Christian Cawley's Blog, page 81

Titan Comics’ Twelfth Doctor #05 Reviewed!

Jeremy Remy 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.

As we enter the conclusion in this story arc, the Doctor has agreed to obtain the last sword of Kali, in order to protect Clara. He brings with him the warrior, Rani Jhulka, and the astronaut, Priyanka Maratha. Yet, the Scindia family has betrayed him, by ensuring Clara becomes host to Kali, while they begin to invade the space station, Heaven.

The Twelfth Doctor #5 is the finale to a fast-paced three-parter, which has hardly paused between panels from beginning to end. Part three begins with a bit of time travel trickery, which feels smoother than many of the timey-wimey shenanigans that have popped up in recent seasons of the television program. Where the televised time travel solutions often feel like the climax to Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, the solution devised here feels like a carefully placed Chekhov’s gun. Robbie Morrison has purposely placed the strings of his narrative to tie neatly together in this issue. Where the previous story felt like it rushed the plot too much, the pace in this issue feels perfect. The author had a clear endgame in mind, and the pieces fall neatly into place as the story draws to an end.

Although the narrative has improved from the previous issue, the art has taken a bit of a step backward. Dave Taylor takes on the art duties alone in this issue. This is unfortunate, since the lack of a partner seems to have been detrimental to the comic’s overall appearance. While adequate enough to avoid distracting from the narrative, many of the pages feel rushed, facial structures seem a bit off, and the Kaliratha appear almost rubbery. That said, the backgrounds remain consistently beautiful. Also, the almost full-page reveal of Clara as Kali is a masterpiece—gorgeously presenting the Clara version of the goddess as a true threat, while juxtaposing her bright, colourful form against a background representation of the Hindu goddess in monochromatic stone.

Overall, the story has a satisfying ending which leaves the reader interested in seeing more of the temporary companions—Rani and Priyanka. Likewise, despite the appearance of a final end to the villains in the piece, it would be interesting to see the Kaliratha return as antagonists, even if from a different family, and one can’t help but wonder if there will be lasting effects from the possession of Clara (similar to those seen in Ace, as she continued battling the Cheetah virus in First Frontier, early in the New Adventures novels). Considering the story as a whole, it would have benefited from spreading the story over another issue or two, and from maintaining consistency with the artistic team. Still, with a strong ending and solid plot, the story can be forgiven for these weaknesses.

The Swords of Kali, Part 3 is in no way a standalone issue. Without reading the previous two issues, there are key elements of the plot that would be missed, and the ending would lack the fulfilling feeling the denouement is meant to inspire. Readers new to The Twelfth Doctor should consider picking up issues #3, 4, and 5 in order to read the story in its entirety. Those interested in the mythology of Hindu gods or who enjoy seeing elements of horror and science fiction blended together are certain to enjoy this trilogy of tales.

This particular three-part adventure introduces some new history for the Doctor, and presents a beautiful visual depiction of the goddess Kali. Hindu myth is rarely explored in Doctor Who, but The Swords of Kali certainly demonstrates the need for further examination into this corner of the Whoniverse.

Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor #5 is out now, priced $3.99.

The post Titan Comics’ Twelfth Doctor #05 Reviewed! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Maisie Williams Isn’t A Returning Character

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.

There’s been a lot of speculation over Maisie Williams’ role in Doctor Who Series 9. And showrunner, Steven Moffat is here to stoke the flames a little.

The actress, most famous for playing Arya Stark in Game of Thrones, will be in the probably-linked serials, The Girl Who Died and The Woman Who Lived, and many think she’ll likely to turn out to be the Doctor, granddaughter, Susan, previously played Carole Ann Ford opposite William Hartnell’s First Doctor. But Moffat says not so:

“It’s not Susan. [And] It’s not his daughter [Jenny from The Doctor’s Daughter].”

Indeed, he confirmed:

“Once you see what she’s up to you’ll appreciate what a clever idea [the role] was. It’s a significant role. We’re not just getting star value and doing nothing with it. She is a brand new character, not someone from the Doctor’s past, unless I’m lying.”

Uhm, so he could be lying. We don’t know. Personally, I don’t think she’s a returning character, but then again, Moffat has a history of lying. But if she really were Susan, I can’t see a reason (bar, perhaps, death – but even then, what about regeneration?) she wouldn’t travel in the TARDIS again (yet she’s only been seen filming these two episodes). Therefore, I think a one-off is most likely.

