Doctor Who: The Bells of St John

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Celia Imrie, Clara, Colm McCarthy, Doctor Who, Dr Who, Dr Who Season 7, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Matt Smith, Miss Kislet, Steven Moffat, TARDIS, The Shard, The Spoonheads

The Bells of St John

Review by Paul Bowler

[CONTAINS SPOILERS]

Having retreated to a monastery in 1207 to contemplate the enigma of Clara Oswald, where the Doctor is studying a painting of Clara from the 13^th Century which purportedly yields the last message from the girl who has already died twice, the Time Lord is roused from his musings when two monks bring news that the Bells of St John are ringing. He returns to the TARDIS where the telephone in the door is ringing.

The surprise caller is Clara Oswald, a live in nanny from present day London, who is experiencing a problem with her internet connection. A bemused and excited Doctor quickly takes the TARDIS to meet Clara, but she isn’t exactly impressed by the strangely dressed man who has parked his strange blue box outside the house. After taking the time to make a quick costume change, the Doctor is horrified to find that Clara has been attacked by some otherworldly robotic device called a Spoonhead, which is somehow linked to the Wi-Fi network. After preventing Clara’s mind from being downloaded by the Spoonhead, the Doctor is determined to find out who is behind the entity lurking inside the capitols Wi-Fi signals – harvesting human minds and stealing their souls. It turns out that anyone looking at a particular network symbol instantly becomes a target for the sentient network, controlled by Miss Kislet from her high-rise office in the Shard as she plots with her mysterious client to use the Spoonheads to build a Data Cloud and turn the technology of the world against humanity.

Clara wakes up and gazes down from her window to see that the Doctor is still waiting for her by the TARDIS. She goes outside to meet him, suddenly aware that she now understands computers, although she can’t explain how. As the Doctor begins to explain what happened to her Miss Kislet decides to strike back and hacks into the Wi-Fi to send a passenger plane plummeting towards them. After rushing Clara into the TARDIS the Doctor makes a whirlwind trip to the plane, with a bewildered Clara who suddenly finds herself at the controls with the Doctor as the narrowly avoid disaster.

But later, after leaving the TARDIS on the south bank for a quick jaunt around London on the Doctor’s motorbike, Clara manages to hack into the Wi-Fi Network while the Doctor goes to get her a coffee. Miss Kislet uses this opportunity to hack the minds of people in the immediate vicinity, distracting the Doctor long enough for a Spoonhead to sneak up and download Clara’s mind into the Data Cloud. The Doctor races to the rescue on his super charged anti-gravity motorbike, flying up the side of the Shard where he bursts into Mrs Kislet’s office. All seems lost when she refuses to release Clara from the Data Cloud, but the Doctor has other ideas, and cleverly manages to sidestep his enemy when the Time Lord in her office turns out to be a Spoonhead that has been hacked by the Doctor who has been controlling it while he watches over Clara back at the rooftop café. As UNIT troops storm the building Mrs Kislet’s employer is revealed to be the Great Intelligence, who has one last, devastating order for Mrs Kislet to carry out before the building is overrun…

Unaware that his old enemy has return, the Doctor asks Clara to join him on his adventures in time and space. Clara is still not completely convinced, she tells him to come back tomorrow and ask her again before leaving the TARDIS. The Doctor can watch and wait, sure in the knowledge that the adventure is just beginning…

Season Seven resumes in fine style with The Bells of St John, heralding the beginning of a new era for Doctor Who as the soufflé girl/governess Clara Oswin finally joins the Doctor on his adventure in time and space. Ever since Jenna-Louise Coleman first appeared as the fast-talking computer-savvy Oswin Oswlad in Asylum of the Daleks (2012), fans have been captivated by the mystery surrounding the girl in a red dress who didn’t even realize she’d been turned into a Dalek. The 2012 Christmas Special: The Snowmen then offered us Clara the Governess who tragically died again, only to reappear again in the future standing at her own graveside.

