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

Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor #3 - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: THE FIFTEENTH DOCTOR No.3, October 2024

Whilst Dan Watters’ script for Issue Three of “Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor” debatably doesn’t explain just how the Timelord’s latest adversary somehow manages to whisk him and the TARDIS away to some perilous Pocket Dimension. The increasing sense of palpable fear resonating from Ruby Sunday’s dire predicament at the hands of “the entire Sanctum Security Team” on Earth should still definitely keep this comic’s audience absolutely hooked; “Don’t look at me. I didn’t even plan this bit.”

For openers the British author does a very good job of tapping into the illogical and downright merciless group-mind mentality of scared humans which was so wonderfully explored in the Tenth Doctor’s 2008 televised episode "Midnight". These terrified shoppers are simply willing to sacrifice anyone so as to return to their mundane lives, and this comic’s narrative provides them with plenty of (erroneous) facts to fuel their fears - most notably the Gallifreyan’s companion inadvertently appearing alongside two giant insectoid extra-terrestrials just as the mob have reactivated the mall’s robot guardians. 

Furthermore, the writer shows just how dangerous it can be to have an unflinching faith in the titular time traveller, similar to that which cost Clara Oswald her life in “Face The Raven”. Considering just how short a time Ruby and the Doctor have actually travelled together this unshakeable belief is perhaps a little unconvincing. But its impact upon this twenty-two page periodical’s plot is arguably made much more harrowing by the young orphan talking a pair of harmless aliens into leaving the safety of their underground habitat, and subsequently seeing them brutally killed in a solar storm as a result.

Also definitely adding to this publication’s storytelling is artist Kelsey Ramsay and Colorist Valentina Bianconi, who together provide the Scream Sommelier with all the devilish character a Whovian would expect from so powerful an antagonist – most notably when the phantom-like figure rather humorously breaks the Fourth Wall. Quite possibly the creative pair’s biggest success though comes with the portrayal of the Cancaranka, whose formidably scary size is wonderfully off-set by their amiable manners and deep-set desire to simply exist without being squashed to death. It genuinely is difficult not to like the two large, multi-limbed insects, and their horribly painful deaths due to trusting in Sunday is extremely depressing.

The regular cover art of "DOCTOR WHO: THE FIFTEENTH DOCTOR" #3 by Abigail Harding

Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor #2 - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: THE FIFTEENTH DOCTOR No.2, September 2024

Containing a narrative with numerous ups and downs, it’s arguably not difficult to imagine many readers of this twenty-two page periodical feeling as if they had just stepped off of a rollercoaster ride once they’d finished perusing it. In fact, every time it appears that any of the leading cast have got a handle of the deeply-dark goings on inside the last shopping mall on Earth, Dan Watters cleverly pens another exciting twist which many within the audience might not see coming; “Listen to me, they aren’t real. They aren’t going to hurt anyone. Just close your eyes and… No. No no no! Run!”

The first of these unpleasant shocks is poor Bruce Cotton’s sad demise, who against all the odds actually appears to be about to beat his greatest fear, before quite literally finding the boardwalk he is cautiously travelling along fatally falling away beneath his feet. This action sequence should initially have all but the most cold-hearted of bibliophiles cheering the acrophobic shopper on as he travels to the building’s uppermost level to change a fuse. However, just as everything looks good to go, the British author pulls the rug out from under him, and makes it clear that the diabolical Scream Sommelier is playing a genuinely deadly game.

Impressively though, having established this ‘rule of thumb’, the comic’s narrative then performs a complete U-turn when the Fifteenth Doctor is about to be blasted to pieces by a horde of ultimately illusionary Cybermen. This eventual lack of threat may well prove a tad frustrating at first, as the suspense leading up to the Time Lord’s apparent demise is utterly enticing. Yet this notion that the cybernetic giants from Mondas aren’t really hiding beneath the superstore is shrewdly revisited later on, and then pans out to be an entirely different proposition for the Gallifreyan to outwit.

Prodigiously pencilling all these pulse-pounding proceedings is Kelsey Ramsay, who does a first-class job in ensuring that any onlookers are absolutely convinced that the titular character is about to become the latest member of the Cybermen. Likewise, the illustrator does some great work in imbuing the hapless Cotton with the heart-wrenching haunted look of a man doing something which terrifies every fibre of his physical being.

