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Doctor Who: A Tale of Two Time Lords, Vol.1, A Little Help From My Friends
In a spectacular return to comics, the Thirteenth Doctor teams up with fan-favorite Tenth Doctor for a deadly encounter with the menacing Weeping Angels.
Eisner-nomiated writer Jody Houser and artist Roberta Ingranata return for Year Two of the critically acclaimed Doctor Who comics. Volume 1 ties in to the fan-favorite season 3 episode "Blink", written by former showrunner Steven Moffat.
The 13th Doctor is back with her friends - Yaz, Ryan and Graham - in a brand new time-traveling adventure. This time she faces the horrific Weeping Angels - who else can help her out but one of her previous incarnations: the Tenth Doctor himself! Landing in the swinging 60s, Thirteen and fam are stranded in the middle of a territorial battle between the Angels and the creepy autons, all the while having to avoid her former self and causing the universe to implode! What could go wrong?
Bursting straight out of the long-running hit television series, this Doctor Who collection continues the time-travelling tales of the Doctor and friends.
Buy it, read it, then travel back in time to read it for the first time all over again...!
Collects Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #2.1-4.
Eisner-nomiated writer Jody Houser and artist Roberta Ingranata return for Year Two of the critically acclaimed Doctor Who comics. Volume 1 ties in to the fan-favorite season 3 episode "Blink", written by former showrunner Steven Moffat.
The 13th Doctor is back with her friends - Yaz, Ryan and Graham - in a brand new time-traveling adventure. This time she faces the horrific Weeping Angels - who else can help her out but one of her previous incarnations: the Tenth Doctor himself! Landing in the swinging 60s, Thirteen and fam are stranded in the middle of a territorial battle between the Angels and the creepy autons, all the while having to avoid her former self and causing the universe to implode! What could go wrong?
Bursting straight out of the long-running hit television series, this Doctor Who collection continues the time-travelling tales of the Doctor and friends.
Buy it, read it, then travel back in time to read it for the first time all over again...!
Collects Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #2.1-4.
111 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 13, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
December 10, 2021
This was a fun story in which the 13th Doctor and her companions have an adventure in 1969 with the 10th Doctor and Martha during their time of being stranded during the Blink episode. I believe it's the first Who comic I've read... Thanks, library! There's nothing really outstanding, neither the art nor the prose, but it's an entertaining read. I suspect I'll have trouble remembering the details soon, much like Ten says he will lose his memory of the encounter.
November 14, 2021
Wait so 13 was the one who came up with the brilliant idea in Blink????? Ret Con City
Love the way Roberta Ingranata draws Jodie /13. Everyone else is good too, except Yaz looks completely different. Anyways love Doctor meeting Doctor stories and this type of dynamic is perhaps more suited (and cheaper) for the comics medium than on TV
Hoping we get 1 with 13 in a comic, I really want see how 13 would handle Susan, Barbara and Ian. It would be pretty bad a$$ to bring back the Giant Cat from Planet of the Giants too
Everyone wants this (ok not everyone, maybe just me)
Love the way Roberta Ingranata draws Jodie /13. Everyone else is good too, except Yaz looks completely different. Anyways love Doctor meeting Doctor stories and this type of dynamic is perhaps more suited (and cheaper) for the comics medium than on TV
Hoping we get 1 with 13 in a comic, I really want see how 13 would handle Susan, Barbara and Ian. It would be pretty bad a$$ to bring back the Giant Cat from Planet of the Giants too
Everyone wants this (ok not everyone, maybe just me)
December 1, 2020
This was my first Doctor Who comic, and I’m so glad I started here! I’m mainly interested in reading the stories where Doctors and companions crossover, so seeing 10 and 13 mingle, along with Martha and the the current companions was SO much fun! Also, this ties into Blink heavily, which is one of my favorite episodes. If you’re a DW fan, I highly recommend checking this one out. 5/5 stars.
May 11, 2022
How could I resist this graphic novel featuring my two favourite doctors? The 13th doctor and friends are on their way to Woodstock in 1969, but instead find themselves in London in 1969, where the 10th doctor and Martha Jones have been stranded by the Weeping Angels due to some timey-whimey stuff. But the angels aren't the only enemies they have to watch out for. People have been disappearing. Can the two versions of the same doctor defeat the villains without causing a timey-whimey paradox?
This is a complete story arc over three parts (or three comics), though it probably does help if you're at least a little familiar with the Doctor Who universe. It's a reasonably straightforward story, though the resolution was a little quick and I'm not sure I completely understood one aspect. (Can't elaborate due to spoilers.) Writer Jody Houser has the doctors' voices down pat. They really sounded like Jodie Whittaker and David Tennant. The art was also good, especially for the two leads, though Jaz didn't look like Jaz at all and Martha looked grumpy most of the time, which isn't really a fair representation of her character.
As a bonus, I loved the Covers Gallery at the end. Some beautiful art that I would be happy to have on my wall.
Overall, a good light read for fans of these doctors. If you're not familiar with the show, there's enough info to provide a good introduction. I would definitely be interested in reading more of these.
This is a complete story arc over three parts (or three comics), though it probably does help if you're at least a little familiar with the Doctor Who universe. It's a reasonably straightforward story, though the resolution was a little quick and I'm not sure I completely understood one aspect. (Can't elaborate due to spoilers.) Writer Jody Houser has the doctors' voices down pat. They really sounded like Jodie Whittaker and David Tennant. The art was also good, especially for the two leads, though Jaz didn't look like Jaz at all and Martha looked grumpy most of the time, which isn't really a fair representation of her character.
