this end of year finale. He especially excels with all the material showing Jones in different stages of location, being and the emotions entailed.

Perhaps the aftermath of the Roman adventure is strangely lacking in that there could be a bit of a diversion with a character native to the setting; be they from the previous story or a new person altogether. But ultimately the core of this opening story segment is to get us concerned over the resolution of two major problems, and the reader is unlikely to relinquish holding the issue or clicking through its pages onscreen. 

So it's a been a thrill of a year since I first took up the task of reviewing these exciting new adventures from the Titan juggernaut brand. Furthermore the consistent quality from issue to issue has led me to expect a very strong conclusion to this two-parter and to Year One of the Eleventh Doctor's comic adventures.

Bonus Humour Strip: "Timeliney Wimey"

After the head-melting material in the main story this two page piece of smart satire  sees Ellerby once again in fine form both with his punchlines, and the different art techniques used to realise his characters and plot. Be it by luck or design there is a chance to see the Judoon without their helmets in this story, as they manage to track down the Doctor and his 'special friend' River Song.  A cute reference to swinging 60s legend Polly Wright closes off an especially good effort.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

Writer - Robbie Morrison
Artists - Brian Williamson/ Mariano Laclaustra
Letterer - Richard Starkings + Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt
Colourist - Hi-Fi,
Editor - Andrew James
Assistant Editor - Kirsten Murray,
Designer - Rob Farmer
Released July 1st 2015, Titan Comics 

Now with dimensional defects behind them for the time being, the Doctor and Clara can hopefully have a well-earned break in the city that wakes up when many others slumber - Las Vegas!

But they must be prepared for two-bit gangsters, corrupt hotel-casino owners, and an alien creature that is far more dangerous than either of these.

The Doctor is dressed for the occasion...inasmuch as he dons a top hat and carries himself like a regular participant in the high stakes environment

Although this is another Twelfth Doctor/Clara story which can be enjoyed perfectly well stand alone, it also manages to keep building on previous stories and carve out its own character development for the heroic duo. It also charmingly has recognisable tributes to real life legends like 'Sonny' Liston and Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack.

Somewhat curiously this opener effectively has two 'pre-credit' sequences: one establishing the historic danger of the Cybock Imperium insofar as Rassilon and the Time Lords quested to purge various dangerous races (other than the Hyperions), and one showing what that race can do with its technology against mere Earthlings.

Count D'If makes a very memorable character even if he just appears fleetingly. The concept of a Time-Gun fitted with a Time-Bomb is also exciting, and adds yet more substance to the Time War which many of Titan's readers recently saw in the Four Doctors.

Mariano Laclustra returns as a supporting artist, and with Brian Williamson as his partner there is another very effective synergy of creative vision. Needless to say at this point Robbie Morrison is an assured master of his storytelling craft and does very well with developing his ambitious but coherent premise.

I myself can connect with the setting, if not the 1960s time zone,  owing to my tour of the West states of America many moons ago as a teenager. I remember Vegas being a town all of its own, with both some terrible gaudiness and some inspired uniqueness. My many viewings of Diamonds Are Forever probably informed some expectations as well.  The use of the setting is as much front and centre for a Doctor Who story as any and the characters feel authentic and identifiable as a result of this care. There is a palpable sense of danger and threat, but also fun, frivolity and betting games galore.

The opening chapter puts many cards on the table that are required for fans to be thrilled and mentally challenged, but holding some back that will surprise and delight... at least until Issue 10 is brought into proceedings. 

Bonus Humour Strip

Day of the Tune sees Colin Bell and Neil Slorance team up once again to this time offer a fun musically themed mini-sized-adventure. Set on the planet Karaoke, but mostly consists of banter between Clara and her glowering Gallifreyan friend. Yet, while this functions fine on its own, it promises further exploration of the setting and the musical themes in at least one more instalment. There is a good helping of past versions of the Doctor with a single panel 'flashback', but which ones is best revealed if you get yourself a copy of this fine comic.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

WRITER - PAUL CORNELL,
ARTIST - NEIL EDWARDS
COLORIST - IVAN NUNES,
LETTERER - RICHARD STARKINGS AND JIMMY BETANCOURT,
DESIGNER - ROB FARMER
EDITOR - ANDREW JAMES,
ASSISTANT EDITOR - KIRSTEN MURRAY
RELEASED SEPTEMBER 23RD 2015, TITAN COMICS

"Ah, Paris. have we just got here? There’s this cafe I know..."

The Eleventh Doctor to Alice - at some point in time during the many, many events.

A really perilous situation for the three most recent Doctors has unfolded with the Twelfth facing the inevitable fate of becoming leader of the Voord. Despite the efforts of Gabby and Alice to try and change history it appears that both were cut down in their tracks.

Or were they?

This final issue covers a lot of ground as it portrays a conscious decision by the team of Doctors and companions to play out a series of actions that are both similar and dissimilar enough to avert the gloomy end product of an evil aged Twelfth Doctor.

But even the victory may come at a price of sorts. The end may be justified, but even a Dark Doctor has his moments of decency and kindness, and cannot just be swatted away without a second thought.

. This is a very well crafted mini-series which has been taking us through a number of twists and turns and always feeling like the exuberance is just measured right against a steady framework of plot and characterisation.

Not knowing until issue three just who was behind the fell scheme that totally fooled Clara, and indeed all her friends - who went along with her understandable actions - was just the right point for the revelation about a twisted version of our contemporary onscreen hero.

The writing has been matched by very enjoyable artwork, panel after panel and page after page. And like any multi Doctor event there is plenty of continuity, but especially notable is that it is done well and its subtle references fit in organically, when they could so easily take even keen fans out of the story. Those fine little touches are what makes Paul Cornell for me one of Who's very best writers in any given medium.

There remains the nagging feel though that this excellent effort could have been outstanding, and by that I mean that the sidelining of the Time War apart from being the foundation for much of the plot, and the conceit that the Voords are cut off from the rest of reality and forgotten by even the Doctors, perhaps got hopes up for even more epic events and consequences.

Also the War Doctor is by far my favourite one off screen performance - naturally it would be as Sir John Hurtcan play anyone to the best standard - but to tease his involvement and no more was just a bit frustrating.

But we get a coherent arc whose reach does not exceed its grasp and so that is something to be treasured. (Perhaps the War Doctor in novel, comic and audio form can be explored many times to come in any case).

Because the 'Dark Doctor' is the Peter Capaldi interpretation, and because he is our present variant of the potentially immortal TARDIS pilot, it is only fitting he puts his foot down and orchestrates the eventual victory. We also get to feel real pathos for the Voord leader, who felt so much for their isolation and managed to bond with them as an outsider better than they would have ever thought in their wildest imagination. Just because they were vicious monsters in the Keys adventure does not mean they are quite so brutal now, even if they dispatched Alice in a very dismissive manner in Issue Four.

Also the mystery over how Clara betrays the Doctor is well done, and Cornell is to be commended for not explicitly saying what she does. Maybe this will tie in with Series 9 and the manner of Clara's writing out of the show proper, or maybe not. Alternate timelines mean myriad storytelling avenues.

So as stated prior, the celebration of Doctor Who's past is top notch, and the use of this vibrant colourful format is also optimum, but of course totally expected given Titan's pedigree. Watch out for another past Doctor and companion in a panel near the end, also.

Bonus Humour Strip - "The Doctor Shops for Angels"

Not just neatly reflective of the main story, but actually very relevant to the main plot resolution, I must commend Cornell on putting in the effort to work with different bonus artists over the course of this mini series. This last hurrah, which is a collaboration with Marc Ellerby, sees Doctor Eleven and Alice return to Paris to ensure some 'help' from another old enemy of the Doctor's will indeed come to pass. This will enable both his present and his future and past selves on Marinus to achieve a happy result. The return of the shopkeeper from the first bonus strip is a nice link, just to emphasise the Doctor's meticulous nature of passing on a message properly.

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Reviewed by Thomas Buxton

WRITER - PAUL CORNELL
ARTIST - NEIL EDWARDS
COLORIST - IVAN NUNES
LETTERER - RICHARD STARKINGS AND JIMMY BETANCOURT
DESIGNER - ROB FARMER
EDITOR - ANDREW JAMES
ASSISTANT EDITOR - KIRSTEN MURRAY
RELEASED SEPTEMBER 23RD 2015, TITAN COMICS

“In a way, this was why I gave her to you in the first place, to make you see – the friend inside the enemy, the enemy inside the friend. Everyone’s a bit of both. Everyone’s a hybrid.”

Although he couldn’t have known this at the time of writing, in having Missy utter these pivotal words towards the climax of “The Witch’s Familiar” last Saturday, Doctor Who’s resident commander-in-chief Steven Moffat almost directly alluded to the discussion point which has arguably been at the heart of Paul Cornell’s grand Four Doctors crossover event: precisely what role do the travelling companions who join the TARDIS crew play in Theta Sigma(s)’ lives, and must we always assume that their impact upon the aforementioned mad man in a box is wholly beneficial? Certainly, there’ve been examples in the past of the Doctors’ allies failing to live up to his occasionally lofty expectations – few would likely contest the hypothesis that Adam Mitchell didn’t do himself any favours in 2005’s “The Long Game”, for instance – and one has to wonder, based on the events of 2009’s “The Waters of Mars” amongst other companionless tales, whether the increasingly fleeting nature of each assistant’s tenure takes its toll upon the series’ one constant protagonist from time to time, but not until now has this intellectually stimulating subject matter been considered any great detail, hence why – in spite of its various shortcomings, déjà vu-ridden sequences perhaps the most prominent bugbear – Titan Comics’ first Who-centric Summer event has made for such delightfully entertaining reading to date.

