Christian Cawley's Blog, page 156

Moffat Claims In The Forest Of The Night’s Science “Checked with scientists”

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Fuelling rumours that the job is becoming all too much for Steven Moffat (don’t you think he looks tired?) the Doctor Who showrunner has taken time out from his busy Doctor Who Series 9 pre-production schedule to pass comment on the results of a recent Radio Times poll which requested votes on Doctor Who Series 8.

The writer and producer’s evident hardwork seems to have dulled his senses, however, as he made the outlandish claim that the science for Frank Cottrell Boyce’s Series 8 episode In the Forest of the Night was “checked”.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Moffat said of the poll: “I think I’d give a shout out to an episode that I think will grow in stature over the years because it’s so beautifully and elegantly written, In the Forest of the Night.” He – perhaps arrogantly – continues, “there were people who thought it was maybe scientifically inaccurate – they’re wrong, I checked with the scientists – and any piece of television that includes the line of dialogue ‘catastrophe is the metabolism of the universe’ as a part of popular entertainment has to be… a beautiful episode!”

With that science “checked” we can now tell you that:

It’s possible for fully grown trees to spring up overnight
That those trees are fireproof (despite being wood, one of the most combustible substances on Earth)
That floaty fairy lights send messages to disturbed children

What a truly amazing world we live in. This knowledge – presumably locked away until now and known only to esoteric gurus – has been brought to us by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Steven Moffat. We should clearly be indebted to them both for eternity for explaining these scientific phenomena – checked by scientists, remember – with such precision.

It’s one thing to defend an unpopular episode, but quite another to make spurious claims as to its scientific viability. If Frank Cottrell Boyce is indeed “a tremendously lovely man” (and we’ve no reason to doubt this assertion) then perhaps rather than prolong the suffering over 45 minutes of visually appealing but ultimately odd Doctor Who, wouldn’t it be better to just put it behind us?

So, Steven Moffat, why not tell us: which scientists did you check with, and why did they not want a credit on the finished episode?

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Do YOU Think Doctor Who is “Too Dark”?

James Lomond is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Right, let’s settle this.

Ever since Doctor Who returned in 2005, I have been complaining. Much like people who support a football team who moan when they under-perform but always stick with them I have both loved and moaned about NuWho. Every week I’d faithfully sit down and watch, whether I was captivated or inwardly cringing at every moment. Every time I hoped to be transported, to experience that same sense of awe that my seven-year-old self had when watching the Daleks battle over the Hand of Omega back in 1988 or when watching any of the Classic Doctors on VHS during the Great Hiatus. A universe of terror at my finger tips…

And there have been some wonderful, nay, *fantastic* stories and adventures since RTD brought the show back. But all the while I’ve longed for it “just to be a bit darker”. Less farting, more Fathers Day; less burping bin, more Family of Blood.

Over the years I’ve realised that this is partly my adult self re-calling some of the Classic stories through childhood eyes. There was a lot of slapstick and silliness in the original series, which nevertheless seemed terribly grown up when I was little. Now I am (notionally) grown up I kinda want the show to be more “grown up” too. I have to remind myself that I’m watching alongside a cohort of children who may enjoy those moments. I’m getting over myself. Slowly.

But when I heard Steven Moffat was taking on the showrunner role I thought “yes! This is it – it’ll get darker, more grown up and creepier.” And it did. Mostly. And then Series 8 happened…

Crikey.

And here I’m a little confused. I’m not entirely sure what we mean by “darker” when talking about television. We could refer to the content – the number of deaths, the themes and issues that are touched on or the experiences that the characters go through. Things might be a bit more “adult” and perhaps nastier?

We might also mean the manner in which it’s done – production teams might talk about the “tone” of an episode or series. Fairytales have some pretty horrific things in them (wolves eating Grandmothers etc.) but the child-friendly way in which they’re told undercuts a lot of the “darker” elements. Here I think Murray Gold has played a big role over the years. He’s written some wonderful music for the show and has been a real scoring power-house.

But there are definitely scenes, moments and even whole episodes that could have seemed a lot “darker” or perhaps less child-friendly or comic with a different approach to the music.

