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 - 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 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 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 - Al Ewing
Artist - Boo Cook
Editor - Andrew James
Designer - Rob Farmer
Colorist - Hi-fi
Letterer - Richard Starkings + Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt
Humor Strip - Marc Ellerby
Editor - Andrew James
Assistant Editor - Kirsten Murray
Released - April 15th 2015

It would seem that SERVEYOUinc have now been conclusively defeated, but as it turns out the consequences of the TARDIS crew's resistance to the corporate entity are still playing out.

This particular version of the Doctor has his hands full with temporal paradoxes more than most of his forebears and his companions likewise are no strangers to a bit of confusing chronology. The mystery of ARC begins to be less opaque as the Doctor surmises that his unusual companion is actually the mental component of the Entity being that SERVEYOUinc were exploiting to their own ends.

With ARC's help the Doctor travels to the time and place it was captured, but then must stop the creature from altering its own history. New complications come to the fore as the long-suffering TARDIS begins to fracture once again. Furthermore the three companions are confronted by a being that presents itself with some kind of personal connection to the travellers which masks the malicious entity within . But the Doctor himself is trapped in the astral plane and seemingly unable to help anyone. Meanwhile the disturbing capture of the Entity unfolds on a small moon, with one of the SERVEYOUinc party having a rather familiar face.

Following a similar vein to the previous story, the Doctor's companions get to have more direct impact on unfolding events than he himself does. The difference this time though is that the Doctor is in a position of complete safety, observing the important events that played a role in the appearance(s) of the Talent Scout over time periods. The others in the TARDIS crew must show their resolution, survival instinct and plain smarts in order to overcome the rather arrogant menace facing them, and as should be expected by now they all are up to it.

Once again with art by Boo Cook, and a story by series regular Al Ewing, there is a feeling of the creative team being confident and sure of what they are going to achieve with this adventure. The words/visuals are indeed so harmonious a match that there is virtually nothing to criticise this time round. I personally liked the deliberate panelling to show the separation of the four heroes and the 'pastels look' was a good innovation for the series .

This story almost could have been told after the fact in a conversation but is presented engagingly and never drags. Thus ultimately having a coda/prequel type of story after the cataclysms of issues nine and ten was a smart move by the creative team. It is also very pleasing to finally have a story where ARC is key to events and gets some further development after verging on being the 'Zeppo Marx' of the TARDIS quartet during most of his appearances.

Bonus Humour Strip:

Time Gentlemen Please by Marc Ellerby sees a first for this writer/artist in being granted two pages to tell his story. The quality remains high from Ellerby, and he uses the extra length to tell a galaxy-trotting pub crawl involving the Doctor, Rory and comical Sontaran Strax.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

Writer Rob Williams
Artist Simon Fraser
Designer Rob Farmer,Colorist Gary Caldwell
Letterer Richard Starkings And Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt

Covers - Regular: Blair Shedd,
Subscription Incentive: Rob Farmer

Editor Andrew James
Assistant Editor Kirsten Murray
Released - March 2015

*Spoilers for this issue, which features many final events in the ongoing story-arc.*


"Hello,you are now owned by SERVEyouinc. Congratulations You" - The Doctor in a 'welcoming' mood.


No longer going by the moniker of the 'Doctor', is a man in charge of the insidious SERVEYOUinc who functions as an underhanded Chief Executive. Now fully involved with the corporation's plan to spread its state of monochrome hypnosis far and wide across time and space, this individual's former allies must do their best to fight a losing battle. The trio of Alice, Jones and the ARC creature show a real bond and a sense of justice which was not always apparent before. But will it be enough? Perhaps a very familiar apparition will play its part in steadying the ship before all chaos breaks loose for good...

Suitably building on the various oddball elements of issues gone by, this pivotal entry in the Eleventh Doctor line is as surreal as they come, and none the poorer for it. It evokes some of the themes found in such TV stories as 'Human Nature' and 'The Next Doctor' and explores the need for the genuine article present in order for problems to be resolved. By the same token the role of those closest to the Doctor is just as vital; the two human and one alien characters must constantly remind the Doctor just why he can never let self-pity and resignation take him over, even if many negative emotions are inevitable from being the last survivor of a powerful race. It has always been the TARDIS crew* that can prevent checkmate falling in favour of the enemy, and in this case an enemy so soulless that it is arguably not even in the 'evil' category.