As a bonus, I loved the Covers Gallery at the end. Some beautiful art that I would be happy to have on my wall.
Overall, a good light read for fans of these doctors. If you're not familiar with the show, there's enough info to provide a good introduction. I would definitely be interested in reading more of these.
May 29, 2020
This has been what kept me going for the last two months. I shit you not.
Every time I feel awful, I look at the first 3 issues again and remind myself that no matter what happens, 10th and 13th met and that is the best goddamn thing in the world. And when I got bored or tired of everything, I remind myself that issue #4 is on the way and I have to be strong for it. Now issue #4 is out and it's awesome. What an incredible feeling.
And no, I'm not gonna mark the finished dates every time I re-read this because I've read it all over about 7 times and that would seriously screw with my reading challenge goal so much.
Every time I feel awful, I look at the first 3 issues again and remind myself that no matter what happens, 10th and 13th met and that is the best goddamn thing in the world. And when I got bored or tired of everything, I remind myself that issue #4 is on the way and I have to be strong for it. Now issue #4 is out and it's awesome. What an incredible feeling.
And no, I'm not gonna mark the finished dates every time I re-read this because I've read it all over about 7 times and that would seriously screw with my reading challenge goal so much.
June 14, 2021
With this involving my favourite episode, Blink (also the origin of my username!), and my two favourite Doctors, I think I was always going to love this - the dialogue was excellent and referred back to the original episode but also to events that had occurred between the two Doctors' timelines. The line 'biological sex is flexible among my people [time lords], and gender is merely a social construct' was a special favourite!
Overall this was a very fun read and I'd be interested in picking up graphic novels following Ten and/or Thirteen again!
Overall this was a very fun read and I'd be interested in picking up graphic novels following Ten and/or Thirteen again!
June 4, 2022
Something to try and get me out of this reading slump!
October 16, 2020
Enjoyable, but not as much fun as I’d hoped it would be. The dialogue works perfectly for the Thirteenth Doctor, and mostly for the Tenth Doctor, but not always. The art is nice, but the shop Martha is working in sure doesn’t look like anything from 1969 I ever saw. Still, the whole thing was fun and it was neat to have 10 and 13 interacting and having Martha and “the Fam” together was entertaining as well.
March 6, 2022
DAAAAAWWWW.
First off, I haven't gotten to Thirteen yet, but I loved her interactions with Martha. I also like her and her companions so I can't wait to get to her seasons.
Second MARTHA! I missed you. You're amazing.
Third, hello Ten. You're not Nine, but I still like you second best.
This comic was both fun and existentially terrifying to me because it was nothing but anthropomorphic statues and mannequins moving around trying to grab people and that is definitely a scenario ripped straight from one of my night terrors.
Loved this little romp. No notes. Awesome sock banter.
First off, I haven't gotten to Thirteen yet, but I loved her interactions with Martha. I also like her and her companions so I can't wait to get to her seasons.
Second MARTHA! I missed you. You're amazing.
Third, hello Ten. You're not Nine, but I still like you second best.
This comic was both fun and existentially terrifying to me because it was nothing but anthropomorphic statues and mannequins moving around trying to grab people and that is definitely a scenario ripped straight from one of my night terrors.
Loved this little romp. No notes. Awesome sock banter.
August 22, 2026
A lively, charming adventure that shines thanks to the joyful chemistry between the Tenth Doctor and Thirteenth Doctor. Their banter feels pitch‑perfect, capturing both characters exactly as fans remember them.
Setting the story during the Tenth Doctor and Martha’s 1969 exile from Blink is a smart touch, filling in that unseen stretch of time with something playful and meaningful. The characters all feel true to their on‑screen personalities, and the vibrant, clean art style keeps the whole thing breezy and fun.
A delightful, continuity‑friendly romp that delivers exactly the kind of multi‑Doctor joy fans crave.
Setting the story during the Tenth Doctor and Martha’s 1969 exile from Blink is a smart touch, filling in that unseen stretch of time with something playful and meaningful. The characters all feel true to their on‑screen personalities, and the vibrant, clean art style keeps the whole thing breezy and fun.
A delightful, continuity‑friendly romp that delivers exactly the kind of multi‑Doctor joy fans crave.
July 11, 2026
A really fun read, combining characters that you probably never thought about meeting each other. I loved the amount of references and call backs to things. And I especially loved the way the 10th and 13th Doctors interacted with each other and just acted like a pair of nerds. I've always favourited season 3 of Doctor Who above all the others, so I will always love seeing new content revolving around that era, even though it's mostly ignored by writers and the fandom.
March 7, 2022
3.5
//
This book was an interesting one. Doctor Who has been one of my latest obsessions, so I decided to read some of the comics and novels. I will admit, I only read this one because I found out it had weeping angels in it, and I love weeping angels. It was a fun read, but It didn't have much structure to it in my not-so-humble opinion.
//
This book was an interesting one. Doctor Who has been one of my latest obsessions, so I decided to read some of the comics and novels. I will admit, I only read this one because I found out it had weeping angels in it, and I love weeping angels. It was a fun read, but It didn't have much structure to it in my not-so-humble opinion.