One example, for me, is the Twelfth Doctor’s sky-diving scene in Death in Heaven. The episode had been sinister and uncomfortable up to that point. Suddenly there was an action sequence that could have felt like something from a Marvel superhero movie but the music turned it into something from the Adam West Batman. It’s those darned trumpets…

I’m not sure whether it’s that I want it to actually scare me, like the childhood TV equivalent of a roller-coaster that it should be, or whether there’s a part of me that is embarrassed. Doctor Who wasn’t cool when I was younger. It was sorta the opposite. It may be that I just don’t want the show to look like something “for kids” that non-fans might point to as a reason for it being “not that good.”

Anyway, things certainly turned a corner in Series 8. The show was on at a later time. There was more death and tonally it felt more adult – there were longer scenes with more dialogue and an older lead man. We’ve had really quite unsettling character dynamics between the Doctor and Clara and the Doctor and Danny with deceit and contempt that seems far in excess of the River, Amy, Rory dynamics in the Smith years…

And then there were those “Capaldi moments” peppered throughout Series 8. Those times where the latest Doctor suddenly hurled us out of our comfort zone – in Deep Breath he seemed to abandon Clara to her death in the clockwork layer. And more than in any other series, people seemed to die. Our hero wasn’t able to save everyone – more to the point he didn’t always seem that bothered! And that, particularly for a child, could be very frightening…

At the same time we’ve had the Pasternoster/ Scooby gang with newspaper throwing, thorax-commenting comedy from Strax. We’ve had Robot of Sherwood and The Caretaker. It’s not been all dimly lit doom…

Personally, I’m pleased. I don’t like the uneasy relationship with the companion (though the forgiveness scene in Dark Water was astounding) but the darkness – whatever it is – has my interest.

What do you think, Kasterborites? Did Series 8 go too far? Has it lost some of the sparkle and child-friendly cutness of former series? Or has Moffat found the right level on the dimmer switch? Do we have optimal darkness? Is this porridge just right? [No I want that left in!] Vote now, and then tell us below…

Take Our Poll

P.S. Lawrence Miles wrote some amazing Doctor Who back before NuWho – and he’s written some very cutting commentary since it appeared. It’s a bit mean, but scroll down the right hand side for a wee jocular comment on dark Who…

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The Doctor: The Greatest Sci-Fi Character Ever!

Philip Bates is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

The Doctor has been voted the greatest sci-fi character of all time!

In a poll by the BFI, the Doctor topped the poll which also included characters from franchises like Star Wars, Blake’s 7, and Star Trek. But the Time Lord only just pulled it off: there were just 110 votes between him and runner-up, Ellen Ripley from Alien, played by Sigourney Weaver! Mind you, 110 is still a fair amount of people…

Here’s the Top Ten of sci-fi:

1. The Doctor

2. Ellen Ripley (Alien)

3. Darth Vader (Star Wars)

4. Kerr Avon (Blake’s 7)

5. Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Firefly)

6. G’Kar (Babylon 5)

7. HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey)

8. Rick Deckard (Bladerunner)

9. Han Solo (Star Wars)

10. Spock (Star Trek)

Not a bad list, really – though, admittedly, I don’t know a few of them. Sad not to see neither Arthur Dent or Marvin the Paranoid Android there. I do wonder how well the Doc would’ve fared if the TARDIS hadn’t returned to screens in 2005, helmed by four fantastic Doctors – although I’m pretty sure he’d still have been in the Top 10. If people have great memories of Kerr Avon, HAL 9000, and Ripley, surely a Time Lord with two hearts would’ve still made a huge impact.

While , 19% were for alien characters, 67% for humans, and 14% for robots/computers/AIs.

Hooray for the Doctor! Let’s face it: he always wins.

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More Reasons To Thank Steven Moffat!

Philip Bates is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! This isn’t how the internet works! Praising someone or something? Get outta town!