This also is an issue that blends all the elements that have impressed in other stories - be they ones that followed the arc closely or were more standalone. They include: good character development, revelation, action set pieces, and some suspense over what a particular choice will entail.

Another big plus for me was the way that there was a constant sense of jeopardy, and an engaging element that puts the reader firmly in the same boat as the small team who somehow must find a solution with limited resources. Right until the dénouement nothing feels safe or guaranteed.

Granted, the coda does veer a little into sentimentality, with an almost overly utopia environment for those who appeared to be condemned victims. But ultimately the previously established themes and concepts of enforced joy and satisfaction being a curse, and the ability to manage 'ups and downs' as part of living life properly are what impress most. No Helen A, Fifi or Kandyman reprising their roles from the polarising 1988 TV story 'The Happiness Patrol' here, but nonetheless this provides a good evocation for the modern Doctor Who follower.


Alice continues to be written supremely well, and her major role in figuring out how to reach out to the Doctor enthrals the reader throughout. She also has help from an 'external hard drive program'; perhaps somewhat predictably, given all the set up of previous issues. But the story has real heart and soul to it, as we continue to observe the journey for the ex-librarian who has learnt life lessons most of her fellow Earthlings will never have the chance to.

This is also a very strong outing for Jones, with yet another new look which is both laughable and sublime, and evocative of the true uniqueness that is David Bowie. Even ARC isn't just there to make up the numbers and look amusing in any given panel, and even at one point performs a rescue manoeuvre which few others could conceive of.

Artwork is more than up to the ambition and objectives of the narrative. Simon Fraser did a stand out job in the brilliant 'timey wimey' issue 6, and this latest effort of his is almost up to that magnitude of composition and energy. Colour schemes are used with a real purpose, demonstrating a strong unison of effort between Fraser and Gary Caldwell.

Also pleasing is the portrayal of the very different Doctor-antagonist, the striking attire of Jones, the grey-purple backdrops of the city asteroid and most notably the symbolic Alice-as-the-Doctor front cover.

So in conclusion, we have various dangling story arc elements seemingly resolved with impressive finality. The story works as an ending, where so many conclusions to 2 parters on screen do somewhat falter and end up being the weaker link. And despite all the heaviness of mood and the sense of loss, the key aim of Doctor Who being fun escapism is not forgotten in the narrative.


BONUS COMIC SKETCH:

' We Love Titans' is a nice little bit of self-indulgence, which also ties into the main story's basic plot. A pony, a genie and a sinfully caloric hot drink are some of the elements of the deliberately thin story here.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

Writer Al Ewing
Artist Boo Cook
Designer Rob Farmer,
Colorist Hi-fi,
Letterer Richard Starkings And Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt
Editor Andrew James
Assistant Editor Kirsten Murray
Released - March 2015

New Adventures With The Eleventh Doctor #9 - The Rise And Fall

The employees and big wigs of SERVEYOUInc turn up to work expecting just another day at the office, on a world which would more accurately fit the description of an asteroid - except it is full of light, colour. A true embodiment of pizzazz. But individuality and creativity are looking like they might die out.

The sleeping giant that had briefly reared its head  in the science labs is loose and the entire playing board where the Doctor is involved has been reset. This malevolent entity is making a play for power, and the surrounding inhabitants that were utterly dependent on the galactic corporation can only react passively to this dark turn of events

And what of the TARDIS crew who have been going back and forth through time and space with grave fear that they are being stalked? And after the near Armageddon in the Solar System during their last adventure, can they expect any respite that common decency demands?

The answer is simple: No, and there are more trials and tribulations coming en masse.

But the Doctor won't react cagily like some. This time enough really is enough. Spurred on by the disturbing manipulation of Alice by the very-much-'alive' Talent Scout, the Doctor is taking the fight to SERVEYOUInc. Or whatever he finds down on the asteroid...

This latest instalment in the 11th Doctor range builds on the arc that has been so strong and noticeable up to now, (excepting the chronic instabilities of High-Watermark-Issue 6).

