‘Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor #3.12’ Review
Written by Nick Abadzis | Art by Giorgia Sposito | Published by Titan Comics
Last issue saw a promising start to a new story arc, ‘The Good Companion’. In the past I’ve found Nick Abadzis’ Who stories a bit mixed, though more hit than miss. Of late though he has been writing especially interesting stuff, and seems at his best when he writes more for the companion, than for The Doctor himself. He seems to enjoy putting Gabby centre stage, which this arc again does, and has fun with those dynamics. Last issue of course saw Gabby, while learning to control her new abilities, kidnapped by the super-cool Red TARDIS. Nick Abadzis doesn’t intend to give Gabby an easy ride any time soon it seems.
We’ll get to Gabby in a moment, but first let’s check in on Cindy, Cleo, and The Doctor, wrestling with the knowledge that the Earth is soon going to die. Er, what? The Doctor is no fool, and though the alien artifact Cleo located is genuine, The Doctor feels it is all just a little bit too pat. He smells a set-up. Cleo was supposed to find the artifact, and then contact The Doctor it seems. Who could manipulate the timeline so well to try and flush out The Doctor though? Could be those aliens currently holding Gabby I’d suspect, so let’s check in on her.
Gabby discovers her captors are the Time Sentinels, a singular entity split into many individuals. Gabby gets to meet Aspect Red, Aspect Blue, and Aspect White, who look like a multicoloured cosmic Daft Punk. Although as guardians of the Time Lock they see themselves as good guys, they have no issue with recruiting the Red TARDIS (that would be the super cool Red TARDIS) to serve them. That would be the TARDIS that is actually a very dangerous Nestene Hive Mind from a parallel reality, as Gabby points out before I can.
Daft Punk, er the Time Sentinels are not too fussed about that, they have installed a limitation device to control old Red (because that never goes wrong). Cutting to the chase they tell Gabby they want to use her powers to help them dispose of certain incorrect timelines, which sounds a little too authoritarian for my tastes, oh and to destroy The Doctor. Essentially The Doctor, in a timelines sense, leaves too much mess and makes their jobs harder, so they want him gone. Well, the Lock Keeper does, but just who, or what, is the Lock Keeper? They created that splinter time offshoot, where Earth is destroyed, to entrap The Doctor but as we know he didn’t bite. Neither will Gabby of course.
Oblivious to the danger he is in, The Doctor, Cleo, and Cindy have dropped in on Anubis, or Noob, as he likes to be called these days. All are still oblivious to the fact that Gabby has been kidnapped. Cleo and Cindy also get a chance to catch up and do some, er, female bonding. The Doctor is also unaware that his enemies the Time Sentinels have managed to locate him. Not for long though, as a planet destroying reveal at issue’s end reveals. This is going to get messy.
Another fine issue, with the story moving on nicely and one or two genuine surprises. The cutting between Gabby and The Doctor worked really well, and the pace never lets up. The art by Giorgia Sposito is what it is, always clean and lovely layouts, but sometimes a little too dense, figures too distant, some panels too small. I like her David Tennant though, very nicely done.
Nick Abadzis manages to write an issue where, although The Doctor is most definitely in, Cindy is most definitely out. Good on her, and nice work Nick Abadzis.
**** 4/5
