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Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor (Titan Comics) #3

Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor, Vol. 3: Old Friends

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Bestselling comics writer Jody Houser continues her critically acclaimed Doctor Who run with another thrilling adventure featuring a never-before-seen Time Lord, created for TV by Neil Gaiman!

Eisner-nominated writer Jody Houser and fan-favorite artist Roberta Ingranata bring you the third volume of the hit series featuring Jodie Whittaker as the first female incarnation of The Doctor.

When accussed of stealing the precious Gem of Niag, the Doctor and friends go in search of the true culprit. They soon find themselves entangled with an old friend of the Doctor's - the rogue Time Lord, the Corsair! Styled like a daring adventurer, with a pirate ship-Tardis to boot, the Corsair leads the gang on a rescue mission that seems dubiously like a heist...

The Corsair was created for the TV series by Neil Gaiman - this is her first ever appearance!

Buy it, read it, then travel back in time to read it for the first time all over again...!

Collects Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #9-12.

112 pages, paperback

First published December 4, 2019

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149 people want to read

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Jody Houser

703 books278 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for Xaanua.
187 reviews30 followers
April 18, 2021
I love the actyion-packed comics and above all the way that it was captured the personality of the thirteenth doctor.
Profile Image for Tim Rideout.
559 reviews10 followers
September 13, 2020
Glorious interaction between the Doctor and the Corsair, beautifully done.
Profile Image for Owen Townend.
Author 7 books14 followers
February 6, 2022
I know I'm reading this series out of sequence but then I really wanted to meet The Corsair. This is a Time Lord character whom Neil Gaiman created in the TV episode 'The Doctor's Wife': a piratical, lovable rogue with a long history of ambitious theft.

In Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor, Vol. 3: Old Friends, Jody Houser reveals her interpretation of the character by dragging the Doctor and her 'fam' into a well-intentioned heist. It's an enjoyable caper with a lot of heart and some applaudable character work in the scenes between the Doctor and the Corsair. I really felt the warm but vigilant friendship between the two, which is also tinged with regret from the Doctor's perspective.

I believe that Houser's characterisation easily outpaces the plot here. She really knows how to get the best out of the thirteenth incarnation and I hope she gets to write for the TV show someday. In the meantime Ingranata brings Houser's words to life with delightful colour and gorgeous shading. That being said, some of the close-up shots of the Doctor did prove a little unflattering.

I recommend Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor, Vol. 3: Old Friends to Whovians who prefer how the Thirteenth Doctor has been handled in print media and those intrigued by The Corsair.
Profile Image for Andy Hickman.
7,304 reviews51 followers
January 17, 2020
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor, Vol. 3 – OLD FRIENDS

Contains interesting history of the infamous Corsair!

Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #9

New story. Has the Doctor been framed?

“Do you know who took the gem thing, Doctor?” – Ryan
“I have my suspicions. Two hearts? Dark, curly hair? Not exactly the most detailed description. However .. it sounds a LOT like an old enemy of mine. And an even older friend.” - Doctor
..

Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #10
“Is she about to shoot him?” – Yaz
“Possibly. Or buy him a drink, or propose marriage. Never really know WHAT to expect with that one.” -Doctor
..
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #11

Unfortunately the pacing has slowed. Still enjoyable, however.

“We’re going to need your TARDIS to create a stellar stasis net for transport.” – The Corsair

..
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #12

Didn’t finish strongly, but fun and worthwhile 4-part story.

“Is everyone still in one piece?” – Doctor
“Definitely too old for this ..” – Graham
“Oh, nonsense. I’m so much older than you and I’m doing just fine.” – Doctor
..
Profile Image for Chris Lemmerman.
Author 7 books119 followers
November 15, 2021
The Doctor runs into an old friend, The Corsair, in her first actual on-screen appearance. The pair take on a bit of a time caper, bringing them head to head with an old enemy.

Banter, banter, banter. This one's all about the banter. Corsair banter. Doctor banter. Corsair & Doctor banter (possibly flirting? who's to say?). Companion banter. You get the picture. It's a fairly straight forward story that perhaps takes a little while to get going, but once you get to the top of that rollercoaster, it's a straight plunge down to the finish line.

Roberta Ingranata continues her pencilling duties from the last volume, and it's clear to see why she's stuck around for all of Jody Houser's other Who outings because they work really well together. The visuals are clear and clean, if a little square around the edges (I'm pretty sure Jodie Whittaker's chin couldn't cut diamonds in real life), but I'm so pleased to have a consistent art team on a series that I can't complain.

Not quite as brilliant as the previous volume, but still very, very entertaining.
Profile Image for Samah (samahcanread_).
678 reviews90 followers
February 5, 2020
I loved all the call-backs in this issue.

We finally see the Corsair, an old friend of the Doctor who was mentioned in one of the best arcs in Moffat's era, the Impossible Astronaute. The art too is so beautiful, and Jodie really shines more here with the campanions.