June 9, 2020
(4.5 out of 5 stars.)
There will always be something devilishly fun about multi-Doctor stories. I don't know if it's the knowledge that, in-universe, they're just not supposed to happen or if it's the joy of witnessing multiple incarnations of the Doctor interacting with each other at the same time. Whatever it is, it's fun to witness. So, the moment I heard that Titan Comics' ongoing 13th Doctor line would feature an arc where the 13th Doctor, Yaz, Graham, and Ryan meet up with the 10th Doctor and Martha Jones during the events of Blink, I was super excited. It sounded like a bucket and a half of fun. And, having read the arc, it was exactly as much fun as I'd have liked - though, as always, I wish it was a bit longer.
This arc probably ranks among my favorites of the 13th Doctor's era at Titan Comics. While it's not perfect, it's just so much fun and features some well-executed fan service. I always have the same problem with the Titan Comics Doctor Who comics - I wish the arcs were longer than four issues. I always want to spend more time in the beginning and middle of the stories instead of feeling as though I'm careening as quickly as possible to the climax. And the same, unfortunately, is true here. Houser does her best at slowing things down in the first issue of the arc, giving readers the chance to reacquaint themselves with the 10th Doctor and Martha, but pretty quickly the plot kicks in and everything just picks up speed, quicker and quicker, until it's all over too soon. There's a lot of great work done in these four issues, but I continue to wish there was just a bit more time for some extra character work.
But, to be fair, the action is really fun. As is the story, too. The idea of setting this tale in the middle of Blink, for the 10th Doctor and Martha, is a great one. There's a lot of room in that unspecified amount of time Martha and the 10th Doctor are stuck in the late 1960s for some interesting stories to be told and it makes for an easy way of having the 13th Doctor and her companions face off against the Weeping Angels. The Weeping Angels, however, aren't quite as effective on the page as they are on the screen, their horror normally relying more on camera tricks than on the imagery of their designs, so Houser adds the Autons into the mix for the Doctors and their companions to fight. The Autons are one of those classic Doctor Who villains that haven't appeared anywhere near as often as one might think, so every time they do appear it's a true delight to see them.
As is often the case in the Titan Comics, there's not enough time in the story to give either the Weeping Angels or the Autons a lot to do, so they're just sort of there without any real motivation or discernible plan, outside of a vague "taking over the earth" kind of thing. Which is totally fine. I don't go to the Doctor Who comics for complex storylines. Would I like them? Sure. But, ultimately, I go to the Doctor Who comics for fun adventures. And that's exactly what this is: a really entertaining romp with some fan-favorite villains and two beloved Doctors. Houser is great at capturing the voices of the characters and giving them interesting things to say and do. She is great at creating worlds around them that feel interesting and lived in. And she's great at writing creative and enjoyable action sequences. Is A Tale of Two Time Lords super fun and enjoyable? Most definitely.
Roberta Ingranta's artwork throughout her run on the 13th Doctor comics has always been stellar. She has a true gift at capturing the likenesses and the spirits of the characters from the TV show while imbuing them (and the new characters created by Houser) with a lot of life. This remains true here as Ingranata is given the chance to play with iconic villains, like the Weeping Angels and the Autons, as well as with the 10th Doctor and with Martha. In both cases, Ingranata excels. Her artwork here is beautiful. She captures England in the 1960s extremely well, as well as capturing the overall atmosphere of Blink. Her depiction of the Weeping Angels is just as scary as you'd want them to be and her versions of the 10th Doctor and Martha are every bit as good as her versions of the 13th Doctor and her companions. As always, Ingranta's artwork adds a lot to the experience of reading a 13th Doctor comic and I love it.
At the end of the day, Doctor Who: A Tale of Two Time Lords is another great installment in the 13th Doctor's ongoing series at Titan Comics. It's a quick-paced, action-packed, really fun romp between two fan-favorite Doctors and their companions. Both Houser and Ingranata capture the spirits of these characters while propelling them into new and exciting adventures. The idea of setting a new story in the middle of an existing one is a great idea, and there's a lot of fun mined out of the fact that the audience knows exactly what's next for the 10th Doctor and Martha. I'm not sure what's next for the 13th Doctor comics, but I'm excited to see where they go from here.
There will always be something devilishly fun about multi-Doctor stories. I don't know if it's the knowledge that, in-universe, they're just not supposed to happen or if it's the joy of witnessing multiple incarnations of the Doctor interacting with each other at the same time. Whatever it is, it's fun to witness. So, the moment I heard that Titan Comics' ongoing 13th Doctor line would feature an arc where the 13th Doctor, Yaz, Graham, and Ryan meet up with the 10th Doctor and Martha Jones during the events of Blink, I was super excited. It sounded like a bucket and a half of fun. And, having read the arc, it was exactly as much fun as I'd have liked - though, as always, I wish it was a bit longer.
This arc probably ranks among my favorites of the 13th Doctor's era at Titan Comics. While it's not perfect, it's just so much fun and features some well-executed fan service. I always have the same problem with the Titan Comics Doctor Who comics - I wish the arcs were longer than four issues. I always want to spend more time in the beginning and middle of the stories instead of feeling as though I'm careening as quickly as possible to the climax. And the same, unfortunately, is true here. Houser does her best at slowing things down in the first issue of the arc, giving readers the chance to reacquaint themselves with the 10th Doctor and Martha, but pretty quickly the plot kicks in and everything just picks up speed, quicker and quicker, until it's all over too soon. There's a lot of great work done in these four issues, but I continue to wish there was just a bit more time for some extra character work.
