Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor #6 Review

What does the First World War have to offer this latest Doctor Who adventure? Read on to find out.

The official description from Titan:

When Gabby and the Doctor arrive by accident in No Man’s Land in July, 1916, they’re met by Corporal Jamie Colqhoun – a soldier who knows from bitter experience that there are worse things than the Jerries out in the rat-strewn trenches. Things that drift through the smoke of a thousand cannon shells, and move only when you look away. Shadows that flit over artillery-blasted field hospitals and throw their terrifying wings over the living. Statues that steal your life in an instant. The Weeping Angels. But in a conflict where the life of young men is cheap, and thousands die every day – are the Angels actually offering salvation?

Trapped in the midst of a flock of starving Angels, the Doctor faces his most challenging and terrifying moral dilemma yet!

Since launching back in July, Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor has seen the fan favourite Doctor revived for some new adventures, having a new companion in Gabby Gonzalez. The quality of these adventures on the other hand have been a mixed bag, as despite being generally good, there have been few memorable moments. This does however appear to be on the verge of changing, as with the insertion of fan favourite villains, the Weeping Angels, in a World War I setting, things certainly have a chance at escalating to greatness.

Having retained the same creative team since it’s first issue, it’s slightly strange to see a new team take over. That doesn’t however mean that the change is a negativity, and if this issue is anything to go by, it may be just what the series needs. Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor writer Robbie Morrison gives us a wonderful look into the First World War, with the narration, and character development leaving the door open for a brilliant storyline. The way that he’s incorporated the Weeping Angels into the script also amazes, with the subtle, yet effective use of suspense allowing these creatures to be as scary as ever.

Former Green Hornet and Sherlock Holmes artist Daniel Indro takes over the art duties from Elena Casagrande, and though it’s sad not to see her amazing art grace this comic, I feel Indro’s style is much better suited to the gritty setting that is World War I. The detail to his work is also spectacular, with the motion, and facial expressions allowing for great depth. In addition to this, Indro also makes the Weeping Angels as menacing as ever, and along with Slamet Mujiono‘s colours, it allows this tale to really stand out from the previous issues.

Despite there still being an excellent follow-up issue before we can decide whether this new creative team outranks the last, the events of this issue certainly steers the series in the right direction. The World War I setting also allows the Weeping Angels to be creepier than ever, with the mixture of comedy and emotion being perfect. Highly recommended.