For those who’ve been struggling to stay abreast of what’s undoubtedly been one of the more convoluted entries in the Whoniverse’s ever-expanding array of time-bending yarns, at the heart of Cornell’s contemplation upon the relationship between the Doctor and his accomplices – better known as the character dynamic which continues to power the programme and its various spin-offs fifty-two years after the former’s inception – lies an alternate version of Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor whose (admittedly already flimsy) moral compass had the misfortune of becoming completely warped at the moment that his Impossible Girl elected to betray him in Season Eight’s much-loved “Dark Water”. Not only that, but rather than live out his days as his previous selves did, namely by searching the universe in search of new recruits, this Valeyard-esque parallel echo opted to voyage across dimensions so as to join forces with the Time War-afflicted Voord and spread an indoctrinatory message of peace across the cosmos.

Keeping up? If not, then fret not, since rather than continually prioritising his narrative’s dense techno-jargon and complex mythology as was the case on occasion in previous issues, Cornell instead takes the approach which worked wonders for him in 2007 with “Human Nature / The Family of Blood”, bringing the relationship at the tale’s heart (in the aforementioned televised serial’s case John Smith and Joan Redfern, though here it’s undeniably the Doctor and Clara) back to the forefront just in time to allow for a real humdinger of an emotional denouement. Precisely how Four Doctors concludes we shan’t of course spoil here for fear of robbing anyone of the satisfaction of experiencing Issue 5 devoid of any foreknowledge, yet suffice to say that the manner in which the piece’s psychologically unhinged ‘villain’ rounds off his dialogue with Coal Hill School’s least reliable teacher since the 1960s will surely bring a tear to both eyes, especially given how neatly the moment complements the true Twelfth’s televised reaction to his friend’s ultimately insignificant backstabbing in the process.

Jenna Coleman’s soon-to-be deceased (unless she overcomes her addiction to adventuring, of course) construct isn’t the only companion involved in drawing Cornell’s meticulously plotted five-part saga to a close, however – Gabby Gonzalez and Alice Obiefune both factor into its resolution just as heavily as Clara and Missy did into “The Witch’s Familiar”, despite all four characters seemingly having met their demises in their respective tales’ previous instalments. Indeed, this reviewer couldn’t be more relieved to confirm that whereas Four Doctors’ penultimate chapter cruelly mishandled the former pair by only having them fulfil a somewhat meaningful role at the very last moment, Issue 5 in contrast affords both of them pivotal roles, with Gabby in particular heading on a trajectory which couldn’t be more vital in terms of how proceedings wrap up. Perhaps another entry in Gabby’s frequently marvellous series of diary writings would have sweetened the deal even further so far as boosting her and Alice’s enhanced contributions, but even so, it’s nothing short of fantastic to see the scribe take heed – at precisely the right moment, too – of the fact that successful Who serials pay just as much attention to the exploits of the Time Lord’s invaluable assistants as to the show’s namesake.

Speaking of the word “fantastic”, it’s high time that we addressed the singular, big-eared elephant still residing in the room a month on from this otherwise blemish-free (well, thereabouts) storyline – the absence of Chris Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor. Rest assured that whilst Cornell doesn’t suddenly shoehorn in the first of the character’s post-20th Century incarnations in a desperate effort to rival the five or so issues which Titan have already dedicated to him this year, by no means does he outright ignore the huge extent to which the Oncoming Storm and Rose Tyler developed upon the interactions between past Doctors and companions; quite to the contrary, he uses the fact that Eccleston’s war veteran seemingly spent virtually all of his life in Rose’s company to both justify their joint disappearance (of sorts) and progress the finale’s above-mentioned contemplation of the supplemental and detrimental ramifications (particularly the latter) alike of its central players’ dependence upon one another.

In just about any other isolated Who comic-book arc, such a fleeting sequence as that which we’ve vaguely (albeit with good reason) commented on here would doubtless come off as an indulgent digression intended to evoke little more than a sense of nostalgia in the mind of the hard-core Whovian reader, so it’s incredibly telling of Cornell’s near-unparalleled finesse as a spinner of yarns that he takes the moment in question and utilises it not only as a means by which to celebrate the highlights of Doctor Who’s modern revival ten years on from its debut, but moreover to immensely deepen our understanding of how the Doctor’s companions continue to keep his darker moral facets at bay. Matt Smith’s incarnation once speculated in the presence of Sarah-Jane and Jo that the universe might just shiver in the event of his demise, yet on the basis of Four Doctors’ captivating fifth part, it seems safer still to say that if the 2000-year-old Time Lord ever took permanent leave of his travelling assistants, the universe – not to mention the audience – would surely require therapy as a result.

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Reviewed by Thomas Buxton

WRITER - PAUL CORNELL;
ARTIST - NEIL EDWARDS;
COLORIST - IVAN NUNES;
LETTERER - RICHARD STARKINGS AND JIMMY BETANCOURT;
DESIGNER - ROB FARMER;
EDITOR - ANDREW JAMES;
ASSISTANT EDITOR - KIRSTEN MURRAY
RELEASED SEPTEMBER 2ND 2015, TITAN COMICS

Much as the Doctor has dabbled with parallel Earths, dimensions and the like in serials gone by, rare has been the occasion upon which he has come face to face with an alternate version of himself during these ventures into the unknown. After all, despite its containing a domesticated version of Rose Tyler (not to mention a near-uncanny facsimile counterpart to our Earth’s Davros in the form of one John Lumic), the so-called realm of ‘Pete’s Earth’ depicted in 2006’s “Rise of the Cybermen / The Age of Steel”, “Doomsday” and later 2008’s “Journey’s End” showed no signs of featuring its own Time Lord protector until the real Rose brought her newfound metacrisis-formed spouse into the fold. Chances are that this prolonged absence of parallel incarnations of Doctor Who’s seemingly unique titular protagonist has come down to fear on the part of past incumbent writing teams at the prospect of scuppering up fans’ ever-precious regeneration numbering lists, especially given that the introduction of John Hurt’s ironically beloved War Doctor in 2013’s “The Day of the Doctor” – as well as its similarly acclaimed Paul McGann-starring prologue minisode – caused such a stir amongst the show’s hardened and sophomore followers alike.

Whatever the reasoning is or was behind this ongoing unwillingness to introduce Doctors from other dimensions, however, clearly Paul Cornell didn’t get the memo in this instance, at least if the penultimate instalment of his anything-but-unambitious Titan Comics crossover arc – “Four Doctors” – is any reasonable indication. Having set about last issue with his contemplation of the notion of the turning points in Theta Sigma’s many lives forging alternate realities wherein never before seen versions of the Oncoming Storm have moved forward from the events of “The End of Time”, “The Wedding of River Song” and “Dark Water” on vastly different trajectories to their ‘real world’ selves, the man perhaps best known for conceiving Bernice Summerfield continues to defy expectations by delving ever deeper into the psyche of a wizened Twelfth Doctor whose path was forever altered by his decision to cast aside Clara Oswald after her reckless attempts to convince him to resurrect “P.E.”.

The result? Well, for starters he does a fine job of clarifying exactly how this could-have-been take on our supposedly incorruptible hero came to be, how he and the three incarnations we’ve been spending time with these past four issues can occupy the same universe as well as how the Voord’s fateful conversation with Hurt’s combat veteran in Issue 1’s Time War-set prologue came to influence the future actions of Marinus’ oft-forgotten inhabitants, all of which will doubtless represent much appreciated moves in the readership’s eyes given how convoluted this near-complete series’ plot arc is seemingly fast becoming (just look at the dense ‘Previously…’ section’s deployment of several details regarding the Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors’ present whereabouts which were barely touched upon as Issue 3 rolled to a close). This need for clarification regarding numerous loose narrative threads from previous chapters does inevitably have a slight impact on Issue 4’s pacing in that the first quarter or so essentially comprises of an extended explanation from the aforementioned dark manifestation of Capaldi’s incarnation, although given that Cornell somehow effortlessly integrates his tale into Who’s recent mythology by connecting his antagonist’s millennium-spanning scheme to the events of both the Time War and “Day”, to complain about an only somewhat clunky (and doubtless necessary) initial exposition dump does admittedly seem rather churlish in hindsight.

In that case, let’s not dawdle on this edition’s minor structural faults, instead focusing on those strengths which continue to render “Four Doctors” as scarcely less than a gripping crossover yarn. In critiquing the somewhat predictably corridor chase-led Issue 2, this reviewer still discovered hope aplenty in the form of lead artist Neil Edwards’ consistently visually mesmerising contribution to proceedings, to the point where yours truly speculated that even in the event that the arc as a whole failed to impress, at least repeat ‘viewings’ would still allow readers to revel in the series’ sumptuous aesthetics if nothing else. Suffice to say that nothing’s changed in this respect – Cornell isn’t exactly known for delivering sub-par denouements (just give “The Family of Blood” another watch for all of the necessary evidence), but if the manner in which his latest Who outing concludes doesn’t quite satisfy on the level that most might have hoped, then it’s safe to say that based on his pitch perfect rendition of the Voord’s campaign for peace, his ability to transform what could have been visually mundane chases through futuristic spaceships’ innards for Alice and Gabby into thrilling races against time, and his unyielding attempts to distinguish the three Time Lords at the storyline’s helm by drawing each as authentically and yet as dynamically as possible, there’s little reason to suspect his work here won’t win him countless rounds of metaphorical applause come the final issue’s publication next week.