But, as you may recall, we ran a little feature a while ago focusing on what Whovians owe Steven Moffat for. We included making Big Finish as canon as it gets, great storytelling, and casting Matt Smith as the Doctor. Turns out,  Kasterborous isn’t the only place on the net to find positivity for the current showrunner: WhatCulture has created a list of things we should be grateful for – and it’s a pretty good one. And yes, it covers some of the same things ours’ does!

Now, WhatCulture has a bit of an odd history with Who. I don’t always approve of their list articles – 11 Things Doctor Who Wants You To Forget, in particular, is a grating read (Moffat doesn’t seem to be making an effort to paper over “farting Slitheens”, for instance, merely not dwelling on it!) – but I admit to liking the one about Moffat.

Because, let’s face it, it’s rare to find such kind words about a show we all love. Which is ironic.

Amongst the “good stuff” Moffat has given us are Amy’s ‘origin’, creating a fairytale, and writing those great monologues for the Doctor, my favourite of which is…

“Now, the question for the hour is, “Who’s got the Pandorica?” Answer: I do. Next question: Who’s coming to take it from me? Come on, look at me! No plan, no backup, no weapons worth a damn -oh, and something else I don’t have: anything! To! Lose! So, if you’re sitting up there in your silly little spaceships with all your silly little guns, and you’ve got any plans on taking the Pandorica tonight, just remember who’s standing in your way! Remember every black day I ever stopped you- and then, and then… Do the smart thing. Let somebody else try first.”

Utterly fantastic. And incredibly delivered too.

So take a look at their list; take a look at ours; and then, and then… do the smart thing: leave a comment below about why you’re grateful to The Grand Moff.

The post More Reasons To Thank Steven Moffat! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Series 9 Episode Title Revealed

Philip Bates is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

At the press screening of Last Christmas yesterday, Steven Moffat revealed the title of a Series 9 episode. He’s pleased to present…

The Magician’s Apprentice.

The episode, expected to be the first of the next run of episodes, begins filming in January, but aside from that, we know very little! It’s probably written by Moffat, and we’re yet to find out whether Jenna Coleman’s Clara Oswald is staying or not. We shall find out this Christmas.

Whovians may recall the Twelfth Doctor saying to the Teller in Time Heist: “What do you think of the new look? I was hoping for minimalism, but I think I came up with magician.”

Here’s hoping Series 9 sees the return of an inexplicable magic that typically follows in the wake of the TARDIS, yet seemed (to me at least) to be largely missing from Series 8 – bar the occasional bit of wonder in stories like Listen, Mummy on the Orient Express, and In The Forest of the Night.

So what do you make of this, dear readers? Good title? Bad title? Excited? Or haunted by memories of that Nicholas Cage film, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice…?

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“Thus, Sayeth the Moff!” News Blast!

Nick Kitchen is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

To some, his words are the very bane of souls. To others, everything he says is a clue and a map to where our good Doctor is headed next. More tightly packed than the curls on our current show runner’s head, the Kasterborous News Blast is bursting with new commentary from the infamous Steven Moffat! From taking on the show’s critics to stoking the fires of hope for a return from some beloved characters, the Moff has been busy on the Last Christmas press tour and we have the best bits just for you, dear reader! Let us begin!

Moffat: “Children are dark and serious people.”

It is no secret that Doctor Who and Steven Moffat have been leveled with the charge of making the beloved television programme too dark for younger viewers. Personal feelings aside, it would be hard to argue that Series 8 wasn’t a move towards a darker, more serious show. Moffat has finally responded to those criticisms. When speaking with TV and Satellite Week (via NerdBastards), he made these remarks:

“I wish those people would do a bit of research. Go and discover what children are reading now. Harry Potter’s very dark. All the Young Adult literature is very dark. And children are dark and serious people.”

Valid points; it would be hard to make a case that the Hunger Games or Divergent contain super positive outlooks on the world and they’re also filled with dark moments. Yet, especially here in the US, these books and movies are incredibly popular with younger children and teens. Moffat has also rightly noted that for the darkness in Series 8, there were also very light and funny moments (he cited Robot of Sherwood and In the Forest of the Night in another interview with SFX). Time will tell if the narrative choices were the right ones, but from this writer’s perspective, Series 8 made some great moves to increase the stakes of the plot.