Also, question here,
Profile Image for Allen.
114 reviews2 followers
December 14, 2019
A New Who Story that features another Time Lord other than the Master and the most mysterious one we don't know much since The Doctor's Wife and that is the Corsair! And like the full circles of things though.
Profile Image for Rosa.
559 reviews14 followers
October 19, 2024
THE CORSAIR!!!! So little was done in visual canon with Gallifrey after the reveal from "The Day of the Doctor" that I sometimes forget that there was four years of extended media between that series 12 and the second total destruction of Gallifrey that could expand upon the Doctor's planet. And what a gift it was to see the Doctor just get to have an adventure with a fellow Time Lord who isn't a frenemy, such as the Master, but someone who was just always a friend. And it was one who was introduced in my favorite episode of New!Who, "The Doctor's Wife."

And now I just want a whole line of audio dramas, novels, and comics that are about the Corsair and the friendship they have with the Doctor. Cos these two are having genuine fun together in this comic and it is so uplifting to see. And we get a lot of Thirteen's adorable nose scrunch and it's animated so well in this issue!

The artwork is gorgeous, this story fits in with the chronology of its two preceding comics perfectly, and the dynamic between Thirteen, Corsair, and the Fam is just *chef's kiss.*

Stellar work on this one.
Profile Image for Nicholas Whyte.
5,272 reviews203 followers
May 17, 2021
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3623024.html

Another very successful installment in the series of Thirteenth Doctor comics by Houser and an all-woman team of artists. Here, the Tardis team meet up with none other than the Corsair, subject of a throwaway line about Time Lords changing gender in The Doctor's Wife, here a swaggering part-time criminal who does it for fun rather than out of malevolence. The Corsair is a great creation, a different take on the Doctor's irreverence for authority and tradition, and Houser has the two developing a lovely sparking relationship, convincingly giving the sense of two people who know each other well but maybe not always as well as they think. The core narrative is that the Doctor is accused of stealing a valuable object which in fact was stolen by the Corsair, and this lands them in all sorts of trouble. The rest of the Tardis crew don't get a lot of page time, but this is the Corsair's story, and it's a good one.
Profile Image for Rocky Sunico.
2,264 reviews25 followers
March 2, 2022
As much as the second volume gave me hope that this book would go somewhere greater, this volume was okay but not quite up there. And this is despite bringing back a popular expanded-universe-style Time Lord character we've seen in other comics and related materials.

As I often remark in these Doctor Who comic reviews, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. the story was okay, but it didn't quite have the same level of delight and wonder that I most love about the best Doctor Who stories. And I don't know if the final villain reveal was that great an idea because I certainly felt a little underwhelmed by it.

And is it just me, or are all of these story arcs/volumes surprisingly short? Like I don't always feel we've gotten to a satisfactory endpoint except maybe for that second volume of the series. A rather weird run for this comic so far - or at the very least a rather mediocre one that leans towards the good side but still lacks that special something.
Profile Image for Jamieson.
719 reviews
January 23, 2021
Whereas the TV series has its ups and downs and its lackluster episodes, the Thirteenth Doctor comics are really fun. This one As always with these, the characterization of the main cast is excellent and the art is superb. There are ties back to the first volume and while this can work as a standalone, having read the previous volumes helps a little. Definitely worth checking out if you're disappointed with the TV Series but still like Jodie's Doctor.
3,035 reviews13 followers
March 31, 2022
They never expect The Corsair! Seriously, I like this character, even if his/her origins are on the obscure side, mostly a footnote on the show itself. This story felt like a more appropriate use of the character, as a talented and interesting rogue...sort of a Time Lord version of Captain Jack Harkness, only with pirate clothes.
Only one thing bothered me, which was the idea that The Corsair could be so easily tricked at one point by the baddie, but it was necessary for the story, and maybe she, as she is in this story, had a soft spot for interstellar animals.
Still, very enjoyable writing and nice art.
Profile Image for Philip.
619 reviews6 followers
June 22, 2020
If this story had been on TV, it would surely have been the highlight of Whittaker's time as Doctor. Absoluteness stunning artwork - every scene is beautifully depicted, every setting fully realised in beautiful and colourful radiance. The character of the Corsair is amazing and it is nice to see the Doctor bonding with a different Time Lord, after New-Who's seeming obsession with the Master. I wonder which actress could do the sword-wielding, pirate queen character justice? Jodie Comer perhaps?

Loved every second of this story, the TV series could learn a lot from this.
Profile Image for Alex Sarll.
6,922 reviews356 followers
Read
November 28, 2021
In which we finally get to see rather than just hear about the Corsair, who does not disappoint, and whose dynamic with the Doctor is a delight. I especially enjoyed the Doctor's shock at realising that her companions are no longer seeing her as 'the fun one'. The story beyond that is slight, but it only needs to be a peg for the character stuff, so that's not a problem - though they are a little cavalier about what looks a lot like that long and sensibly forbidden escape hatch, a TARDIS remote control.

