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.

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.

 

Finding themselves yanked across the cosmos to a human colony world, the Doctor and his travelling companion are tasked with seemingly their most mundane mission yet: rescue an innocuous young girl’s missing cat. Suffice to say that as premises for a new yarn set in the limitless realms of Doctor Who go, this initial set-up seems neither as thrilling as that of recent TV serials like 42 nor indeed as continuity-shaking as that of The Day of the Doctor, yet it’s precisely the opening scenario which scribe James Goss lays before us with his latest contribution to the show’s mythology, The Gods of Winter.

The first instalment in a four-part series of BBC Audio releases featuring Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor as well as Jenna Coleman’s Clara Oswald – although only in name, since the studio have recruited the likes of David Schofield to narrate this interlinked quartet – Gods wastes no time in establishing the central plot arc which will bind together these otherwise standalone tales, introducing the aforementioned youth known as Diana Winter as she utilises an ominous "calling card" bestowed upon the Doctor to her ancestors for use on the worst day of each family member’s life. As was the case with Professor River Song back in 2008’s Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead, however, the increasingly antagonistic Time Lord might well feel the desire to play Michael Buble’s "Haven’t Met You Yet" through the TARDIS’ speakers, since his initial meeting with the Winters clearly hasn’t occurred for him yet (and no doubt will be held back for the final instalment’s launch this December).

Regardless, even if answers regarding precisely why Diana’s family will have such a bearing on their newfound saviour’s life in days to come are a way off, Goss provides more than enough in the way of reasons for listeners to stick around in the meantime. Much as this reviewer jested about the subdued – to say the very least – nature of the quest placed on our time-travelling protagonists’ bigger-on-the-inside doorstep above, the situation involving the colony on which Diana resides and the apparently ruthless invaders plaguing its residents quickly escalates in unexpected ways, with the TARDIS crew forced to consider the origins of the Golhearn, a race whose motivations for serving as Gods’ supposed antagonists might not be all that they seem. Rest assured that we’ve no intent of spoiling any plot details beyond those offered in the audiobook’s précis, but we’ll at least tease that jumps in time, trips to other celestial bodies and commentaries on issues such as the dangers of blind faith and corporate legalities all factor into the piece’s overarching storyline in the seamless, inspired manner which only Goss can manage (as proven by his acclaimed past work on sub-plot laden Who romps including 2007’s The Infinite Quest).

Yet although the case of Diana’s lost feline companion does give way to a more layered, compelling adventure with political undertones aplenty, those hoping that Gods’ overall stakes would simultaneously be raised in the process might come away disappointed. Certainly, later set-pieces involving space shuttle flights across planet surfaces and seemingly abandoned religious temples up the ante in terms of action, placing both the Doctor and Clara – not to mention the first known member of the Winter dynasty – in occasionally grave danger, but if anything, this audiobook’s oft-relaxed tone at times seems far more reminiscent of that of a First Doctor serial (perhaps aptly given the representational similarities between Hartnell and Capaldi’s incarnations) than of one produced since Russell T Davies took the series’ helm just ten short years ago, a trait which could well deter any listener who approached the Twelfth Doctor’s latest audio voyage hoping for an adrenaline-fuelled experience along the lines of Into the Dalek or Death in Heaven. What Gods lacks in the way of substantial threats, however, the soon-to-be released tale compensates for with a hugely intelligent structure that initially lures the audience into wondering why Big Finish didn’t take the project on as one of their Short Trips scripts given the narrative’s supposed brevity, only for Goss to then throw a spanner in the works at the episode’s halfway point which ultimately more than justifies its (approximately) 60-minute running time.

Better yet, in the form of The Night of the Doctor star Claire Higgins (better known to series veterans as the mysterious figure who resurrected the Eighth Doctor shortly before kick-starting his successor’s plunge into the Time War), Goss has scored himself a simply ideal narrator, not least thanks to Higgins’ valiant attempts to distinguish the irritable Scottish tones of Capaldi’s Doctor, the remarkably more compassionate (if infrequently reckless) voice of Coleman’s Impossible Girl as well as the ever-maturing Diana. Whereas some of the previous contributors to BBC Audio’s various audiobook versions of the New Series Adventures novels have arguably tried and failed to capture the essence of either the programme’s current on-screen lead actors or indeed the one-off supporting players who’ve never featured on the TV show, there’s little point in denying that the first of the four thespians enlisted to bring the Winter escapades to life using their only vocal chords excels in both respects, effortlessly holding her audience’s attention as a result during both Gods’ (rare but appreciated) high-octane sequences and its calmer moments.

For a Who storyline which could quite easily have left its listeners baffled as to why BBC Audio didn’t simply transform it into a Sarah Jane Adventures novelisation, then, The Gods of Winter achieves a truly commendable number of feats, utilising its lack of action set-pieces as a means by which to tell a politically (and indeed philosophically) engaging yarn while bringing a hugely accomplished narrator into the fold so as to ensure that its audience never fails to remain captivated by proceedings. As with just about any tale intended largely to set up a broader plot arc, one could reasonably claim that the lack of genuine closure regarding the origins of Diana’s calling card robs Gods of a place amongst the higher echelons of off-screen Who, yet even if that’s indeed the case, this reviewer would gladly wager that the vast majority of those wise enough to pick Goss’ supremely accomplished latest work up will be too busy lapping up its myriad merits (not to mention attempting to predict how the story of Diana’s family tree might develop come October 1st in George Mann’s The House of Winter) to even begin to notice such incredibly minor shortcomings.
 

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.

 

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

Bonus Humour Strip:

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