Moffat Teases Return of Jack and River?

While some consider Jack Harkness and River Song to be stalwarts of the Tennant and Smith Eras and should remain in the past, there is a strong contingent of the fandom that would love to see these two characters return in a future storyline. Those particular fans might be supremely interested in what Steven Moffat had to say on the matter. Zap2It caught up with the busy showrunner and broached the subject with him:

“It’s never, ever closed off. It’s all about, ‘Do you have a story that’s worth it?’ Unless you have a story that is absolutely informed and invigorated by their presence, just bringing a character back in an ordinary story won’t do. Both River Song and Jack Harkness are massive characters in ‘Doctor Who’ mythology. Their returns would have to be seismic, not routine. One of the things you always want to say is ‘leave them wanting more.'”

I am more than happy to share that I hope this kind of talk actually leads us somewhere. If you’re keeping score, there was some similar discussion about bringing the Master back just prior to Series 8. Like most things where Steven Moffat is concerned, it’s best to keep some salt nearby.

Moffat on Clara: “She thinks the show is called Clara”

The other major criticism that Series 8 faced is that the show became too Clara focused, a criticism that got turned around on the fandom with the opening segement of the Series 8 finale (Clara Who and Jenna’s eyes in the visuals). Nerdist talked Clara’s rise into prominence in the latest series with Moffat:

“The thing about Clara is she thinks the show is called Clara. She really does. She has no idea she’s number two in the credits, which is why we did that joke in ‘Death in Heaven.’ She’s got a high opinion of herself, not in a conceited way, but in a correct way. She knows she’s extremely clever and capable, and she doesn’t feel like she particularly fits in the world that she lives in. She’s a bit more like the Doctor in the first place. She’s not really very good at living a normal life. The other companions, like most people, like you and me, can be quite good at living normal lives.

I’m very happy living my normal life, I’m sure you are too. Going to the shops seems fine for an adventure, but Clara’s not like that. When I first wrote Clara, I thought, ‘Oh, this is fun. If the Doctor were a young woman living in contemporary Britain, it’d be a bit like her.’ Clever and presentable and funny but also thinking when is something interesting going to happen? The interesting thing between the Doctor and Clara is she can sort of play the same game he does. She can absolutely do that, she’s terribly clever, she’s got a wayward ego. Her botched love affair with Danny is heartbreakingly proof of that. He’s a lovely man with a traumatic secret, and she just screws it up because she doesn’t really give it enough attention. It’s just a little bit less exciting than running off in the blue box. You have to be a bit of a loony to think that way. I think for the first time, the Doctor’s traveling with someone who’s a bit of a loony like him, and that’s quite fun…The Doctor always thinks he knows better; Clara always thinks she knows better.

So what they do at the end is a perfect summation of their relationship. They lie and endure pain and loneliness in order to protect the other because they think they know better. Amy would never have done that; she’d have told him what happened. But, people who are more controlling than that think they know what’s good for everybody else aren’t like that. So, Clara’s not the Doctor; she’s not the same person as the Doctor, but – the traditional thing is to say the hero and the archenemy are mirrors of each other. Are they? Are they though? Not really. I think it’s more likely that friends are mirrors of each other. If you watch any close friendship, the extent to which they start to duplicate each other is quite interesting, even with Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes. While they’re different people, they have similar appetites. So, yeah, it was the perfect way to say goodbye in that episode; each one doesn’t think the other can cope with the truth.”

By far the most convincing case for the way Clara’s character and arc were framed this series. It would be a lie to say there weren’t moments that made my eyes roll where the Clara-Danny-Doctor dynamic was concerned, but far more hits than misses in my humble estimation.

Details on Troughton, Frost, and a return tease for Missy

Like the ongoing Sony Pictures hacking, the Moffat press machine is the gift that keeps on giving! Talking Last Christmas with Radio Times (via Den of Geek), Moffat had a few choice details to deliver.

On casting Michael Troughton: “He doesn’t play the son of Doctor Who or anything, he plays a scientist.”

