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Doctor Who: The Third Doctor (Titan Comics) #1-5
Doctor Who: The Third Doctor - The Heralds of Destruction
How do you ever win against a hive mind capable of creating itself countless bodies just by using its surroundings? Join forces with the popular Third Doctor and the infamous U.N.I.T to find out!
Twists and turns ensue with the Doctor, The Brigadier and The Master along the way as an even older familiar face returns...
Twists and turns ensue with the Doctor, The Brigadier and The Master along the way as an even older familiar face returns...
112 pages, Paperback
First published June 21, 2017
5 people are currently reading
716 people want to read
About the author
Paul Cornell
616 books1,501 followersPaul Cornell is a British writer of science fiction and fantasy prose, comics and television. He's been Hugo Award-nominated for all three media, and has won the BSFA Award for his short fiction, and the Eagle Award for his comics. He's the writer of Saucer Country for Vertigo, Demon Knights for DC, and has written for the Doctor Who TV series. His new urban fantasy novel is London Falling, out from Tor on December 6th.
via Wikipedia @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Cor...
via Wikipedia @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Cor...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
July 27, 2017
Ever since Doctor Who came back to our screens in 2005, it seems as though past doctors have been sidelined somewhat in prose. Indeed the novel range featuring them disappeared, there have only been sporadic novels since then, and their appearances in multi-Doctor comic arcs. It's only been in the last couple of years that Titan Comics has sought to readdress the balance somewhat with a string of miniseries featuring past Doctors. The latest features the Third Doctor (played on-screen by Jon Pertwee between 1970 and 1974) and sees a return to Who by writer Paul Cornell. Cornell's past Who works include both the novel and later TV adaptation of Human Nature as well as the 2005 episode Father's Day and the groundbreaking 1991 Who novel Timewyrm: Revelation. He was also, back in the day, not a fan of this era at all. Which makes it all the more interesting that what he wrote is essentially something of a blast from the past for this Doctor and Cornell's apparent farewell to Who as a writer.
The Heralds Of Destruction certainly has all the hallmarks of the Third Doctor's era. There's the dandified figure of the Doctor, his long-time assistant Jo Grant, the UNIT team ranging from Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart to Captain Yates and Sergeant Benton, the Master played by Roger Delgado with his usual disguises, and an alien invasion of a small English town are all among the tropes at play. Cornell as a writer captures the voices of everyone pitch perfectly which gives the whole thing an air of authenticity that some works featuring past Doctors have sorely lacked at times.
Cornell though, perhaps unsurprisingly, isn't happy to just let readers indulge in nostalgia. In fact, he does his best to invert some of the potential cliches of the era on their head a bit while also approaching writing early 1970s Doctor Who from a 21st-century perspective. This is especially clear from Cornell's treatment of Jo, a character that is practically the stereotype female companion from all of Classic Who, but which he makes a somewhat stronger character within these pages. Indeed, his choice of setting within the Third Doctor's TV era allows him to retroactively set-up events that took place later in the era, making this an almost pivotal story for fans of this Doctor. Lastly, Cornell also brings in some other pieces of Who lore into play such as a couple of fairly unexpected familiar faces including one that this reader suspects wouldn't have come to play just a few years ago.
That said, Cornell's plotting has some issues. Despite the scope of the story, when one looks at it as a whole, The Heralds Of Destruction seems somewhat lightweight. Perhaps that is in keeping with the era it's emulating as the focus seems to be less on plot and more on getting to the next cliffhanger moment. Indeed, the ending seems rushed and tacked on to an extent as it comes virtually out of nowhere that the entire story should change location in a hurry. While great fun is to be had for fans of the era such as myself of seeing everyone brought back together again, perhaps those less enamored with the Third Doctor era might not be as impressed.
One thing that is not a let down the artwork. Christopher Jones does a superb job across the board capturing the likeness of familiar characters perfectly in a visual equivalent of Cornell's writing with his take on the Delgado Master being a particular highlight. Even when given things we've never seen on TV before, Jones does well such as visualizing the much-talked club the Doctor was a member of during his exile and the fairly psychedelic elements of the middle issue. It's Jones' artwork that also helps with the final portion of the story and the eleventh change in location as well. Combined with the work of colorists Hi-Fi, the results are quite nice.