Red herrings have been scattered in the readers direction leading up to this latest edition, and it is very organically done when the reader is alerted to who the real enemy is for the Doctor and friends. The final pages and panels are especially riveting as the TARDIS crew have a seeming traitor in the midst, when that would be the last thing they would have come to expect by now.

After Warren Pleece's somewhat inconsistent efforts in the previous two issues, we are once again privy to the assured work of Boo Cook. This type of presentation is once again more than ideal - for my money anyway - and really sells the emotional stakes very well.  The sheer fury that the Doctor is trying to stop from erupting is never far away, even when he contrives to make light of the events and people he encounters.

The duo of ARC and Jones however continue to serve the plot first and foremost. They really have lacked the splendid rich character development of Alice, but perhaps there is a planned pay-off which still requires perseverance for these two unique individuals.

The dialogue is full of great moments. A few select gems of our leading rogue Gallifreyan being:

"I’ve made my calls and I’ve done my homework and today this day is the day it comes down. Today......I mean business".

"I’ve spent a thousand years living in a box and stealing most of my clothes. I’ve saved up" (when the Doctor is challenged over finances). 

And the dismissive " Whatever they've done, they’re just... monsters. That's all. Because they don’t have the imagination not to be monsters. They can’t think of any other way than cruel and cowardly".

Al Ewing has been a touch questionable in his consistency compared to colleague Rob WIlliams, but this issue is very strong work and now has convinced me that his earlier plotting choices were well-chosen and will pay off well.

This is an assured and swift read for any true fans of Matt Smith's era, and hopefully Doctor Who fans in general. I never felt like I was having to generate belief in the story, and I managed it in one sitting being left wanting more.  And with such a brilliant cliff-hanger to tantalise, 'more' is certainly coming with the force of a speeding bullet.

Bonus Humour 'Tag' Stories:

'Daylight Savings' is a perfectly respectable piece of fun from regular writer and 3D artist AJ. As the clocks move forward at the time of reviewing this issue, it is amusing to see the Doctor have his own issues with units that measure time. And some old 'friends' that were brought to life from Steven Moffat's vast imagination on several occasions make a suitably mechanical impression.

Marc Ellerby conveys a brilliant return to the much-loved quartet of Amy, Rory, The Doctor and River with 'Double Date'. The near-absurdities of age gaps and power relations not being as they should are brilliantly high-lighted with sharp banter and a dollop of awkwardness. The variety of colours for backgrounds help the 2-d sketches feel as lively as AJ's computer wizardry.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

Writer Al Ewing Artist Warren Pleece
Designer Rob Farmer
Colorist Hi-fi
Letterer Richard Starkings And Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt
Editor Andrew James
Assistant Editor Kirsten Murray

The threat to Earth shows no signs of abating as the skies above cities, towns and countryside continue to be swamped by outlandish space craft that defy comprehension by the average human being. The perennial war between the Amstrons and J'Arrodic Federation cannot be ignored much longer, and something must happen before an outcome - positive or negative - can emerge from the tension.

Arc and Jones are soon rendered powerless to assist the Doctor, and it falls to redoubtable Alice to accept an incredibly daunting offer of having the chance to end the war all by herslef. Her time in the TARDIS will never be more beneficial, as she is forced to become greater than she ever thought she could be. The downside? The probable end of the entire human race...

If that premise was not enough, there are other questions that have already been set up and get their pay-off here:

*Is Alice's mother really back?

* And will this mean an end to the erstwhile Londoner's variablel relationship with the man who posesses the mental resources of a 1000 libraries?

There has been more than a couple of hints that Alice could depart the TARDIS at the drop of a hat. This story manages to make the three person confrontation between the Doctor, Alice and her apparently resurrected mother the heart and soul of the narrative. The reasons for Alice not listening to her head over her heart will strike a chord with many readers, and furthermore even the Doctor must concede that rebirth is not easily dismissed, given his own recent experiences with a particular companion. Also, the twist involving the Amstrons is interesting and so very Doctor Who - perhaps most recognisably from the brief but memorable Douglas Adams sequence of stories that rounded off the Seventies.

Despite a strong writing effort, the art work is comparatively a slight disappointment, especially given the quality seen beforehand. It tells the story clearly and expressions and scale by and large cut the mustard.