But, to be fair, the action is really fun. As is the story, too. The idea of setting this tale in the middle of Blink, for the 10th Doctor and Martha, is a great one. There's a lot of room in that unspecified amount of time Martha and the 10th Doctor are stuck in the late 1960s for some interesting stories to be told and it makes for an easy way of having the 13th Doctor and her companions face off against the Weeping Angels. The Weeping Angels, however, aren't quite as effective on the page as they are on the screen, their horror normally relying more on camera tricks than on the imagery of their designs, so Houser adds the Autons into the mix for the Doctors and their companions to fight. The Autons are one of those classic Doctor Who villains that haven't appeared anywhere near as often as one might think, so every time they do appear it's a true delight to see them.
As is often the case in the Titan Comics, there's not enough time in the story to give either the Weeping Angels or the Autons a lot to do, so they're just sort of there without any real motivation or discernible plan, outside of a vague "taking over the earth" kind of thing. Which is totally fine. I don't go to the Doctor Who comics for complex storylines. Would I like them? Sure. But, ultimately, I go to the Doctor Who comics for fun adventures. And that's exactly what this is: a really entertaining romp with some fan-favorite villains and two beloved Doctors. Houser is great at capturing the voices of the characters and giving them interesting things to say and do. She is great at creating worlds around them that feel interesting and lived in. And she's great at writing creative and enjoyable action sequences. Is A Tale of Two Time Lords super fun and enjoyable? Most definitely.
Roberta Ingranta's artwork throughout her run on the 13th Doctor comics has always been stellar. She has a true gift at capturing the likenesses and the spirits of the characters from the TV show while imbuing them (and the new characters created by Houser) with a lot of life. This remains true here as Ingranata is given the chance to play with iconic villains, like the Weeping Angels and the Autons, as well as with the 10th Doctor and with Martha. In both cases, Ingranata excels. Her artwork here is beautiful. She captures England in the 1960s extremely well, as well as capturing the overall atmosphere of Blink. Her depiction of the Weeping Angels is just as scary as you'd want them to be and her versions of the 10th Doctor and Martha are every bit as good as her versions of the 13th Doctor and her companions. As always, Ingranta's artwork adds a lot to the experience of reading a 13th Doctor comic and I love it.
At the end of the day, Doctor Who: A Tale of Two Time Lords is another great installment in the 13th Doctor's ongoing series at Titan Comics. It's a quick-paced, action-packed, really fun romp between two fan-favorite Doctors and their companions. Both Houser and Ingranata capture the spirits of these characters while propelling them into new and exciting adventures. The idea of setting a new story in the middle of an existing one is a great idea, and there's a lot of fun mined out of the fact that the audience knows exactly what's next for the 10th Doctor and Martha. I'm not sure what's next for the 13th Doctor comics, but I'm excited to see where they go from here.
March 12, 2022
Damn, that was fun.
June 7, 2025
actually rly enjoyed this!!! martha x 13 interactions.. 10 x the fam interactions.. wow
August 23, 2026
All I’m saying is don’t blink and maybe watch the window displays 👀
January 20, 2024
Fun, quick crossover story!
August 18, 2020
If you look at this collection without the lens of being a screaming fangirl, there is not much to impress. Yes it is cool to have ten and thirteen together for a story, yes the Weeping Angels are a nice threat to unite them together, but I feel let down by this series in terms of both story and artwork.
Titan's Thirteenth Doctor range has contained some of the best artwork I have ever seen in graphic novels, so why does this one feel so dusky? Why do the characters feel flat (Martha especially) and why are the sets so appealing? It looks like the characters are wandering round a 2000s PC game. Maybe its the earthbound setting that means the artists can't use the sweeping colourful palettes, but I am sure this story could have been better realised.
The premise of the story is quite weak, although the Weeping Angels do work well as villains here. Whilst the thirteenth and tenth Doctor's interactions are very good, the characters are, on the whole, quite poorly written. Poor Martha gets a rough deal in this one, her only real contribution is trying and failing to sell a pair of socks.
Titan's Thirteenth Doctor range has contained some of the best artwork I have ever seen in graphic novels, so why does this one feel so dusky? Why do the characters feel flat (Martha especially) and why are the sets so appealing? It looks like the characters are wandering round a 2000s PC game. Maybe its the earthbound setting that means the artists can't use the sweeping colourful palettes, but I am sure this story could have been better realised.
The premise of the story is quite weak, although the Weeping Angels do work well as villains here. Whilst the thirteenth and tenth Doctor's interactions are very good, the characters are, on the whole, quite poorly written. Poor Martha gets a rough deal in this one, her only real contribution is trying and failing to sell a pair of socks.
November 15, 2021
A trip back in time brings the Thirteenth Doctor and the Fam into contact with the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones during their enforced sojourn in the 60s thanks to the Weeping Angels. Add in some Autons to the mix and we're flying.
We love a good multi-Doctor story, and this one pulls it off really well. The Tenth and Thirteenth Doctors bounce off of each other nicely, and I especially love seeing her interact with Martha ("Exceptionally thick, I was."). There's a bit of an overload of companions though, so again Graham, Yaz, and Ryan don't really get much to do outside of asking questions and some running about, but that's offset by the two Doctors stealing the scene whenever they're together anyway.
I think my only complaint is that it's not really clear what the Autons wanted other than to be generically evil and kill people? The Angels' MO is well-established since the Doctor and the TARDIS are like a gourmet lunch, but the plastic people didn't really do much aside from being menacing.
Oh, and Roberta Ingranata's back for some more lovely pencils. Always glad to see her.
Fantastic, to quote the Ninth Doctor, despite a few little quibbles.
We love a good multi-Doctor story, and this one pulls it off really well. The Tenth and Thirteenth Doctors bounce off of each other nicely, and I especially love seeing her interact with Martha ("Exceptionally thick, I was."). There's a bit of an overload of companions though, so again Graham, Yaz, and Ryan don't really get much to do outside of asking questions and some running about, but that's offset by the two Doctors stealing the scene whenever they're together anyway.
I think my only complaint is that it's not really clear what the Autons wanted other than to be generically evil and kill people? The Angels' MO is well-established since the Doctor and the TARDIS are like a gourmet lunch, but the plastic people didn't really do much aside from being menacing.
Oh, and Roberta Ingranata's back for some more lovely pencils. Always glad to see her.
Fantastic, to quote the Ninth Doctor, despite a few little quibbles.
July 23, 2020
this was SO DAMN good !!!
January 29, 2022
The Doctor travels back to 1969 London and encounters her former self, with the two having to deal with the dual threat of two familiar adversaries.
This is a collection of four issues from Titan's Doctor Who monthly comic. It's an interesting change from the strips from Doctor Who Magazine. With more pages to work with, the pacing is different, giving the stories more room to breathe and providing more character moments with less need to constantly move the main plot forward.
While multi-Doctor stories are more commonplace these days, It's always interesting to see different combinations of the character thrown together. In this case, there's less competitiveness between these two Doctors than in previous stories, in itself kind of refreshing. The main plot isn't anything too complex, but it does provide for a rousing adventure and the chance to see the 10th and 13th Doctors in action together.
The art is very pleasing here, with the colors enhancing an art style which is both playful and portrays the action in a solid manner.
Overall, a quick, fun read.
This is a collection of four issues from Titan's Doctor Who monthly comic. It's an interesting change from the strips from Doctor Who Magazine. With more pages to work with, the pacing is different, giving the stories more room to breathe and providing more character moments with less need to constantly move the main plot forward.
While multi-Doctor stories are more commonplace these days, It's always interesting to see different combinations of the character thrown together. In this case, there's less competitiveness between these two Doctors than in previous stories, in itself kind of refreshing. The main plot isn't anything too complex, but it does provide for a rousing adventure and the chance to see the 10th and 13th Doctors in action together.
The art is very pleasing here, with the colors enhancing an art style which is both playful and portrays the action in a solid manner.
Overall, a quick, fun read.
November 30, 2020
I’ve been excited about this book ever since it was announced & I absolutely loved it! Having 10 & 13 together was a 🌟DREAM🌟 & they interacted with one another exactly how I have always imagined they would - I just always wish graphic novels had more dialogue!! I loved the story & that it ties in with one of 10’s best episodes (written stories that fit between episodes are my fav) & I love that 10 got to meet the fam; although they didn’t mingle with Martha as much as I would’ve liked. I loved the illustrations as well, as always, & I’m just so desperate to get my hands on the other books in this series, that I don’t already have! Anything with the 13th Doctor is bound to go down well with me, especially as we don’t have nearly as many novels with her as we should.
⚠️ A little bit of violence, nothing too dramatic ⚠️
Extended Review to follow.
⚠️ A little bit of violence, nothing too dramatic ⚠️
Extended Review to follow.
November 22, 2024
Another solid entry in the Thirteenth Doctor Titan Comics run! While what happened in some of the final episodes of the visual canon for Thirteen completely negates the actuality of this adventure in EU canon (or as canon as the DWEU can get really), the story in this graphic novel totally gripped me and was a combination of two eras that actually blended really well together. And while sometimes the disconnect from visual canon can bother me in other issues, I find it a lot easier to stomach when the disconnect is caused by the comic predating the visual canon discrepancy, and that's the case with this one.
(As viewers of Thirteen's Era know, when the Doctor, Yaz, and Dan come across the Weeping Angels during The Flux, the Doctor has to explain to bother of her current companions what the Weeping Angels even are, which means that this prior adventure with Yaz, Ryan, and Graham never happened in showrunner Chris Chibnall's vision of events.)
But what a perfect way to have two incarnations of the Doctor meet up! The Thirteenth Doctor and the Fam find themselves drawn off course to London in 1969 while aiming for Woodstock in the same year and find themselves working alongside Ten and Martha, who are currently living through the events of the Steven Moffat penned story, "Blink," which is very much a favorite of the majority of the fandom. Even I, a person who thinks Moffat is massively overhyped as both a story writer and a showrunner, will concede that this is one of the three good episodes he's written.
Also, having the other villain be the Autons is a nice nod. Not only because the Tenth Doctor's pain over losing Rose is alluded to multiple times in this story (and the Autons were the villains in the episode where the Ninth Doctor first met Rose Tyler), but also because the first story of the Third Doctor Era was filmed in London in 1969 and Three's first story, "Spearhead from Space," also introduced the Autons to DW viewing audiences. The episode didn't air until 1970, but was filmed in 1969, so that's a fun nod.
And very interesting, emotional, and fun to have Thirteen be the one to search out Martha and to have her notice that Martha's feelings for her prior incarnation were all over Martha's face CONSTANTLY and to berate her previous self for being so unobservant. When you know the future developments on the relationship between Thirteen and Yaz this takes on almost a self-deprecating quality, but also so glad to see that the Doctor appreciates what they put Martha through for so long and does feel repentant for it. Martha deserves the world and I'm glad at least one incarnation of the Doctor notices it!
The only thing that threw me in this issue was that Ten looks REALLY off on some of the close up panels. He always looks like a fair animated approximation on the more distant panels, but the minute it's supposed to be an intense, dramatic close up, he looks nothing like David Tennant. It just took me out of the story a few times.
But all in all, this sets up for the following Thirteenth Doctor and Tenth Doctor team up of Alternating Currents very well. There were just enough allusions to the Rose Tyler story that people who joined into DW with Thirteen's Era would understand Ten's reaction to coming across an alternate time line version of that particular companion in the following story. (Though how you can spend even three minutes in the DW universe and not hear Rose's name is beyond my understanding, but I am very much biased.)
(As viewers of Thirteen's Era know, when the Doctor, Yaz, and Dan come across the Weeping Angels during The Flux, the Doctor has to explain to bother of her current companions what the Weeping Angels even are, which means that this prior adventure with Yaz, Ryan, and Graham never happened in showrunner Chris Chibnall's vision of events.)
But what a perfect way to have two incarnations of the Doctor meet up! The Thirteenth Doctor and the Fam find themselves drawn off course to London in 1969 while aiming for Woodstock in the same year and find themselves working alongside Ten and Martha, who are currently living through the events of the Steven Moffat penned story, "Blink," which is very much a favorite of the majority of the fandom. Even I, a person who thinks Moffat is massively overhyped as both a story writer and a showrunner, will concede that this is one of the three good episodes he's written.
Also, having the other villain be the Autons is a nice nod. Not only because the Tenth Doctor's pain over losing Rose is alluded to multiple times in this story (and the Autons were the villains in the episode where the Ninth Doctor first met Rose Tyler), but also because the first story of the Third Doctor Era was filmed in London in 1969 and Three's first story, "Spearhead from Space," also introduced the Autons to DW viewing audiences. The episode didn't air until 1970, but was filmed in 1969, so that's a fun nod.
And very interesting, emotional, and fun to have Thirteen be the one to search out Martha and to have her notice that Martha's feelings for her prior incarnation were all over Martha's face CONSTANTLY and to berate her previous self for being so unobservant. When you know the future developments on the relationship between Thirteen and Yaz this takes on almost a self-deprecating quality, but also so glad to see that the Doctor appreciates what they put Martha through for so long and does feel repentant for it. Martha deserves the world and I'm glad at least one incarnation of the Doctor notices it!
The only thing that threw me in this issue was that Ten looks REALLY off on some of the close up panels. He always looks like a fair animated approximation on the more distant panels, but the minute it's supposed to be an intense, dramatic close up, he looks nothing like David Tennant. It just took me out of the story a few times.
But all in all, this sets up for the following Thirteenth Doctor and Tenth Doctor team up of Alternating Currents very well. There were just enough allusions to the Rose Tyler story that people who joined into DW with Thirteen's Era would understand Ten's reaction to coming across an alternate time line version of that particular companion in the following story. (Though how you can spend even three minutes in the DW universe and not hear Rose's name is beyond my understanding, but I am very much biased.)
January 1, 2025
The Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and her companions Graham, Ryan and Yaz arrive in 1969, hoping see Woodstock. However, the TARDIS has instead taken them to London, where the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) and Martha Jones have been stranded by the Weeping Angels.
The idea of pairing these two particular incarnations of the Doctor is a brilliant one, both because of their respective characters but also due to the real-like friendship between Whittaker and Tennant.
And it's fitting that they have a challenge that requires both of their talents to overcome, in the form of both the Weeping Angels and the Autons. Similarly, too, those two monsters also work well together, being ordinary everyday features of our world one minute and unstoppable killers the next.
So, the question I had for myself when I finished this book was; why didn't I enjoy it more?
Don't get me wrong, I did like it, but I felt like I should've loved it with so much positive in the very concept.
Ultimately, I think it was held back by a few minor elements, which combined to prevent the book from reaching its potential.
First among these is Ingranata's artwork. Again, it's not bad, but the slightly cartoony style, which I haven't minded in other Who books, fails to capture the ominous tone of the story and of the Weeping Angels in particular.
The second drawback is that, similar to the TV show itself, Thirteen's companions are underused and don't have a lot to do (although I'm always happy to see Graham), meaning that the crossover potential of having them meet the Tenth Doctor feels wasted.
Finally, the resolution to the story felt a little rushed and then ends on a totally unnecessary cliffhanger. It leaves the ending of the book feeling very unsatisfying.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
The idea of pairing these two particular incarnations of the Doctor is a brilliant one, both because of their respective characters but also due to the real-like friendship between Whittaker and Tennant.