After she cropped up in the trailer, speculation was rife. We even mused on a few possibilities. At least the “she’s the Rani!” rumours haven’t gained ground this year…

I can’t help thinking that after all these rumblings, her character will be a bit of a disappointment: that’s not a reflection on Maisie or the crew involved, but once you think she’s going to be Susan or something, her turning out to be a “significant” but nonetheless limited role will be somewhat anticlimactic to some.

But what do you think? Is Moffat lying? Do you want him to be lying? Or is it better she just works in the one story?

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Doctor Who & Sherlock to be Available from BBC Store

Katie Gribble 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.

As of Autumn 2015, the BBC will be making 10,000 hours of programming available to download as ‘digital DVDs’.

A spokesperson for the BBC stated that the Corporation has made the decision in light of the move towards a more digital method of purchasing with more people consuming TV digitally than ever before. Programmes will continue to be available for free on BBC iPlayer for 30 days, just as they are now. However with this announcement, the BBC Store will offer the most comprehensive collection of content that the broadcaster has ever made available online, with classic shows and recent successes like Doctor Who and Sherlock expected to feature.

Due to the more cost-effective delivery, it is likely that some forgotten gems from the BBC’s past, perhaps not popular enough to justify a physical release, could be made available for the first time. Might that include Galaxy 4 and The Underwater Menace…?

The BBC Store will only allow audiences to buy content that has already appeared on the BBC without consumers having to take out a subscription: “they buy and download individual shows or series to keep – essentially BBC Store enables a ‘digital DVD’.”

This has taken a long time coming, and we’ll have to wait for further details. Mind you, we reckon DVDs are still your go-to choice for Who…

Is this good news for Whovians? Will you rebuy your favourite episodes of Doctor Who?

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Doctor Who and Star Trek: Celebrated and Sold-Off

Billy Garratt-John 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.

Fluffy aliens and wobbly sets. That’s as far as my Star Trek knowledge goes. Sounds awfully familiar, doesn’t it?

But this week, Doctor Who and Star Trek collided in separate stories, both celebrating their cultural impact and heritage. Firstly, in news that I was astounded I had not already heard, NASA’s New Horizons team have named several locales discovered on Pluto during its recent historic flyby after Doctor Who and Star Trek lore!

Part of a moon, Charon, orbiting Pluto has been christened ‘Gallifrey Macula’ and a nearby landmark has been titled ‘TARDIS Chasma’!

Star Wars and Star Trek quips were included, with some areas of Pluto being designated with the titles ‘Skywalker’, ‘Vader’, ‘Kirk’, ‘Spock’ and ‘Vulcan Planum’, among others. The Alien franchise also got a look in (‘Ripley’) as well as famed director Stanley Kubrick and Doctor Who‘s own Douglas Adams (City of Death; The Pirate Planet) as a tribute to his most famed work, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

all have to be confirmed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

In celebration of NASA’s New Horizons, we took a look at the Doctor’s brief time on Pluto, and the drive to explore that forms an essential part of Doctor Who.

In other crossover-related news, a number of items from Trek and Who are to be auctioned off at London’s BFI Imax cinema. Items include a Dalek prop from 2013’s An Adventure in Space and Time (complete with shooting script!), the late Leonard Nimoy’s costume for Spock, an original Stormtrooper helmet from The Emperor Strikes Back, Christopher Reeve’s Superman suit and many other genuine treasures.

The pieces will go on display to the general public at Waterloo’s historic BFI Imax on the 9th September.

Will you be bidding on any of the items…?

[Image from NASA via DoctorWhoNews].

The post Doctor Who and Star Trek: Celebrated and Sold-Off appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Don’t Miss Big Finish’s Summer Clearance!

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.

There are some truly fantastic special offers for this weekend only over at Big Finish – not just on their audio adventures, but their books too!

Let’s start off with the 50th anniversary celebratory series, Destiny of the Doctors, monthly tales from the previous ten Doctors that culminated in The Time Machine, with Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor alongside Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald. Some of these are pretty rare – especially Hunters of Earth and Death’s Deal – but Big Finish have the lot for £3.00 each or £1.99 for a download.

Yep, really.