 Panel backgrounds suffer from being bland and/or interchangeable, and the potential to slip some in-jokes and satire into the covers of various books is perhaps a waste, given how much this is about Alice and her acquired wisdom along with natural gifts.  There does feel something lacking when taking the visual experience in as a single cohesive piece of work, and perhaps more tinkering would have helped. However since this second part of the story really is about the character clashes more than the big space extravaganzas, it ultimately feels acceptable.

But having said that, this second and final instalment of the latest story is more than satisfactory. The Eleventh Doctor certainly is at his most assertive here and gets to demonstrate that while he may be lackadaical and take adventures as they come (much like former incarnations such as the Second and Fourth Doctors), he can also put his foot down. Serve You Inc have stopped being an irritation and need to be dealt with head-on, and plenty of speculation can be made before issue 9 rolls along into the consumer sphere.

 Bonus Humour Section:

'Experimental Taste-Buds' by AJ is a fun little piece which aims modestly but still enchants. The decision to mix 3d graphics with apparently real-life photographs is a welcome break from previous efforts.

'Short Change' is Marc Ellerby at his assured best. A phone call across millennia between the Doctor and Amy is made something rather special as the events of one time zone quickly impact upon the other.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

Writer: Rob Williams
Artist: Warren Pleece
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Richard Starkins and Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt
Editor: Andrew James
Assistant Editor: Kirsten Murray
Designer: Rob Farmer

New problems face the TARDIS quartet as they stumble upon a considerable threat to Earth. The war between the Amstrons and the J’arrodic is leaving a deadly impact on the Doctor's favourite planet. Airlines are unable to get off the ground and a toxic smog is suffocating the atmosphere. UNIT also appear to have their resources rendered null. Can the Eleventh Doctor avert disaster without too much fallout along the way?

One of the more epic stories offered up so far by the series' creative team(s) ensures that there is plenty of spectacle. A horde of futuristic ships are positioning themselves in proximity to Earth. Whilst televised Doctor Who did sometimes meet this level of ambition, it is always a surefire idea in a well-constructed comic book. Also enticing is the visualization of the Doctor and his team having to somehow travel with makeshift jet packs in order to reach their objective
Continuity both from the parent TV shows and from earlier issues is markedly strong here. In this encounter the Doctor follows up his brave head-attire of fez and Stetson with an aviator hat and goggles. We also get the well-remembered catch phrase of "Geronimooo.." prompting a variation from Arc when the protagonists have to make a thrilling leap. And for the second story in a row, Jones suffers a major threat to his survival; yet the real shock is left for the cliffhanger ending that brings part one of this two-issue tale to a close.

To get more background on Alice through her returning home proper is something which feels strong and organic, given the previous work done on her character arc. And in some ways the adventures she has had far away in different time zones have been less demanding than the stone cold realities of her home life struggles. With her being left to cope on her own, as her friends have their latest mad-cap hi-jinks, a major game-changer catches her completely unawares. It may well be the work of the mysterious being that appears to be another survivor of the Time Lord race, but there is no confirmation forthcoming still.
Yet somewhat disappointingly, and given the strong foundations laid for Alice in issue one, she is soon shunted off-page ..until the final story beat. I enjoyed the Doctor's various action scenes but they could have been compressed without losing the crucial element of joie de vivre that make Doctor Who such a personal favourite of so many.

But overall the actual plot is quite engaging and allows the usually forward-looking Eleventh Doctor to show his regret over the catastrophic Time War. Matt Smith was always capable of shruging off the clownish exterior to display vulnerability and cold rage, and it is good to have some reminder of just why the whole franchise is so enduring. We care about the Doctor, and his struggles to keep going on, when so many of his friends cannot join his 'walk through eternity'.
The nominal 'villains' in this story are also well-done. In contrast to the endless battles that pitted Sontaran against Rutan or the Kaleds against the Thals, this particular conflict needs a resolution of a very different kind. Due to its endless length, the actual beginning of the conflict and its context are long-forgotten. All that remains is the underlying desire to avenge the countless lost in combat.

