'Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor' Issue #8 Review

This week brought us all kinds of Doctor Who action, at least as far as the pages of comic books are concerned. We saw The Eleventh Doctor, an uneven narrative experience to be sure, deliver what might be the strongest issue in its run, or at least a nice piece of the best arc they’ve explored thus far. Now Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor, which has been the high point of the continuing titles published by Titan Comics, drop another new issue, number eight.

'Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor' Issue #9 Takes Care Of Business Like Never Before

Over its run, which his now nine issues deep, Titan Comics’ Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor has been an inconsistent, up and down affair. Every time it appears that it’s headed in the right direction, it takes a step backwards. That said, the last couple of issues have followed a notable upward trajectory, which continues with the latest installment, “Rise and Fall.”

'Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor' Issue #5 Delivers Fast-Paced Adventure And Death Cults

While we won’t likely see new episodes of Doctor Who on TV until much later this year, Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth incarnation of the venerable Time Lord shows no signs of slowing down on the pages of Titan Comic’s Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor. In fact, the latest issue, #5 in the continuing run, delivers the fastest paced adventure we’ve see yet from this title.

'Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor' Issue #8 Dives Into An Endless War

This issue of Doctor Who: The EleventhDoctor, #8, “The Infinite Astronaut, as well as the previous one, have made a big deal about this being a two-part affair. What this really does is drive home the difference between this Titan Comics title and the other two current Doctor runs—The Tenth and Twelfth Doctors. Both of those comics have, thus far in their youngish runs, only unveiled their arcs across multiple issues, even as many as five or six to fully wrap a story up. This is one of the biggest fundamental differences, and with such a truncated narrative approach, it’s been difficult to get as invested in The Eleventh Doctor as the other two. And while this two-parter is a move in the right direction, it’s not a particularly big step.

'Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor' Issue #7 Weeps With The Angels

The last issue of Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor, introduced a new creative team and kicked off the most grim, desolate of these new adventures of David Tennant’s version of the venerable Time Lord. Now they’re back with Issue #7, “The Weeping Angels of Mons.” Trapped on the front lines of World War I, and if things weren’t bad enough, they go from bad to worse as one of the Doctor’s most sinister foes has tagged along for a ride.

'Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor' Issue #4 Is Full Of Death Cults, Murder, And Mystery

The show may be between seasons at the present time, but Titan Comics is certainly churning out Doctor Who comics like nobody’s business. Now they’re back with the continuing adventures of The Twelfth Doctor, and issue number 4 finds the Doctor and Clara right where we left them, in two drastically different time periods, both dealing with incarnations of the same ancient evil.

'Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor' Issue #7 Brings The Eternal Dogfight To Earth

Titan Comic’s Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor has been all over the place quality wise. Every time it takes a step in the right direction, the next issue takes two back, or at least diagonally. In fact, the last issue, the sixth in the run, was literally a story told backwards, from end to beginning, in a gimmick that was just cheap and aggravating—it begins with the death of a key character, only pull an, “Oh, he’s not really dead” move that leaves a bad taste.

'Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor' Issue #6 Goes Dark And Grim

Of the three continuing Doctor Who titles Titan Comics currently has running, The Tenth Doctor has easily been the best of the bunch. The latest, Issue #6, ushers in significant changes, however. Not only does it kick off a whole new story arc, it brings an entirely different creative team to the table. Writer Robbie Morrison and artist Daniel Indro replace Nick Abadzis and his cohorts, and put their own stamp on David Tennant’s Time Lord. While there is definitely a different mood and tone going on here, they’re still playing the long game, letting the narrative arc unfold and the characters develop over multiple installments, and Issue #6 reads like what it is, the first chapter in a larger story.

'Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor' Issue #3 Delivers A Blast From The Past

Of the various continuing Doctor Who titles that Titan Comics has going right now, The Twelfth Doctor is something of an anomaly. The others, the Tenth, Eleventh, and, soon, the Ninth Doctors, are all gone and the comics serve as a way for fans to continue to go on adventures with their favorite Time Lords. But Peter Capaldi’s Doctor is still going strong, and will be for some time now that we know both Capaldi and Jenna Louise Coleman will be back for season 9 of the long running sci-fi series. There’s no nostalgia to trade on here, and I won’t say it’s unnecessary, but as we look at issue #3, “The Swords of Kali,” it has a distinctly different feel than the others.

'Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor' Issue #6 Goes Backwards In Every Possible Way

If you read the latest installment of Titan Comics’ Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor, issue #6, and get seriously annoyed with the narrative storytelling gimmick it employs, you are not the only one. See, the story is told backwards, beginning with the end and moving through time in reverse. It gets really, really irritating.

'Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor' #5 Takes On Universal Art

Of the three Doctor Who titles Titan Comics currently has going, The Tenth Doctor continues to show that it is far and away the best of the bunch. Issue #5, the conclusion of the two-part “Arts in Space” arc, further illustrates that this incarnation of the Time Lord, along with his travelling companion Gabby Gonzales, are easily the most relatable, connected duo running around the comic book pages, while also showing that writer Nick Abadzis isn’t afraid to take his time in letting a story or thread unfold and evolve.

'Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor' #5 Takes A Step In The Wrong Direction

Right now we’re in that awkward place where we try to kill time between the end of Doctor Who season 8 and the annual Christmas special (how can you not be excited at the prospect of Nick Frost playing Santa Claus? That’s going to rule so hard). Lucky for you, we have the continuing adventures of the Doctor on the pages of the funny books to keep us occupied. This time, the Eleventh Doctor is back for the fifth issue of his title, and this bubbly installment bears the moniker “The Sound of my Voice.”

'Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor' #2 Wakes Up A Fiery Old Foe

We now know that Peter Capaldi will be back to front Doctor Who for at least season 9 of the long running BBC sci-fi adventure series, but his run on the pages of the funny books is just getting started. I admittedly haven’t caught up with his tenure on the show, but from the general feed back form Whovian friends out there, it sounds like it started out strong, but had some missteps along the way as the episodes progressed. But now that season 8 is in the books, and if you need to kill some time before the Christmas special (which stars Nick Frost as Santa), he’s back for his second issue.

'Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor' #4 Give The TARDIS A Whole New Definition

Of the three continuing Doctor Who titles that Titan Comics currently has going—one each for Doctor Ten, Eleven, and Twelve, with Nine reportedly on the way—it’s Ten that is the real standout. Twelve is more dour and serious, like Peter Capaldi’s version, and Eleven, much like Matt Smith’s portrayal, is super bouncy and cartoony, and though it’s improving each issue, it has a ways to go. Ten, however, uses a different narrative approach than the others, and the writing his more introspective, which gives you more of an emotional connection to the players. And this continues in Issue #4.

'Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor' #4 Adds Much Needed Weight And Substance

It took a couple of issues to really find a groove, but Titan Comics’ Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor has found a nice groove over the two installments of the continuing adventures of Matt Smith’s incarnation of the venerable Time Lord and his new companion, former library assistant Alice Obiefune. Each new book still functions very much like a standalone episode, but in issue #4, writer Al Ewing has struck a solid balance between that and the larger narrative arc that gives these tales a more substantial texture.

Comic Review: 'Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor' Issue #1

As Doctors Ten and Eleven continue to live on in the pages of new comic books, one series for each Time Lord, Peter Capaldi’s twelfth incarnation has been bringing layer of dark grittiness to the airwaves every week for the last few months. But that’s not enough for him, oh  no, the newest Man from Gallifrey is also getting his very own monthly title from Titan Comics. Clara is along for the ride, too, though she’s still having some issues coming to terms with the Doctor’s new face, and personality. It’s also getting increasingly difficult to juggle her teaching duties with adventures through space and time—she’s one of the cool teachers, even though the kids call her Ms. Oddwald or Ms. Oddbod.

Comic Review: 'Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Issue #3'

By now we’re well into the reign of Time Lord number twelve on Doctor Who, played with swagger and an edge of dickishness by Peter Capaldi. Still, there are likely some, possibly many, of you out there who miss the human cartoon that was Matt Smith’s eleventh incarnation of the character. But fear not, that version of the long-lived, beloved character is still alive and well, albeit in a drastically different form, that of comic books. It does actually seem like a fitting medium for a rendering of Smith, and the newly minted continuing series is back with issue #3, “What He Wants…” and it has what you need.

Comic Review: 'Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Issue #2'

If you’re an alien lord with two hearts in your body, the last of your kind, and you have the ability to travel through space and time, what’s the first thing you do when you make a new friend? That’s right, you take them someplace nice. And that’s exactly what the Doctor does in issue #2 of Titan Comics’ young series Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor, or at least that’s what he tries to do.

Comic Review: 'Doctor Who: Tenth Doctor Issue #2'

Doctor Who returned over the weekend with the first brand new episodes of a brand new season 8 with a brand new actor in the lead. Peter Capaldi’s 12th Time Lord is a definite, drastic change from the previous incarnations of the venerable character, but people seem to dig it. However, if you pine for an earlier time where the Doctor a little less dour and a little more lighthearted, not to mention a wee bit more relatable, then Titan Comics has just what you’re looking for with issue number 2 of their continuing Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor comic.

Comic Review: 'Doctor Who: The Tenth And Eleventh Doctors'

Season eight of BBC’s venerable sci-fi adventure Doctor Who is on on the way, and though the August 23 premiere date still feels like a rather long way off, we’ve got something that just might tide you over until then. Titan Comics unveiled not one, but two new continuing Doctor Who comics. While new episodes of the television series will properly introduce fans to Peter Capaldi’s twelfth incarnation of the Time Lord, these comics follow the adventures of fan favorite tenth and eleventh Doctors. Though both issues are quick hitters—you’ll be in and out in few minutes each—they’re a fun way to fill your time before the show returns.