“Watch closely, Doctor! In witnessing my end, the seeds of my beginning are sown in you. That is all it takes for you too to be made corrupt! Farewell, Doctor, I die in the knowledge that my circle is complete! ”

The Valeyard, Trial of the Valeyard

The season-long storyline of 1986’s The Trial of a Time Lord is considered by most devotees of classic Doctor Who to be a narrative muddle, thanks largely to tensions behind the scenes (between producer John Nathan-Turner and script editor Eric Saward) and the untimely death of a beloved writer and former script editor (Robert Holmes) who was originally commissioned to write the climax. Not only was it unclear which elements of the first 12 (of 14) episodes were true – with a large quantity of the evidence mounted against the Doctor being revealed as fabrication – but fans were bewildered by the fate of Peri Brown and the Sixth Doctor’s departure at the end of the saga with Melanie Bush, a companion that he hadn’t even met yet!

On top of that, there was the bombshell revelation that the enigmatic Valeyard, the prosecutor appointed by the High Council of the Time Lords to discredit the Doctor, was actually a future version of the Doctor himself – an “amalgamation of the darker side” of the Doctor’s nature, “somewhere” between his “12th and final incarnation”. It was a jaw-dropping moment in the life of the TV series that would truly not be equalled again until the unveiling of the War Doctor in the closing moments of The Name of the Doctor in 2013 (indeed, in the same episode, according to the Great Intelligence, one of the Doctor’s mythical aliases at Trenzalore included “Valeyard”). Just when we thought we all “knew” the Doctor, the Valeyard emerged from left field and left us absolutely staggered.

However, much like Peri Brown’s destiny and Mel’s “first” meeting with the Doctor, the Valeyard’s background and fate have remained sketchy for nearly three decades. The character was never seen again in the classic TV series and it has been left up to both unofficial and licensed spin-off fiction in that time to speculate on who or what the Valeyard is/was. Big Finish has, of course, satisfactorily wrapped up Peri and Mel’s story arcs from the Trial season but it is only recently that it has turned its attention back to resolving that season’s greatest riddle. Who or what was the Valeyard? What was his agenda, aside from seeking the Doctor’s remaining regenerations? What happened to the Valeyard after The Trial of a Time Lord, when it appeared he had deposed the Keeper of the Matrix and seemingly had all the secrets of the Matrix within his grasp? Indeed, given the Doctor in the modern TV series is now into his 14th incarnation, does the Valeyard even still exist? Could the Doctor still become the Valeyard if he ever gives into the darker side of his nature?

Sadly, Trial of the Valeyard doesn’t really answer any of these questions, certainly not in the way that The Widow’s Assassin wrapped up Peri’s story arc from the Trial season or The Wrong Doctors resolved the Mel paradox. Alan Barnes and Mike Maddox’s 60-minute script tantalisingly postulates about the Valeyard’s origins but leaves the listener to decide if there is any truth to the account or whether the antagonist is again resorting to the trickster role that he so deftly pulled off in his TV appearance.

Much like a Doctor Who Companion Chronicle, the serial successfully uses minimal characters with very few resources at its disposal while painting in the listener’s mind an expansive, galactic backdrop – a lavish courtroom aboard an oversized space station orbiting a gas giant designated as Eta Rho, the hints of a Time Lord Castellan and his squads of Chancellery Guards with their military TARDISes, and an obscure mudball planet hidden from plain sight which carries a dark secret. And all of this is carried by just three principal characters: the Doctor (the irrepressible Colin Baker), the Inquisitor and the Valeyard (effortlessly reprised by Lynda Bellingham and Michael Jayston).

If you are overly familiar with the courtroom setting of The Trial of a Time Lord (as well as some prior visits to Gallifrey in the classic series, including Arc of Infinity and The Five Doctors), then a good 90 per cent of your imagination is already well catered for. While some fans found many of the courtroom sequences in the original Trial lacklustre and tedious (especially in the opening 15 minutes of episode 13, when there was a lot of exposition), there is no doubt that this setting in Trial of the Valeyard is ideal for audio. The story feels as if it is happening in “real time”, as if you are one of the Time Lord jurors officiating over the proceedings and with a ringside seat to the squabbles, banter, pomp and ceremony of the three principal characters. Whatever the fans may have thought of the original courtroom sequences on TV, they were often convincing thanks to the earnest performances of Baker, Bellingham and Jayston – and this continues in Trial of the Valeyard. While the play may feel like an “episode 15” tacked onto the original TV serial, the three artists again carry the narrative in compelling fashion and still manage to pack the dialogue with moments of comedy, intrigue and malevolence.

