The Seventh Doctor, despite his unassuming physical stature, is renowned for his intellectual prowess and strategic mind. Paired with companions like Ace and her penchant for explosives, he’s a force to be reckoned with. But is even this combination of brains and firepower enough to tackle “Operation Volcano”? Let’s delve into a Major Spoilers review of Doctor Who: The Seventh Doctor #1 and find out.
This inaugural issue of Doctor Who: The Seventh Doctor from Titan Comics immediately throws readers into a complex narrative web, skillfully weaving together multiple timelines and character perspectives. The story opens in 1967 Australia, where the aftermath of an atomic bomb test has unearthed something extraordinary – a seemingly alien spacecraft. Simultaneously, in 2029, a space expedition stumbles upon a similar vessel in orbit, discovering within it the long-lost Group Captain Gilmore, suspended in time for decades. The method of summoning the Doctor is particularly ingenious: a contemporary newspaper, deliberately aged, serves as a temporal beacon hidden within the Bodleian Library, leading the Doctor, already present and aware of the unfolding events, to the urgent call for help. This clever use of time travel mechanics is a hallmark of classic Doctor Who storytelling. The Doctor, along with a team of British and Australian experts, embarks on a mission to investigate the unearthed spacecraft, only to uncover espionage within their ranks and a parasitic serpent attached to a high-ranking official – a creature chillingly similar to one observed on Gilmore decades prior.
Titan Comics deserves praise for delivering a double-sized issue, allowing ample space for the intricate plotlines to develop organically and authentically mirroring the pacing of a classic Doctor Who television episode. The portrayal of the Seventh Doctor and Ace perfectly captures the essence of their era in the late 1980s. This is no surprise considering the comic is penned by Andrew Cartmel, who served as the script editor during Sylvester McCoy’s tenure as the Doctor. The character development is rich, and Ace is given a dynamic action sequence, battling a seemingly possessed office worker. The artwork in Doctor Who: The Seventh Doctor #1 is noteworthy for its detailed facial expressions and strong likenesses of Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred. Importantly, the characters avoid the static poses sometimes found in comics adapting real actors. The space scenes are rendered with a cinematic scope, and the initial reveal of the crashed spacecraft effectively conveys a sense of scale. Adding further value, the issue includes a supplementary story focusing on a supporting character from ‘The Greatest Show In The Galaxy’, a well-regarded serial from Doctor Who Season 25.
Final Verdict: A Welcome Return for the Seventh Doctor
In a landscape where ongoing Doctor Who comic series often spotlight the modern Doctors, Doctor Who: The Seventh Doctor #1 is a refreshing and welcome addition, giving much-needed attention to this often-underappreciated incarnation. For fans clamoring for more adventures featuring the Second, Fifth, and Sixth Doctors, this comic serves as a hopeful sign that Titan Comics is willing to delve deeper into the rich history of Doctor Who. Doctor Who: The Seventh Doctor #1 is a visually compelling and narratively complex comic that genuinely feels like a quintessential Seventh Doctor story. It’s filled with foreshadowing, moments of levity with the Doctor’s tea drinking, and action driven by Ace. It earns a strong 4 out of 5 stars. One can only hope that Andrew Cartmel might even weave in elements of his ambitious ‘Cartmel Master Plan’ – a conceptual arc designed to re-establish the Doctor’s enigmatic and alien nature – even if it remains outside of television canon.
