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Doctor Who: Monstrous Beauty
Get ready for more action-packed comic strip adventures through time and space, taken from the pages of the official Doctor Who Magazine! Starring multiple incarnations of the Doctor, this next volume sees the Thirteenth Doctor venture into the Gardens of Everlasting Summer, the Peter Cushing version of the Doctor battling the Mechanoids, the Third Doctor trading wits with the Master, and much more! Plus, the Ninth Doctor and Rose enter the Dark Times and clash with the Time Lords' ancestors! Nine complete adventures!
124 pages, Paperback
Published June 10, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 27, 2026
Some great strips from various eras of DWM here. Very worth it.
Each story here has its own thing really going for it, so this is a rare case where every single strip featured stands out for one reason or another:
"Dr Who & The Mechonoids" is a condensed comic adaptation of the third planned but scrapped Peter Cushing movie which would have been based on "The Chase."
"Fear Of The Future" is a prelude to "Everlasting Summer", which has the 13th Doctor directly remember and reference 1st Doctor companion Sara Kingdom, who appears in a flashback frame.
"Monstrous Beauty" takes us to the Dark Times of Gallifrey with the Ninth Doctor and Rose and seems to draw quite a bit from Nosferatu & Dracula with its gothic setting and vampiresses. It also shows us an early incarnation of a rather important Time Lord and it's wonderful to see Eccleston's likeness appear alongside them. The story is part of the wider impossible-to-follow Time Lord Victorious multi-media event, with the novel "All Flesh Is Grass" taking place DURING this strip's epilogue (hence Nine's battered jacket) along with a rather subtle cameo from the Tenth Doctor in the shadow of the trees on the last page.
"The Man In The Ion Mask" gives us a short tit for tat between the Third Doctor and The Master from a writer who clearly understands both these characters and their dynamic.
"Are You Listening?"/"Younger & Wiser" form a duology which sees the Seventh Doctor and Bernice go back to save a living city the First Doctor fled from, erroneously assuming it meant him, Steven and Vicki harm. It's surprisingly emotional and heartbreaking to see the Doctor, a hero for all ages, running away from someone who just wants help but can't be heard.
"Plastic Millennium" pits the Seventh Doctor and Mel against Autons/the Nestene Consciousness.
"The Seventh Segment" sees the Fourth Doctor and Romana finding another segment of the Key To Time... Or do they? The artist himselt admits the art style is a little different than normal and more akin to manga, and while manga is a fantastic genre, I don't know if that technique works so well for a strip based on British Sci-Fi, with both the Doctor and Romana exhibiting quite goofy expressions in various panels.
At the back of the volume there are also some behind the scenes tidbits from people who worked on each strip, which is lovely.
Each story here has its own thing really going for it, so this is a rare case where every single strip featured stands out for one reason or another:
"Dr Who & The Mechonoids" is a condensed comic adaptation of the third planned but scrapped Peter Cushing movie which would have been based on "The Chase."
"Fear Of The Future" is a prelude to "Everlasting Summer", which has the 13th Doctor directly remember and reference 1st Doctor companion Sara Kingdom, who appears in a flashback frame.
"Monstrous Beauty" takes us to the Dark Times of Gallifrey with the Ninth Doctor and Rose and seems to draw quite a bit from Nosferatu & Dracula with its gothic setting and vampiresses. It also shows us an early incarnation of a rather important Time Lord and it's wonderful to see Eccleston's likeness appear alongside them. The story is part of the wider impossible-to-follow Time Lord Victorious multi-media event, with the novel "All Flesh Is Grass" taking place DURING this strip's epilogue (hence Nine's battered jacket) along with a rather subtle cameo from the Tenth Doctor in the shadow of the trees on the last page.
"The Man In The Ion Mask" gives us a short tit for tat between the Third Doctor and The Master from a writer who clearly understands both these characters and their dynamic.