Colin Baker, of course, continues to excel as the Sixth Doctor. In fact, the pre-credits track at the beginning of the story runs for over eight minutes – and nearly half of that time Baker is acting alone, as the Doctor petulantly rails against being brought back to the scene of his trial. Although there is a lot of wordy dialogue and some tongue-twisting vocabulary, he not only navigates through it skilfully but also injects a lot of humour into his performance as well. Indeed, Baker gets to demonstrate a range of emotions throughout the serial, from wit to sarcasm to outrage to revulsion, as the Doctor finds himself in the unenviable position of having to represent a defendant he loathes whilst also trying to ensure that the latter is treated as fairly as possible by the court. While the Sixth Doctor on television was often accused by fans of being heartless, Baker definitely shows the character’s compassion and innate sense of justice, especially when it becomes clear that the last thing the Time Lords have in mind is a fair trial.

Trial of the Valeyard is regrettably Lynda Bellingham’s Doctor Who swansong. She recorded this play only months before announcing a much publicised battle with cancer (she passed away last October). As a result, Bellingham’s performance in this serial is extra special because her Inquisitor once again plays an admirable mediator and paragon of patience to Baker’s Doctor and Jayston’s Valeyard. While the Inquisitor seemed “whiter than white” in the original Trial story arc, Bellingham relished the opportunity over the years to evolve the character into a more Machiavellian diva (the explicitly named Inquisitor Darkel) in Big Finish’s Gallifrey spin-off series. Barnes and Maddox do not ignore Gallifrey’s evolution of the character; not only is Bellingham’s Inquisitor and Darkel reinforced to be the one and the same in Trial of the Valeyard but there are strong hints that the Inquisitor isn’t as benevolent as she seems. As a result, Bellingham not only exudes authority as Darkel but at various times instils steel and underlying menace into her voice that makes you question her motives.

Michael Jayston naturally slides back into the robes of the Valeyard and again proves to be an excellent vocal foil for Baker’s Doctor. Like Baker, Jayston also has to contend with some very heavy dialogue, particularly in the second half of the play when the Valeyard’s origins are raised, and he passes the test with flying colours. While Jayston’s voice at times reveals his advanced years (he’s now 79), and will sound more weathered to listeners who (like this writer) grew up immersing themselves in the original Trial season, there is no doubt at all that we are listening to the persona “generally – but not exclusively – known as the Valeyard”. And while Bellingham has unfortunately bowed out long before her time, it is reassuring that Jayston has had another opportunity to reprise the Valeyard in The Last Adventure boxset that is slated for release in September.

Unsurprisingly, this play is, of course, steeped in Time Lord mythology, with much discussion about the secrets of regeneration (ironically Trial of the Valeyard was released in late 2013 when the modern TV series was poised to address the question of the Doctor’s survival post his 13th incarnation). However, what is even more interesting is the serial’s underlying theme of corruption. We are reminded that not only are characters like the Doctor and the Inquisitor capable of falling to the dark but also how deeply mired in the darkness the Time Lords themselves are. Whilst it came as a shock to many new series fans in David Tennant’s swansong The End of Time (2009-10) that the Time Lords in the Time War were as corrupt and villainous as the Daleks, fans well versed in the classic series had long known since 1976’s The Deadly Assassin (when the Doctor’s mentor Cardinal Borusa instigated a clever political cover-up) that the Time Lords were largely a corrupt society. Given Borusa later sought to become an immortal despot in The Five Doctors (1983) and that his successors on the High Council were later exposed for nearly destroying the planet “generally – but not exclusively – known as Ravalox” (aka Earth) in the original Trial, it comes as little surprise in this instalment that the Time Lords are again up to their high collars in corruption. Indeed, their tricks are so devious that the listener (much like the Doctor) has to concede that perhaps the defendant is a victim of their machinations and deserves the benefit of the doubt.