Written by Nigel Robinson, Simon Guerrier, Andrew Smith, Jonathan Morris, Steve Lyons, Nev Fountain, James Swallow, Alan Barnes, Cavan Scott & Mark Wright, Darren Jones, and Matt Fitton, and directed by John Ainsworth, the cast for Destiny of the Doctors includes: Carole Ann Ford, Frazer Hines, Richard Franklin, Lalla Ward, Janet Fielding, Nicola Bryant, Sophie Aldred, India Fisher, Nicholas Briggs, Catherine Tate, and Jenna Coleman.

After announcing that more Short Trips download-only tales (like this month’s Dark Convoy) are coming over the next two years, the company are also offering their four-volume 2010-11 sets for £5.00 each, or £2.99 for download copies. These are, duh, shorter adventures, as told by William Russell, David Troughton, Katy Manning, Louise Jameson, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sophie Aldred and India Fisher, starring the first eight incarnations of the Time Lord.

A further deal on The Fifth Doctor Box Set has also been extended, bringing the set down to £25 (£20 as download) after Iterations of I won the 2015 Scribe Award Best Audio release.

So plenty of goodies for your ears, but what books are there at bargain prices?

The two Big Finish Companion hardcovers, guides to several franchises from the company, including Doctor Who, Bernice Summerfield, Dark Shadows, The Tomorrow People, Sapphire and Steel, Stargate, Highlander, and then some. Also featuring behind-the-scenes interviews, these books at £30 on Amazon UK – but for this weekend only, they’re £10 each from Big Finish.

The second Doctor Who: The Audio Scripts book is also available for £5, while several Bernice Summerfield and Blake’s 7 books are also cheaper than usual.

The three Mervyn Stone Mysteries novels (written by regular contributor, Nev Fountain) can be bought for £10 each for the limited-edition leatherbound version, £6 for the hardback, and £3 for the paperback.

And fans of the brilliant Robert Shearman (writer of the 2005 episode, Dalek) can pick up leatherbound special editions of his play and short stories collections, Love Songs for the Shy & Cynical, Caustic Comedies and Everyones’s Just So So Special  for£10 each, hardcover versions £6 and paperback versions £3 per volume. The audiobook version of Love Songs is also available at £10.

Find a full list of books on offer over at their site.

I’ll likely be buying some Destiny of the Doctors CDs, the Big Finish Companion HCs, and perhaps the Fifth Doctor Box Set too. What have you got your eye on…?

The post Don’t Miss Big Finish’s Summer Clearance! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Matthew Macfadyen Teases Ripper Street Series 3

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.

Eight months after it premiered on Amazon Prime Instant Video, the long-awaited third series of Ripper Street comes to BBCOne tonight. This comes after the Internet giant struck a deal with Aunty Beeb to save the critically-acclaimed series, but why was it axed in the first place?

Lead star, Matthew Macfadyen isn’t giving many clues:

“I think there was a new person and anything that wasn’t their baby was… I don’t know, I really don’t know… but it’s been a rocky old ride.”

Fortunately, it’s returned, and the regular cast (Macfadyen alongside Jerome Flynn, Adam Rothernberg, and The Impossible Planet‘s MyAnna Buring) are joined by a familiar face: Louise Brealey, aka Molly Hooper from Sherlock. Ripper Street creator, Richard Warlow says:

“Lou is magnificent. Obviously she comes from a very successful crime show so that’s great. She’s such a fine actress and she’s been great to have around. A lovely addition.”

Macfadyen also hints at a change in dynamic for the show as a whole, and certainly for his character, DI Edmund Reid:

“He’s become very insular and a bit odd, quite anal, and he’s made this enormous archive cataloguing every villain and snitch – like a first computer database so he can cross-reference. His eyesight’s getting worse and he’s very lonely. His relationships have all broken down.”

Matthew, who is married to Time Heist star Keeley Hawes, made a name on the superb spy thriller, Spooks, but he reveals that he was cautious to start with:

“I’ve always loved John le Carré – A Perfect Spy is still my favourite novel – and that’s because Dad had them lying around the house… We really didn’t know what people would think about all the cut screens and stuff at the time. I was really frightened. I remember thinking: this is not good, this is really naff. But like it or loathe it, it went for ten years and they made a movie.”