Until then, though, rest assured that Cornell continues to complement Edwards’ masterfully engaging imagery with similarly compelling dialogue, not least by having both the Time Lords who give this particular arc its name and their faithful companions discuss one of arguably the most fascinating issues to arise in Who’s recent history: that of destiny. Whilst 2009’s set of Tenth Doctor-murdering Specials famously dealt with this very subject matter through their sustained exploration of the true meaning behind Carmen’s ominous prophecy regarding a song ending and four taps’ worth of knocking, Issue 4 goes one step further in continually examining the ramifications of Tennant, Smith and Capaldi’s incarnations seemingly being doomed to become the newly-revealed alternate version of the Twelfth Doctor thanks to the latter’s sinister machinations, an intriguing concept which the scribe uses to its fullest despite us knowing full well that the true Twelfth will surely emerge from next issue unscathed, ready to face both his second year of Titan escapades as well as the remainder of Season Eight’s multitude of adventures. Some might well lament the fact that the prolonged nature of said contemplation leads to this second-last chapter coming off as something of a dialogue-driven rather than an action-led instalment, especially given that Cornell hasn’t exactly been averse to spending significant chunks of time with his characters keeping their feet firmly on the ground as they talk business (in a manner of speaking, anyway), but judging by the potentially devastating final panels involving Alice and Gabby’s desperate sprint for the TARDIS’ welcoming doors, such qualms will more than likely be brushed away near-instantly next time around.

Speaking of the human beings unlucky enough to stand at the Doctors’ side here, it couldn’t hurt to think for a moment on the areas in which Cornell might find room for improvement post-“Four Doctors”, not least since one such area is that of the roles – or lack thereof – which Clara et al have played so far. No one’s denying that in a narrative titled after a quartet of eternal aliens who find themselves battling a menace who knows them all too well, the Impossible Girl and friends were always going to fulfil slightly inferior functions in the grand scheme of events, but at the same time, lest we forget, much of the power of Who’s post-2004 televised outings has come from its emphasis on how each Doctor’s diverse range of travelling assistants both literally and metaphorically brings him down to Earth in both his darkest and finest hours, making Cornell’s election to have Clara, Alice and Gabby effectively play second-fiddle for the vast majority of Issue 4’s running time seem bemusing at best. Worse still, whilst the latter pair do at least receive one moment to shine in the form of a touchingly brief exchange surrounding what the other party should tell their respective Time Lord accomplice in the event of their demise, that can’t compensate for the uncharacteristically shoddy handling of a subsequent cliff-hanger which rivals “Death to the Daleks” Part 3 for its sheer incoherency. All that’s before one even begins to dwell on the concerning lack of effort on Cornell’s part to afford the Twelfth Doctor and Clara more than a single panel to discuss the potential for their relationship to crack in the future (a startling omission when you think about it) or to afford the Voord much more than foot-soldier status in those moments where we’re seeing their actions as opposed to gleaning exposition regarding their back-stories from Capaldi’s equivalent to the Valeyard, though this reviewer can’t help but suspect these seemingly innocent bystanders might yet reveal some darker motives for their attempts to effectively seize the universe’s free will through subtle psychological indoctrination.

Yet as ever, picking nits in the framework of a largely robust instalment can seem far too easy and more often than not can therefore give an inaccurate impression as to the instalment in question’s overall quality. Indeed, whilst the chinks in “Four Doctors”’ armour are still very much there to see for those who scrutinise each issue closely enough, its merits rarely fail to shine through that much more brightly with each passing chapter. Not once has Cornell failed to capture the individual quirks of Tennant, Smith or Capaldi’s takes on the (supposed) Last of the Time Lords, nor does Edwards seem set to let up with his constantly stunning renditions of set-pieces both action-orientated and personal, lending weight to the persistent sense that we’ll ultimately be left with a finely-tuned, gloriously visually bombastic piece of graphic science-fiction that, despite its shortcomings with regards to its secondary constructs’ characterisation (or lack thereof), at least mirrors the philosophical audacity of its writer’s strongest Doctor Who tale by far, “Human Nature / The Family of Blood” (not to mention the similarly inspired original New Adventures novel of the same name), something which still absolutely can’t be said of the vast majority of TV-inspired graphic novels on the market right now.

Bonus Humour Strip Mini-Review:

As if it wasn't enough for Cornell to pen all five instalments of "Four Doctors" all on his lonesome, he's moreover the mind behind the series' variety of accompanying bonus strips, with his contribution this week coming in the form of a neat skit titled "The Doctors Do...Classic Comedy". Once again displaying the rather cute and oh-so-quaint anime-esque art style implemented by Neil Slorance in issues gone by, this brief three-panel yarn easily fulfils its purpose of humorously juxtaposing Capaldi's Doctor with his "I'm so sorry"-uttering and bowtie-donning predecessors so as to hilariously showcase the tonal constrasts between the three incarnations. The only real caveat here is that Cornell appears hell-bent on referencing specific sketches from hit genre efforts gone by, a decision which will doubtless leave slightly more youthful fans - such as this reviewer - in the dark if they're unaware of the source material which is apparently being parodied.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

Writer - Paul Cornell,
Artist Neil Edwards
Colorist - Ivan Nunes,
Letters - Richard Starkings and Jimmy Betancourt
Assistant Editor - Kirsten Murray
Editor - Andrew James,
Designer - Rob Farmer
.

After some temporal shenanigans in early 20th century Paris, the three most recent Doctors have found themselves on the planet Marinus and at the mercy of the Voord, who despite their partnership with the War Doctor in the Time War are again up to no good.. and are far more powerful than ever before!

Before continuing onto new developments I must fully pay tribute to the writer/artist combination, and their ability to really produce goods any self-respecting reader would hope fore. Paul Cornell and Neil Edwards have maintained my interest as well as I could have hoped and continue to litter the epic story they have forged together with exciting cinematic action, witty dialogue and enjoyably unobtrusive nods to the past. We almost get another 'timey-wimey' but Cornell is astute enough to recognise just how clichéd that is becoming, and so makes a 'stutter' joke out of it instead. This confident self-awareness is really a boon for the modern-day culture of being a Doctor Who aficionado (for whichever brand of the sprawling story one cares for inside and outside of television format).

The most enthralling hook in this latest 'event' issue is the exploration of a so-called 'continuity bomb' which both furthers the main plot but also furthers the required multi doctor adventure aspect of referencing past events. We get a glimpse of Wilf meeting a sorry end, and the resultant come-uppance for a thoroughly detestable version of the Doctor who would not graciously accept his fate. Rather less disturbingly is the Doctor who will pass on with stoicism, but even then this is not laudable as his final end at a possessed River's hands allows the converging of all time and reality and thus the victory of the Silence.

But of most relevance to the actual story advancing for our 6 protagonists, is the unveiling of a potential future scenario where the latest Doctor has aged considerably and seems rather cranky over being let down. The motivations of this new doctor are very much held to account by the contemporary one, and the accuracy of his cynicism definitely is verified by the time of the startling final panels.  

It is good to have some proper threat from the Voord, who were one of the very first monsters in classic Who to rather meet the stereotype detractors had of the program and its ability to actually scare little children. What also is involving is the mystery over how none of the three Doctors are able to really remember much about the original TARDIS crew's trip to Marinus and the quest for the various Keys. A reference to the sea of acid is made but it is just a fleeting memory-ghost and nothing too substantial.

The re-mixing and matching of different Doctors to companions and their reactions to the dynamics is a very enjoyable bit of characterization work that makes the story more than just a giddy romp. The confidence of Clara to tell the other two humans about the complex nature of the Doctor is yet one more great bit of consolidation for a companion who I have always liked, and has never been allowed to stagnate into mediocrity by any writer of decent ability or above.

And this issue has Alice involved with a bit of narration and her clear-headed, matter-of-factual stance is rather refreshing after the more emotive and giddy reactions of Clara and Gabby. I have made no secret of my high regard for Alice and her strong involvement in virtually every Titan comic book she graces month after month. So coming to her at issue three was certainly worth the wait, and now I can only hope all three companions put in a bit of a concerted team effort with their Doctors to end the latest huge threat facing the universe and the timelines.

BONUS HUMOUR STRIP:

The Meeting is another winner from the guest contributor Paul Cornell, who this time is assisting the dependably funny Rachael Smith. With many a former companion involved in a meeting that resembles an 'Alcoholics Anonymous' there is great scope for some fun nods to past companions. And they all have their own take on the riveting experience of time travel which they blurt out, when Alice is hesitatingly trying to convey her own views. 

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

Writer - Cavan Scott
Art/Colour Finishes - Blair Shedd, with Rachael Stott
Colours - Anang Setyawan,
Letters - Richard Starkings + Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt,
Designer - Rob Farmer 
Assistant Editor - Kirsten Mu rray,
Editor - Andrew James
Released July 29, 2015. Titan Comics

With a good amount of set-up and outer world building achieved in previous entries, Weapons of Past Destruction begins to gather focus in this latest must-read comic book from Titan.

