REVIEW: Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor #1

Written by Robbie Morrison. Art by Dave Taylor. Published by Titan Comics.

Back in July, I reviewed both Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor and The Eleventh Doctor. Both were enjoyable reads in which were able to represent their respective Doctors with accuracy. Now its time for the Twelfth Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, to make his debut in comics with Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor #1. Written by Robbie Morrison and art by Dave Taylor, this new Doctor Who series is an interesting story which fans of the new Doctor will enjoy.

The story kicks off with The Doctor taking Clara to an ice planet with the intention of teaching her how to ski. The only problem is that it is no longer icy. Instead, they arrive at a planet that has been terraformed into the lush jungle. In traditional Doctor Who fashion, this is where all the trouble begins. While it is only the first part of the story it follows your typical Doctor Who formula that works so well. Although, Morrison has mixed it up with the opening sequence which sets up that something is amiss on this alien world. It certainly had me wanting to know more.

Since there have only been 8 episodes featuring Peter Capaldi so far, it is hard to make a firm decision on the representation of the character. That saying, I think Robbie Morrison has written a Doctor who is a good representation of what the Doctor is at the moment. While The Twelfth Doctor’s character will evolve on screen, this will be a good snapshot of the character in the earlier days of this regeneration. Morrison has captured his dark personality, full of pessimism and dry wit.

Clara’s representation in Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor is true to the character. While she doesn’t have any emotional contribution to the story, she plays more of a spectator and sometimes comic relief. I think in later issues we’ll see more of her emotional core shine through, especially once the plot has been established. Dave Taylor has given her which are expressive and add to her cheery disposition.

Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor is an accessible read for those new to comics and Doctor Who in general. As this Doctor is still fresh, this series doesn’t rely heavily on any continuity. Even if you totally unfamiliar with Doctor Who this issue is still accessible with everything you need to know explained on the first page.

Dave Taylor is great match for this series. His art has a science-fiction bent to it which works well in the context of Doctor Who. His alien jungle is lush, full of exotic trees and alien creatures. It will be interesting to see what future alien worlds we will see in future issues.

In conclusion, Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor #1 is a good start to this new series which accessible and true to the franchise. The story feels like an episode of the television series, following a similar formula, but with Dave Taylor’s art makes it feel like a much larger budget. If you have been a fan of season 8 of Doctor Who then this comic is for you. If you are a casual fan or not familiar with the franchise Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor #1 is an accessible read.

Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor #1 is available in all good comic book stores and digitally from October 15th.