While not as groundbreaking as some of Cornell's previous Who works, The Heralds Of Destruction makes for nice reading. Cornell does a nice pastiche of the Third Doctor era while also approaching it from a 21st century perspective both with additional characterizations and some nice retroactive foreshadowing of events later in the same era on TV. Combined with Jones' artwork and the result is a nicely done Third Doctor tale though not quite as strong as it could have been. Still, if this does turn out to be Cornell's truly final work involving the Time Lord, it's one he can go out on with pride.
The Heralds Of Destruction certainly has all the hallmarks of the Third Doctor's era. There's the dandified figure of the Doctor, his long-time assistant Jo Grant, the UNIT team ranging from Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart to Captain Yates and Sergeant Benton, the Master played by Roger Delgado with his usual disguises, and an alien invasion of a small English town are all among the tropes at play. Cornell as a writer captures the voices of everyone pitch perfectly which gives the whole thing an air of authenticity that some works featuring past Doctors have sorely lacked at times.
Cornell though, perhaps unsurprisingly, isn't happy to just let readers indulge in nostalgia. In fact, he does his best to invert some of the potential cliches of the era on their head a bit while also approaching writing early 1970s Doctor Who from a 21st-century perspective. This is especially clear from Cornell's treatment of Jo, a character that is practically the stereotype female companion from all of Classic Who, but which he makes a somewhat stronger character within these pages. Indeed, his choice of setting within the Third Doctor's TV era allows him to retroactively set-up events that took place later in the era, making this an almost pivotal story for fans of this Doctor. Lastly, Cornell also brings in some other pieces of Who lore into play such as a couple of fairly unexpected familiar faces including one that this reader suspects wouldn't have come to play just a few years ago.
That said, Cornell's plotting has some issues. Despite the scope of the story, when one looks at it as a whole, The Heralds Of Destruction seems somewhat lightweight. Perhaps that is in keeping with the era it's emulating as the focus seems to be less on plot and more on getting to the next cliffhanger moment. Indeed, the ending seems rushed and tacked on to an extent as it comes virtually out of nowhere that the entire story should change location in a hurry. While great fun is to be had for fans of the era such as myself of seeing everyone brought back together again, perhaps those less enamored with the Third Doctor era might not be as impressed.
One thing that is not a let down the artwork. Christopher Jones does a superb job across the board capturing the likeness of familiar characters perfectly in a visual equivalent of Cornell's writing with his take on the Delgado Master being a particular highlight. Even when given things we've never seen on TV before, Jones does well such as visualizing the much-talked club the Doctor was a member of during his exile and the fairly psychedelic elements of the middle issue. It's Jones' artwork that also helps with the final portion of the story and the eleventh change in location as well. Combined with the work of colorists Hi-Fi, the results are quite nice.
While not as groundbreaking as some of Cornell's previous Who works, The Heralds Of Destruction makes for nice reading. Cornell does a nice pastiche of the Third Doctor era while also approaching it from a 21st century perspective both with additional characterizations and some nice retroactive foreshadowing of events later in the same era on TV. Combined with Jones' artwork and the result is a nicely done Third Doctor tale though not quite as strong as it could have been. Still, if this does turn out to be Cornell's truly final work involving the Time Lord, it's one he can go out on with pride.
October 10, 2019
The days when the Doctor was a hippy. Not as much fun as when he kicks ass, but still worth the read. Good art.
July 31, 2020
A rollicking good graphic adventure for the dandiest Doctor of all!
Cornell revels in the Pertwee era of Doctor Who, making vivid use of mainstays like Jo Grant, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Sergeant Benton, Captain Yates and, of course, the Delgado Master. The adventure itself relies on twists and turns and trippy mindscapes that only a show from the 70's could offer.
The villain reveal is very well done though it is reliant on knowledge of a previous incarnation's onetime enemy. Still it was good to see the Master go toe-to-toe with a rival would-be world conqueror.
I also enjoyed the way that Cornell explains why the Master's masks were so effective in their deception though it does beg the question what happened to make the Ainley Master's disguises so paltry by comparison. Also tie-ins to Modern Who were subtly done but definitely perked a smile.
Towards the end of this book I discovered that this is Cornell's last Doctor Who tale. I hope this proves a premature declaration as he excels at clever Whovian storytelling. If The Heralds of Destruction is anything to go by, he has a lot more creative potential to tap into yet.