Spooks‘ Tom Quinn; The Enfield Haunting‘s Guy Playfair; Ripper Street‘s Edmund Reid: all very dark roles. His next, however, is a much lighter affair:

“I’m about to start this really sweet film about the Von Trapps [from The Sound of Music]. I play Georg Von Trapp, the Christopher Plummer role… although Plummer hated the film and called it The Sound of Mucus. [Laughs]”

For those who haven’t seen Ripper Street Series 3 on Amazon yet, the first episode, Whitechapel Terminus, which opens with a particularly stunning train crash, begins tonight at 9pm on BBCOne. Two more series have already been commissioned, while the final two episodes of Series 3 are directed by Saul Metzstein (A Town Called Mercy; The Name of the Doctor).

The post Matthew Macfadyen Teases Ripper Street Series 3 appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Titan Comics’ Twelfth Doctor #4 Reviewed!

Jeremy Remy 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.

As the previous issue ended, the Doctor was rescued from the hands of a Kaliratha, by Rani Jhulka, an Amazon warrior from 1825. Meanwhile Clara was left surrounded by the same vampiric creatures, along with Priyanka Maratha, an astronaut-in-training from 2315. Things don’t get much better for our heroes as The Swords of Kali, Part 2 begins.

The Twelfth Doctor #4 is the second in a three-part story, which follows immediately from the events of issue #3. In part two, Rani Jhulka’s character is further developed. She tells the Doctor of her love for Khair-un-Nissa Kapoor, daughter of a wealthy spice merchant. Kapoor was killed by the Thuggee family Scindiathe (just like Priyanka Maratha’s father, Tiger Maratha), leading Rani toward a life focused on vengeance. We are also provided with a solid explanation of the antagonists’ motivations, through an exposition-filled montage by a hologram of Tiger, which details his adventures searching for the Swords of Kali

For this story, writer Robbie Morrison rushes through several narratives, while attempting to balance the suspense and action initiated in the previous issue. At times the balance falters a bit, leading to some drawn-out dialogue and what feels like an attempt to rush the plot. Overall, however, the story remains interesting, and the Kaliratha steal the show.

The Kaliratha have several elements that link them to previous vampires in the Whoniverse: their coloration like that of the Haemovores from The Curse of Fenric, their dedication to a greater vampire God similar to the Three Who Rule from State of Decay, and their overall grotesque appearance suggestive of the cannibalistic Mal’akh of the Faction Paradox series. Yet, Morrison makes his vampires into something more, drawing on Indian mythology to create a seemingly unconquerable legion of monsters. The Kaliratha are like the demon Raktabija, an innumerable threat that seems to increase in size whenever one of its horde falls. Unlike Raktibija, however, the Kaliratha are the servants of Kali, Goddess of time and death. One would be hard pressed to find a more apt villain for a Doctor Who story taking place in India.

Dave Taylor and Mariano Laclaustras’ art falls somewhere between the clean realism of The Tenth Doctor series and the stylized fantasy of The Eleventh Doctor series. This works well for The Swords of Kali, which has a horror comic feel, despite retaining many science fiction tropes. There are some panels that are reminiscent of Graham Ingels’ work in The Haunt of Fear or a more colorful version of Kelley Jones’ early art in The Sandman. The vivid blue used by Luis Guerrero to color the Doctor’s eyes only increases the horror comic feel—often making the Doctor’s glare seem to glow in anger. Near the end of the issue, as Clara reaches what appears to be an irreversible fate, it is clear this team is putting their all into creating a sense of cosmic dread.

Overall, the story is a solid link between the introduction and conclusion of this tale. The biggest shortcoming is an apparent need to rush several plot elements in order to bridge that gap, rather than taking more time to develop each tale. However, the action remains intense and enough is left to the reader’s imagination to forgive this story for being the weakest of its three parts.

The Swords of Kali, Part 2 is a difficult read on its own, but it is meant to be read as part of a greater whole. Readers new to The Twelfth Doctor should undoubtedly pick up issues #3, 4 and 5, in order to read the story in its entirety. Fans of horror comics and stories heavily influenced by mythology are sure to be drawn into this trilogy of tales.

This particular three-part adventure certainly introduces some new history for the Doctor, and does a great job of reaching into Indian mythology—a corner of the Whoniverse that is rarely explored.

Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor #4 is out now, priced $3.99.

The post Titan Comics’ Twelfth Doctor #4 Reviewed! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Why Is Series 9 “Important” to Doctor Who’s Past?

Andrew Reynolds 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.

Eyebrows, Gardens and Faces; if Series 9 is nothing else it could be the year where dangling threads are sewn together to reveal a larger multi-series spanning endgame – but who or what is waiting to reveal itself and what is the significance behind such desperate elements?