The TARDIS crew of the Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack are now forced on the back-foot as not only does the standoff between the heavily armed Unon and the Lect make escape near impossible, but the nearby star which strongly dominates the horizon is on the verge of becoming a supernova.

Through the Doctor rolling the dice for the highest possible stakes, he finds himself confronting the main leader of the Unon. And this a female leader called Arnora, or 'The Mother Empress'. The Doctor's knowledge and wits will certainly be tested against such a keenly aware entity. Most would-be opponents  the Doctor has encountered are not equipped with telepathy, and so he can keep his solutions safely hidden. Not this time though, as Arnora is almost thinking of his responses before he himself is fully aware of them. 

And of course without the Doctor,  Rose and Jack must use their 'fight or flight' instincts to deal with the time bubble that is going to pop and so permit the lethal supernova to proceed with annihilating everything and everyone..

Now at the midpoint of this (hopefully not long-term) one-off series, there is a change of focus in terms of reducing the spectacle and heady travelling and doing some solid character work - especially for the Ninth Doctor himself.Where perhaps other versions of the Time Lord would be a little more careful or calculating, the Ecclestone brand places himself in the path of seeming fatality. Some enemies as we know are more than strong enough to over-ride the power of regeneration, although some of us fans would perhaps pretend the Borad was all talk. Luckily Arnora. who is a key figure at the top of Lect hierarchy, is for the present interested in having a somewhat reasoned debate with her captive.

Rather more disturbingly it appears the Lect see the Time Lords responsible for a corrupt and fatally flawed universe which needs fixing, and they will stop at nothing to achieve their 'vision'. It still remains ambiguous, and quite deliberately saw by the author, what the Lect want and how it ties in with their struggle with the Unon over the ancient Time Lord inventions and such products of their vast time and space knowledge base.

For me anyway this is not a problem and certainly not a procrastination as most readers are coming to this knowing Series One reasonably well, and wanting the focus to be on the Doctor's struggle to cope with the after-effects of the Time War - doubly so with the new wrinkle introduced by The Day of The Doctor.

Dialogue is still effortlessly enjoyable and convincing, with this forthright Doctor showing the right combination of wit and suitably respectful awe for the Mother Superior figure of Arnora. Jack and Rose get involved in their own little story of timey wimey which is neatly illogical if I can allow myself to use that oxymoron. They are rightfully worried if they have truly lost the Doctor, but like the heroes they are proceed to move on anyway. 

I have been impressed for some time with Blair Shedd's work. and this issue sees the introduction of a co-artist in Rachael Stott. Shedd still gets most of the credit for the aesthetically strong barrage of eye candy (and some disturbing images too, given the themes) but having someone clearly in line with the intended end product means their is a seamlessness some comic books decide not to attempt or only half succeed in, and so I give even more credit for this third instalment,

My hopes now are that Cavan Scott and his team will unleash a real powerhouse of suspense, thrills and revelations, and fully realise the obvious potential thus far demonstrated.

BONUS HUMOUR STRIPS:

Both of these are from AJ (who again handles both the story and the visuals), and are focused on the actual dynamic set up by the main story. The first features the headache for Rose of Captain Jack creating myriad versions of himself by crossing his timeline over and over. The second is all about the Doctor somehow rationalising that being stuck in a Void is the perfect way to relax and reflect. An interesting decision really, as these add more to the 'Weapons' story - or suggest a variant in terms of events in a parallel timeline - and still remain faithful to the style we have become used to from AJ's considerable body of prior work for Doctor Who.

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Reviewed by Thomas Buxton

WRITER - PAUL CORNELL;
ARTIST - NEIL EDWARDS
COLORIST - IVAN NUNES;
LETTERER - RICHARD STARKINGS AND JIMMY BETANCOURT;
DESIGNER - ROB FARMER;
EDITOR - ANDREW JAMES;
ASSISTANT EDITOR - KIRSTEN MURRAY
RELEASED AUGUST 19TH 2015, TITAN COMICS

When last we encountered the Twelfth, Eleventh and Tenth Doctors as well as their newly united array of companions, the former trio had seemingly set a foreboding chain of events in motion by briefly touching hands and in doing so causing the (fictitious but no less intriguing) Blinovitch Limitation Effect to occur. Upon glimpsing the final pages of this audacious mini-series’ potent first issue, eagle-eyed readers might have recalled that this particular Time Vortex-damaging event last took place way back in “Father’s Day” as Rose made physical contact with her toddler self, and just as was the case in 2005, the ruthless Reapers made their return in Issue 1’s delightfully dense final panel to fix the wound caused by the three Time Lords’ near-unprecedented interaction.

Given the rarity of multi-Doctor serials of this ilk (lest we forget, ten years’ worth of interplanetary adventuring separated the broadcasts of “The Three Doctors” and its memorably nostalgic 1983 follow-up), that so much time is dedicated in “Four Doctors”’ second instalment to both the aforementioned Limitation Effect as well as the increasingly tense dynamic burgeoning between Capaldi’s ever-antagonistic incarnation and his former selves should really come as little surprise, especially since half of the reason why “The Day of the Doctor” met with such rapturous applause in 2015 was the fascinating interplay witnessed between Tennant, Smith and Hurt’s versions of the titular time traveller. With that being said, whilst few would likely blame the series’ commander-in-chief, Paul Cornell, for taking a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”-style approach in this instance given the unquestionable need for works of comic-book and televisual entertainment to lure in a sizeable enough audience to make some form of profit, at the same time, that the second appearance of the oft-forgotten extra-terrestrial menaces who essentially caused Pete Tyler’s death acts more as a stalling tactic on the scribe’s part than anything else seems equally beyond dispute.

This initially well-disguised structural shortcoming makes its presence gradually known as Issue 2 nears its climax despite having made virtually no progress with regards to the series’ overall story arc of three morally contrasted Doctors joining forces to investigate the alleged repercussions of their Time War predecessor’s actions (or perhaps lack thereof) on the planet of Marinus. Certainly, we’re offered up some enticing sequences involving a chase through the various TARDIS console rooms which have made their debuts since the show’s revival as well as the continued squabbling provoked by the oldest of our three heroes’ continued rejection of his more spritely selves’ occasional recklessness and vice versa in the case of the Twelfth Doctor’s tendency to place his allies in necessary danger so as to achieve his goals. Yet aside from a few welcome moments wherein Tennant’s incarnation astutely namechecks the version of himself apparently set to rise between his twelfth and final bodies – see “The Trial of a Time Lord” if this description doesn’t ring any bells – and the classic series adversaries who cameoed last issue make their larger intentions transparently clear, it’s tough to shake the sense that either Cornell or those who assisted in his structuring of this much-anticipated Summer event struggled to find a way to keep its momentum up for four issues, hence the handy inclusion of the Reapers as an inspired yet nevertheless clunky means by which to stall for time. Indeed, that even Smith’s Doctor notes at one point how insignificant his pursuers are in terms of the trap apparently being laid for him and his other selves on Marinus does little to weaken this interpretation.

Even if “Four Doctors” doesn’t deploy quite as many satisfying plot twists or game-changing reveals here as was the case with its premiere, however, the number of readers who come away from Issue 2 wholly disappointed will still most likely be impressively minimal. The aforementioned TARDIS-warping set-piece and the frequent moments of verbal sparring between both the titular defenders of galactic justice as well as their companions – the most artistic of whom, the Tenth Doctor’s loyal accomplice Gabby Gonzalez, once again gets to open proceedings with a characteristically simplistic yet effortlessly visually sumptuous diary segment (as was the case in the first year of the Tenth and Gabby’s Titan Comics escapades) drawn wonderfully by Neil Edwards – which form the bulk of this instalment aren’t exactly the most innovative of scenes given that 2013’s “Day” placed a similarly substantial emphasis on such moments, but the inert hilarity of witnessing a variety of disparate heroes (both alien and human) attempt to put aside their differences whilst preparing for a universe-threatening conflict hasn’t waned in the two years since the 50th Anniversary Special first aired. If anything, the concept in question’s appeal has only grown with the releases of ensemble motion pictures like Marvel’s Avengers Assemble and Guardians of the Galaxy, both of which showcased the entertainment value of such encounters and thus likely pre-empted Titan’s thinking in creating this type of event series.

Whilst we’ve already touched upon the gloriously accomplished renditions of images such as Gabby’s diary and indeed Issue 1’s explosive last-minute Reaper reveal, in discussing this second outing’s easily overlooked merits, it’d be downright churlish to wrap up without having reiterated the undeniable power of Edwards’ aesthetic work. Like most works of science-fiction, “Four Doctors”’ fundamentally basic yet sure-to-be timey-wimey storyline requires one to pay no shortage of attention to the dialogue contained within its ever-present speech bubbles, that the Welsh artist responsible for bringing past hits like Justice League United and Arrow Season 2.5 to life through his imagery might leave some wishing the entirety of this four-issue arc could be re-released with only its artwork rather than its dialogue remaining says a lot for how he manages to convey precisely what’s occurring through his crowded but accessible visual depictions of events. Many modern Who strips would leave their readership most likely confounded were they to be robbed of textual accompaniments, yet based on the strength of Edwards’ work on this particular mini-series to date, Titan’s first major crossover storyline may well prove to be the single major exception to the unwritten rule.