I recommend Doctor Who: The Third Doctor, Volume 1: The Heralds of Destruction to fellow Whovians and those who enjoyed Pertwee's fabulous turn as the Doctor.
Cornell revels in the Pertwee era of Doctor Who, making vivid use of mainstays like Jo Grant, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Sergeant Benton, Captain Yates and, of course, the Delgado Master. The adventure itself relies on twists and turns and trippy mindscapes that only a show from the 70's could offer.
The villain reveal is very well done though it is reliant on knowledge of a previous incarnation's onetime enemy. Still it was good to see the Master go toe-to-toe with a rival would-be world conqueror.
I also enjoyed the way that Cornell explains why the Master's masks were so effective in their deception though it does beg the question what happened to make the Ainley Master's disguises so paltry by comparison. Also tie-ins to Modern Who were subtly done but definitely perked a smile.
Towards the end of this book I discovered that this is Cornell's last Doctor Who tale. I hope this proves a premature declaration as he excels at clever Whovian storytelling. If The Heralds of Destruction is anything to go by, he has a lot more creative potential to tap into yet.
I recommend Doctor Who: The Third Doctor, Volume 1: The Heralds of Destruction to fellow Whovians and those who enjoyed Pertwee's fabulous turn as the Doctor.
June 9, 2020
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3385685.html
This is a Third Doctor story, firmly set in UNIT between The Three Doctors and The Green Death, with beautiful attention to character and detail both in writing and art. The setting is a small English village, with the Master as part of the apparatus of an alien invasion; but then there's the really unexpected reappearance of a face from the past of Doctor Who, which really cranks up the storytelling a gear. (There's also time-slippage to Westminster in 1868.) The character of Jo is quite substantially redeemed here, and we're given more substantial grounds for Mike Yates' imminent change of allegiance than we got on screen. It's the Third Doctor era as informed not only by the show as broadcast but by the sympathetic (and sometimes superior) novelisations of the late great Terrance Dicks. Loved it.
This is a Third Doctor story, firmly set in UNIT between The Three Doctors and The Green Death, with beautiful attention to character and detail both in writing and art. The setting is a small English village, with the Master as part of the apparatus of an alien invasion; but then there's the really unexpected reappearance of a face from the past of Doctor Who, which really cranks up the storytelling a gear. (There's also time-slippage to Westminster in 1868.) The character of Jo is quite substantially redeemed here, and we're given more substantial grounds for Mike Yates' imminent change of allegiance than we got on screen. It's the Third Doctor era as informed not only by the show as broadcast but by the sympathetic (and sometimes superior) novelisations of the late great Terrance Dicks. Loved it.
Read
February 23, 2017Paul Cornell's farewell to Who (for now, anyway) does a lovely job of capturing the feel of the era while also filling it out a little - foreshadowing things which weren't foreshadowed at the time because that wasn't how the series worked then, explaining a few odd little details, showing more UNIT hardware than the BBC could afford, and so on. And it's all done with sufficient assurance and charm that I can even forgive the dogged attempt to pretend Jo Grant wasn't an irksome imbecile. Lovely art from Christopher Jones, too - great likenesses (especially his Master) but also adept at the more outlandish and conceptual stuff.
September 30, 2019
This book was so utterly brilliant, well written that I managed to read this one in one long sitting! And I bloody loved it, it's filled with fan wank that's a love letter to The Third Doctor era, featuring the UNIT Team, The Delgado Master and even The Second Doctor but there is a twist with him. ;)
The best comic I have read so far: 9.5/10
The best comic I have read so far: 9.5/10
February 7, 2019
This is probably a little slight. The plot almost certainly looks best when glanced at sideways. It's so much fun, though. It also absolutely feels like something that could have been on TV in 1973 or 74.
July 6, 2017
I adore anything by Paul Cornell and the Third Doctor, so this was a match made in heaven! A great story and some great little references. Loved the interactions with The Doctor, Jo and the Master!
January 1, 2024
It was fun seeing some familiar faces and I really liked the plot twist.
October 7, 2016
If you're a fan of the Third Doctor's era you can't miss this book! This mini series is off to a very interesting start with all your favorite characters, plus some surprise ones.