Giving us our very first glance at Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor – albeit just his eyebrows and a hand – the anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor, may have been an exciting, if indulgent inclusion in the celebration but it could also have been a significant one.

When asked earlier this month if Series 9 would explain how the Twelfth Doctor came to Gallifrey’s aid, Capaldi replied emphatically “Yes,” though he went on to explain that he couldn’t say much more about exactly how that would play out.

“Well you know, it’s really hard,” he told Erik Nagel. “Right at this moment, I’m here at Comic-Con, but I’m actually in the middle of filming episode 11, which is part of the finale of this season.

“So I know stuff that is unfolding in episode 11, and I know certain things that are happening in episode 12… I haven’t read episode 12, so I don’t know exactly what’s going on there, but in answer to your question… you’ll have to wait and see.”

As the Radio Times points out, this isn’t the first time Capaldi’s era of Doctor Who has crossed over with past series. Matt Smith made a cameo phone conversation appearance in Deep Breath and also appeared in flashback in Death in Heaven where it was explained that it was Missy who was responsible for putting the Doctor and Clara together in the first place. And of course there was that end pay-off in Listen, harking back to the War Doctor’s tough decision.

Moving on to Michelle Gomez’s debut appearance as Missy in Deep Breath; do you remember the garden she was seen wheeling around? Well you should because it’s made numerous appearances in Doctor Who and its spin-off shows – it’s the same garden Amy Pond was seen stumbling into in The Girl Who Waited, it featured in the Sarah Jane Adventures episode The Eternity Trap, and was the scene of Gwen’s wedding in the Torchwood episode, Something Borrowed.

Asked if there is a connection between the garden’s appearance in her first episode and The Girl Who Waited, Michelle Gomez confirmed that yes, it was all part of an unfolding plan: “Oh, there’s no coincidence in Doctor Who. Everything’s connected, that’s what makes it really spooky in a way.” She went on to hint: “Yes, there’s a connection yet to be revealed.”

Speaking of revelations spanning series, there’s the small matter of Caecilius – Peter Capaldi’s other character from The Fires of Pompeii – and his uncanny resemblance to the Doctor.

Asked at a recent Apple Meet the Cast event, Capaldi said “with regards to my Roman alter-ego, there will be a… he may appear again.” Capaldi also said that Caecilus ‘will certainly be invoked,’ which is nothing if not vague.

So what could these potential revelations mean for the Doctor? Are we having our legs pulled? Just how significant is the garden (other than being a versatile shooting location)? Could it in fact be the interior of Missy’s TARDIS? Why did she intervene in Amy’s timeline? Does the Twelfth Doctor’s appearance with his other incarnations indicate that Gallifrey will once again feature heavily in this series? Does his appearance there hide an ulterior motive?

We’ll throw this open to your theories. Please, go mental.

The post Why Is Series 9 “Important” to Doctor Who’s Past? appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Exclusive Interview: Kieran Kinsella, Organizer of Kansas’ Time Eddy Convention!

Josh Maxton 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 way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice-versa the bad things don’t always spoil the good things and make them unimportant. – The Eleventh Doctor

We all love what Matt Smith says here. To Kieran Kinsella, the same applies to mega conventions. To him, the big conventions never have enough guest/fan interaction. So, he’s set out to bring a slightly different convention into the picture — a convention so exciting it might just cause an actual time eddy, a distortion in time.

Coming October 2-4, the Time Eddy convention will land its TARDIS in Wichita, Kansas. Guests include Colin Baker (the Sixth Doctor),  Deborah Watling (Victoria Waterfield), Nicola Bryant (Peri Brown), Katy Manning (Jo Grant), Daphne Ashbrook (Grace Holloway), Peter Purves (Steven Taylor), and more. Time Eddy will be the first Doctor Who convention Wichita has had in twenty-five years.

Kinsella, a natural fanboy and a man who qualifies as a convention expert, is head of the Kansas Doctor Who Corporation, working with the Whovians of Wichita and ICT Cosplay Gallifrey to bring Time Eddy to life.

This past weekend, I caught up with Kieran to learn more about what he has in store with the Time Eddy convention…

Kasterborous: What can you tell me about yourself?