Indeed, it’s through Edwards that Issue 2 manages to somehow claw its way back from the jaws of defeat so as to become another memorable addition to the plethora of comic-books based within the so-called Whoniverse. Had this otherwise largely derivative sophomore instalment not found itself an artist with such incredible creative vision, an artist capable of succinctly yet powerfully rendering both the action-led and exposition-heavy moments of “Four Doctors” with equal ease (and more importantly equal success), then there’s no doubt in this reviewer’s mind that this month’s tale – if not the series as a whole – would have suffered immensely as a result, but instead, in him we’ve been graced with someone capable of ensuring that even a more repetitive, arc-lite outing such as this one still brings almost all of the thrills and shocks present in its predecessor, at least from a visual perspective. Better yet, since Cornell’s next move going forwards will surely be to pick up the pace exponentially, chances are that Edwards will receive opportunities aplenty to showcase his seemingly limitless capabilities in issues to come, something which – at least based on the hugely promising evidence presented here – could only serve to benefit the overall reading experience that much more.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

WRITER - PAUL CORNELL,
ARTIST- NEIL EDWARD,
COLORIST - IVAN NUNES, 
LETTERER - RICHARD STARKINGS/COMICRAFT’S JIMMY BETANCOURT,
DESIGNER- ROB FARMER, 
EDITOR - ANDREW JAMES,
ASSISTANT EDITOR - KIRSTEN MURRAY
RELEASED AUGUST 12TH 2015, TITAN COMICS

During this month and next we are treated to a much awaited big event from the very capable team at Titan Comics. The major factor to note is celebrated author Paul Cornell is the writer of the entire arc, and will add to his impressive resume of TV Doctor Who (Father's Day, Human Nature/Family of Blood which were all Hugo-nominated), classic Doctor Who original novels such as Love and War and Goth Opera.  plus some previous comic book efforts including Wolverine, Action Comics, Demon Knights, Captain Britain and MI:13.

Although this review site will come back to the final works of Titan's year one for the different Doctor lines, this mini-series does not need too much prior knowledge to really be understood, however it will impact on the beginning of 'Year Two'. 

I myself have reasonably high expectation for this big event showpiece from Titan and little to make me think it could end up faltering in some way. Certainly it will be one escapist-fictional ways to warm up a tepid summer (at least on the British isles where I reside).

We start off with another piece of the mystery jigsaw that is the Time War. The War Doctor's lifelong quest to deal with the threat of the Daleks (and eventually the corrupt order of Time Lords led by Rassilon), sees this wonderfully grouchy forgotten incarnation pay a visit to the planet Marinus many years after the quest for the Keys. Now the Doctor Who backstory on the Voord is quite remarkable, as not only were they one of the first monsters on the program, but they also were brought back for a Sixth Doctor comic strip, an audio adventure that began the First Doctor Early Adventures line, and even some barely canonical stories in an annual and (collective) cigarette sweets' cards from the 1960s. Although it remains to be seen how much these creatures will feature in later issues, this new story sees the Voord becoming rather more benign as they evolve into more powerful creatures that help fight the malevolent Dalek forces.  

The starting point for the TV Tardis crew of the Doctor and Clara sees the word 'Marinus' pop up in our favourite Coal Hill school-teacher's head, and this neatly leads to an amusing run of new encounters between normal Earth girls with extraordinary lives, and personality clashes between the different (and yet the same) Time Lords who are responsible for those incredible travels.

As he stated in my earlier interview with him, Paul Cornell is thoughtfully structuring this mini series so that each of the Doctor's trusted assistants will be carrying us through the story in their own distinctive manner. This opener gives Clara the most agency, with the various other Doctors and their companions having to react to her decision to take matters head on. In a piece of neat irony, her best efforts to prevent the multi-Doctor meeting, owing to what may be a massive disaster, only serve to produce the opposite effect.  

Cornell's considerable experience in stories of all sorts of lengths and scale (depending on what medium he employs), means that I am confident he is doing the right thing in starting in a relatively slow manner this issue. Yes we get time and space trotting, and a nice flashback to a jungle world with no official name where Clara does her best Lara Croft impression. However much of the issue is moving the pieces of the three most recent TV doctors into place, and teasing us over the use this time of the wonderful John Hurt version (who made The Day of The Doctor  such electric viewing).

I can happily confirm that the artwork is an absolute treasure trove of convincing character expression, ocularly arresting alien beings and landscapes, and superbly well used colours. Neil Edwards happily unites with Cornell with immediately convincing results, and also has communicated with Ivan Nunes in an effective manner.  So consequently the pacing of the core story is only enhanced by the energy that is projected by the visual. The dialogue is probably the most outstanding component of this story, but would maybe not feel so effortless if the characters' facial subtleties were not as authentic as presented here.

With a cliffhanger taking us cleverly back to Cornell's fine work in the New Series, the set up has been performed and a lot more excitement and surprises are sure to still come.

BONUS HUMOUR STRIP:

The Doctor Shops For Comics in this new bonus piece, and Marc Ellerby has a certain Mr Paul Cornell lend a hand to the story being told. Just the Doctor and a French newspaper vendor are involved in terms of protagonists. That is, unless you count a version of the Doctor who has just been there shopping three minutes earlier than the particular Eleventh Doctor we are reading about. I find it odd having no companions in this for the Doctor to spark off against, but this story tries to do something different, and may be the start of a successful team-up between Cornell and Ellerby for the other four issues to come.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

WRITER: Rob Williams
ARTIST: Warren Pleece, 
COLOURS: Hi-Fi 
LETTERER: Richard Starkings + Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt
 DESIGNER - Rob Farmer, 
EDITOR - Andrew James
ASSISTANT EDITOR- Kirsten Murray
PUBLISHER: Titan Comics
RELEASE DATE: June 17, 2015 

"The entity with the might of a Cyberman army... an army that now shows you what your heart wants most as they attack. That is... unstoppable. Oh... oh no... They’re going to conquer everything"  The Doctor under a mysterious influence, and seemingly losing hope.

Having done a bit of globe-and-time-and-space trotting in the first instalment, this second and final comic 'episode' now focuses on a singular setting. Thus it can pay full dues so as to make the most of the premise and circumstances that were established. Tension rarely leaves from panel to panel and page-to-page, and some fine dialogue intermingles with well-done action visuals.

Using Romans in Doctor Who has often been very effective, were viewers or fans of any generation to recall watching the Dennis Spooner story in William Hartnell's era, or (brief) sections of Patrick Troughton finale The War Games. So the pedigree is there, in addition to modern Who efforts with Matt Smith and David Tennant, and goes back to almost the dawn of this (happily) never-ending story. Also, the sheer depth of Roman society will continue to offer any number of further settings and hierarchy-society thematic exploration.

By contrast, as much as I love the concept and aesthetics of the Cybermen I must admit their full potential is not always realised. This story does a neat job of making their conversion/ horror theme come to the boil, and yet offer a different actual opponent for the Doctor. The artwork from Warren Pleece also does a fine job of using the sheer height and presence of the Cyber-army, with some moody background imagery and colours to really make them stand out. 

Themes of steadfastness and cowardice come into operation here with the civil war being decided not by conventional battle but by the way the two opposing leaders respond to the threat of the Entity/Cyber-Army. In the end one is shown to pay the ultimate price and in ignominious fashion, and the other, whilst not understanding everything properly has such integrity at his core that he and his followers live to fight another day. There is also that subtle bit of extra depth where we are not forced to believe one was wholly good and the other bad, and the Doctor may have helped someone with a lot of blood on his hands and demons in his head. No mistake should be made that these were brutal times in human history. But the Doctor just does the best he can to achieve the ideal outcome, even if on the surface this Eleventh incarnation is bumbling or lackadaisical at times.

In addition to well-sketched supporting characters. there is enough care and attention from Rob Williams' writing to incorporate some interesting consequences of having a contemporary 21st century Londoner suddenly transposed into the days of the Roman Empire. This is seen when Alice is simplistically referred to as  a 'warrior princess' by one of the feuding Emperors, due to her skin-colour and her assertive manner. Alice has always been given a good deal of focus and development as I have stated in my prior reviews, but this issue is particularly strong for her and without her concerted input the outcome would almost certainly be a different one. We again also have some brief flashbacks to her past which still feel involving and not just treading the same old pathways. I for one now eagerly anticipate her use in the new Four Doctors event that is being released imminently.

Let there be no misunderstanding: the Doctor does have much to do come the end, but for certain moments he is haunted by the mysterious Time Lord that has intermittently popped up since the very first issue. And despite using his ingenuity, he still cannot prevent a game changer that leaves one member of the quartet cut off and seemingly unreachable. The remainder may have to take the long route to find their associate, as problems with the TARDIS continue to persist. Overall this latest multi-parter from the Eleventh Doctor line has presented a neat twist or two, and made proper use of the TARDIS crew. The denouement is perfectly paced and does not veer into the 'easy out' that some of the Matt Smith TV stories were arguably guilty of. 

Bonus Humour Strip:

A typically strong effort from Marc Ellerby with a good plot, fizzy dialogue and a good range of cartoonish facial expressions. That old chestnut of where to go on Summer Wholiday gets a welcome inspection in the humour coda, and again the two page format is totally justified. Out of the River/Doctor and Amy/Rory family set, only one individual gets a properly satisfying vindication of their chosen destination. 

