‘Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor #3.11’ Review
Written by Nick Abadzis | Art by Giorgia Sposito | Published by Titan Comics
Well, multi part Doctor Who stories are apparently like buses. Just last issue I was saying how refreshing it was to have a multi issue storyline focused on the one book, as ‘Vortex Butterflies’ wrapped up last issue, rather than just a one or two issue story, as is the norm these days. Then this issue arrives, and the new ‘The Good Companion’ arc is also a chunky four parter. Hats off to Nick Abadzis for back to back efforts. So, what has he got in store for us this time round?
Judging by the first 7 pages, who knows. No Doctor or TARDIS in sight, just a mysterious woman taking on cloaked aliens in New York City. That’s cloaked as in using technology to pretend to be human, not as in wearing one, as dashing as they might lo….but I digress. She discovers something that is most definitely not good, and starts to contact The Doctor. The Doctor is on Ouloumos, a private moon where Zhe is trying to help Gabby control her new block transfer matrix powers, powers that left unchecked could see Gabby yet again become her evil future self that The Doctor destroyed last issue. Zhe was partly responsible after all for Gabby developing these powers, infecting her accidentally with an organic virus.
As important as Gabby’s training is, it may take months, even years. The Doctor and Cindy are both bored. Very bored. But they know they should do the right thing and stick around for moral support…actually no they don’t, they sneak off in the TARDIS hoping Gabby won’t notice. The Doctor drops in on Mechma Onzlo III station, where he hopes to pick up tech parts from friend Onzlo. Simple, right? Actually no. Onzlo has a problem of his own. His wife is missing. Actually, what looks like his wife is standing over there, but Onzlo is convinced she is an imposter. A sceptical Doctor goes to scan her, and she promptly jumps inside a craft and flies off. Not just any craft, a chameleon device with a time engine. Essentially a TARDIS. The chase is on. Gabby who?
Gabby who has just realised that The Doctor and Cindy have taken off without her, that’s who. Takes some of that training she has been undergoing to control the buildup of temporal energy that follows, energy that spikes when she experiences strong emotional responses. Travelling with The Doctor, I assume she’ll experience a lot of them. Zhe tries to reassure her, telling her that although a restless spirit The Doctor will be back, and always needs his companions to anchor him, to provide balance. He is always there when needed. Which is good news for Cleo, the lady running around New York at the beginning of the issue, as she manages to patch through to the TARDIS on the distress line. Too much fun for any one Doctor.
The Doctor decides to go to Cleo on Earth, planning to resume his chase of the Marteek imposter later, the ship has a tracker on it after all. Cleo has found an alien artifact that she suspects is very bad news. She’s right. It’s an artifact from the future that tells of Earth’s destruction in a matter of days. Not good. Looks like Gabby will be on her own a while longer. Which also isn’t good, as Gabby is currently being kidnapped by Doctor and Cindy imposters and taken away by TARDIS. Yep, the super cool RED TARDIS.
An excellent start to this new story arc, several story strands being nicely woven together. The pace never let up, exciting stuff from start to finish, and the promise of a great story to come. The art by Giorgia Sposito was also good, though the amount of script and dialogue to squeeze in requires sometimes a few too many panels on a page. A minor quibble though. Nick Abadzis writes a perfect Tenth Doctor, and he positively shines in such a well written spotlight.
**** 4/5