Jenna-Louise Coleman is fantastic as the young woman who seems to have some kind of inexplicable bond with the Time Lord. Having already encountered him in two different time zones, this modern day Clara appears to be fundamentally the same person. In fact, although Clara initially seems as dissimilar to Oswin from Asylum of the Daleks as the Governess was in The Snowmen, who each were distinctive in their own right, this present day version of Clara is an altogether more realistic interpretation of those characters. Jenna-Louise Coleman’s engaging performance as Clara is like opening a Pandora’s Box of infinite delights. Clara’s eclectic persona and bubbly personality also yields a will of steel. She is one of the Doctor‘s most quick-witted companions, who dreams of travelling, and is more than capable of looking out for herself.

Mat Smith is on fine form as the mercurial Time Lord who has rediscovered his thirst for adventure, sporting a stylish new purple version of his costume, Matt Smith’s incarnation of the Doctor continues to impress as Clara’s story begins in earnest. Although the Doctor is thrilled to find Clara it quickly becomes apparent that the dynamic between them strikingly different to the one he shared with the Ponds. The Doctor is both captivated and protective of his new companion, single-handedly organising her life at one point as she gazes down at the TARDIS from her bedroom window, and she in turn challenges his preconceptions with a playful feistiness as their worlds collide.

The Bells of St John is one of Steven Moffat’s most ambitious scripts to date. Boasting incredible production values, this is probably about as close Doctor Who has ever come to being a contemporary urban thriller, and is easily one of the most exhilarating season openers so far. Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman make a fantastic team as they race over Westminster Bridge on a Triumph motorcycle, taking in plenty of London’s famous landmarks along the way. The Bells of St John features some spectacular action set-pieces right from the outset, with Clara’s first trip in the TARDIS placing her and the Doctor at the controls of a passenger jet about to crash into the city, while later we witness the Doctor driving up the Shard on his anti-gravity motorbike!

Director Colm McCarthy takes every opportunity to showcase all the sights of London, and it’s great to see the Doctor and Clara in so many well known locations. Celia Imrie gives a chilling performance as the evil Miss Kislet, the administrator behind the Wi-Fi threat; she has some fantastic one-liners and delivers them with a wickedly cruel glint in her eye. The Spoonheads are using the Wi-Fi signals to hack into people minds and take them over, and Steven Moffat skilfully plays on the insidious way modern technology has inveigled its way into our everyday lives, offering a superbly creepy insight into how vulnerable our innate obsession with social media can make us.

The opening scenes where the viewer is warned not to connect to the Wi-Fi network by a hapless victim of the Spoonheads is very chilling, especially as it illustrates how so many people have become unwilling slaves to the Great Intelligence. By taking something as incongruous as Wi-Fi and transforming it into a deadly weapon for an alien invasion, Steven Moffat brings the threat of the Spoonheads into our own homes, turning an invisible signal into threat you cannot see or touch. There are many underlying themes here that point to the many hidden dangers within the internet, one that is exemplified here by the Spoonheads ability to project images from their victims own subconscious – trolling on an intergalactic scale if you will – which exposes how vulnerable we have all become in this age of information technology. It also very clever how Clara is defined by her cynicism towards social media; perhaps mirroring Steven Moffat’s own decision to leave Twitter as he started to find it too distracting.

Steven Moffat has skilfully weaved the early stages of Clara’s ongoing mythology into The Bells of St John, including a number of flashbacks at relevant points for both Oswin and the Governess, as well as posing some tantalising questions for future episodes.

The chemistry between the Doctor and Clara is electric right from the start, the banter between them is great fun, and I’m sure that Jenna-Louise Coleman will quickly become one of the series most popular companions. With the surprise return of Richard E Grant as the Great Intelligence, The Bells of St John is just the start of Clara’s incredible voyage of discovery as the Doctor searches for clues to explain the paradox of the girl without a time or a place.

