Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor issue One
Paul McGann’s eighth Doctor may have had less screen time than any other incarnation but that has not made him any less a fan favourite, and now he will be returning in comic form. Despite the shortcomings of the 1996 TV Movie (half human? Really?) McGann’s wonderful performance as the Doctor left a lasting impression on fans that called for more stories of the eighth Doctor.
Big Finish Audio took up that cause and over the last fourteen years have produced a series of high quality audio adventures with McGann as the Doctor and an impressive collection of time travelling companions including India Fisher and Sheridan Smith, with Alex Kingston soon to be added to the list. Viewers were surprised and delighted in the run up to the 50th anniversary special The Day of the Doctor to see him return in The Night of the Doctor mini-episode, finally revealing how his incarnation came to regenerate.
Over the almost twenty years since he was introduced, the eighth Doctor has already appeared in comic form in many stories featured within the pages of Doctor Who Magazine but this year Titan, who are now responsible for the other ongoing Doctor Who titles, are bringing back the eighth Doctor with a five issue mini-series written by George Mann (The Affinity Bridge, Doctor Who: Engines of War) and with art by Emma Vieceli (Vampire Academy, Breaks).
Issue one is a complete story which introduces a new companion who has her own mysteries: Josephine “Josie” Day is an artist squatting in the Doctor’s one-time house, but when the Doctor arrives to pick up something he had left there in a previous incarnation it triggers a chain reaction causing Josie’s paintings of strange alien races and far off places to come to life.
Setting a good pace the first issue introduces personality to the characters without slowing down the action. It offers a nice well-rounded adventure but still leaves questions unanswered about Josie, giving a nice touch of intrigue about this new companion, hopefully a mystery we will find out more about in the upcoming issues.
This feels a stronger start than other titles in Titan’s Doctor Who range, with a good opening story and Mann’s natural sounding dialogue. Vieceli’s art gives life to the characters very well, with the facial expressions in the closeup shots, especially Josie’s, giving a lot for the reader to connect with in these characters. This is a good fun Doctor Who adventure, and it is great to see Titan showing some love for the eighth Doctor, especially with such a strong creative team.
Doctor Who: The Eighth Doctor issue one is available in stores now