Trial of the Valeyard is a clever and engaging serial, and (even though it predates them by nearly 12 months) a marked improvement on the varied quality of recent Sixth Doctor audio adventures (eg The Widow’s Assassin, Masters of Earth, The Rani Elite). Much like the original Trial story arc, whose events hinted at truth amongst elaborate fabrication, so Barnes’ and Maddox’s script also drops enough hints about the Valeyard and the Time Lords to be plausible without being definitive. As a result, the antagonist doesn’t lose any of his mystique and listeners are left with even more questions about this enigma shrouded in paradox and in turn, about the virtue of the Time Lords.

Following on in every respect from their marvellous version of The Romance of Crime, (with which it shares a box) Big Finish knock it out of the park once again with a superb adaptation of The English Way of Death, the second of Gareth Roberts’ classic trilogy of Missing Adventures novels, ably adapted again by John Dorney.

Whereas Romance was almost a Season Seventeen story with the picture turned down, this one is a slightly stranger and more freewheeling brew, pitting the Fourth Doctor, Romana II, and K9 against zombies, a hired assassin, a body-snatching sentient gas, mind-boggling science, and British Edwardian Manners. It kicks off with the Doctor breezily bypassing the Randomiser to return some library books in 1930, and unravels into a twisty-turny plot of mistaken identity and brain-eating - expertly combining P.G. Wodehouse, space opera, and zombie movie. It makes perhaps better use of its audio format than Romance - it has more of the feel of a radio play, but also conjures up tall visual orders like time corridors and sentient mist with ease. The only time it feels a little unwieldy is when the approach of an undead Policeman through said mist is described by one character to another. Happily though, this is just a blip, the rest of the story skips along beautifully.

The dialogue is packed with zingers, the characters are gloriously bonkers (and often very polite) - and Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, and John Leeson all excel. Tom sounds like he's enjoying himself hugely, and delivers lines about the average daily amount of attempts on his life with laid-back aplomb. Meanwhile, Lalla Ward is as charmingly indignant as ever, and John Leeson gets a creepy stand-out moment when K9 is possessed by the gaseous Zodaal.

Just as Romance echoed Eldrad from The Hand of Fear, Zodaal has split himself into components like Scaroth in City of Death, but with the added twist that he had his sense of humour removed - a nice riff on those humourless, grandiloquent 'possessed' villains of the seventies.

A strong supporting cast is led by Terrence Hardiman (of The Beast Below fame, and also known to a generation of British children for his performance as the Demon Headmaster), as the undead Hepworth Stackhouse and Annabel Mullion as sultry assassin Julia. Nick Briggs does an excellent job of directing as usual, and Jamie Robertson's score is a neat halfway house of Dudley Simpson's sound of '79 and the electronic approach of the Radiophonic Workshop's music from 1980.

Most of all, though, it's the joyous invention of Roberts' story - brought to life so well by Dorney's script that makes this such a winner. Big Finish continues to go from strength to strength, and has managed with this box set to reunite a TARDIS team we never thought we'd hear together again, and give them some of their finest material. Here's hoping that The Well-Mannered War (coming later this year) isn't the last we hear from them.

"They made me an offer I couldn't refuse -- unlimited funding to pursue and recover one of history's greatest antiquities...the Swords of Kali, the ancient Hindu goddess of death and destruction."
- Tiger Maratha speaking to the Doctor in a holo-recording .

More beautiful imagery, elegant plotting and effervescent dialogue is on hand to delight all comic book fans in the second instalment of this continuing adventure for the Doctor and Clara. As the action opens the TARDIS crew are in the same location on planet Earth but not the same time zone. And both have much to deal with - not least danger, conspiracy and some mythical artefacts.

As in Part One, there is plenty of good character work achieved for two very different but equally fascinating female guest characters. Rani the warrior had shown her considerable fighting prowess and stealth in issue three, but now the reader has a chance to see what makes her tick on a more personal and emotional level. Her pairing with the Doctor - who has time-travelled by means other than TARDIS - is very well done and affords a look once again at how Capaldi's incarnation is able to show many different attributes depending on the inter-personal dynamc presented to him.

