Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor #4 - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: THE FIFTEENTH DOCTOR No.4, December 2024

As “unmissable” conclusion’s go, Dan Watters’ narrative for Issue Four of “Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor” certainly lives up to its publisher’s boast of being an “action-packed final part.” However, having regaled his audience with some headlong chases down the numerous corridors of a claustrophobic wine cellar, as well as witnessing the titular time traveller whack an almost endless supply of valuable bottles with a baseball bat, the British author rather disappointingly has the all-powerful Sommelier simply pack his bags up and meekly depart, rather than be bested by anything spectacular the Time Lord might have conjured up.

Indeed, the sense of anti-climax as Rose Sunday simply threatens to smash villain’s flask containing “the scream of Toraji, the living sun as it collapsed into a white star” unless he surrenders is truly palpable, and genuinely must have left many a Whovian wondering what the whole point behind this mini-series was - apart from a speculative cash-grab. True, the sudden departure of this comic’s central antagonist does then provide the writer to pen an endearing origin story for poor little Maria and her cuddly teddy bear. But as twenty-two page periodical’s go, the vast majority of its readers were probably not expecting the main threat to be defeated just half-way through; “Get out of here. Take your collection and leave.”

Also making matters even more sugary sweet than they needed to be is how this book deals with the apparent deaths of “two timid little cockroach aliens”, who were cold-bloodedly murdered by Earth’s last shoppers when they exposed the extra-terrestrials to a planet-wide solar storm. Ruby’s grief at their demise should generate plenty of sympathy, as it touches upon what monsters Mankind can become when people are scared. Sadly though, such a message is ruined, or at least greatly diminished, by the Gallifreyian taking his upset companion ten years into the future, and showing her that rather than be killed by the Sun's particles, the two Cankaranka were actually able to fly to safety.

Quite possibly this comic’s biggest asset therefore lies in the artwork of Kelsey Ramsay, who does a top job of imbuing the fifteenth incarnation with all the dynamic energy shown by actor Ncuti Gatwa on the small screen. In addition, along with colorist Valentina Bianconi, the London-born illustrator does a super job in turning the Sommerlier’s scream cellar into a truly terrifying location to navigate – especially when being relentlessly pursued by an army of emotionless Cybermen.

The regular cover art of "DOCTOR WHO: THE FIFTEENTH DOCTOR" #4 by V.V. Glass

Conan The Barbarian #17 - Titan Comics

CONAN THE BARBARIAN No. 17, January 2025

With “Titan Comics” boldly proclaiming Issue Seventeen of “Conan The Barbarian” to be the beginning of a new story arc for the heavily-muscled Cimmerian, many a fan of Robert E. Howard’s sword and sorcery adventurer were probably expecting something a bit more pulse-pounding than Jim Zub’s “Fangs And Foolish Thieves”. Sure, the twenty-page plot taps into one of the character’s most memorable partnerships by having him accompany Bêlit, Pirate Queen of the Black Coast, to the Port of Prosperity for some much-needed rest and recuperation. But considering that over half the book subsequently just covers the pair drinking, dancing and love-making, there isn’t arguably much to either entertain this title’s long-term readers, or attract any new ones for that matter.

To make matters slightly worse though, when the Canadian author does eventually decide to inject his tale with some much-needed action, a fair few within the audience debatably won’t be able to shake the notion that the writer has somehow slipped one his unused plot-threads for “Dungeons & Dragons” into the mix. Such a notion is genuinely hard to ignore, with the powerful pair suddenly being attacked at night by a quartet of incompetent robbers whose party consists of a nimble thief, axe-wielding fighter, bull-necked thug and classic, double-bladed rogue; “Oh, look, my dear -- Visitors. What kind of fool wears any eyepatch they don’t need?”

Unfortunately, even the resultant skirmish isn’t especially convincing, with the ill-fated foursome supposedly able to match skills – albeit temporarily – with a Conan and Bêlit who are already warned of their approach, and have had time to arms themselves appropriately. In the novels, the Cimmerian would likely as not have brutally dispatched all of his attackers with great aplomb, especially as he’s initially able to ambush them in the darkness. However, Zub would have his audience believe the warrior would actually struggle to take out the aforementioned rogue, and implausibly then lose out to a Gunderman’s double-handed axe – at least until he is able to stop the big man’s blade literally with his bare hands..?

Danica Brine’s layouts are certainly far less bemusing as this publication’s penmanship, thanks largely to the "death-defying” illustrator’s style being somewhat reminiscent of the late, great Carmine Infantino. Indeed, it would be interesting to see just how well the GLAAD Award-nominee’s panels held up to scrutiny if inked by someone like legendary embellisher Terry Austin, rather than just being coloured by “Jumping” Jao Canola.

The regular cover art of "CONAN THE BARBARIAN" #17 by Roberto De La Torre