Planet 55’s new animated series “Prisoner Zero” gets debut at Gallifrey One

By John Freeman on February 9, 2016

A promotional image for the new animated show Prisoner Zero.

The big Gallifrey One Doctor Who convention takes place in Los Angeles this weekend, and there are several comics guest on the line-up as well as stars such as Fifth Doctor Peter Davison, War Doctor Sir John Hurt, Sixth Doctor Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant, who played companion Peri (to name but a few). Along with Doctor Who fun, there’s also a new animated series getting its public debut at the show.

The convention’s guest list reads like a Who’s Who (sorry) of the show’s rich history. Comics guests include Jessica Martin, who was a guest on the “classic” Doctor Who (as a werewolf in The Greatest Show in the Galaxy), whose brilliant Elsie Harris Picture Palace is on sale now from MIWK Publishing. (Let’s not forget that Colin Baker also wrote a Doctor Who comic adventure, The Age of Chaos, too).

Also at the event are Andrew Cartmel, script editor on the Seventh Doctor TV stories and writer of several strips for Doctor Who Magazine – and now co-writing the Rivers of London comic stories with Ben Aaronovitch at Titan Comics; as are comics writers Paul Cornell, Simon Guerrier (one of the writers on the new Dan Dare audio adventures), Tony Lee, Gary Russell and Richard Starkings (these days best known as the creator of Elephantmen but who was also the editor of the DWM comic strip). Artists on the line-up include Blair Shedd, J.K. Woodward and Charlie Kirchoff.

One as yet widely announced event on the convention’s busy schedule is a screening of the first two episodes of Prisoner Zero, a the new kids animated sci-fi series for Gary Russell has been working on at Australia’s Planet 55 Studios, the company that did the animation recreating episodes of the Doctor Who stories The Tenth Planet and The Moonbase.

Prisoner Zero is a fast-paced, animated sci-fi, action-adventure series, following the exploits of teen heroes, Tag and Gem, and their mysterious friend Prisoner Zero, following the heroes as they journey across the cosmos in the spaceship Rogue to battle the evil Imperium.

The Imperium have enslaved humanity and taken control of the population via a digital system wired into every cell of their bodies. Tag and Gem’s become inter-galactic Robin Hoods in a breathtaking struggle against the evil Imperium’s General Vykar.

The online teaser looks great fun, so if you’re going to the convention do check it out and wish Gary well from us!

• More about Planet 55 and Prisoner Zero at http://planet55studios.com.au | View the trailer here

• The Prisoner Zero screening takes place on Saturday night at 9.00pm in Program Room E. For the full line up and details of Gallifrey One visit: www.gallifreyone.com

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.