I've still not watched any of Flux.
Profile Image for Lilybeth.
796 reviews50 followers
November 6, 2022
I love it when the comics reference characters, places, and things from the TV series.
Gaiman created a character that The Doctor knew from long ago and we finally get to see them interact.
The Corsair & 13 was so much fun!
Plus, we get a Star Whale! 11's run was all over this edition which you know made my fangirl heart very happy!

I loved seeing The Hoarder again. His character design and motive is so disturbing but it makes him memorable. Great villain to come against 13.

Really enjoyed this one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jenna.
3,785 reviews48 followers
May 25, 2020
Well if I had taken the time to read the description, I wouldn’t have been disappointed. But this was a fun adventure and the writers definitely wrote the Doctor / the Corsair in a very flirty manner. I wonder if they has that similar tension in all their interactions... Was nice that the storylines all came full circle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
19 reviews
February 17, 2025
My favourite one in this series thus far. I might be biased because I love any story with set in the modern era of who with timelords other than the doctor. I love the Corsair and her interactions with the Doctor. I also like that she morally questionable. I love how the they remind you of who she is too with the flashback panels and that she kept the box (psychic container?) for all this time.
Profile Image for Talia Franks.
Author 2 books14 followers
October 19, 2020
I really loved finally getting to experience a story with the Corsair. She's definitely a fun character to have around, and it's nice to catch a glimpse of time lords other than the Doctor and the Master/Missy in the era of NuWho.
Profile Image for Ianto Williams.
83 reviews
January 2, 2021
Really really enjoyed! Brilliant story with great references. The artwork is superb and so lovely to see a certain character pop up. Really interesting and I hope to see more. Overall the 13th dr comic run has been a joy!
Profile Image for Steven Shinder.
Author 5 books18 followers
October 19, 2022
It's silly how this story tries to trick readers into thinking Missy will appear here. It ends up being The Corsair, which is still a nice deep cut.
Profile Image for Alyce Caswell.
Author 17 books20 followers
August 25, 2025
I wasn't too keen on the Corsair as a guest character, since she pushed Yaz, Ryan and Graham into the shadows (and I do love them), but this was still a fun outing for the Thirteenth Doctor.
Profile Image for Ele.
356 reviews30 followers
March 22, 2020
I am shocked by how much I'm enjoying these Doctor Who comics. I've never been too fond of the reboot, and I usually hate spin-offs because they're just fan service for quick cash. This, on another note, is just a fun adventure that is even more worthy than the TV show.

I love how we got to see the Corsair in this one, as well as the Star Whale (I may really, intensely dislike most of Matt Smith's episodes, but I will forever love the Star Whale). Though I am confused why this Star Whale looks nothing like the one on TV.... The Corsair was a very cool, strong character, and the Doctor was also.

I loved the illustrations, though some did seem somewhat fetish-y to me? But that may just be because it's a comic book and those still don't know how to, well, not draw a Barbie figure. And with the story, it felt like if Matt Smith's had some semblance of quality - I'm not saying this because it incorporates many of his stories, I mean because the story-telling and plot are very similar.
Profile Image for Vicki.
269 reviews10 followers
March 11, 2020
I felt really lost about the character of the Corsair; I feel like I lost out a ton by not recognizing her in advance.
Profile Image for Artemis Crescent.
1,180 reviews
November 12, 2022
2022 EDIT: From my 'Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor, Vol. 1: A New Beginning' review:

Another series I won't be keeping. Not just because of my book clear-out, but because I want to distance myself from this franchise and its "fans" as much as possible. In my opinion, 'Doctor Who' isn't worth it. It's never been worth it.

I'm done.

I've never known a more toxic, culture-and-society-killing, and soul crushing fanbase as that of the sci-fi genre, except maybe the video games community.

Final Score (for 'Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor, Vol. 3: Old Friends'): 4/5





Original Review:



Oh what fun! How cool is the Corsair? A pirate lady Time Lord - with her own pirate ship TARDIS! - who is the Doctor's frenemy and occasional partner in crime. Is it too much of a stretch to suggest that they might have that kind of history together as well?

'Old Friends' is a continuation of the first two 'The Thirteenth Doctor' comic volumes - despite its serialised nature, there are linked storylines. It's a fun and absolutely hilarious adventure (the three companions also get more highlights this time round). On the other side of the coin, it's notably nuanced and sad. It very briefly but effectively touches on the Doctor's past (and future), relating to being a Time Lord. There are references to unpack, but it can be enjoyed as its own 'Doctor Who' pocket adventure.

I adore the dialogue and banter; it's a match for the previous volume's scintillating and bubbling dialogue, too.

A funny and witty addition to the canon. Brill!

My other reviews: Volume 1 here, Volume 2 here, and the Holiday Special here.

Final Score: 4.5/5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews

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