On Nick Frost and bringing Santa into the Whoniverse: “Santa is written in properly, in a science-fiction way, into Doctor Who. Nick is ideal. He’s what Santa should be in Doctor Who land.”

Missy making a comeback?: “I’ve already asked Michelle to come back. The Master is never dead, no matter what happens to him or her. She’s entirely unzappable!”

It’s always a welcome addition to have the offspring of the Doctors’ visit in an episode here and there. I’m looking forward to Michael’s turn in the Christmas special. Jury is still out on the Missy return; I welcome another story with the Master/Mistress, but I do hope her presence has a little more substance this time around.

Series 8 Q&A Panel Highlights

I thoroughly enjoy a good panel discussion. I especially love one that involves Steven Moffat and current stars of Doctor Who. Throw in Frank Skinner as a moderator, and you’re bound to have a cracking good time. Fortunately for those of us who couldn’t be there in person, the BBC have released a highlight real featuring some great stuff from the Moff, Capaldi, Coleman, Anderson, and Gomez in celebration of the release of the Series 8 DVD/BluRay:

That brings us to a close, dear readers! Please feel free to share your thoughts on Moffat’s thoughts down below.

The post “Thus, Sayeth the Moff!” News Blast! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Doctor Who PodKast Talks Season Climaxes & Fly Guys

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

This week’s podKast welcomes back Colum Regan, one-time David Tennant body double who is with us to talk about his intriguing thriller, The Fly Guy. This doesn’t mean that we’re ignoring Doctor Who - far from it! James, Christian and Brian are back together to quiz Colum, offer theories and showrunning plans for Big Finish (based on the concept that they might win a nuWho licence) and generally talk about the show.

Time to hit play…!

Kasterborous PodKast Series 4 Episode 45 Shownotes

The Fly Guy by Colum Regan
The Beast of Babylon by Charlie Higson
Recommendations: Joking Apart Series 2 by Steven Moffat, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull , Broadchurch Series 1, “Call the Doctor” by Colum Regan on his SoundCloud page, Her (stars Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson), The Invasion , Ripper Street, Season 3

PodKast theme by Russell Hugo.

Listen to the PodKast

There are several ways to listen. In addition to the usual player above, we’re pleased to announce that you can also stream the podKast using Stitcher, an award-winning, free mobile app available for Android and iPhone/iPad. This pretty much means that you can listen to us anywhere without downloading – pretty neat, we think you’ll agree! (Note that it can take a few hours after a new podKast is published to “catch up”.)

What’s more, you can now listen and subscribe to the podKast via our Audioboo channel! Head to http://audioboo.fm/channel/doctorwhopodkast and click play to start listening. You can also comment and record your own boos in response to our discussions! Meanwhile you can use the player below to listen through Audioboo:

You haven’t clicked play yet?! What are you waiting for? As well as our new Stitcher and Audioboo presence you can also use one of these amazingly convenient ways to download and enjoy this week’s podKast.

Use the player in the top right of the Kasterborous home page, or visit the podKast menu link.
Listen with the “pop out” player above, which also allows you to download the podKast to your computer.
You can also take advantage of the RSS feed to subscribe to the podKast for your media player, and even find us on iTunes, where your reviews will help the show considerably.

 

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Eighth Doctor Companion Charley Hits Doctor Who: Legacy!

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Tiny Rebel Games and Seed Studio announced today that Big Finish’s Nicholas Briggs will join the Doctor Who: Legacy livestream as special guest to celebrate the addition of Charlotte Pollard (the Eighth Doctor companion) from the Eighth Doctor’s audio adventures (and, let’s face it, some of the Sixth’s).

Viewers who tune into the livestream will be given early access to Charley, the night before she is added to the game as the 18th day’s reward.  Viewers can watch the Wednesday livestream today by going to http://www.twitch.tv/theadiposetv at 8 pm UK time (12 noon pacific/3 pm eastern).

Oh and you can watch it here:

Watch live video from TheAdiposeTV on www.twitch.tv

A new level featuring Charlotte Pollard as the Eighth Doctor’s ally will be released on Thursday 12/18/14 in a new battle with a Sontaran spaceship.
In celebration of the upcoming livestream players can also use this code to unlock colored time fragments to help with leveling up Charley: 9374-6962-9398-2687
The promo code can be redeemed by going in-game and selecting the options menu, then choosing the promo code tab and entering the key into the field.

Doctor Who: Legacy is currently available on Google Play, iTunes, Amazon Appstore and on Facebook.

Doctor Who: Legacy is the critically acclaimed puzzle RPG launched in late 2013.  Join the Doctors from throughout the 51-year history of the show, as well as your favorite allies, and see how you match up against the Doctors’ most formidable foes.  Doctor Who: Legacy is currently having its second annual Advent Calendar promotion (http://goo.gl/YPLzul) with a new reward every day through to Christmas!

Check out Big Finish’s Charlotte Pollard product page: http://www.bigfinish.com/ranges/released/charlotte-pollard. Keep up to date with Legacy on Facebook and Twitter.

Finally, follow our previous Doctor Who: Legacy coverage on our dedicated game page.

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DWM Releases The 2015 Doctor Who Yearbook

Christian Cawley is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

The latest Special Edition of Doctor Who Magazine reviews an incredible year for the programme, its spin-offs and licensed merchandise – and you can read it from tomorrow, you lucky people!

Highlights include our first major interview with the show’s executive producer, Brian Minchin, in which he reflects on Peter Capaldi’s first year as the Doctor and looks forward to further adventures with the Twelfth Doctor.

ALSO INSIDE THIS 100-PAGE ISSUE…

Features on every episode in Peter Capaldi’s first series.
We speak to the team that accompanied Capaldi and Jenna Coleman on the Doctor Who World Tour.
Fourth Doctor Tom Baker discusses his return to television and audio Doctor Who.
Eighth Doctor Paul McGann reveals what he thinks about Capaldi’s Doctor.
Orchestrator and conductor Ben Foster previews the 2015 Symphonic Spectacular.
Inside the new ‘making of’ show, Doctor Who Extra.
Behind the scenes at the new Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff.
Interviews with some of the key players behind recent books, soundtracks, audio dramas, DVDs, Blu-rays and action figures.
Highlights from the year’s newspaper and magazine reviews of Doctor Who.
A round up of Doctor Who’s awards and honours from the last 12 months.
Detailed tributes to the Doctor Who luminaries who passed away in 2014.

…and much more!

“This is the Doctor Who Magazine almanac,” says editor Marcus Hearn, summing up the new publication. “We’ve taken a fresh look at every episode from Peter Capaldi’s first series, but we’ve also explored many other corners of the Doctor Who universe. For many fans, the television series is just part of a world that includes DVDs, Blu-rays, books, soundtrack albums, audio dramas and action figures. We’ve tried to reflect the last 12 months in all those different areas.”

Doctor Who Magazine: The 2015 Yearbook is out on Thursday 18 December, priced £5.99.

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Out Now: Titan Comics’ The Tenth Doctor #5

Philip Bates is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.

Ah, it’s Wednesday again, and as we all know, Wednesday is New Comics Day. Today’s offering from Titan Comics is The Tenth Doctor #5, with two stunning covers available.

Okay, so what’s it all about, Alfie?

With the Doctor half the man he should be, under the draining influence of an alien tourist trap, Gabriella is left to shoulder the burden of saving him, the planet, and the future of art in our galaxy – and all on her first off-world trip, no less!

Written by Nick Abadzis, with art by Elena Casagrande, the creative team are really hitting their stride. It’s so great to have good quality Who titles on the shelves. This’ll be the last Tenth Doctor comic out before the New Year.

I particularly like the Agitprop art-esque “CREATE” cover, reminiscent of the lines and shapes of Bolshevik Russia. There’s an eye-catching style about it, complete with a simplistic but effective colour scheme. Except the red makes Gabriella look like Donna Noble. I got my hopes up there for a bit of “oi, watch it, spaceman” dialogue. Ah well.

And to get you in the mood for some Tenth Doctor action, here’s a little glimpse at the first few pages…

The Tenth Doctor #5 is out now, available from all good comic shops.

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