Kieran: I’m from England. I moved to America about 15 years ago — my wife’s American. I got into Doctor Who when I was a little kid. My dad was into Doctor Who — big time — back then. When I was about five years old, he worked for the post office, and had set up a publicity thing where they had kids writing letters to Doctor Who. I’d say that’s what really got me interested in the show. My earliest memory in my whole life is watching City of Death, when Scaroth pulls his mask off. That traumatized me as a kid – so I’ve been a fan pretty much since I can remember.

Later on in life, when I was a teenager — at high school — I met another kid who was really into Doctor Who too. There wasn’t really a functioning Doctor Who fan group at that time (in the area), so we just started one ourselves. And then, people started saying ‘It’d be really cool if we had guests coming to these things.’ We were like fourteen and fifteen, so we didn’t really have a clue how to get in contact with people. So naturally, we got out the London telephone book and flipped through for some familiar names — found Barry Letts and ended up getting an interview with him for the fanzine that we did. Later we got Terrance Dicks to come to one of our meetings. That group kinda took off from there.

Within a couple of years we decided to do a convention. It was fairly easy, because most of the people were pretty up for it since the show was kind of in hiatus — because it was after McCoy had finished, but the show was not officially finished yet; there was a chance it could’ve come back. So, a lot of people were quite keen, like Sophie Aldred came to the convention because she was hoping the show might come back still. We got Deborah Watling, Barry Letts, Terrance Dicks, Gareth Roberts (who worked on the New Adventures at the time) and a few more too.

The convention was really successful. We got people coming from pretty far and wide; we got some fans from Scotland, and I was in London. The local newspaper thought it was pretty cool too.

That other kid, by the way, was John Dorney [writer and actor for Big Finish, whose audio dramas include 1963: The Assassination Games, Requiem for the Rocket Men, and the critically-acclaimed Iterations of I]!

I was given the suggestion of doing a Doctor Who convention in Florida by Richard Franklin [aka Captain Mike Yates], who I was interviewing for my website, BestBritishTV.com, where I was at that point in time. I didn’t really think that Florida had much interest, so it felt wrong. When I moved to Kansas City for work, all of a sudden it was a different story. I mean, there’s a big Doctor Who presence here. It made more sense, especially after I connected with the Whovians of Wichita.

How did you come to booting up the Kansas Doctor Who Corporation?

That was basically created for the purposes of doing the convention; we needed to have some kind of entity running it so it wasn’t just some personal enterprise. Up to that point, it was kind of just informal discussions with people. But, now that it’s a corps, and that it’s up and running, it could do other things.

I had talked with some people up in Kansas City about maybe doing something like a convention. But, we felt like there was already a saturated market up there because of Planet Comic-Con, which has Doctor Who guests. Up in Kansas City they’ve got a pretty good group up there. A lot of people there are keen to do a convention. Down here in Wichita though, to me, was crying out for it — because Doctor Who is still shown on PBS. The Whovians (of Wichita) group, is also really active as well. There’s also a pretty good convention scene here for other fandoms. So Time Eddy just seemed like the thing that would slot in nicely.

What’s been the best part about running conventions, other than meeting the guests?

When I was a kid, it wasn’t very cool to be involved in any fandom really; frankly, it was something you kinda kept secret. So I think now it’s cool, that it’s like revenge of the nerds or something. Now, being a nerd is cool.

I also like how, at conventions, you see all kinds of people, who have this one thing in common. I think it’s really neat, this sort of comradery — meeting people who you wouldn’t have otherwise met.

So your favorite part is meeting the people and seeing them?

Yeah; just seeing how somehow this weird, quirky show has had an impact on them somehow. You know what I mean?

Definitely! What else can you tell me about Time Eddy?

Plans started about a year ago.

We’re trying to get a good representation of all the different eras of the show — although we’re a little bit light on the Tom Baker side. The way it has evolved, it’s more geared towards the classics series – which wasn’t necessarily the plan, but it’s just the way things worked out.

I want it to be… I don’t like these mega-cons, where you go and you wait in line for three hours and pay $200 just to get a signed photo of someone who you see for two seconds. Time Eddy’s going to be a bit more old school. There will be a lot of guest interaction with the attendees. For example, we’re going to do a version of Whose Line is it Anyway?. We’re going to do that with attendees, but also some of the guests — Katy Manning — have said that they’re going to participate as well. It’ll kind of give it more interaction with celebrities than you would get at a typical convention.

That really sets Time Eddy apart. With the bigger cons, like you said, you never get that level of interaction. It’s nice that it’s like that.