Just as with 'The Weeping Angels of Mons' we have a returning writer - Williams - joined by another new artist. For the tone of the story concerned, Warren Pleece’s work is a strong effort. He is able to supply both believable facial expressions and explosive action moments aplenty. I did find Jones just a touch too different in build to the versions presented beforehand, but otherwise the TARDIS crew gets a very good showcase of their individual personas and mannerisms. And the colouring work that Hi-Fi continues to provide for these stories ensures that both new and returning readers are unlikely to lose interest easily.

Bonus Humour Stories: Once again AJ supplies readers with the opening sketch. This very much does as it says on the tin, as a 'Rebranding Exercise' manages to wrongfoot the Doctor by replacing one enemy with seemingly another in the blink of an eye.
Marc Allerby hits the bullseye yet again with 'An Adventure in Brine and Plaice' Although the Doctor is in every panel, this is very much River Song's story, and comes to a head with her facing another 'impossible' trap to overcome. Furthermore the return of a Second Doctor-era monster is a nice bonus for Classic Series fans and reminds us of Matt Smith's original 'homework' when he went about creating his own version of the Time Lord.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

Issue 6: Space In Dimension Relative And Time
Writer -Rob Williams
Artist - Simon Fraser
Colorist - Gary Caldwell
Letterer - Richard Starkings/ Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt
Editor - Andrew James
Designer -Rob Farmer

Effectively held hostage by a long-forgotten enemy of the Doctor, the TARDIS crew must try and stop a major distortion in the time vortex itself. Being a Time Lord should give the long-lived hero a sporting chance, but will he go to the extent of sacrificing any number of his fellow travellers?

Any story opening with the panel 'The End' would be lacking something were it not to take a head-scratching premise and run riot with it. Doctor Who of the 21st century has offered numerous 'timey-wimey affairs' - especially with incumbent showrunner Steven Moffat. This story gives the great man a run for his money, and uses the particular comic format to wonderful effect. Every panel of this story has something to offer, and the layout of reverse chronology and back again offers notable re-readability, which is quite unusual for most comic book stories.

The Eleventh Doctor is truly in charge here, but at the same time very keen to make sure that his companions offer a helping hand. Of the three of them it is perhaps somewhat surprising which one provides the best and most dramatic way of confusing the villain. I will not disclose exactly who is involved in making life difficult for do-gooders, but can say that we have another nod back to Classic Doctor Who - akin to 12th Doctor effort 'The Swords of Kali'.

A lot of the dialogue is on the money this month. There are quite a few speeches and bits of exposition that may have been a bit over-done were this to be more conventional a tale. Yet with so much material demanding multiple viewings, a bit of excess is justified. And as the frantic task to unbend the convolutions of chaotic cause-and-effect take centre stage, there is still some very engaging characterisation which lets the reader know some inner feelings and beliefs that the regular protagonists harbour.

Alice and ARC are both very well-done companions that offer interesting but very different qualities. The pastiche figure of Jones is to my mind perhaps a bit weaker in realisation, but still fulfills plot requirements comfortably. There is also some real suspense over just who will be left standing out of this quartet. Without spoiling the storyline, it would appear the worst does happen - but it's lasting effects seem to be minimal. What could have been a big weakness instead amounts to both a justified reset button and a definite progression for the TARDIS crew.

Although I enjoyed Boo Cook's contribution visually in the previous two issues, the return of Simon Fraser is certainly not unwelcome. And he clearly knows how to best use his style to tell such a dynamic story. In addition to dialogue, Rob Williams' writing in general is consistently engaging; managing to make this adventure stand up as a solo piece for the more casual sci-fi or comic aficionado. Somewhat of a relief is the lack of any overt 'SERVEYOUinc' story arc threads, which allows for this issue's villain to stand on his own balletic feet.

In summary, with fizzy dialogue that reflects the sheer zaniness of events, along with simultaneously gripping and carefree plot mechanics, this is a must-read. It will both satisfy fans of this Titan series, and convert those somewhat more sceptical about Doctor Who's suitability for this medium. I was perhaps not too impressed with earlier one-offs starring the Eleventh Doctor, but this holds up as a work of art which rivals the crème de la crème of visual storytelling.

