Nerdly » ‘Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #11’ Review

15th Aug2019

‘Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #11’ Review

by Dean Fuller

Written by Jody Houser | Art by Roberta Ingranata | Published by Titan Comics

If there’s something comic fans like it’s consistency. Consistency in how the characters are portrayed, consistency in the tone of the book, consistency in the overall feel of the book, and most importantly consistency in the creative team. Luckily, this book has had all of those things. Jody Houser has been steering the book from the start, and in nearly a full year of books, we have had only two artists. So, with consistency, quality remains high, and this book remains a solid slice of entertainment every month.

Last issue was a good one, with the appearance, or re-appearance in overall Who mythology, of The Corsair, the one Time Lord more cheeky, daring, and anti-authority than even The Doctor. The Corsair, as befits a Time Lord who models him/herself on a pirate and has a TARDIS that looks like a pirate ship, likes to sail close to the wind. Although The Doctor always appreciates a good rebel, there is something about The Corsair that is a little off. Stealing things for one, though apparently with a good reason, and seeking The Doctor’s help with a larger than life story that is unlikely to be true. Still, The Doctor never could resist a mystery.

The Corsair holds a little prep meeting, detailing what the operation is, which is to ‘liberate’ something from a tightly guarded vault. That something remains a mystery. What doesn’t remain a mystery is the lengths that The Corsair went to get The Doctor there, all designed to get The Doctor there to use her and her TARDIS. Again, The Doctor and The Fam have their doubts about all this, but off they go….to the planet Raddplina. Which is a pretty cool place, with sky cities and the like. Doesn’t seem like a place that would house daring thieves and scoundrels, but hey. After a bit of jiggery-pokery The Doctor gets the door open, and finds what is behind the door….come back next issue.

Just kidding.

Turns out it is a very rare Star Whale, a very young one. The Corsair claims she has been hired to set it free, and The Doctor continues to go along. For now. Unfortunately the authorities have arrived, and The Corsair escapes into the TARDIS, telling The Doctor to leave with the whale right now. The Doctor refuses, as her companions are still trapped outside. This is where the similarities between The Doctor and The Corsair end. The Doctor believes in her friends, her companions, and looking after them. The Corsair is happy to toss everything and everyone to the wind if it doesn’t benefit her. The Doctor has boundaries, The Corsair does not. Things end as you may have guessed they would, though with a surprise reappearance at the end. the mysterious benefactor is not so mysterious, and certainly no benefactor. The Corsair has messed up, big time.

Well, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Consistency. Can’t say it enough. This book has a formula that works well, and Houser and Ingranata keep that ball rolling. Sparkling dialogue and characterisation, a fun if slightly over familiar and predictable storyline, delivered with some lovely artwork throughout. It won’t win over any new fans particularly, but it will please the current ones. It’s been fun seeing The Corsair get used, though she hasn’t had a tremendous lot to do to date. I have enjoyed the comparison with The Doctor though, and the fact The Doctor is actually not quite as haphazard as we sometimes assume.

Solid writing, solid artwork. Nice.