"Are You Listening?"/"Younger & Wiser" form a duology which sees the Seventh Doctor and Bernice go back to save a living city the First Doctor fled from, erroneously assuming it meant him, Steven and Vicki harm. It's surprisingly emotional and heartbreaking to see the Doctor, a hero for all ages, running away from someone who just wants help but can't be heard.
"Plastic Millennium" pits the Seventh Doctor and Mel against Autons/the Nestene Consciousness.
"The Seventh Segment" sees the Fourth Doctor and Romana finding another segment of the Key To Time... Or do they? The artist himselt admits the art style is a little different than normal and more akin to manga, and while manga is a fantastic genre, I don't know if that technique works so well for a strip based on British Sci-Fi, with both the Doctor and Romana exhibiting quite goofy expressions in various panels.
At the back of the volume there are also some behind the scenes tidbits from people who worked on each strip, which is lovely.
August 4, 2025
Taken from the pages of Doctor Who Magazine through the years this is an eclectic and rather disconnected collection of comic strips featuring various incarnations of The Doctor.
Starting off with a short tale featuring the Peter Cushing version of The Doctor that appeared in two films in the 1960s Dr Who and the Mechanoids captures the fun and 60s kitsch of those two films. The artwork in this story is beautiful and really captures that unique era of Doctor Who's history.
Following on are the final story from Doctor Who magazine that featured Jodie Whittaker's version of The Doctor, and a Chris Eccleston story (the title story) These are decent recreations of their respective eras with some really good artwork.
The remaining stories are oddities taken from either winter of summer specials of the magazine throughout the years, featuring the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 7th Doctors. These are a mixed bag both with the story and the artwork but they are interesting short, curios they many may not have seen before. The 3rd Doctor in particular featuring his encounter with the Roger Degado version of The Master in a sort of epilogue to the TV story The Deamons is well worth a read.
The collection finishes with a series of articles and interviews with many of the various writers and artists of the stories which gives some interesting insights into the process that went into crafting these stories.
All in all a mixed bag but well worth a read not least because it gives a chance to see some rarely seen stories from the pages of Doctor Who Magazine as well as some more recent fare. There's no overall theme just a collection of very different stories but that makes it all the more interesting in many ways.
I'll give it 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4.
Starting off with a short tale featuring the Peter Cushing version of The Doctor that appeared in two films in the 1960s Dr Who and the Mechanoids captures the fun and 60s kitsch of those two films. The artwork in this story is beautiful and really captures that unique era of Doctor Who's history.
Following on are the final story from Doctor Who magazine that featured Jodie Whittaker's version of The Doctor, and a Chris Eccleston story (the title story) These are decent recreations of their respective eras with some really good artwork.
The remaining stories are oddities taken from either winter of summer specials of the magazine throughout the years, featuring the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 7th Doctors. These are a mixed bag both with the story and the artwork but they are interesting short, curios they many may not have seen before. The 3rd Doctor in particular featuring his encounter with the Roger Degado version of The Master in a sort of epilogue to the TV story The Deamons is well worth a read.
The collection finishes with a series of articles and interviews with many of the various writers and artists of the stories which gives some interesting insights into the process that went into crafting these stories.
All in all a mixed bag but well worth a read not least because it gives a chance to see some rarely seen stories from the pages of Doctor Who Magazine as well as some more recent fare. There's no overall theme just a collection of very different stories but that makes it all the more interesting in many ways.
I'll give it 3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4.
July 15, 2025
This was a really good collection of comic strips collected in this collection. With a wide range of doctors included in this book that have different villains. This means that there is something for everything. Well worth a read if you are a doctor who fan.
February 17, 2025
It's not very often I read comics, especially Doctor Who ones, but every now and again I like to sit back and give one a read. I have long wanted to read "Monstrous Beauty," a Time Lord Victorious story, but because it was not released separately from the magazines it was included in, I decided to wait. Now it's finally here, alongside some other stories throughout the magazines' lifetime!