The regular cover art of "DOCTOR WHO: THE FIFTEENTH DOCTOR" #2 by Roberta Ingranata

Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor #1 - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: THE FIFTEENTH DOCTOR No.1, July 2024

Despite being a rather slow-paced affair, due to the Time Lord and his companion carefully reconnoitring the last shopping mall on the planet Earth, Dan Watters’ penmanship for this twenty-two page periodical definitely seems to capture all the nuances of the science-fiction programme’s broadcast adventures. Indeed, in many ways this comic feels as if it’s simply an enthralling adaption of a genuine “Doctor Who” script which sadly just never managed to make it to the small screen; “I’ve never been here before. Thought it might be a bit… creepy.”

Much of this atmosphere is undoubtedly due to the Doctor’s early tentative steps slowly quizzing some of the venue’s lifelong shoppers, and pondering upon just why some people would prefer to live out their existence in a “big machine catering to all human needs and wants” rather than seek out a new reality amongst the stars. These conversations are genuinely thought-provoking, and also enable the British author to imbue the Gallifreyan with all the energy and love of life which actor Ncuti Gatwa portrays on the show.

Likewise artist Kelsey Ramsay does a first-rate job of pencilling the ‘best friends’ during this yarn, with the Time Lord’s child-like joy at sliding down the side of an escalator at speed being one of several highly-memorable, visual moments. Alongside, colorist Valentina Bianconi, the London-born illustrator is also a dab hand at suddenly transforming the location from a brightly-lit, relatively safe-looking environment, into a decidedly dark and dangerous world, crammed full of truly sinister Cybermen and a swarm of spine-chilling, giant-sized insects.  

Perhaps therefore the storyline’s sole disappointment comes at its start, with the motive behind the time travellers’ visit to the Twenty-Ninth Century being confined to a couple of bland lines on the “Previously…” page, as opposed to being covered within the actual comic itself. Admittedly, the reason for the Doctor’s journey is rather well explained in the title’s Free Comic Book Day edition published a month or two earlier. But for those bibliophiles unable to physically acquire a copy, or unwilling to download a digital version simply to better understand this book, it would surely have been worth side-lining a few panels showing Ruby Sunday wearing various futuristic costumes for a well-crafted flashback sequence instead..?

The regular cover art of "DOCTOR WHO: THE FIFTEENTH DOCTOR" #1 by Artgerm

Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2024 - Titan Comics

DOCTOR WHO: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2024, May 2024

Apparently penned by Dan Watters whilst listening to English rock band “Adam and the Ants”, it’s pretty clear that the British author was having “a blast” whilst developing this opening instalment to “a brand new Fifteenth Doctor comic series from Titan Comics”. Indeed, despite some disconcertingly dark concepts concerning a viciously-fanged villain who bottles up the dying screams of people and stacks them upon a seemingly endless series of shelves, there’s still a distinctly good-humoured, rather jovial feel to the Time Lord’s trip back to a hangman’s gibbet in Eighteenth-Century Yorkshire. 

Much of this jocularity is undoubtedly caused by the twelve-page periodical quite wonderfully capturing all the energy and roguishness of actor Ncuti Gatwa’s televised portrayal. There’s a genuine joy to the Gallifreyan as he discovers a sound emanating throughout the space-time vortex, and excitedly decides to follow the noise to its source on Earth in the year 1739 A.D.; “All those places… someone’s trying to scare me.”

Such infectious enthusiasm is also on display when the Doctor subsequently encounters Dick Turpin, and wastes no time at all in climbing upon a nearby horse and riding the highwayman down. This tense chase sequence is the highlight of the comic, courtesy of the infamous robber attempting to blast the titular character to bits with a cyber-blaster. Yet its London-born writer still manages to inject some playfulness into the nail-biting action by having the leather-coated time traveller politely doff a semi-conscious soldier’s cocked hat at the start of the pursuit.

Equally as good as imbuing this book with the high-octane vitality of the science fiction programme are artist Kelsey Ramsay, and colorist Valentina Bianconi, who together quite wonderfully capture the physical likenesses of the show’s leading thespians. Admittedly, Ruby Sunday’s role within this particular plot is somewhat overshadowed by the Time Lord’s aforementioned heroic dash to recapture the ‘romanticised horse thief’. But nonetheless the graphic designer still manages to convey the courageous companion’s evident concern at being tied-up by the authorities in the mistaken belief that she is one of Turpin’s accomplices and should therefore be mercilessly hanged alongside him on the local gallows.

Writer: Dan Watters, Artist: Kelsey Ramsay, and Colorist: Valentina Bianconi