Exactly, and funnily enough, a lot of the guests don’t like seeing the lack of interaction. There were a couple of writers that I spoke to that were going to come, but weren’t able to because of work. One of them said to me ‘Look, I’m not going to come, if it’s like when I went to Comic-Con and you just stick me in some booth and people just drift by me so I can give autographs. I’m only coming if I get to interact with the fans’

And I was like ‘That’s exactly how I want it to be.’ So that’s what we’re going for. The guests will be very accessible. We want to do a lot of fun activities that the guests are involved in.

What’s been the hardest part of Time Eddy so far?

We sort of set up an exploratory committee – that was about a year ago – and we looked at the logistics. What we found out is there weren’t really any issues with getting the guests to come out; that side of things was pretty easy. Everyone thinks there would be issues though. I think they liked the sheer novelty of Kansas. What I mean is, everyone with the exception of Daphne Ashbrook is English – and, I think, pretty much ever since they started having TV in the UK, they’ve shown the Wizard of Oz every year at Christmas. So pretty much everyone from 80 years down has the Wizard of Oz ingrained in their heads!

So, funnily enough,  everyone was kind of keen to come; everyone wanted to see if it was really like that. It’s not somewhere that’s on the tourist maps – but because of the Wizard of Oz, it’s sort of this novelty. I guess they’ve been everywhere else, so why not come to Kansas? The main issues were only the venues – just trying to find somewhere suitable – and the competition.  The other thing is just getting the word out – mainly due to Facebook changing their ad policies.

Time Eddy will be the first Doctor Who convention in Kansas in 25 years. Does that add any extra pressure?

It actually does in some ways. Time Eddy has generated a lot of interest. Actually, more interest than I realized, because even people from further uphill are coming. We got people from Canada that have already bought tickets. There’s definitely pressure and expectation. I want to make sure that it’s worth the wait, you know? You don’t want it be the first horrible convention in 25 years.

Were there any potential guests that declined for any reason?

Yeah, mainly because of work schedules. That was the biggest issue – especially with the new series people, since a lot of them are working right now. For a convention too, it’s tricky because unless you have some massive corporation, it’s a huge gamble paying for this top star to come here, knowing that he’s saying ‘but at the last minute I might cancel it because I’m busy filming episodes,’ because then you’re left with nobody.

So, other than Ellis George [Courtney Woods], did you ask anyone from the new series to come?

I spoke to various people. As Time Eddy evolved though, we were still having discussions with people – but as things started falling into place with a lot of the classic people who I kind of already knew, we got to a point where we were like ‘well now we kind of have a pool of classic people, so we think we’ll stick with that, and perhaps next time we’ll revisit the new series people.’

Is there anyone you wished could’ve made it?

I’m really disappointed that Stephen Thorne [Omega, and various] had to drop out. He had to drop out because of a family situation. I know he’s not one of the biggest stars, but I mean to me, he played a lot of cool characters.

I’ve actually interviewed him before. He’s just hilarious; he cracks me up. So I was really looking forward to him. Other than that, I really like writers; I would like to have 50 writers just to hear their stories. There are a few other writers that I spoke to that I would’ve liked to see come. It was just time and scheduling though; they couldn’t make it.

What sort of things, other than a cosplay competition, can fans look forward to at the convention?

We’re setting up a good amount of gaming. As far as the interactive element to it goes, there’s going to be a lot of fan panels. We’ve got fan panels coming down from all over – like Nebraska, Colorado, Utah… Also, even though there’s going to be a lot of interaction with the guests anyway, we’ve got some meals set aside where only a limited number of people can have lunch with the Doctor, and five of his companions or something like that [as part of the advanced interaction with the guests]. As of right now, we have two meals scheduled; one breakfast, and one lunch, both in a segregated area during the convention.

There’s also a ‘Celestial Toyroom’, full of games to play in a similar fashion to The Celestial Toymaker!

I’ve heard there will probably be a Time Eddy II? What are your plans and hopes for that?

I’m mindful of the fact that next year it’ll be twenty years since they did the TV movie with Paul McGann. So that’s something that’s in my mind, in terms of thinking about guests.

Just like you’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Daleks’ Master Plan this time around, you might be celebrating the movie next year?