December 10, 2019
This was very enjoyable. I particularly liked how the author picked up on several dangling plot threads from the series and wove them together. The little nods to the series regular guest-stars was nice as well. It all helped place it in a logical place in the series timeline. Well done.
July 7, 2017
The Third Doctor story Heralds of Destruction is a fun read that feels like a Third Doctor Era story. Taking place just after "The Three Doctors", the story features Jo Grant and the full UNIT crew as well as the Master, and a surprise guest villain responsible for the ubiquitous "alien" invasion. The story opens with Jo and Capt. Mike Yates on a date, only to be interrupted by an emergency. The Doctor, similarly, is playing chess when he is called in. The Doctor meets Jo, the Brigadier, Mike, Sgt. Benton, and various UNIT men in the small English village of Fairford to combat robot machines. The Doctor tries to talk to these "aliens" with no luck at first. It soon turns out the machines are composed of micro-machines (nanotech) that can rebuild itself from local materials. The Doctor blocks in the machines with a force field, then takes a sample to his lab to study.
At the lab, the Doctor encounters himself, or rather, the Second Doctor (or does he? Double identities and people pretending to be someone they are not is a strong theme in this graphic novel). As the Brigadier keeps an eye on the situation in Fairford, he encounters the Master and fights off his hypnotism. Meanwhile, at the lab, Jo is attacked by the micromachines, which take over her body. The Doctor hypnotizes her and goes into her subconscious. The lettering for this inner journey is fantastic, though Jo's subconscious is just as forthright, honest, and happy as Jo herself.
The Doctor is able to have a conversations with the micromachines and not only rescue Jo but keep this part of the hive mind on his side, rather than on the side of the real villain - who is not the Master.
The Master, despite his impersonations of various people throughout the book, actually ends-up working with the Doctor, even pointing out that a certain character isn't who he says he is (to say more would spoil one of the biggest surprises of the novel, which I won't do).
The villain is actually out to steal Time Lord technology - something the Master doesn't want to happen either, thus his partnership with the Doctor. As they, and UNIT, go to capture the villain, the villain succeeds in transporting his lab building back in time.
In 1868, the Doctor, the Master, and the bad guy all try to convince the all-male British Parliament to follow different paths - from accepting the bad guy as dictator, to preserving history.
The Doctor though is able to use his previous alliance with the small group of micromachines that attacked Jo, to influence the other - thus, taking away the villain's main weapon. The Master fails to gain control of the micromachines, but escapes custody. The villain is captured and jailed. The Doctor returns the lab and UNIT to the proper time. He also discusses with Jo, that in a sense the Master and even the villain were right - he's been sitting in one place, doing one thing, too long. When Jo intuits that he's planning to leave in the TARDIS, now that he can, he agrees - and invites her along. We also see clear indications that Capt. Mike Yates isn't satisfied with his life and longs for a Golden Age that is less complex and cleaner and prettier (for lack of a better term). This sets-up his otherwise inexplicable behavior in, "Invasion of the Dinosaurs", something that otherwise does come from nowhere.
I enjoyed this book very much. It really felt like a Third Doctor adventure. Everyone was in character. It featured all the UNIT crew, including Corporal Bell - a female UNIT officer, and Osgood a tech (whom the author points out is a nod to the Osgood in the new series). The art in this book is very good - everyone looks as they should, and the colors are fantastic. I also loved the chapter lettering for the trips to Jo's subconscious. The relationship between the Doctor and Jo is also very well-written and I really enjoyed it. Highly recommended.
At the lab, the Doctor encounters himself, or rather, the Second Doctor (or does he? Double identities and people pretending to be someone they are not is a strong theme in this graphic novel). As the Brigadier keeps an eye on the situation in Fairford, he encounters the Master and fights off his hypnotism. Meanwhile, at the lab, Jo is attacked by the micromachines, which take over her body. The Doctor hypnotizes her and goes into her subconscious. The lettering for this inner journey is fantastic, though Jo's subconscious is just as forthright, honest, and happy as Jo herself.
The Doctor is able to have a conversations with the micromachines and not only rescue Jo but keep this part of the hive mind on his side, rather than on the side of the real villain - who is not the Master.
The Master, despite his impersonations of various people throughout the book, actually ends-up working with the Doctor, even pointing out that a certain character isn't who he says he is (to say more would spoil one of the biggest surprises of the novel, which I won't do).