Priyanka Maratha has only just lost her father Tiger, and is by no means used to such hi- adrenaline exploits. An onslaught of six-limbed monstrosities without pity is almost too much to bear, but with help from Clara she is able to escape. However a terrible price is paid which affects all ensuing events. Later on Priyanka is privy to the holo-recording intended for the Doctor, as she discovers her father's true motives for his high-risk explorations all across the Earth. The wish to know the real inspiration behind the Thugee Cult is one of those driving forces.

The artwork continues to be of the highest calibre and leave impressions of themes and emotions as well as locations host to many incredible treasures, murals and sculptures. The addition of Mariano Laclaustra (who provides inks) only enhances what was already strong work from Dave Taylor in earlier editions. Characters are well-drawn, with distinct mannerisms and energy levels, and the colouring too is very impressive at times. Thus remarkably thorough detail is conveyed.

The likeness of Peter Capaldi never slips, which is boosted further by wonderful Doctor dialogue featured in most of his panels. This mimicry element is rather more of an issue with Morrison's other Titan Comics story featuring the Tenth Doctor. I do however think that Jenna Coleman's appearance is not the easiest to translate to the 2-d format, and at times it feels like a female relative of the Coal Hill School teacher is having a turn at substituting for her.

The story is also paced expertly and while there was potential to wrap things up with a 'rabbit out of the hat' move by the Doctor come the latter pages, instead there is a further development that throws the scenario into a whole new stratosphere. Most cliff-hangers to comic books are well-designed - if understandably concerned with bringing repeat business - but this particular hook is truly a subversion of expectation given the previous action and yet is comfortably familiar in putting a hero into peril.

This is a Doctor Who story up there with the best of the franchise in making clear its inspiration, with a certain Indiana Jones being present at least in spirit if not in actuality. And as much as the threat facing humanity from the powerful 'Indian dynasty' in times future and past conveys the suitable gravitas, there is a strong sense of fun and optimism that also pervades. How the Doctor deals with the malignant Scindia will certainly provide for riveting reading in the near future.

Bonus Humour Strips: AJ this time employs a single panel to tell his "Ebbing Tide" story. Meaningful exploration of the TARDIS crew's latest destination is rather limited, and provokes a session of bickering (as we have become accustomed to with them!) The Doctor's fob watch is proudly on display, although Clara is quick to point out the watery threat it faces.

“The Inversion Of Time” written by Colin Bell and drawn by Neil Slorance is another fine effort focusing on time distortion. It brings to mind the full-length Eleventh Doctor story from a couple of months back but is rather more easy to grasp given that it takes place in the TARDIS console room only and features just the main characters.

This most recent release in the ongoing series by and large continues the good work of beforehand, if at times showing the odd weakness or two. Before discussing the four stories I must criticise the reworking of the main theme tune. The original was quite serviceable for me, if not really up there with a true classic tune (such as BBC Radio's 'The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy' or 'The Lord of the Rings'). All the less pleasing element of the piece seem to have been emphasised and the pitch change just wasn't for me.

Nonetheless the series opens with an absolute belter of a paranormal yarn. 'Changing Of The Guard' allows the London setting of the mid 1960s to really be used well. A bunch of low-life criminals are managing to use some rather disturbing methods that are not of 20th century Earth to outwit the authorities, and the team of Group Captain Gilmore, Ms Jensen and Ms Williams are once again having to use all their experience to cope. Drama is also firmly centred in a trial - during which Sir Toby is put under a most unforgiving microscope and has to use all his mental skill to secure a positive verdict on his conduct. Sound effects are done splendidly throughout and the plot kept me guessing without ever getting too clever for its own good. I really welcomed how the main threat to the public was resolved and the increased focus on Allison, which turns out not to be a one-off in this box-set.