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Reviewed by Thomas Buxton

Writer: Robbie Morrison;
Artist: Daniel Indro;
Letterer: Richard Starkings and Jimmy Betancourt;
Colorist: Slamet Mujiono;
Editor: Andrew James;
Gabby's Sketchbook: Arianna Florean with Elena Casagrande;
Designer: Rob Farmer;
Assistant Editor: Kirsten Murray

Perhaps moreso than is the case with any of the show’s other recurring antagonists, finding an inspired new way in which to off the titular menaces of “The Weeping Angels of Mons” must be one of the most unenviable tasks a Doctor Who scribe can encounter. That their creator Steven Moffat has already produced three largely acclaimed serials based around the Deadly Assassins’ antics can’t help matters either, particularly since 2007’s “Blink”, 2010’s “The Time of Angels / Flesh & Stone” and 2012’s “The Angels Take Manhattan” (not to mention Toby Whithouse’s “The God Complex” and Moffat’s “The Time of the Doctor”, wherein the Angels play second fiddle to a more substantial manner yet still make quite the impact in the space of but a few minutes of screen time) each use them to such great effect before resolving the threat they pose to the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors in an equally surprising manner.

No wonder, then, that in bringing the second full arc of Titan Comics’ New Adventures with the Tenth Doctor range to a timely conclusion after four instalments, Robbie Morrison can’t help but seem to struggle to wrap up proceedings without evoking the final moments of beloved episodes gone by. As if Tennant’s Doctor, Gabby Gonzalez and their newfound wartime comrade Jamie Colquhoun’s campaign beneath the trenches to rescue the TARDIS from the Angels’ clutches wasn’t enough of a call-back to their eternal foes’ on-screen history, as the final chapter of his “Mons” narrative grinds to a halt, Morrison moreover goes so far as to stir up memories aplenty of “Human Nature / The Family of Blood” (with the present day-set closing pages owing a particular debt to Paul Cornell’s haunting TV adaptation of his own New Adventures novel), “The Angels Take Manhattan” (via his second investigation into the Angels’ physical shortcomings in as many issues) and even Blackadder Goes Forth’s most poignant shot of all, though one could perhaps forgive the latter allusion in light of the plethora of Great War fiction available for us to experience nowadays. Indeed, add in an dishearteningly abrupt resolution to the romantic sub-plot brewing between Gabby and Jamie that simply reeks of necessity and readers might well start to wonder whether or not the “Mons” arc is as doomed as the waylaid soldiers who stumbled onto battlefields such as the Somme between 1914 and 1918.

As will surely have become clear by now, had this at times derivative mid-season finale (of sorts) persisted with this reliance upon its esteemed predecessors without injecting any original moments of note, then little doubt exists in this reviewer’s mind as to the extent that the “Mons” quartet as a whole would have been rendered as an unsatisfying tale, particularly in light of the number of instances where the words ‘déjà vu’ came to mind as the Angels made their initial appearances amongst the rubble and shadows of the trenches. The truth of the matter is mercifully different, though; thanks in no small part to Morrison’s sustained implementation of the creatures who give this arc its name as a metaphor for the conflict in which “Mons” takes place, the military chaplain who until now had served as little more than a cliché-spouting secondary player becomes of paramount significance at the very last moment, affording Part 4 no shortage of emotional resonance as he justifiably calls into question everything which the Christian faith has taught him in light of the angelic forces of (super)nature assaulting him and his companions from every corner. Better yet, whereas past televised Who serials such as “Tooth and Claw” have seen fit to simply have their antagonists slay these theistic devotees, here we’re presented with an entirely different send-off which leaves that much more of a lasting impression as a result (and one which we therefore shan’t spoil for fear of ruining the scene in question).

Whereas Morrison therefore tows the line between narrative familiarity and symbolic innovation, Arianna Florean, Elena Casagrande and Daniel Indro – the former two of whom open Part 4 with another of Gabby’s rather delightfully whimsical notebook sequences before the latter resumes his work as the series’ resident central artist – collectively give their all in terms of ensuring that from an aesthetic perspective, the Tenth Doctor’s escapades in the early 20th Century remain a joy to see play out from page to page. Even if Part 3’s “Blink”-riffing cliff-hanger didn’t so much shock as doubtless remind many readers of the aforementioned 2007 serial’s “the Angels have the police box” t-shirt, the shot made for one hell of a tour de force of Indro’s visual capabilities, a trait which carries through to this predictably action-packed fourth instalment, wherein the artist in question renders underground skirmishes, 19th Century villages and even stirring Great War memorial gatherings without missing so much as a single crucial opportunity to stimulate the reader’s optic nerves.

In fact, in spite of its occasional missteps into the realms of dependence upon what’s come before, that notion of aiming to keep its onlookers thoroughly engaged throughout its running time seems a fine summary of “The Weeping Angels of Mons”’ overall aspirations. Whether or not Morrison could have ditched some of the early moments of Angel mythology-recapping exposition and derivative set-pieces so as to condense Tennant’s sophomore Titan arc into three instalments as opposed to four is a matter which we could debate until the end of time itself (though this reviewer would personally wager that there’s a strong case to be made in that regard), but that Morrison and the team of apparently infinitely accomplished artists tasked with bringing his monthly narratives to life remained intent on leaving their audience with no option but to turn straight to the next page (or indeed head to the nearest relevant retailer in order to pre-order their copies of subsequent issues) in hindsight seems beyond dispute. It’s an admirable goal too, although as we move out of the blood-soaked battlefields of the early 1900s and back to the streets of New York for the final days of Gabby’s first year alongside a Time Lord who’s running on increasingly borrowed time, those involved with depicting this intriguing new companion’s scribbled writings and actions alike might well consider prioritising further layered moral dilemmas like that of the chaplain’s and in doing so placing less emphasis on the infrequently repetitive action set-pieces which formed the crux of “Mons”, at least if they’re hoping to leave Paul Cornell with a strong foundation upon which to build with his “Four Doctors” crossover event later this year.

Bonus Humour Strip Mini-Review:

Less surprising than Morrison’s success in turning his oft-predictable antagonists into a compelling metaphor for modern conflicts and the harrowing psychological toll they carry for those desperate to cling to their faiths is Rachael Smith’s decision to integrate the Sisters of Plentitude (of “New Earth” and “Gridlock” fame) into the latest gripping chapter of “A Rose By Any Other Name” as Rose – better known to regular readers as the Tenth Doctor’s hastily acquired feline pet – attempts to find her owner a date somewhere in the depths of time and space. Much like an elderly cat on its last legs, it’s difficult not to wonder whether this storyline (or series of narrative-light skits, to put the situation more accurately) has run its course at this point. On the plus side, though, even if that’s indeed the case, with only around half a dozen issues remaining until Cornell temporarily takes the helm of Tennant (as well as Smith, Capaldi and even Hurt)’s comic-book adventures, those who share this reviewer’s growing apathy with this particular line of mini-strips can at least rest safe in the knowledge that Rose’s short-lived tenure aboard the TARDIS will surely go the same way as K-9, Kamelion and Theta Sigma’s other non-human companions soon enough.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

STORY BY: Robbie Morrison
ART BY: Brian Williamson
 COLOUR: Hi-Fi
LETTERS: Richard Starkings + Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt
HUMOUR STRIP - Colin Bell, Neil Slorance
EDITOR: Andrew James, DESIGNER: Rob Farmer
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Kirsten Murray 
Released - May 2015 (Titan Comics)

NB This review contains several spoilers as to the conclusion of this storyline.

The action proceeds at full throttle as readers begin the third and final part of the latest story. Clara desperately tries to help her Foster friends, as they are pursued by the seemingly malignant Fractures who need the 'alt-universe' Paul Foster.

With UNIT trying as best they can to fend off such powerful entities who believe their modus operandi to keep reality and timelines secure supersedes all other bonds such as family and friendship.. a final fateful decision must be made. What will everyone's favourite Scot-accented Gallifreyan decide? Will his brand new life cycle (granted officially to him by the still-lost Time Lords) soften his approach? Because it would appear this is ultimately a case of one person falling in order to save Everything Else..

This story has worked quite well in essence, but is perhaps the first story in this range to not quite hit the dizzy heights, which were almost becoming an automatic given for the starring heroes that are the current Doctor and Clara Oswald.

The plot has some very similar themes and aspects to Series 1 gem Fathers Day and yet carries on with an almost nonchalant manner regardless. Yet this story has a far greater scope and scale to it also, which is what we have come to expect from Titan Comics, and the many options available when sets, effects and time are not as much of an issue.

The Fractures were very creepy villains in part one and are decent enough ever since, yet the early promise is not quite met. The twisted doppelgangers aspect just fails to get its pay off. All the same, their moral high-ground over arch-good-guy Doctor is praiseworthy. His final decision to take on the brunt of their fury, and to pay penance in some way further down the line will be a source of speculation and anticipation as time passes by.

Robbie Morrison still never lets his standards slip below 'pretty good'. He keeps up the fine character development for the regulars, as well as fan favourites like Kate Stewart, and makes us care for the Fosters' well-being at all times. Of course having investment in new characters is crucial, and thankfully the emotional beats centre on these Earth mortals in a very involving way. Also, whilst the pacing is just as good in this third part as the previous one, still overall the three instalments do not quite read well together as they might do.