The villain is actually out to steal Time Lord technology - something the Master doesn't want to happen either, thus his partnership with the Doctor. As they, and UNIT, go to capture the villain, the villain succeeds in transporting his lab building back in time.
In 1868, the Doctor, the Master, and the bad guy all try to convince the all-male British Parliament to follow different paths - from accepting the bad guy as dictator, to preserving history.
The Doctor though is able to use his previous alliance with the small group of micromachines that attacked Jo, to influence the other - thus, taking away the villain's main weapon. The Master fails to gain control of the micromachines, but escapes custody. The villain is captured and jailed. The Doctor returns the lab and UNIT to the proper time. He also discusses with Jo, that in a sense the Master and even the villain were right - he's been sitting in one place, doing one thing, too long. When Jo intuits that he's planning to leave in the TARDIS, now that he can, he agrees - and invites her along. We also see clear indications that Capt. Mike Yates isn't satisfied with his life and longs for a Golden Age that is less complex and cleaner and prettier (for lack of a better term). This sets-up his otherwise inexplicable behavior in, "Invasion of the Dinosaurs", something that otherwise does come from nowhere.
I enjoyed this book very much. It really felt like a Third Doctor adventure. Everyone was in character. It featured all the UNIT crew, including Corporal Bell - a female UNIT officer, and Osgood a tech (whom the author points out is a nod to the Osgood in the new series). The art in this book is very good - everyone looks as they should, and the colors are fantastic. I also loved the chapter lettering for the trips to Jo's subconscious. The relationship between the Doctor and Jo is also very well-written and I really enjoyed it. Highly recommended.
July 16, 2018
The story in this book feels like an episode script they had back in the 70's that was too expensive and to complex to film, so they scrapped it. The good news is, it makes for a great comic!
Cornell did such a great job of capturing not only Pertwee's doctor, but the feel of the entire show in general at that time, that I was transported back to the 3rd doctors period.
All the characters are there and all are playing their part. The "voices" are so well captured that I even heard their voices in my head when reading this.
The plot begins in a very third doctor type style, then morphs into a more intricate and strange plot.
They throw everything and the kitchen sink into this one, the master is there, the third doctor decides to travel again, the seeds for Captain Yates betrayal are sown.
Definitely check this out if you are a third Doctor fan, its made for you!
Cornell did such a great job of capturing not only Pertwee's doctor, but the feel of the entire show in general at that time, that I was transported back to the 3rd doctors period.
All the characters are there and all are playing their part. The "voices" are so well captured that I even heard their voices in my head when reading this.
The plot begins in a very third doctor type style, then morphs into a more intricate and strange plot.
They throw everything and the kitchen sink into this one, the master is there, the third doctor decides to travel again, the seeds for Captain Yates betrayal are sown.
Definitely check this out if you are a third Doctor fan, its made for you!
February 17, 2021
The Third Doctor was truly a unique take on the franchise as they wanted a lot more action and sort of James Bond-style action. And this comic does a great job of capturing that particular aspect of this incarnation with a daring adventure that includes alien micro machines and even the Master lurking about.
I was rather surprised at the direction this story took, especially since having the Master around tends to make you think things will skew in a certain direction. Instead, we had a very different narrative that didn't just have the Doctor using his Venusian Aikido but also saving Jo by diving into her mind, of all things. And the Master's propensity for clever disguises was art a whole other level given his highly versatile masks utilized in this story.
I had a lot of fun with this book and it is disappointing that they didn't opt to make this an ongoing series. Regardless, it was nice to see the Third Doctor have a story in this format and you could tell that it was crafted with a lot of love.
I was rather surprised at the direction this story took, especially since having the Master around tends to make you think things will skew in a certain direction. Instead, we had a very different narrative that didn't just have the Doctor using his Venusian Aikido but also saving Jo by diving into her mind, of all things. And the Master's propensity for clever disguises was art a whole other level given his highly versatile masks utilized in this story.
I had a lot of fun with this book and it is disappointing that they didn't opt to make this an ongoing series. Regardless, it was nice to see the Third Doctor have a story in this format and you could tell that it was crafted with a lot of love.