Dr Who and The Mechonoids:
After an accident in the Tardis, The Doctor, Susan and a delivery man arrive on a paradise planet being terraformed by the Mechonoids. Unfortunately, The Mechonoids aren't friendly and in order to make them realize who's actually their friend, they need the right code. Time is running out, a ship for colonization is about to arrive and if they don't hurry, it'll be a massacre.
Jacqueline Rayner has written a fun love letter to the Peter Cushing movies that as the Peter Cushing Doctor and his granddaughter fighting against the Mechonoids. It's a quick read with plenty of humor and heart. 8/10
Fear of The Future:
The 13th doctor, Yaz and Dan, arrive at the beach for a spot of relaxation. But when Dan starts seeing visions of the future, he tries to stop a terrible accident.
Nothing much to write home about this one, but Jacqueline Rayner has written another sweet story that gives a clue to what might happen next! 7/10
The Everlasting Summer:
At a retirement home in a distant world, it's always summer. Nobody ever dies and everyone's always happy. The Doctor, Dan and Yaz arrive to uncover the mystery behind this paradise. Some people try their hardest to run away from sadness, but sometimes you have to embrace it.
Jacqueline Rayner has written a really fun story with a neat concept. It's a timey-wimey adventure with a life learning message. It's a story with a healthy balance of humor and tension. Loved the reference to The Daleks Masterplan in this and the artwork is gorgeous. 8/10
Monstrous Beauty:
The Doctor and Rose have found themselves in the dark times. Gallifreyans and vampires are fighting a deadly conflict throughout the universe, blood is being spilt, and the galaxies are screaming. Bumping into Rassilon, The Doctor realizes getting out safe and alive is going to be trickier than he could ever have imagined.
Scott Gray has written a brilliant vampire epic that gives us a nice bit of backstory on the Gallifreyan and vampire war. There's a lot of drama and action in this one with plenty of blood and violence. The stakes are high and Rose is in terrible danger. Definitely my favorite story from the Time Lord Victorious stuff, it's brilliant! 10/10
The Man in The Ion Mask:
The Master, after his affairs in Devil's End, wishes to see The Doctor as his guest in prison. What is The Master up to and can The Doctor really believe his old friend wants to change his ways?
Dan Abnett has written a fun and clever 3rd doctor comic that made for a really charming read. I love the 3rd doctor and the Delgado Master so reading this was a treat. 8/10
Are you Listening?:
Xenith may look like a city, but it's actually a computerized system and a lonely one. It wants someone to talk with, companionship. When The Doctor, Steven and Vicki arrive they find themselves fascinated by the city but it isn't long before they spooked by city and what lurks within it.
Warwick Gray has written an interesting and sad story of The Tardis crew making a mistake in misunderstanding of a system that simply wants to talk with them. It's a decent story, that's very much the first half of a 2-parter. 7/10
Younger and Wiser:
The Doctor returns to Xenith in his 7th incarnation along with his companion Bernice Summerfield. He has amends to make.
This is a sweet conclusion to a heartfelt story. It's nice reading Bernice Summerfield in a comic for a change, I'm used to reading them in the VNAs or hearing them in the audios. 7/10
Plastic Millenium:
The 7th doctor and Mel attend a party hosted by Alisha Hammerson, the owner of a successful plastics company. Unfortunately for the Earth she's an auton and her plans with the Nestenes have begun. The Doctor must stop her no matter the cost.
G*reth R*berts has written a really fun auton story that admittedly could have been a little longer but it still had a surprising amount of substance to it despite its short length. 8/10
The Seventh Segment:
The Doctor, Romana and K9 have been led to the wrong time and place on their quest for the key to time. Why has the tracer brought them here to an object that isn't a segment of the key, and why are gangsters desperate to have it? A lot of questions, but first they better start running.
I wasn't keen on this story, to be honest. It's a more light-hearted comedy that concludes with a gruesome ending, but it didn't click for me. 5/10
Overall: 68/90
Dr Who and The Mechonoids:
After an accident in the Tardis, The Doctor, Susan and a delivery man arrive on a paradise planet being terraformed by the Mechonoids. Unfortunately, The Mechonoids aren't friendly and in order to make them realize who's actually their friend, they need the right code. Time is running out, a ship for colonization is about to arrive and if they don't hurry, it'll be a massacre.
Jacqueline Rayner has written a fun love letter to the Peter Cushing movies that as the Peter Cushing Doctor and his granddaughter fighting against the Mechonoids. It's a quick read with plenty of humor and heart. 8/10
Fear of The Future:
The 13th doctor, Yaz and Dan, arrive at the beach for a spot of relaxation. But when Dan starts seeing visions of the future, he tries to stop a terrible accident.
Nothing much to write home about this one, but Jacqueline Rayner has written another sweet story that gives a clue to what might happen next! 7/10
The Everlasting Summer:
At a retirement home in a distant world, it's always summer. Nobody ever dies and everyone's always happy. The Doctor, Dan and Yaz arrive to uncover the mystery behind this paradise. Some people try their hardest to run away from sadness, but sometimes you have to embrace it.
Jacqueline Rayner has written a really fun story with a neat concept. It's a timey-wimey adventure with a life learning message. It's a story with a healthy balance of humor and tension. Loved the reference to The Daleks Masterplan in this and the artwork is gorgeous. 8/10
Monstrous Beauty:
The Doctor and Rose have found themselves in the dark times. Gallifreyans and vampires are fighting a deadly conflict throughout the universe, blood is being spilt, and the galaxies are screaming. Bumping into Rassilon, The Doctor realizes getting out safe and alive is going to be trickier than he could ever have imagined.
Scott Gray has written a brilliant vampire epic that gives us a nice bit of backstory on the Gallifreyan and vampire war. There's a lot of drama and action in this one with plenty of blood and violence. The stakes are high and Rose is in terrible danger. Definitely my favorite story from the Time Lord Victorious stuff, it's brilliant! 10/10
The Man in The Ion Mask:
The Master, after his affairs in Devil's End, wishes to see The Doctor as his guest in prison. What is The Master up to and can The Doctor really believe his old friend wants to change his ways?
Dan Abnett has written a fun and clever 3rd doctor comic that made for a really charming read. I love the 3rd doctor and the Delgado Master so reading this was a treat. 8/10
Are you Listening?:
Xenith may look like a city, but it's actually a computerized system and a lonely one. It wants someone to talk with, companionship. When The Doctor, Steven and Vicki arrive they find themselves fascinated by the city but it isn't long before they spooked by city and what lurks within it.
Warwick Gray has written an interesting and sad story of The Tardis crew making a mistake in misunderstanding of a system that simply wants to talk with them. It's a decent story, that's very much the first half of a 2-parter. 7/10
Younger and Wiser:
The Doctor returns to Xenith in his 7th incarnation along with his companion Bernice Summerfield. He has amends to make.
This is a sweet conclusion to a heartfelt story. It's nice reading Bernice Summerfield in a comic for a change, I'm used to reading them in the VNAs or hearing them in the audios. 7/10
Plastic Millenium:
The 7th doctor and Mel attend a party hosted by Alisha Hammerson, the owner of a successful plastics company. Unfortunately for the Earth she's an auton and her plans with the Nestenes have begun. The Doctor must stop her no matter the cost.
G*reth R*berts has written a really fun auton story that admittedly could have been a little longer but it still had a surprising amount of substance to it despite its short length. 8/10
The Seventh Segment:
The Doctor, Romana and K9 have been led to the wrong time and place on their quest for the key to time. Why has the tracer brought them here to an object that isn't a segment of the key, and why are gangsters desperate to have it? A lot of questions, but first they better start running.
I wasn't keen on this story, to be honest. It's a more light-hearted comedy that concludes with a gruesome ending, but it didn't click for me. 5/10
Overall: 68/90
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews