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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.