The writing is decent in 'The Concrete Cage' but something is just slightly missing for this to be called a success. The setting is not a bad one in-of- itself. Just as 'Quatermass' has inspired the earliest stories in this spin-off series, once again a Nigel Kneale work ('The Stone Tapes') gives rise to a story. Something has gone awry in a tower block and people seemingly suffer even after their natural demise. Rachel is given the most meaningful involvement of the core cast, but this does not mean that anyone is left out for long. The problem for me lies in the tepid use of the guest participants. They are certainly not helped by some hoary old dialogue that just really grated when I was trying to connect to their individual stories. Justin Richards is a very experienced writer, but some examples of his work speaks to me more than others.

Also whilst I have enjoyed seeing Michael Troughton in some television roles over the years, he really isn't given the most appealing character to play - even if this is the actual intent. The final scenes are also presented in a somewhat blasé manner and consequently the impetus of the story just never quite materialises. The inferior theme tune is sadly not alone in this outing either, as inharmonious electronic stings diminish the listening experience. However I am sure that this story has something to offer for those fans that like claustrophobic tales full of psychological horror. And it certainly outperforms the troubled Seventh Doctor story 'Paradise Towers'.

'The Forgotten Village' is perhaps the strangest story of the run in both structure and what it chooses to do with the cast. It still impresses through brave decisions as well as dialogue that feels very true to the heart of the main participants. The village setting sees much back story and revisiting of past loved ones, as well as the expected dosage of very odd goings on that need the best expertise Britain has to offer. Alison's father (celebrated 'The Archers' star Tim Bentinck) is given a lot of focus as he suffers poor health, but worse is to come. Alison is front and centre as the place where she spent her youth is succumbing to a bizarrely dangerous turn of events. Appropriately enough, Rupert Evans (of BBC prime time TV drama 'The Village') features in this effort, and is equally as strong a presence in this audio format.

Just as this box set begins on a positive note, it ends even stronger, as 'Unto The Breach' moves various pieces on the Cold War chessboard and then throws a game changer or two for good measure. East Berlin sees the bulk of the meaningful action, as the team must try and see if an alien really has been at work - and for the benefit of the Iron Curtain regime. Shades of grey have never been more indistinct as characters that seem benign are something else entirely. Picking up what it needs to from story three, the listener is entranced into discovering just who will be affected and to what extent. I was happy to note that the multi-talented George Layton featured in a good guest role as Lehne, and indeed there is not a false note struck by anyone who contributes to this thriller.

Looking at the overall sequence, Sir Toby doesn't get quite the same character growth of the last series, but is still utterly charismatic and engaging. Instead this is the time for Allison to truly come into her own as she takes more initiative and shows the ability to make strong decisions without being cynical and world weary. Karen Gledhill is a very likeable personality both in character and in real life, and it was high time she was given some more prominence.
However there is enough decent material for both Gilmore and Rachel, and also a continuation of their growing bond with each other, whilst still throwing in some obstacles. The team certainly know how to prevent this arc stumbling into a predictable state. Sir Toby is not always the focus for anger that he once was by those in his team, as Templeton now begins to really display his manipulative traits to quite overt effect. But more importantly, come the last two stories, two regulars are put in dire straits with little chance of a reprieve.

So when all is said and done, this is a solid quartet, with two of the best stories so far, a brave effort that works well enough, and a rather more average entry that still at least feels relevant to the series overall.

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The bonus documentary once again merits full attention, and manages to be at least as entertaining as the actual stories. There is plenty of teasing banter, camaraderie and thoughtful reflection - including from the guest stars, some of whom are called upon to perform multiple characters. The decision to let certain cast members go into comprehensive detail over their character profile and the logistics of making the show (e.g. how audio recording differed from tv work in flexibility and attendance demands) leads to some sections being more substantial and meaningful than others. I must assume the interviews were done so as to develop as organically as possible, and then editing choices were made to fit the obligatory time limit. In any case, the regulars themselves again all provide good insights into their approaches to their role which both confirm what listeners are taking away from the stories, but also allow some interesting insights that may not have been obvious at first. And finally, the rationale behind how the creative team choose to end this series with more questions than ever before ensures that the wait for this July and Series 4 is a rather fraught one.

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.