Yeah, exactly. And, although I’m more of a classic person myself, obviously a lot of the younger crowd here are fans of the revival series. For next year, that’s something we’ve been thinking about. I’ve also realized something too, with Ellis George coming. She’s in the most recent series of Doctor Who, but a lot of people haven’t seen that yet, because they’re watching Netflix, and Peter Capaldi’s stuff hasn’t reached Netflix yet. So we’re thinking in terms of, ‘what do most young people think of when they think of Doctor Who?’. That’s kind of the thought for Time Eddy II.

Last question, then: If you ever found the TARDIS on the side of the road, with no Doctor or companions inside, where would you go? What nonsense would you do throughout time and space?

That’s a good question. Hmm. I might go see Omega. His universe is kind of cool. He needs a bit of help with his interior designing, but he’s pretty cool.

Nice choice. Thanks for the chat Kieran! We look forward to Time Eddy this October!

***

Later that day, a Time Eddy promotional event went on at the Burrow, a local geek shop in Wichita.

Kieran says that any help getting the word out about Time Eddy is greatly appreciated. Maybe you’ll create a computer virus on your phone that will send every phone number on earth a link to this article? It’s your choice. We’re not endorsing that. Just saying.

The Time Eddy convention will arrive on October 2nd, and continues until October 4th. You can find info about the venue and other aspects, as well as ticket prices, at kansasdoctorwho.com

You can find the Time Eddy convention page, the Whovians of Wichita, and ICT Cosplay Gallifrey on Facebook too.

The post Exclusive Interview: Kieran Kinsella, Organizer of Kansas’ Time Eddy Convention! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.

Titan Comics’ Tenth Doctor #07 Reviewed!

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.

It’s 1916 and the Weeping Angels are gaining ground on the Doctor, Gabby, and a handful of First World War soldiers. With every blink, they get closer and closer and closer. Crikey, this is great storytelling.

Probably what’s most impressive is how The Weeping Angels of Mons adds to the mythos, touching on new information about how the Angels operate without contradicting their main TV outings, Blink, The Time of Angels/ Flesh and Stone, and The Angels Take Manhattan. That they have hunting grounds echoes Winter Quay, and yep, with soldiers’ bodies never being found, this terrible war is an ideal setting. Their subsequent telly adventures have made their methods in Blink seem somewhat kind – indeed, the Doctor described them as killing you nicely – and this comic is just the same. It’s as if the Angels have evolved further, got a little more malicious; even sadistic.

The opening scene of The Tenth Doctor #7 makes it clear that, unlike Blink¸ the Angels aren’t content to simply zap you back in time and let you live to death: instead, they send you back, straight into disastrous situations where death is almost certain.

It opens up a lot of questions. Do the Angels have sects? The Winter Quay crowd had one idea, the Wester Drumlins another, and that lone one in the New York graveyard was happy to inflict emotional pain on the Doctor and River. It sent Rory and Amy back together. Is that because it couldn’t interfere with Rory’s tombstone? That’d only work on Rory, though. Can an Angel only send you back to one set time period? Surely people would get fed up of all these time-displaced folk cropping up in the same place and twig that something’s up?

This is one reason The Weeping Angels of Mons is such an interesting tale. It’s engaging and exciting. It makes you think while moving those statues on, figuratively speaking.

Actually, you can see it as a TV episode. More than that – I’d love to see this on the idiot’s lantern!

That’s not to say it doesn’t work as a comic book: just the opposite, in fact. The creepiness sounds hard to translate into a comic book, but when you think about it, breaks between panels are like blinking. They’re an insubstantial, almost unnoticeable break from the action, again just like blinking. Writer, Robbie Morrison has done brilliantly here, working alongside artist, Daniel Indro.

Indro’s speciality, without doubt, is setting and atmosphere. The locations are all beautifully drawn, and very evocative. His train is notably detailed, while the trenches and the church are moody and unsettling. His style reminds me somewhat of Mico Suayan (Moon Knight; Bloodshot: Reborn), but just similar to last issue, his faces (particularly that of the Doctor) aren’t quite right. With one exception: Gabby Gonzalez. She’s immediately recognisable and stunningly drawn. Very impressive stuff.

So, too, are his Weeping Angels. They’re chilling in some panels, down-right scary in others, and haunting in further still. The creatures appear a very credible and intimidating – almost inescapable – threat.

The Weeping Angels of Mons is a truly great comic, one of the best Titan has put out so far. Given their track record, that’s a considerable feat.

The Tenth Doctor  #7 is out now, priced $3.99.

The post Titan Comics’ Tenth Doctor #07 Reviewed! appeared first on Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews.