Review by C.J. Bunce
Some of the best Doctor Who stories can actually be found outside the television series. Take for example the hundreds of audio books from Big Finish. In what other franchise can you find spin-off dramas featuring the very stars of the franchise, as well as other award-winning actors? Another place you can find your Doctor Who fix is via Titan Comics. Doctor Who fans across the world can find comic book writer Jody Houser tapping into some of Doctor Who fans’ favorite characters and concepts in the first issue of the new series Doctor Who: Empire of the Wolf. It’s at comic shops tomorrow. Of course, that’s Wolf as in Bad Wolf. Straight out of the gates we encounter David Tennant’s alternate 11th Doctor with Rose Tyler. Better yet, the story crosses beams with the least utilized of all, Paul McGann’s fantastic eighth Doctor, (celebrating the 25th anniversary of his first appearance) plus Matt Smith’s popular 12th Doctor. And an army of short, angry potatoes with guns. And a Fez. Oh, yes, there is much fun to be found here.
Check out a preview of Issue #1 below for borg readers courtesy of Titan Comics.
The series features the artwork of Roberta Ingranata, whose likenesses to the series’ characters are perfect for the comic book format. Jody Houser’s dialogue is the best thing about her Doctor Who stories. Readers can trust she knows these characters, their quirks, what they would say and what they wouldn’t. And that’s the hallmark of success for any tie-in series.
The first issue is superb. You will hear McGann and Smith and Tennant and Billie Piper’s Rose as you read each panel.
Here are some pages from Issue #1 of Doctor Who: Empire of the Wolf and some covers from the first three issues.
For Doctor Who fans who enjoyed these characters, Doctor Who: Empire of the Wolf is a great, nostalgic trip forward with a key branch in the timeline of the Doctor and Rose. Add it to your pull list now at Elite Comics or your local comic shop. Also, it will be collected in a trade edition next summer.
