Ninth Doctor Comics V. 2: Doctormania

Writer: Cavan Scott

Artists: Adriana Melo & Cris Gilson

Colorists: Mathew Lopez & Marco Leska

Letters: Richard Starking and Jimmy Betancourt

Companions: Rose Tyler, Captain Jack Harkness

Publisher: Titan Comics

Summary: This collection has two stories. In the first one, the Doctor, Rose, and Captain Jack arrive on a planet where the Doctor is treated like a celebrity. The second story has the Doctor meet the alternate universe version of Mickey Smith from “The Rise of the Cybermen”.

Review: Of the two stories, I like the second one best. The 9th Doctor isn’t one of the more arrogant Doctors, so he’s not pleased with the idolization he receives. The second story felt wrong because this isn’t the version of Mickey that the 9th Doctor is supposed to know.

While the artists have changed from the previous collection, the artwork is still good, especially on the first story.

Grade: C

Thirteenth: Revolution of the Daleks

Writer: Chris Chibnall

Director: Lee Haven Jones

Producer: Alex Mercer

Companions: Graham O’Brien (Bradley Walsh), Ryan Sinclair (Tosin Cole), Yasmin Khan (Mandip Gill), and Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman)

Series: 12, New Year’s 2021 Special

Summary: The Doctor is being held in a galactic prison and is broken out by Captain Jack. Meanwhile on Earth, Jack Robertson (the Donald Trump analog from “Arachnids in the UK” ) has found a Dalek and is mass producing them as the UK’s new security force.

Review: First, a rant: Did we really really need to see Robertson again? Seriously? I have no love for Trump, and even I consider him annoying.

The Doctor in prison was both funny and sad. I liked the nods to previous enemies (Even a Silence is in the prison!) It was great that this time Captain Jack wasn’t essentially a cameo. His interactions with the Doctor and the fam were great. Even though the story was slow, it had a lot of character moments that were enjoyable.

Do we really need to redesign the Daleks every time they’re used? Once in a while might be tolerable, but they’ve always looked fine before the change.

And now to address the departure of Graham and Ryan. I’ve been complaining about the crowded TARDIS since the Whittaker Era started. It’s been the biggest problem. I think this was handled well, and since they both finished their arcs, this was a good idea. However, I’m not sure I like the announcement that we’re getting a new companion in addition to Yaz. I don’t know if having a new companion is going to help develop her, especially since she’s served so little purpose so far. I want to be optimistic, but the track record isn’t good. Especially with the announcement that the next series will have only eight episodes.

I enjoyed this episode in spite of its flaws. Now for what Tom Petty said was the hardest part: the waiting.

Grade: B-

Thirteenth: Fugitive of the Judoon

Writer: Vinay Patel and Chris Chibnall

Director: Nida Manzoor

Producer: Nikki Wilson

Companions: Graham O’Brien (Bradley Walsh), Ryan Sinclair (Tosin Cole), Yasmin Khan (Mandip Gil), and Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman)

Series: 12, ep. 5

Summary: The Judoon have returned to Earth in search of a criminal. Captain Jack is back with a cryptic message. Oh, and there’s a woman who may just be another incarnation of the Doctor. I’m sorry, what?

Torchwood: Children of Earth

Writer: Russell T. Davies
Director: Euros Lyn

Producer: Peter Bennett

Summary: Children of Earth is the 5-part episode for series 3 of Torchwood. It’s essentially the series finale, unless you count “Miracle Day”. Each part covers a day and lasts 2 hours. An alien race has come to Earth, taking over several of the world’s children. They are using them as a bargaining chip in exchange for offering prosperity. Captain Jack wants to save the children, even if it means going against the government.

Torchwood: Exit Wounds

Writer: Chris Chibnall

Director: Ashley Way

Producer: Richard Stokes

Summary: Captain John comes back and takes Jack to the future for revenge. He also kills Tosh.

Torchwood: Fragments

Writer: Chris Chibnall

Director: Jonathan Fox Bassett

Summary: Twin women kidnap Jack and seem to know about Torchwood. We finally see how Jack recruited the original team.

Torchwood: From Out of the Rain

Writer: Peter J. Hammond

Producer: Richard Stokes

Director: Jonathan Fox Bassett

Summary: An old cinema has re-opened, awakening old horrors. These are the Night Travelers, a group that Jack has apparently dealt with before. The team finds bodies with heartbeats, but no breath.

Review: This was a creepy one, and it seemed like one that could happen on the main show if they altered it slightly. The Night Travelers are good villains. Some good music too.

Overall Review: 10/10

Torchwood: Something Borrowed

Writer: Phil Ford

Producer: Richard Stokes

Director: Ashley Way

Summary: Rhys has proposed! There’s just one problem: Gwen’s been impregnated by an alien.

Torchwood: Sleeper

Writer: James Moran

Director: Colin Teague

Producer: Richard Stokes

Summary: An alien masquerading as a human woman has killed some burglars and Torchwood investigates, only to discover that she’s gone native, forgetting who she truly is.

Overview: The Christopher Eccleston Era (2005)

Russell T. Davies would be the person who would save Doctor Who from disappearing altogether.  He’d had some clout thanks to the success of his program Queer as Folk. He brought in several people who’d worked on Big Finish and Doctor Who novels, such as Paul Cornell, Mark Gatiss, and Rob Shearman. Rather than reboot the universe, he created the Ninth Doctor, having the Eighth Doctor regenerate off-screen. That Doctor would be Christopher Eccleston.

Oh, I did it again. I picked another stupid ape! I should’ve known. It’s not about showing you the universe, it never is. It’s about the universe doing something for you!–“Father’s Day”

About Christopher Eccleston

He was born into a working class family in Langworthy, Salford.  He had twin brothers who were eight years older than him He starred in Let Him Have It, earning his first breakthrough role in TV. When Eccleston became the Ninth Doctor, he was the first actor to play the role who was born after the series began in the 60’s.