The Fury of Firestorm #18 Review

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Dan Jurgens, DC Comics, Firestorm, Hi-Fi, Jason Rusch, Karl Kesel, Multiplex, Ronnie Raymond, The Fury of Firestorm The Nuclear Man, The New 52

The Fury of Firestorm the Nuclear Man #18

Review by Paul Bowler

 

After Ronnie discovers his mother has been kidnapped he calls Jason for help. They transform into Firestorm and begin searching for Joann, going after their prime suspects Skull Crusher and Relay first, who are about to break into Q-Core’s New York research facility to steal the companies latest mobile phone design. The battle is short, Firestorm quickly defeats them, but it soon becomes clear they had nothing to do with the kidnapping of Ronnie’s mother.

While Firestorm returns to Ronnie’s house Joann finds herself trapped in a room inside a derelict building with another prisoner, a man called Rick, who helps her escape from the locked room. Their escape is short lived as the duplicate forms of Multiplex are guarding the building; they quickly overpower Rick, but Joann manages to reach her mobile phone and call Ronnie for help.

Back at Ronnie’s house Firestorm is discussing the situation with Jason’s dad and Tonya when they receive Joann’s frantic call, Multiplex knocks her out and the line goes dead, but Firestorm is able to trace her phone to the disused warehouse. A quick flight later and Firestorm burst into the warehouse where the Multiplex duplicates attack him. Firestorm manages to beat them off only to find Joann and Rick shackled to a strange machine that suddenly begins to drain his powers. As he struggles to break free Multiplex reveals his true identity, and Firestorm can only watch helplessly as Joann writhes in agony as the machine reaches full power…

The Fury of Firestorm #18 is another action packed issue from Dan Jurgens that heralds the debut of The New 52 version of Multiplex, a classic Firestorm villain, whose powers were derived after Professor Stein’s assistant, Dalton Black, tried to steal the professors secrets and inadvertently turned himself into an army of duplicates. Dalton Black’s first appearance was in Firestorm #1 (1978), and then as Multiplex in issue 2, after he was caught up in the same explosion at the power plant that transformed Ronnie Raymond and Professor Stien into Firestorm. Although this new Multiplex has a very different outfit from the original, his origin is essentially the same, although this time it was the experiments he carried out on himself that turned him into Multiplex.

The art in Firestorm #18 by Dan Jurgens brilliantly conveys the non stop action, with inks by Ray McCarthy and Karl Kesel, together with vibrant colours by Hi-Fi and Travis Lanham’s letting, this issue makes great use of the supporting cast as everyone works together to help Ronnie save his mother. There are some fun moments as well when Firestorm tackles Skull Crusher and Relay, leading to Ronnie humiliating Skull Crusher yet again, this time by turning his costume into a baby’s nappy! The flashback sequence where Firestorm recounts the events leading up to his search for Ronnie’s mother is also well handled, playing out across two sumptuously illustrated pages that reflect the nuclear man’s thoughts as they blaze around his head.

I would have liked to have seen a bit more to the fight between Firestorm and Multiplex, which did feel like it was resolved a little too quickly, but there is still the mystery of the shadowy group of figures surveying events from afar to keep us guessing until the next issue. There may only be a few new issues of Firestorm left for us to enjoy, so let’s celebrate each and every one!

All New XMen #9 Review

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All New X-Men, Angel, Brian Michael Bendis, Cyclops, Iceman, Jean Grey, Kitty Pryde, Marvel Comics, Marvel Now, Mystique, Original X-Men, Sabertooth, Sentinels, Stuart Immonen, The Beast, X-Men

All New X-Men #9

Review by Paul Bowler

 

After encountering his future self, Warren helped his metal winged counterpart defend Avengers Tower from an attack by Hydra, but after witnessing both Angel’s in action the Avengers decide to return with them to the school where the Beast explains the situation to Captain America. When the Avengers leave Angel breaks into Hank’s lab, determined to return to his own time. The young Jean Grey intervenes, shocking everyone when she uses her newfound telepathic powers to forcibly alter Warren’s mind and make him stay.