And it's fitting that they have a challenge that requires both of their talents to overcome, in the form of both the Weeping Angels and the Autons. Similarly, too, those two monsters also work well together, being ordinary everyday features of our world one minute and unstoppable killers the next.
So, the question I had for myself when I finished this book was; why didn't I enjoy it more?
Don't get me wrong, I did like it, but I felt like I should've loved it with so much positive in the very concept.
Ultimately, I think it was held back by a few minor elements, which combined to prevent the book from reaching its potential.
First among these is Ingranata's artwork. Again, it's not bad, but the slightly cartoony style, which I haven't minded in other Who books, fails to capture the ominous tone of the story and of the Weeping Angels in particular.
The second drawback is that, similar to the TV show itself, Thirteen's companions are underused and don't have a lot to do (although I'm always happy to see Graham), meaning that the crossover potential of having them meet the Tenth Doctor feels wasted.
Finally, the resolution to the story felt a little rushed and then ends on a totally unnecessary cliffhanger. It leaves the ending of the book feeling very unsatisfying.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
December 31, 2025
4.5/5 rounded up to 5! I LOVED THIS!!
Seeing Thirteen and her companions interact with Martha and Ten is such an interesting premise especially in the time frame where they are stuck in 1969 because of Blink!
I know Thirteen and Ten share a lot of expanded media together, but this was my first story with the both of them and I really liked their dynamic.
Martha Jones is one of my favorite companions and I really hated how Ten treated her, it was kinda of heartbreaking so seeing Thirteen, an incarnation that has had so many years to reflect treat Martha with the respect she deserves, I loved it. Thirteen the Doctor Martha deserved.
And thinking about it, Martha is the companion that must of spent the most time with Ten. Like Blink had them stuck in the 60s for a long time, then you think about Family of Blood where they were stuck for another extended period where the Doctor couldn’t remember anything and Martha having to deal with it all, and even tho they weren’t together, in S3 finale that Martha has to walk the world for YEARS to save the world. She is one of the most capable and strongest companions and I don’t think the doctor realized it until they lost her.
Anyways I will forever praise Martha Jones and I loved her and Thirteen here together! I really loved that even if it were a two Doctor story it was definitely Thirteen as the primary doctor for the story which I loved!
Also the villains? AUTONS AND THE WEEPING ANGELS?? Yeah I loved it. Weeping Angel stories always are so peak to me and I wish the Autons returned to NuWho, only ever appearing in Rose. All around such a great story! Loved it! Need to get into more Doctor Who Expanded Media!
Seeing Thirteen and her companions interact with Martha and Ten is such an interesting premise especially in the time frame where they are stuck in 1969 because of Blink!
I know Thirteen and Ten share a lot of expanded media together, but this was my first story with the both of them and I really liked their dynamic.
Martha Jones is one of my favorite companions and I really hated how Ten treated her, it was kinda of heartbreaking so seeing Thirteen, an incarnation that has had so many years to reflect treat Martha with the respect she deserves, I loved it. Thirteen the Doctor Martha deserved.
And thinking about it, Martha is the companion that must of spent the most time with Ten. Like Blink had them stuck in the 60s for a long time, then you think about Family of Blood where they were stuck for another extended period where the Doctor couldn’t remember anything and Martha having to deal with it all, and even tho they weren’t together, in S3 finale that Martha has to walk the world for YEARS to save the world. She is one of the most capable and strongest companions and I don’t think the doctor realized it until they lost her.
Anyways I will forever praise Martha Jones and I loved her and Thirteen here together! I really loved that even if it were a two Doctor story it was definitely Thirteen as the primary doctor for the story which I loved!
Also the villains? AUTONS AND THE WEEPING ANGELS?? Yeah I loved it. Weeping Angel stories always are so peak to me and I wish the Autons returned to NuWho, only ever appearing in Rose. All around such a great story! Loved it! Need to get into more Doctor Who Expanded Media!
September 26, 2020
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor, Vol. 4: A Tale of Two Time Lords, A Little Help From My Friends
Wonderful to have 10th & Martha interacting with the Doc’s fam! Weeping angels and Autons! Double trouble. Enjoyable story. ****
.
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #2.1 by Jody Houser, Roberta Ingranata
"I was always so upset I couldn't make it the first time 'round. ... But now I ACTUALLY get to see Woodstock in person." - Graham
.
"Jane, Jane Smith" - 13th.
...
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #2.2
"... he's completely loony tune?" - Ryan
"It's our Doctor when she was younger. I THINK. Did we really expect anything different?" - Yaz
.
"... DON'T BLINK." - 10th.
...
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #2.3
"Well, friends from the future... let's see if we can outwit a lonely assassin." - 10th
...
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #2.4
The Doctors totally have the upper hand now!
“The Weeping Angels. Trying to get INSIDE the TARDIS.” - Yaz
“Would that leave ALL of us stranded [here] in 1969?” – Ryan
“Living through the seventies ONCE was enough ..” – Graham ..
“US? We’re just tourists.” – 10th, alongside 13th.
Funny, same thing said in 13th Holiday Special #1 ..
They dump their prisoner Weeping Angels on an star in an uninhabited system, out of reach of other species, but what if other aliens venture near!?! ***
Wonderful to have 10th & Martha interacting with the Doc’s fam! Weeping angels and Autons! Double trouble. Enjoyable story. ****
.
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #2.1 by Jody Houser, Roberta Ingranata
"I was always so upset I couldn't make it the first time 'round. ... But now I ACTUALLY get to see Woodstock in person." - Graham
.
"Jane, Jane Smith" - 13th.
...
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #2.2
"... he's completely loony tune?" - Ryan
"It's our Doctor when she was younger. I THINK. Did we really expect anything different?" - Yaz
.
"... DON'T BLINK." - 10th.
...
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #2.3
"Well, friends from the future... let's see if we can outwit a lonely assassin." - 10th
...
Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #2.4
The Doctors totally have the upper hand now!
“The Weeping Angels. Trying to get INSIDE the TARDIS.” - Yaz
“Would that leave ALL of us stranded [here] in 1969?” – Ryan
“Living through the seventies ONCE was enough ..” – Graham ..
“US? We’re just tourists.” – 10th, alongside 13th.
Funny, same thing said in 13th Holiday Special #1 ..
They dump their prisoner Weeping Angels on an star in an uninhabited system, out of reach of other species, but what if other aliens venture near!?! ***
October 13, 2022
Yes, I know I haven't gone through through the first three volumes from Year One of the Thirteenth Doctor. But I figured this would probably not be continuity heavy with regards to those, and it looks like I was right. This is a fun adventure in which The Doctor and the Fam go to London 1969 and encounter the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones. It feels very real that the Thirteenth Doctor would carry guilt about being too thick to realize back then how much Martha was into the Tenth Doctor. The Fam describing Ten as Looney Tunes was icing on the cake. I've always thought Thirteen felt like Ten, but not quite as over the top. So their interactions worked pretty well. It was nice hearing Ten say how he's glad someday he'll be Thirteen. It's really interesting to read all this after hearing the rumors of what could happen at the end of or after The Power of the Doctor. I'm also trying to figure out whether this story could work with the continuity of the TV series. The Fam already knows The Doctor used to be a man, so I'm assuming this is at least after "Spyfall," right? Sometime during series 12? And the Fam encounter Weeping Angels, though I don't recall whether or not it is said in Flux that Yaz has not seen them before. Still a fun story either way. And it's brilliant that this volume was released on 10/13, or 13/10 depending on where you are.
Read
September 25, 2021Read this before the blessed news broke yesterday, but what a perfect fit, the new era circling back around to Rusty's boy. Jody Houser has already shown on the Thirteenth Doctor series that she can write the Chibnall-era TARDIS crew better than the TV show was able to manage. But yhat is, of course, the lowest bar imaginable, so there was still everything to play for in getting her to do a crossover with the Tenth Doctor – and one set in the margins of his finest story, at that. Still, if it doesn't add much to Blink, as a character piece it's genial enough, and compared to Titan's previous, lumbering efforts at multi-Doctor stories, I'd much rather have a fluffy little runaround like this than another incoherent pseudo-epic. It definitely helps that Roberta Ingranata's likenesses are more about capturing the spirit of the main players than becoming stilted in the pursuit of photorealism; if I wasn't as convinced by her Yaz as the rest of the cast, that's probably more Chibnall's fault for giving people so little to go on in terms of who the character's actually supposed to be. Oh, it's going to be good having someone who can actually make a decent TV show at the helm again.
March 3, 2022
Crossover-style titles are always an easy way to draw readers. And in the Doctor Who universe, getting multiple iterations of the Doctor meet is always a way to get easy attention as well. I'm all for it, quite frankly, especially when it involves the Tenth Doctor.
And as far as Doctor crossovers go, this was actually not that bad. To have our new Doctor end up in London during the time the Tenth Doctor and Martha were stuck in the past after an encounter with a Weeping Angel. It was a nice to way to stress the differences between the Doctors and how they approach things, although the Companions didn't get to do much on all sides.
It was still an interesting enough adventure, although I have some inevitable questions about things. I get it that the Doctors will inevitably forget their encounter with one another but what about Martha and the rest? Won't they remember somehow? Or will they just willfully forget?
Onwards for now.
And as far as Doctor crossovers go, this was actually not that bad. To have our new Doctor end up in London during the time the Tenth Doctor and Martha were stuck in the past after an encounter with a Weeping Angel. It was a nice to way to stress the differences between the Doctors and how they approach things, although the Companions didn't get to do much on all sides.
It was still an interesting enough adventure, although I have some inevitable questions about things. I get it that the Doctors will inevitably forget their encounter with one another but what about Martha and the rest? Won't they remember somehow? Or will they just willfully forget?
Onwards for now.
February 27, 2021
I tend to think that the best Doctor Who stories are the ones that you can show to anybody, regardless of their previous knowledge of the show. This is pretty much the opposite of that. I can't see anybody who isn't deeply invested getting anything out of this. Not only is this very slight, but what little of it there is has been built almost entirely out of references to past episodes. But, as a long-time fan, it was a fun, light read.
Looks like I rated Doctor Who: The Third Doctor, Vol. 1: The Heralds of Destruction 4 stars. This is a pretty similar sort of confection, but not quite as clever, so I've gone with 3.
Looks like I rated Doctor Who: The Third Doctor, Vol. 1: The Heralds of Destruction 4 stars. This is a pretty similar sort of confection, but not quite as clever, so I've gone with 3.
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