In Review: Doctor Who – The Eleventh Doctor #1

By John Freeman on July 17, 2014

Writers: Al Ewing & Rob Williams
Art: Simon Fraser
Colour: Gary Caldwell
Letters: Richard Starkings & Jimmy Betancoourt
Editor: Andrew James

The Comic: A stunning new era begins for the Eleventh Doctor, as played by Matt Smith! Alice Obiefune has just lost her mother when the Doctor explodes into her life. But what does this grieving young woman have to do with the career of a 70s musician, an amnesiac alien, and a terrifying cosmic threat?

In the wake of the second Big Bang, find out what the Doctor gets up to when Amy and Rory aren’t around!

Series architects Al Ewing (Loki: Agent of Asgard, Mighty Avengers,Trifecta) and Rob Williams (Revolutionary War, Ordinary, Miss Fury, The Royals: Masters of War, Trifecta) kick off a whirlwind adventure through eternity with artist Simon Fraser (Nikolai Dante, Grindhouse, Doctor Who)!

The Review: With new companion Alice Obiefune and her downbeat life introduced in the first few pages, interrupted by the Doctor’s arrival chasing what seems to be a traditional ‘alien monster’ that’s fallen through a rift in time, the writers on the Eleventh Doctor offer a fast-paced, humour-filled adventure in this new Doctor Who tale. The story is, for the most part, a great romp as the monster leads the Doctor and Alice on a merry dance across London, that includes an impromptu appearance in the House of Commons and a stand off with UNIT.

Along the way, though, Ewing and Williams hint at a larger story arc, with a snatched glimpse of what looks like a Time Lord in one frame that distracts the Doctor on his mission; and the writing duo throw in some smashing jokes at the expense of Who’s history (my favourite: why shouldn’t the Doctor regenerate as a squid?).

These panels from the first Titan Eleventh Doctor story illustrate Simon Fraser’s skill at both likeness and interpreting the character to deliver an emotional scene.

Simon Fraser has drawn Doctor Who before, of course, for IDW, and he takes to delivering this Eleventh Doctor like a duck to water, with a great eye for detail, both for character and the inner workings of the TARDIS. While there are some occasions where Matt Smith’s looks elude him, as with many an artist charged with capturing an actor’s look, he skilfully creates his own interpretation of the Eleventh Doctor without the results turning into obvious photographic reference, thank goodness.

As a result he brings some terrific emotion to both the Time Lord and new companion Alice, beautifully complemented by Gary Caldwell’s excellent colouring who helps bring some terrific mood to key scenes.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first story from Titan Comics new Eleventh Doctor series – the story was a fun introduction to both the Eleventh Doctor and his new companion with some great touches that shouldn’t leave you feeling at all disappointed, but definitely wanting more.

• Doctor Who – The Eleventh Doctor #1 is on sale in comic stores from 23d July 2014

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• Buy the Doctor Who: Eleventh Doctor #1 SDCC 2014 Previews Exclusive Variant from Forbidden Planet

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About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as 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.