After a chilling pre-titles sequence set mere weeks into the First World War and featuring a pair of young British soldiers, this new story picks up again several years on during the Battle of the Somme. The Tenth Doctor and Gabriella Gonzalez are seemingly thrown into an all too familiar and haunting source of peril - following their somewhat bizarre first two escapades together. The TARDIS is quickly put out of commission by one of the more potent forms of artillery available in the early 20th century, and the Doctor sustains an injury that forces him to rely on his young friend's initiative and bravery. Although they manage to stay on the side of the battle where the British have control, their presence as casually dressed civilians is naturally viewed with suspicion. But the military trial system is the least of anyone'sworries as a terrifying foe that operates on time itself has come back to haunt the Doctor once again. 

The creative team has an overhaul in this new multi-part story for the Tenth Doctor and Gabby. Robbie Morrison who has been behind the recent Twelfth Doctor stories now gets to show his creativity with the iconic former incarnation of the Time Lord. Artist Daniel Indro makes his debut for Titan's Doctor Who line; his track record including famous characters 'Sherlock Holmes' and 'The Green Hornet'. For those drawn to this edition by the superlative cover it is worth clarifying that Tommy Lee Evans is the person responsible, but the overall standard in the main content is by no means inferior - just markedly different in style. 

Some enemies from Doctor Who are made just as intimidating in comic strip form as they in the parent TV format. I believe the Weeping Angels are one such successful translation. The sudden change of expression from any given panel to the next being distinctive and imposing. Even to this day they are arguably Steven Moffat's finest villainous creation. Just to recap on their unique style: a simple touch from any of the stone statues is enough to send a person back in time to live out the rest of their life, but sometimes in a manner which makes that remaining lifetime a cruel form of imprisonment. There is also the certainty that the victim never gets to meet anyone they cared for again in their 'normal' lifespan. Doubly obstructive is the Angels' capacity to turn to impervious stone when being observed, with any 'blink' allowing them to advance so much faster than a normal sentient being would in that fraction of a second. 

But while it is good to have the Angels back, it is somewhat more jarring to have such a change in style after two very successful stories that balanced darkness and light ably. This story is incredibly grim, and while that may be appropriate for the dark time that was the Great War, there is not even some black humour included as a concession. Some of the minor characters are not drawn terribly well and seem rather overshadowed by the premise and the setting. Still, the first person narration from Jamie - a British corporal - makes him by far the best original guest character. He seems astute enough to bond with his fellow soldiers and know their key attributes. Captain Fairbairn is serviceable also, if a little too routine in his mistrust of the Doctor and Gabby. Perhaps there is something more to him though that later instalments can offer? 

Another difficulty lies in distinguishing one uniformed character from another. There is not enough in terms of different builds or facial expressions at times. However, this is just the first instalment of four and perhaps this will be remedied as the plot allows for more back-story and idiosyncrasies to filter in. I also was a bit confused by the rather spiky dynamic between the Doctor and Gabby - which perhaps hints at some further story, or altercation in the TARDIS, which preceded these current events. But the cynic in me reckons that minimal communication between prior scribe Nick Abadzis and Morrison is just as likely. 

Despite all this, the reader is provided with a strong visual work overall, with backgrounds being consistently good, and the colouring suitably grey/brown for the most part. There have been better opening entries in the Tenth doctor series and also the other two Titan Who lines, but I cannot deny the potential for this story to go places and do something special. I have always been interested in historic wars, and regarded the Weeping Angels as first rank adversaries. With a bit more tweaking and clarity this story could still be one for the ages. 

Bonus Humour Strips: Rather in keeping with the main feature, these are just a touch below-par this month. 'To Heck and Back - Part Two' by AJ takes the decent opening and goes a little too far in defusing the original tension that featured when the Doctor took on the 'Beast' with the power of voice alone. The demonic entity seems to have morphed into a rather cuddlier type of alien and barely manages to make a dent when replying to a supremely confident Time Lord. The story ends up feeling pointless, and lacking the right brand of satire. 
The latest 'Rose By Any Other Name' - from writer/artist Rachael Smith - has still enjoyably vibrant art and a truly lovable feline protagonist to rival K9. But the conceit that this cat would liken human being Rose to any type of household pet simply evokes a raised eyebrow rather than a chuckle.