At the same time, the manner in which the Doctor opts for a hailstorm of negative follow-up perhaps betrays the seemingly methodical earlier stages of the plot. Father's Day ultimately was about sacrifice. With the Doctor's many get-out-of-jail cards, his choice to save Paul is rather more of an empty-handed gesture.

As for art quality this time round, I must admit this is somewhat a curate's egg. It's good in parts, and conveys expression and action well enough but some sections look rushed or unfinished. Also some of the real urgency and vibrancy that issues Six and Seven managed effortlessly is replaced with something a bit restrained in a rather different sense. Nonetheless the combination of story and visual style is still a decent pairing.

Peter Capaldi's brusque but passionate manner feels just as ever-present as any TV story. Kate Steward is written well and plays her part in the resolution, but sometimes it feels like a reminiscent sister is being involved every other panel, such are the inconsistencies. Overall then Brian Williamson produces something a notch or so down from the prior two issues. And having such an odd psychedelic / black-and-white cover is also somewhat perplexing.

More positively noteworthy, and indicative of the wider plans Titan's editors are managing carefully as cross-overs loom soon, is the referencing by the writer to creations of his from other stories. These include the 'Echo' featuring the Tenth Doctor, and also the Hyperions back from the very first story in this 'Twelfth' range.

 Bonus Humour Strip:

Amusing and creative stuff this month, as it uses rather vague time periods in the same basic setting of Clara's home. The Doctor is in and out of the TARDIS and trying to win his share of The Board Games but Clara has him hook-line-and-sinker.  This is a nice little coda to the heaviness of the main action, but a little odd in needing to give out the title and credits over and over again.

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Reviewed by Thomas Buxton

Writer: Robbie Morrison Artist: Daniel Indro
Letterers: Richard Starkings and Jimmy Betancourt
Colorist: Slamet Mujiono
Editor: Andrew James
Assistant Editor: Kirsten Murray
Designer: Rob Farmer 

Were we to assign sub-titles to the various instalments of the Tenth Doctor’s second full ‘New Adventures’ arc, “The Weeping Angels of Mons”, by far the most fitting name for its penultimate outing would be “The Benny Hill Chapter”. Why? To put it quite simply, whereas Part 2 placed a profound emphasis on strengthening the backstories of the various supporting players as well as the tension surrounding the Weeping Angels’ ominous presence amongst the battlefields of World War Two, Part 3 places the chase sequences which served as highlights in televised Angel tales such as “Flesh & Stone” front and centre. This structural move predictably has just as many negative repercussions as positive ones, yet even so, the overall “Mons” arc continues to elevate the graphically novelised adventures of David Tennant’s beloved take on Theta Sigma to promising new heights.

There’s admittedly an irony in this reviewer’s use of the words “heights”, however, since such is the nature of a Great War-set tale of this ilk that much of this particular issue takes place within or around the trenches of the titular Belgian city, not least the bold cliff-hanger sequence, which places an intriguing new spin on one of the most significant plot points from 2007’s “Blink”. That said, it’s a welcome surprise to see writer Robbie Morrison use the time spent by the Doctor, Gabby and their British military comrades evading the universe’s deadliest assassins to his advantage, specifically by tackling some of the long-running misconceptions surrounding the limits – or lack thereof – of the Angels’ semi-mystical powers such as their collective ability to withstand blasts that would otherwise shatter ordinary stone edifices and whether or not weaponised vehicles such as tanks stand a chance when crossing the paths of one of the Doctor’s most relentless foes.

The perfectly-timed fan service doesn’t come to a halt there, either; whilst it’s easy at times for the casual – or indeed the hard-core – reader to forget that the Tenth Doctor’s ‘New Adventures’ are intended to take place during the final days of its eternal protagonist’s lifespan, namely as “The Waters of Mars” and “The End of Time” (itself) dawn, Morrison moreover takes a moment to offer us a firm reminder of the present chronology, briefly electing to have the aforementioned Time Lord turn on his companion in remorse as she struggles to come to terms with the joint horror of the historical and extra-terrestrial conflicts unfolding before her eyes. Better yet, there’s little in the way of evidence to suggest that Morrison intends to leave this particular plot thread dangling next time around, indicating that a more thorough psychological analysis of precisely why Tennant’s incarnation declined Lady Christina de Souza’s request to join the TARDIS crew after the events of “Planet of the Dead” – as well as refusing other offers from various supporting players in other novels, comic-books and the like – could be just around the corner.

Regardless of what’s to come from a narrative perspective, what’s more than assured at this point is the sustained visual power of Daniel Indro’s ever-alluring imagery. Given how easy it would be for this talented artist to allow the drab grey backdrop of a World War One battlefield to overshadow the entire colour palette of “Mons” – a shortcoming which this reviewer would argue Rachel Talalay perhaps fell prey to from a directorial perspective in last year’s televised Season Eight finale, “Death in Heaven”, though that debate’s of course for another time and place – that he constantly does quite the opposite, injecting moments of warmth and variety through dazzling explosions and through adaptive backgrounds meant to reflect the emotion of the characters featured within the relevant panels, is an astonishing feat to say the very least, one which makes all the difference in terms of ensuring that the overall reading experience remains engaging throughout.

All the same, that the chase sequences littered throughout Issue 8 warranted a Benny Hill comparison in this review’s opening paragraph only goes to show the extent to which they dominate proceedings here, and much as Morrison’s efforts to add depth through exploration of the Angels’ and the Doctor’s respective mythologies keep Part 3’s isolated narrative compelling – as does Indro’s artwork – a little less emphasis on action and more on creating a genuinely satisfying resolution come this second mini-arc’s denouement would certainly not go amiss. Just as “Blink”, “The Time of Angels / Flesh & Stone” and “The Angels Take Manhattan” each presented truly memorable means by which the Doctor could dispatch perhaps the universe’s oldest alien menaces, so too could “The Weeping Angels of Mons” benefit in no small part from putting as much time and effort into providing another such worthy conclusion as early as possible in Part 4 rather than holding out until the last moment in the hope of throwing a needless deus ex machina element into the - already busy - mixture.

Bonus Humour Strips Mini-Reviews:

As to-the-point miniature comic strips go, At-Mosphere-Choo most certainly ranks up there with the most succinct of them, presenting its onlookers with the most straightforward yet hilarious one-shot image possible in the form of Tennant’s Time Lord drifting above Earth after inadvertently sneezing his way out of the TARDIS. Look out in particular for one of the most impressive renditions of humanity’s home-world – not to mention a frankly stunning sunset on the horizon – in recent Who memory courtesy of scribe and layout handler AJ.

Whereas AJ’s one-page contributions to the ‘New Adventures’ range continue to be isolated affairs, Rachael Smith’s ongoing A Rose By Any Other Name continues the captivating adventures of the Tenth and his newfound companion, Rose-the-Cat, both of whom appear to be on perfect terms with one another until the subject of a certain metallic canine comes to the fore. Nothing particularly revolutionary crops up here from a comedic standpoint, although in fairness, Smith’s artwork is at once characteristically charming and remarkably accurate, whilst the resolution to Rose and K-9’s rather abrupt confrontation will surely garner chuckles aplenty, as will the slight nod to Jim the Fish present in the strip’s tantalising final panel.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

WRITER: Rob Williams
ARTIST: Warren Pleece
  COLOURS: Hi-Fi
LETTERER: Richard Starkings + Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt
DESIGNER - Rob Farmer
EDITOR - Andrew James
ASSISTANT EDITOR- Kirsten Murray
COVER BY: Simon Fraser
PUBLISHER: Titan Comics
RELEASE DATE: May 20, 2015

A new set of adventures begin for our heroes, opening with a visit to Berlin garnering unwelcome attention from some East German soldiers. Soon, a near-fatal experience in space faces the Doctor and Jones before a mysterious 'non-comet' consumes the TARDIS. It threatens to break down the Doctor's ship in a permanently destructive fashion. But then the strange comet heads for Earth!

Just why is the TARDIS seemingly putting up no fight against the flames of the comet? And how can ARC assist, given his connection to the Entity? A whole different ball game may play out on the ground level of our small blue-green world, and some not-so-friendly acquaintances of the Doctor's are poised to make their presence known.

Yet another winner would be my immediate assessment for this story. Things certainly get off to a flying start as we see the Doctor and Jones bantering whilst on a motorbike chased by East Germans who may well believe they have Western spies to apprehend. On a personal level to me, the Cold War will always have much resonance so I was glad to see a (brief) call-back to such times in one of Titan's ongoing comic book lines.

Furthermore, this latest designated team of creative talents on the Eleventh Doctor line do a great job, and make Conversion a fine 'jumping on ' point for those unfamiliar with either this series or Titan Comics various output in general.

Warren Pleece  was last involved with the two-parter storyline of Issues 7 and 8. While not working for this title a number of months he seems to have gone away and acquired more insight into the very quirky (but enthralling) style that Doctor Who is meant to have. I found his panels showing the bike/helicopter chase a great 'grab' at the start. Also the later sections with the Roman soldiers and the melting TARDIS control room shone brightly as examples of how to tell an action story with real purpose and thematic depth to it.

There is a barnstorming cliffhanger to bridge into issue 13, tying in with the story's title and featuring a race of foes that the Doctor may ever so slightly tire of given his long-term association with them.

With much adherence to the Matt Smith era's style clearly evident, this effort builds further on the strong televisual foundations, due to the huge scope afforded by the comic book medium.  By this point I have come to expect writer Rob Williams to produce gold for the huge extended universe that is this franchise. His choice of giving Romans a part in proceedings is also fitting given their memorable role in the Series 5 finale The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang.

