Relationships are hard. Relationships involving time travel? Those are just impossible… Your Major Spoilers review of Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Year Two #13 awaits!
DOCTOR WHO: THE TENTH DOCTOR YEAR TWO #13
Writer: Nick Abadzis
Artist: Eleonora Carlini & Giorgia Sposito
Colorist: Arianna Florean with Adele Matera
Letterer: Richard Starkings and Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt
Editor: Andrew James
Publisher: Titan Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Year Two: “A vacation to New Orleans at the height of the Jazz Age did not go as the Doctor, Gabby and Cindy had hoped, when a monstrous Nocturne entity struck down several musicians (including Cindy’s new boyfriend, Roscoe) robbing them of their ability to play! Though she and the Doctor were able to prevent the terrifying monster from enslaving the human race through sound waves, Gabby learned the true burden of the time traveler. Roscoe died in the Nocturne’s chaos and Gabby was the one who had to tell Cindy that he had been killed…”
A QUIET MOMENT…
This issue begins with The Doctor, Gabby and Cindy back in New York circa sorta kinda modern-day, as Gabby and Cindy check in with home and family before setting off on another adventure with The Tenth Doctor. Gabby’s mother has a long and charming interaction with Ten wherein she reads his palm, telling him that his “lifeline is splintered”, while The Doctor tries not to worry her about her daughter’s tutelage in his care. Cindy, for her part, is still reeling from the loss of her time-lost boyfriend Roscoe, whose death in the 1920s was a fixed point in time, one that even The Doctor couldn’t avoid. She isn’t willing to stop her travels, though, and our trio returns to the realm of Anubis (brother entity of classic Who villain Sutekh) who has been working with The Doctor on a plan to regain a world of his own.
…BEFORE ALL HECK BREAKS LOOSE
Of course, it all goes pear-shaped before long, with Gabby discovering evidence that Sutekh isn’t as gone as he seems, while Cindy and The Doctor are literally lost in time and space. Perhaps FOREVER????
Well, no, it’s The Doctor, he doesn’t do that. But still, this issue is a fun read, with art that is really dynamic (and, not coincidentally, gives us a great Tenth Doctor likeness) and manages to make the scary bits even scarier. I like how Abadzis’ script grasps the most important part of the Doctor’s interactions with his traveling companions: The fact that THEIR perceptions and interactions are the best part of it all. There are also lovely continuity touches for those who look at such things (like the Robot from the episode “Robot”) which are handled perfectly and never overpower the story being told…
THE BOTTOM LINE: A FINE, TENSE TENTH TALE
In short, it’s a story that feels perfectly in keeping with the Tenth Doctor’s TV tales, even lacking Rose, Donna or poor Martha, making for a worthy continuation. Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor Year Two #13 is, as The Doctor might say, pretty brilliant, with well-done art and a clever story to set Ten and his friends off into their second year of their second year (because that’s not complicated at all) earning 4 out of 5 stars overall. There’s also a teeny bit of Fifth Doctor in this issue, which always makes me happy…
[taq_review]Dear Spoilerite,
At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.
Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.