Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor: Season Two #1

Written by: Jody Houser
Art by: Roberta Ingranata
Colors by: Enrica Eren Angiolini
Flats by: Shari Chankhamma
Lettered by: Richard Starkings & Sarah Hedrick
Published by: Titan Comics

The Doctors are in! It’s 1969 and The Thirteenth Doctor and her fam are looking to attend the party of the year, Woodstock. But, when the TARDIS drops them a little way from their destination, it becomes a case of déjà vu for The Doctor when she runs into the Tenth incarnation of herself.

The ingenious part of this story is the particular time period chosen for it. Not just the smashing period of the late-60s, but, more specifically, this story sheds light on an unexplored aspect of one of Doctor Who’s most iconic stories, “Blink”. This comic takes a look at how Martha Jones and the Tenth Doctor coped with being sent to the 60s in that popular episode. And, along with Martha and David Tennent’s Doctor, we get a glimpse of the classic enemy the Weeping Angels. For any Whovian, this story will be filled with great details and nods. But along with that is a genuinely strong story. The TARDIS does her classic temperamental time traveling and sends the Doctor and her companions to a place they might not have known they needed to be. That’s one of the great quintessentially DW elements writer Jody Houser utilizes so well in her storytelling. She also captures the dynamic between Martha and Ten, bringing this fan-favorite duo back to life for another tale. The characterization of David Tennent’s Doctor is a worthy one. And, the grounding of the story, by having Martha find a job is the 60s while Ten can galivant away, is another aspect that adds to the atmosphere of the comic. By the end, things get a bit darker and that brings in another familiar DW atmosphere to the comic which is very fitting for the enemy involved since the Weeping Angels have caused many nightmares since their introduction.

One of the key factors that led to me anticipating this comic so highly was the return of the art team that worked with Houser on the phenomenal Thirteenth Doctor Holiday Special, and my excitement was proven to be just with this issue. The art complements the spot-on writing with just as exceptional art. The characters are perfect; this showed that off more than the previous comics. With the addition of David Tennent’s, now legendary, portrayal of the character, Roberta Ingranata was able to show how well she can capture a likeness. Shots of his Doctor running (there’s an awful lot of that, isn’t there) and looking clever as he investigates makes it even more official that Ten is back for another go. I’ve noted her great way of illustrating clothing and that is also on display in this issue, especially given Martha’s new workplace. But her strongest skill is in the emotions she illustrates. So many characters in the show are loved because of the life they’re given by actors’ performances and Ingranata can capture that with her art, leading to many humorous and engrossing moments. The period setting also lent itself to many beautifully drawn set pieces. Her panel layouts also deserve to be highlighted. The team on colors also continue to do what I loved from their previous work. The palette in this issue is great. This isn’t an overstatement, it has a very refreshing quality in some scenes, and then the mood is affected when needed by darker tones being applied. The “lighting effects” (for lack of a better word) that I loved so much in the Holiday Special also continue in this issue. They’re used to give the TARDIS and other tech a futuristic aura or used, like in the last page, to illustrate the glow of light and other such flairs; I’ve haven’t seen many comics give light such a luminescent quality and it’s a feeling that stands out in many scenes. 

This comic is superb on many levels. The art is amazing and the writing is perfectly "Who". But the magic is in what they've taken from the history of the show and brought into this book to make fresh and new.