November 2, 2018
Two years ago, I read the first issue of "The Heralds of Destruction" and thought that this story was set too soon after "The Three Doctors" for the Second Doctor to show up. And I said that his surprise appearance felt gimmicky, though it'd be disappointing if it turned out that he wasn't the Second Doctor. Now, having read this full story, I can say that I was almost disappointed when it was revealed that this is NOT the Second Doctor, but then immediately afterward I was delighted to find out that this was Ramon Salamander. Well done, Paul Cornell. This is a fantastic example of how dangling plot threads can be picked up in other media.
The artwork is glorious, with wonderful designs for the micro machines, the inside of Jo's mind, and 1868 London. Apparently, Grant used the word "timey," and perhaps even the full phrase which I still think is a silly one. But I did get a kick out of the Third Doctor not liking the phrase. I had so much fun reading this.
The artwork is glorious, with wonderful designs for the micro machines, the inside of Jo's mind, and 1868 London. Apparently, Grant used the word "timey," and perhaps even the full phrase which I still think is a silly one. But I did get a kick out of the Third Doctor not liking the phrase. I had so much fun reading this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2023
A nice little story! For the most part it's a well-plotted story that I think does get bogged down by how many references and subversions it tries to throw in. This character is the Master in disguise, that one is too, the Brigadier is for a few panels, oh you better believe this other surprise character isn't who they seem either! I appreciate that it makes logical sense but some of the reveals do feel very hamfisted. Also the mind journey part does seem a bit gratuitous? I appreciate the idea but the execution feels pretty hammy. I like the moments of reflection between characters, although because of the graphic novel format they feel like they don't stick around for as long as they should. But those're just the things holding it back from being great, the villain IS good, the characters are as well, the plot holds together and it does deliver some very cool panels. Worth a read if you really like the show/universe, otherwise not really necessary to read.
August 13, 2017
Absolutely loved this!
This is my second official doctor who comic I have read/bought except for those in Doctor who magazine. I read supremacy of the cybermen and loved that one and heard nothing but good things about this comic and as I love the third doctor era-it didn't disappoint!
The art work in this was fantastic and the characters were so in character that I could hear their voices in my head as I read this which made it even more fun!
Would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the third doctor and second doctor as there is a lot of references to both era's without spoiling it. Jo Grant was great fun in this too and loved seeing her in a UNIT uniform as frankly it was about time she had one of her own :)
This is my second official doctor who comic I have read/bought except for those in Doctor who magazine. I read supremacy of the cybermen and loved that one and heard nothing but good things about this comic and as I love the third doctor era-it didn't disappoint!
The art work in this was fantastic and the characters were so in character that I could hear their voices in my head as I read this which made it even more fun!
Would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the third doctor and second doctor as there is a lot of references to both era's without spoiling it. Jo Grant was great fun in this too and loved seeing her in a UNIT uniform as frankly it was about time she had one of her own :)
October 26, 2024
I just read through these five issues this morning. I loved it! As a fan of Captain Mike Yates, I was thrilled to see as much of his character as we did. Specifically, I loved that his feelings for Jo were discussed and the foreshadowing of his betrayal/disillusionment. The Master was brilliant in this story. I love that he's not the main villain, how he helps UNIT out of his own self-interests, and learning how his disguise masks work. I'm glad that we know exactly when this story takes place.
The artwork was perfect and everyone was written brilliantly. I love that this is set soon after "The Three Doctors." Ramon Salamander was a good villain and I'm glad that he survived falling into the Time Vortex.
The artwork was perfect and everyone was written brilliantly. I love that this is set soon after "The Three Doctors." Ramon Salamander was a good villain and I'm glad that he survived falling into the Time Vortex.
June 19, 2022
Here was a fun one-off adventure with the Third Doctor, again done with the benefit of a comic book that doesn't have to worry about budget, but very much in the spirit of the Third Doctor as he, Jo Grant, and UNIT work to foil a plot laid out by someone who might be the Master but probably isn't as he's hanging around on the sidelines anyway.
Truthfully, the story is a sequel of sorts to a Second Doctor story, and that alone caught my attention because there may not be a bigger contrast between Doctors than the Second and Third, and seeing how the Third treats one of the Second's adversaries was a nice treat.
Truthfully, the story is a sequel of sorts to a Second Doctor story, and that alone caught my attention because there may not be a bigger contrast between Doctors than the Second and Third, and seeing how the Third treats one of the Second's adversaries was a nice treat.