** Bonus comedy strips: AJ's 'Ice Cold' sees the apparent return of an alien that has both helped and hindered the Doctor during his many lives. A sneaky twist however provides a fine punchline.
'Bus Replacement TARDIS' from Marc Ellerby is a wonderfully irreverent effort and also appropriately set in snowy conditions. Amy and Rory struggle to cope with the climate and and an infuriatingly bubbly Doctor who fails to apologise for the change to their 'normal' travel and accommodation.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

Story - Al Ewing,
Artist – Boo Cook,
Colours – Hi-Fi,
Released December 2014 by Titan Comics
Publisher:Titan Comics

Issue 5: The Sound Of Our Voices

As this story comes to a climactic showdown, the TARDIS crew must avoid grave peril abroard the SERVEYOUinc research satellite, and find if possible a peaceful solution to the apparant threat of the ‘ARC' creature. The Doctor is required to put on his thinking cap and deduce the vital clue to this mysterious scenario, but is forced to handle violent Security Chief Officer Hart. Suddenly appearing out of thin air in the middle of a crisis has ended up making the time travellers ideal scapegoats for the nefarious goings on. The new companions of the Doctor meanwhile are themselves forced to use their ingenuity - with Alice stepping to the fore as the decisive one, just as John Jones seems like a rabbit in the headlights.

Those readers wondering if Alice and the Doctor will part ways get their answer promptly enough as the Time Lord shows his considerable nous. In doing so he finds the real truth behind the ARC creature, and ensures that those abroad the station realise just why things have got so perilous. Although Alice is in many ways trying to find herself again after losing everything back in her 'real' home, she is also having a brand new start in life. Like so many before her such as Amy Pond and Rose Tyler she can now avoid having to worry about the mundane aspects of life back on Earth. But learning to understand an individual as deep and complex as the Doctor could still outweigh all the giddy heights that are now coming her way.

John Jones on the other had has not really had much of a detailed journey in this two parter; his intro in issue three still being the standard which needs to be met or exceeded . Nonetheless this character does not in anyway detract from events, and there is still plenty of time for some good material to appear. Male companions can sometimes not quite work in Doctor Who as well as the more traditional female counterpart, but there are enough strong examples to inspire Titan's creative team. Also in all fairness Alice was introduced first, and with enough background that she deserves to have further exploration. And unlike Jones she does not represent a take on an iconic cultural figure, and as such deserves focus.

Al Ewing completes the first multi-part story of this comic series well enough; perhaps a whisker short of fulfilling the promise of the first installment. The Eleventh Doctor really feels like the real article that graced TV screens for four years. When the conclusion unfolds, the Doctor's assertive manner in resolving affairs is spellbinding and uplifting. Of note also is the way he evaluates Dr. Rutherford on her actions and instead chooses a rather surprising companion to join him. Ewing complements the decent characterisation with a brisk pace and lively speech bubbles for the majority of the players involved. Although it could be argued that Jones only really works in the story to explain the comment by Hart that there were 'three' in the doctor's party when they first met him on the world of Rokhandi.

I continue to enjoy the efforts of artist Boo Cook, with him providing a style of artwork that engages and fits in perfectly with the sterile and detached future setting. A fine line is trod between a believable world and a slightly 'out-there' dimension, and this evokes quite well the very distinct style that the Matt Smith/ Steven Moffat stories constituted. The expressions of Jones and indeed Alice to some degree are what one would expect of people who do not belong to this corner of space. in a chapter of history yet to happen from their points of view. Also praiseworthy is how Cook’s artwork becomes more literal and realistic to emphasise fierce emotions - especially when it comes to the distinctive face of the Doctor.

As much as I was engaged by this story on the whole there are some areas to criticise. The plot may have some hooks as far as who is really manipulating affairs, but much of the action resorts to the typical Doctor Who trope of running around and making up a solution on the fly. There is also the obvious overuse of Serve You Inc, with little substantial development to compensate. As this is issue 5, the reader will no doubt wish for a bit of a change up. The story arc has become just that bit too noticeable, and hopefully there will be some strong stand-alones which remind the reader of Doctor Who's unequalled scope for a plethora of bold stories.
Issue 4 did have a bit more thematic depth which does not have quite the pay off here. At the same time even the best stories can have this element of mindless action to and fro. This story does at least reach a conclusion which is able to subvert expectations and as a part of an ongoing series it works well enough.

