There was no bigger surprise last month than Titan Comics’ new adaptation of Doctor Who. Both the Tenth Doctor and the Eleventh Doctor had wonderful debut issues, but could the magic continue? Well it looks like we’ll be finding out with the Tenth Doctor up first. What I found very curious and interesting about the new series is that the likeness of the actors is being used. That’s very different from a lot of adaptations based on movies and TV shows which makes me wonder if there’s something in the contract. Whatever it is, we’re the better for it because it really does help with the dialogue when the character looks like the TV show.
I actually found myself liking the story even more in this second issue. We pick up on the train where the Doctor has run into Gabby as a monstrous form of herself is trying to attack them. The Doctor attempts to use his sonic screwdriver to calm the living illusion, but nothing seems to work. They make a daring escape from the train fleeing only to be trapped by the monster once more. The Doctor tells Gabby not to look at it and she decides to pull out a mirror and show it to the monster. It works as the monster disappears and the man it was controlling drops to the floor. Rather than explain the situation The Doctor and Gabby leave.
Of course she has questions, but the Doctor dodges most of them. He tells her to go home and pretend everything was a dream, but we all know their paths are going to continue to cross.
What’s really great about the writing is that writer Nick Abadzis captures David Tennant’s personality. When The Doctor tells Gabby to go home and forget everything it was very much his way of trying not to get her involved, but more so it was his way of not getting attached to another companion. It really made this story believable and feels at home in the Doctor Who universe.
Elena Casagrande’s art in this issue is wonderful. Something about her artwork captures the vibe and feeling of the Tenth Doctor’s run on the show. What really does it is the facial expressions. Tennant’s Doctor was very expressive and Casagrande brings that out with her illustrations. It’s another reason why I’m glad that they can use the likeness.
The color matches the artwork as well. If you read the Eleventh Doctor’s series then you also know that the color from each series is different which is great because it keeps them feeling different which is exactly how the show felt too.
When you review a book there’s a tendency to read it because you’re reviewing it. If you stop reviewing it then you also stop reading it and that says a lot about a story. You continued with it because you were reviewing it not because you felt the need to. With Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor, if I were to stop reviewing it I would continue reading it. It’s a book I want to read more of and I enjoy continuing my attachment of the Tenth Doctor through reading this series. One thing is for sure, I’m enjoying this series more than I am the new season of the show.
Score: 4/5
Writer: Nick Abadzis Artist: Elena Casagrande Publisher: Titan Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 8/27/14 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital