COMIC REVIEW: The Tenth Doctor #4

The Arts in Space
by Nick Abadzis

Out Nov 5

Review by Alex Romeo

The Tenth Doctor's fourth adventure with new companion Gabby starts off in an enjoyably novel way. Gabby, who is a would-be comic illustrator, is trying to explain her weird and wonderful new life to her friend Cindy in the form of a letter/comic strip. The unconventional design of this first half of the comic is really refreshing and occasionally very funny. If you can get past the very American (duh) lexicon, it's a great way to introduce the world of Doctor Who. The TARDIS is the Threshold and Ridiculous Domain of Insanity and Supercool, and look out for some lovely new perspectives on the innate Britishness of the show.

Gabby gets to choose what kind of journey she goes on for her one trip in the TARDIS. The travellers end up in futuristic art gallery Ouloumous in order to see a particular work of art by an artist The Doctor is familiar with. Except both she and her work have disappeared. They take a space elevator up to her retreat, and that's where things start to get really Dada-esque...

Once again, The Tenth Doctor's rat-tat-tat-tat way of speaking is captured faithfully and he's drawn in a particularly comic strip-y way. The issue gains a lot from having Gabby as the narrator and we get a real sense of her and how being with the Gallifreyan has changed her for the better. There are some great nods to classic Who lines and the issue ends on quite the cliffhanger.

Look out too for the extra strips at the end of the issue. The first, Wardrobe Malfunction, features a bobble head Doctor picking an outfit, and the next, A Rose by any other name, by Rachael Smith, features a melancholic Time Lord reciting some Shakespearean verse. And a cat.

BLOGTOR RATING 9/10
Thanks to Titan Comics

++DOCTOR WHO - THE TENTH DOCTOR #3 COMIC REVIEW++

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