A lot of set-up is done in this issue, and is successful; making us care for the rather hapless tin-plated soldiers who may wield a sword well enough, but could never grasp the basics of machine gun or space ray weaponry. How the Entity will make the returning monsters for this new storyline operate in a different fashion to before remains to be seen. Given the previously clever use of twists and 'added spice' to well worn tropes in earlier stories for this TARDIS crew, I except very good things.

Bonus Humour Strip:

Marc Ellerby is a consistently sparky writer month-in month-out. Here he produces a fun one page work focusing on a game of football at Leadworth. Bow-Ties For Goal Posts features just the Doctor and Rory this time round, with a brief reference to River Song.  I did find the lack of knowledge by the Doctor of this far-reaching sport a little odd, especially given his direct use of a football several times on TV (e.g. with Craig in The Lodger) . Perhaps he was coming of a draining recent adventure and his considerable set of memories was clouded briefly? But a cleverly done X-Men reference more than makes up for this. 

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

Writer - Cavan Scott,
Art + Colours - Blair Shedd
Letters: Richard Starkings/ Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt
Colour Flat Assist: Anang Setyawan
Designer - Rob Farmer, Editor - Andrew James
Assistant Editor - Kirsten Murray

Following the near catastrophic events abroad a war ship, there is more peril facing the TARDIS trio. Rose happens to be the most immediately in danger as she is exposed to the volatile Time Vortex. The Doctor races to save her, but appears too late. But help for the Londoner with a heart of gold may come from the most unlikely (and inky) of individuals.

However the bigger picture soon comes into play as the legacy of the Time War is felt. Super-weapons that were never meant for 'lower beings' than the Gallifrereans are available for the right price, which could have some cataclysmic results.

This is another splendid effort from all concerned once again; reading very well and never losing pace or incident as one page follows another. As one would hope there is an attempt to fit into the well-woven 'Bad Wolf' arc which Russell T Davies executed to a tee in the maiden series of modern Doctor Who.

The settings and way that the story is told alter somewhat as there is less violent action and instead some more picturesque imaging and emphasis on character growth. Yet we still get some more backstory for both the Time War and Captain Jack as well, and the mix of different ingredients is effective to say the least.

Superb characterization and dialogue makes this story really come  to life. This is as much as a paper or electronic comic can fizz with energy.

It also feels like the Ecclestone incarnation of our heroic Time Lord is back to dominating the immediate action before us, albeit with all his foibles and volatile emotions. We gain some very pertinent insight into Captain Jack's exciting life as a time traveller, and even a time when he was young and green. His loud confidence and the Ninth Doctor's snappiness continue to be involving; the one being the perfect foil for the other.

Yet not only is there this uneasy relation between Jack and the Doctor, but also some sense of bonding. I feel this which is what this 'missing adventure' really should be offering fans - especially given the camaraderie that opened Boom Town (which felt very rushed when the initial stories first aired in 2005).

Rose's stoic reaction to what should be certain death is engaging, and her enforced employment for a squid/octopus-like alien is one of the most entertaining examples of Doctor Who's ability to mix people from different places and times and yet feel credible with something to say about society in real life.

Most of the guest characters are certainly not in the right morally but they are hardly villains either, forming a motley collection of arm-wheelers-and-dealers from every corner of the cosmos.

A perhaps shameless homage of Star Wars' Tatooine desert world manages to just about feel fresh, thanks to the use of an impending supernova plus a sun dominating the skyline. Of course such liberal borrowing of iconic sci-fi can also fall flat in Doctor Who, as the The Rings of Akhaten  sadly proved.

Perhaps the overall arc is not being advanced as much as it can be, but later instalments will hopefully justify this creative decision by writer Cavan Scott. We are still left in some doubt just which major space power locked in war - the Lect or the Unon - will cause the most damage with munitions that belong back in the 'inaccessible' Time War. But still much impresses, not least the Doctor's attempted auction of one of his most prized assets. His companions reacting in panic to this is the comedic and dramatic highlight of this issue. The ensuing cliffhanger falls into place well enough but maybe without offering the 'gut-punch' that the best interruptions in Who stories manage.

Blair Shedd's work with art and predominant colours continues to be grandiose, and yet also intimate when needed. This is the calibre of art strong enough that any given panel would be worthy of being a screensaver or wallpaper. Both the regulars and the original characters get strong facial expressions which are pertinent to both the types of individuals they are, and the themes that connect them to the plot. 

The management of foreground, middle ground and background is commendable also. This degree of composition reflects Scott's story needs and almost always comes off as effortlessly strong. Also, the use of the TARDIS and Time Vortex in the opening few pages is especially riveting and helpful in establishing the well-judged pace that makes this a very fine read.

My views then on this new addition to the Titan range then have not changed. It is the very best of a fine bunch, and I hope issue five will end up being instead the 'end of the beginning'.

Bonus Humour Strip:

Given some of the efforts we have been treated to in other editions, Hot Springs Eternal from AJ is just about worth a look. The overall joke would be funny to a total newcomer but otherwise makes the Ninth Doctor look like a buffoon. This is only meant to take place when he is attempting to look carefree, and not the lonely alien he is so conscious of being post-Time-War. This Doctor for me is meant to be full of gravitas when showing off his superior knowledge of space and time, and not just clumsy and headstrong.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

STORY BY: Robbie Morrison
ART BY: Brian Williamso, COLOUR: Hi-Fi
LETTERS: Richard Starkings + Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt,
EDITOR: Andrew James, DESIGNER: Rob Farmer, 
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Kirsten Murray 
Released - April 2015
PUBLISHER: Titan Comics

"We are the most necessary of evils. Without us, chaos would seep into your worlds. Why do you stand against us?" - One of the Fractures responding to the Doctor's 'request' to leave.

Following the events of last time, UNIT scientist John Foster, who perished in an accident in our universe, has been replaced by a version who survived in another. That substitute now meets the relatives that he (in turn) had lost in a parallel disaster in the universe of his origin. All the personalities and memories are so authentically the same that the relations Foster and his family have with one another are effectively replicated.

Yet there is trauma too as a feeling of eeriness pervades, and it is only worsened as the malign Fractures continue their onslaught on this particular dimension. UNIT desperately tries to make an impact by combining their arsenal of weapons and defences with their scientific know-how, but even the Doctor's own allies might have their hands just a little bit too full.

The work that Foster was doing relating to breaking through 'multiverse' barriers could be that elusive key to overcoming the fell creatures who cut people down like Papier-mache. But a personal sacrifice may be needed before this latest adventure for the TARDIS crew reaches its end-point. 

The biggest thing to strike me in this particular issue was how well paced this middle chapter was after the somewhat ponderous opening issue. Now the basic groundwork has been set, we can see the consequences of both the protagonists and antagonists actions, and the Doctor's efforts to find a solution are not always as slick and reliable as perhaps his two predecessors' might have been, were this an adventure they stepped out into by chance first.

With a decent amount of time given over to the Foster clan, we are more than just adequately invested in both the fates of the all-too-clearly-flawed adults and the comparatively meek and benign children. The Fractures have proven their heavyweight threat already and certainly offer a disturbing fate to those that cross them at the wrong time. This issue almost decides to have one of the characters we like suffer a tragic end, but pulls away, at least for the immediate future.

Brian Williamson's artwork has also grown on me, after a slow start last time round. The script by Morrison affords a variety of different panel sizes and use of scale to either portray a group of characters, an individual or the particular facial emotion one such person is feeling. Flashbacks are very well done by the creative team and really give a sense of the core emotions driving the participants in these hectic escapades. The art work certainly is not the prettiest that has been showcased by Titan but it is still clearly the product of skill and much hard work and craftsmanship.

As with earlier stories in the Twelfth Doctor range the villains are portrayed menacingly without feeling too obviously one-dimensional. The feeling is that there will not be a pat 'everybody lives' which seems to underline every other story of the Moffat TV era. This is more than welcome, and makes the losses inflicted by the Fractures that bit more meaningful.

The Doctor/Clara team are also very nicely poised as working well together but still having to overcome a bit of aggro every now and then. The references to Danny Pink are at this point such that they now bring some poignancy; it now being some time since he was written out of the parent TV show. The biggest asset the character had of course was his 'anchoring' of Clara to the confines of Coal Hill School and 21st Century London. Thus even without the features of Samuel Anderson in this comic, there is a decent thematic tie between a character's key purpose and the core themes of this story as to people, events and consequences being meant to be in their proper space and time.

Clara's continued proactive stance in responding to the danger facing her home city and indeed the entire universe is once again well done, and a perennial reminder of just why this fascinating character has managed to be granted a relatively long spell abroad the TARDIS, despite a number of apparent deaths and/or tempestuous estrangements from her complex two-hearted mentor.

Bonus Humour Strip:

Silver Screenesis may evoke the name of the rather infamous Sylvester McCoy 25th Anniversary Story, but actually explores what makes a film groundbreaking and engaging to a smart, cosmopolitan consumer such as Clara. Both her and the Doctor are visiting Cinema Paradoxo and trying to agree on a movie that fits the bill for them both. Their eventual reaction to what they do see is one of the best punchlines any humour strip can offer the reader, and I take regular satirical cartoons in newspapers into consideration when stating that.

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