The original X-Men face one of their toughest challenges yet in All New X-Men #9 when Kitty decides its time for their first training session in the Danger Room. With the exercise set against the backdrop of Times Square, the young X-Men struggle to cope as they find themselves attacked by the Sentinels. After her students fail to work together as a team, Kitty ends the training programme, and encourages them to discuss how they went wrong.

As they head for their next class, Jean telepathically pries into Scott’s mind, and asks him who Mystique is. Kitty is horrified that Scott didn’t tell them about Mystique, but he refuses to discuss it, and storms out of the room.

Meanwhile a Maria Hill arrives at The Raft by helicopter with a new prisoner for the Ryker’s Maximum Security Installation, the Mutant known as Sabertooth! Once inside the facility Sabertooth breaks free of his shackles and tears the guars apart, leaving Mystique free to sheds the disguise of Maria Hill and release Lady Mastermind from her cell. Mystique has a proposal for Regan, one that involves using their extraordinary powers to get rich!

Back at The Jean Grey School of Higher Learning the young Angel questions the Beast about why there is no sign of the mutant genocide he told them about. Hank explains how hopes the presence of the original X-Men will make this eras Scott Summers see reason, that he brought them here to avert a disaster, not to witness a mutant genocide. However, the school day is suddenly brought to an abrupt end, when some surprise visitors materialise outside…

All New X-Men #9 is another outstanding character driven piece by Brian Michael Bendis. I really like the dynamic that Bendis has built up between Kitty and the original X-Men. She has forged a great relationship with her students, helping them learn from their mistakes, and it’s good to see Kitty addressing the way Jean has been abusing her telepathic powers. When it emerges that Cyclops has been approached by Mystique it leaves everyone stunned, especially as he refuses to talk about it, leaving us wondering exactly what he intends to do next. One of the best aspects of All New X-Men is the way Bendis has taken the time to allow the story to evolve at a natural pace, although it might by a bit too wordy and slow for some, I feel its one of this books strongest points.

We also discover more about Mystique’s plans, and that her agenda involves more than simply manipulating the young Scott Summers doubts about his mission. The way Mystique organizes Lady Mastermind’s escape from The Raft with Sabertooth is brutal in its simplicity, as Sabertooth quickly disposes of the guards, leaving Mystique free to make a deal with Regan that will enable them all to become extremely rich.

It’s also nice to see Angel finally getting to play a more active role, after being effectively sidelined for the most part, his conversation with the Beast in his lab offers us a greater insight into the reasoning behind Hank‘s actions. The way that Beast makes Warren realise how events could unfold if he hadn’t acted is truly inspired. Faced with only two possible outcomes, Hank sought out a third, and in doing so he believes that the shock of seeing original X-Men will bring Scott Summers to his senses and end his call for a mutant revolution.

All New X-Men #9 features the return of Stuart Immonen to the series with some incredible action set-pieces as the original X-Men take on the Sentinels in Times Square. This spectacular sequence is the highlight of the issue, the Sentinels look amazing, and it’s great to see the original X-Men going up against them. Immonen is also equally adept at the quieter moments that punctuate the action, perfectly capturing every emotional beat and facial expression, particularly when Kitty and Jean clash over the way she keeps sneaking a look at everyone’s thoughts.

Together with Bendis’ time warping storyline and Immonen’s stunning art, All New X-Men continues to build on its original premise, and with yet another fantastic cliff-hanger it remains one of my favourite titles from Marvel Now.

Doctor Who The Tenth Planet: Far From Over

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Anneke Wills, Ben, Cybermen, Doctor Who, Dr Who, Gerry Davis, Kit Pedler, Krail, Michael Craze, Mondas, Polly, regeneration, Snowcap Base, TARDIS, The 10th Planet, The Doctor, William Hartnell

The Tenth Planet

Far From Over

By Paul Bowler

 

Born in London, 1908, William Hartnell grew up during a dark time of war and social poverty. His admiration for Charlie Chaplin inspired him to become an actor, and in 1926 he got this first job working with Sir Frank Benson’s Shakespearean Company. Further parts in theatre quickly followed, along with small film roles, until his career really took off in 1943 with his memorable role as the army officer in The Way Ahead. Carol Reed’s film opened the doors to numerous film roles for Hartnell, often receiving star billing, but the actor was frustrated by the “tough guy” roles he was always offered, preferring the comedy and farce of his early career.