**
Once again the two bonus strips Are from AJ and Marc Ellerby respectively. 'Stop That' involves the Doctor on a planet that seems uncannily like Mars seemingly ready to find some trouble. But before he can get far, it would appear the TARDIS is trying to aggravate him, as concerns his final destination that was foretold long ago.
The second bonus comic has the TARDIS crew of Amy and Rory and gives the Ood a big starring role. Fun is poked at social media and popularity, with the Doctor clearly insecure that he is not quite the darling with the universe that he used to be. 'An Ood Thing To Say' is pleasant enough, but perhaps not quite as funny a piece as Ellerby is capable of.

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Reviewed by Martin Hudecek

Revolutions of Terror, Part Three
New Adventures with the Tenth Doctor
Issue 3
Written by Al Ewing
Illustrated by Boo Cook
Coloured by Hi-Fi
Released 2014 by Titan Comics

This new issue in the line of comic strip adventures with The Eleventh Doctor confirms that John Jones is indeed a companion proper following his striking introduction in last month's escapades. Having been somewhat memorable at first, this is perhaps not the best use of this character as he spouts rather frivolous statements and does not really seem to be swept along by the amazing experiences he is so privileged to be having. He instead seems to be treating the whole thing as a trip on the chemical substance level - which may be a deliberate choice by the creative team but seems rather cloying. The old conceit of characters rarely needing comfort breaks is also bypassed as Jones seems desperate to go to a stopover place; when the TARDIS would surely offer much more comfortable options. At least Alice is as engaging as ever, even if she shows signs of being ready to resume her normal challenges in the real world.

The actual plot is nothing too different from the usual outer space fare for Doctor Who. Something is turning members of a spaceship crew researching beetle colonies into human vegetables, and The TARDIS lands at the very moment when those trying to maintain order have become rather paranoid. By being released in time for Halloween there is a perhaps deliberate atmosphere of creepiness and mystery as the rather odd alien entity causing the danger is employed sparingly and thus the tension is quite acute.

The Doctor also has the personal worry of Alice siding against him upon hearing him dismiss her and many of her predecessors as little more than outsiders and stowaways. Yet this is once again a good opportunity for modern Doctor Who to show off its winning character development attributes. Alice is certainly one of the more grown-up and steady of the companions and this means that the sometimes childishly positive Matt Smith incarnation must accept that life can be inescapably difficult. A key objective for a spin-off story in another medium is to try and add something that the source material did not explore - or at least not to a great extent. Thus Titan Comics are justifying their work beyond a purely franscise-level.

Al Ewing returns to writing duties with a much more gripping and memorable story than his previous solo effort in Issue 2. There is a good combination of black humour, intrigue and the threads of 'timey-wimey-ness' coming together from the previous set-up of prior installments. More striking though is that we have a different artist on board for the first time in this particular series, with Boo Cook getting to show off his style of presentation. There is very much a pure sci-fi feel, and by being set on a sterile craft in space there is less need for the heady mix of colours and contrasts that were noticeable in the other stories. For me personally the character designs of Cook stood up well; emotions and defining facial features were to a particularly solid standard.

Most reading this review will be pretty loyal fans of the show, but as some people make comics their first choice of entertainment/escapism, we can only hope these new stories are drawing in a whole new demographic to this five decade (and counting!) phenomenon. Perhaps a singular issue has less impact if not read in sequence after other entries, but there is some good work being done with the story arc and a long-term plan seems confident enough. Essentially the expectation now is that the 'hits' will begin to outweigh the 'near-misses', so that some real momentum is built for the flamboyant Eleventh Doctor.

**
Bonus strips are once again enchantingly amusing. A nice call-back to the wooden Cyberman of Matt's TV tenure features in 'Wooden Acting' by AJ. Can Marc Ellerby do no wrong?? Once again he ticks all he boxes you can ask for with his 'Wholloween' gem. The Doctor may be free to travel anywhere and anywhen but he can't escape alien kids after something tasty from his many forms of sustenance abroad the TARDIS. Amy dressed up as a witch is also of amusement, especially as she can't seem to get her Time Lord chum to make the same sort of effort.

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