January 1, 2018
Having not seen hardly any of the classic Who shows, I think I'm a wee bit lost on the Third Doctor. He seems kinda uptight, and just meh. He's not the best doctor and the Master is eh as well. The face mask thing was laughable and made me wondering if that was in any of the shows previously. The storyline was a bit odd and jump and the ending had you scratching your head as it wasn't explained fully how the person got there and what they ended up doing. Just weird and kinda glad this is a one time only book.
March 7, 2021
I have to admit up front that I am not a huge fan of the Dr. Who Universe. I only have a basic understanding of the characters and the overall mythology. I still enjoyed this volume, but from what I can gather it was really aimed at more long time fans as there were many "easter eggs" and past characters that show up that more hardcore fans would know but I had to just guess at or piece together.
So I would say if you're a fan of the Dr. Who universe, you will probably love this series but for more casual fans this probably isn't the best starting place.
So I would say if you're a fan of the Dr. Who universe, you will probably love this series but for more casual fans this probably isn't the best starting place.
December 14, 2017
Great fun for fans of the Third Doctor's era. Cornell gets the voice and feel of the period just right - if not for a few nods to later Doctors this would have fit in perfectly as an episode. Plus there are a lot of easter eggs to look for. And the villain of the piece is someone you never would have expected. Definitely recommended! (A-)
June 20, 2018
This collection of comics is just phenomenal. Not only does it perfectly capture the spirit of the Third Doctor's era in an exciting and fun story, but it also features a character who is rather familiar to Classic Who fans... (His appearance made me literally cry tears of joy, although that's because I particularly enjoy him) I highly recommend giving this a try!
August 28, 2021
3.5 Your Dr. Who is whoever was playing the doctor when you were young, so mine is Tom Baker, but I appreciate the third doctor too. This book is a clean little tale with some series favorites such as The Master and the brigadier. I love the doctors realization at the end to do more time traveling! Crisp art.
November 7, 2021
This was a fun Pertwee era Who story. I'd probably like this story more if I was more familiar with this era of Who. Either way, it's fun. Paul Cornell obviously knows a lot (and cares a lot) about Doctor Who and that comes through.
The art is pretty good. The characters all look right, and there's some fun sequences where the artist gets to cut loose a bit.
The art is pretty good. The characters all look right, and there's some fun sequences where the artist gets to cut loose a bit.
May 27, 2022
I've never seen any of the third Doctor's episodes (yet) so I guess this was my first third Doctor story?
Anyway, it's fun. It takes place after the Doctor's exile ended and he's allowed to leave planet earth again. The earth gets attacked by an 'alien invasion' and The Doctor works together with Unit and even with The Master to stop this invasion.
Anyway, it's fun. It takes place after the Doctor's exile ended and he's allowed to leave planet earth again. The earth gets attacked by an 'alien invasion' and The Doctor works together with Unit and even with The Master to stop this invasion.
September 3, 2022
Captures the spirit of the Third Doctor extremely well, and I love the ways in which Cornell uses the continuity of Doctor Who to that point (arguably my personal favorite point) to tell a story that is both new and familiar.
I'd been looking forward to reading this one for a long time and it didn't disappoint.
I'd been looking forward to reading this one for a long time and it didn't disappoint.
December 16, 2025
I was expecting a fairly standard story, but this surprised me. It delved into how the Doctor might be feeling now that he can leave Earth and provided some nice poignant moments. I'll admit I've only seen one of the 3rd Doctor's episodes... however, he was my mother's first Doctor (we all have a first!) so I do feel somewhat attached to him.
June 22, 2017
This book was an awesome read. Really loved the on point portrayal of Roger Delgado's Master (he's a favourite of mine). There were lots of very humorous and very poignant moments throughout.
Also the Salamander twist was absolutely EXCELLENT.
Also the Salamander twist was absolutely EXCELLENT.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2017
42 WORD REVIEW:
The character of Jo Grant appears to have morphed with Liz Shaw, but this is the only off-note in an otherwise well-scripted and paced, beautifully drawn, and above all faithful depiction of Doctor Who in the Jon Pertwee dandified exile UNIT days.
The character of Jo Grant appears to have morphed with Liz Shaw, but this is the only off-note in an otherwise well-scripted and paced, beautifully drawn, and above all faithful depiction of Doctor Who in the Jon Pertwee dandified exile UNIT days.
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