However, fate would soon intervene when Hartnell’s roles in the Granada TV series The Army Game and Lindsay Anderson’s film, This Sporting Life (1963), led to Verity Lambert considering William Hartnell for the role of the Doctor. The rest, as they say, is history. Over the next three years William Hartnell would help forge the role of the Doctor, a mysterious time traveller, an outcast from his own people, a glorious – if somewhat cantankerous – grandfather from another world. Hartnell adored his time as the Doctor, becoming a hero to millions of children as he took his companions on fantastic adventures in time and space: visiting great historical figures like Marco Polo and King Richard the Lionheart, bizarre aliens like the Zabri and Sensorites appeared with strange cultures and customs, they experienced the futility of trying to alter history and the Aztec civilization in 15^th Century Mexico, even turning on each other when the TARDIS drifted towards the edge of destruction, and they were always ready to fight the intergalactic menace of the Daleks which returned time and again to keep viewers enthralled as the Doctor valiantly fought them wherever their evil plans of universal domination threatened to destroy every living thing that dared to stand in their way.

Although Doctor Who enjoyed phenomenal success during its formative seasons, as the series entered its fourth year its popularity has begun to wane somewhat, and with new producer Innes Lloyd and story editor Gerry Davis attempting to revitalize the shows format the gruelling schedule sadly began to take its toll on Hartnell who was already in poor health. Once the decision was taken to recast the role of the Doctor it set in motion a chain of events that would not only mark the end of an era, but it would also see the introduction of a new race of monsters whose popularity would go on to rival even that of the Daleks themselves.

So when the TARDIS brought the Doctor, Polly (Anneke Wills), and Ben (Michael Craze) to the South Pole Space Tracking Station under the command of General Cutler (Robert Beatty), viewers would have never imagined how their favourite science fiction series was about to undergo the most crucial metamorphosis of all. In only a few short weeks during October 1966, history would be made as The Tenth Planet was broadcast, and nothing – not even the ever present threat of cancellation – would ever diminish the incredible journey that still endures today as Doctor Who gets ready to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of its unparallel success.

The Doctor arrives at the Tracking Station and discovers that a new planet has entered the solar system, its gravitational pull is threatening a manned space capsule as it approaches, where it is soon revealed to be Earth’s twin planet Mondas. Having been cast adrift in space the people of Mondas turned to cybernetics to prolong their lives, becoming emotionless Cybemen. Now they have returned to replenish their planets recourses by draining energy from Earth and harvesting the population to create the next generation of Cybermen. The Doctor and his friends face a desperate race against time to defeat the Cybermen and prevent General Cutler from launching the deadly Z-Bomb, a weapon that would destroy both worlds. Fortunately Cutler’s plan is thwarted by Ben and Mondas explodes after absorbing too much energy from the Earth, killing all the Cybermen in the process; their bodies disintegrating as soon as they are cut off from their worlds power supply. Ben then rescue the Doctor and Polly from the Cybemen’s spacecraft, but the Doctor appears to be ill, stating that his body is “wearing a bit thin” before rushing back to the TARDIS, where he collapses to the floor as startling transformation begins…

The Cybermen were created in collaboration by Doctor Who’s very own – unofficial – scientific advisor Kit Pedler and story editor Gerry Davis as a possible replacement for Terry Nations incredibly popular Daleks. Pedler envisioned the Cybermen as people who had taken the advances of medical science to the ultimate extreme, replacing their worn out bodies with cybernetic limbs, even computerizing their brains to become nightmarish husks of plastic, metal, and flesh. These creatures are so utterly devoid of emotion that they are no longer even capable of comprehending what it means to be human, as Polly discovers to her horror when she tries to reason with the Cyberman Krail.

With impassive, noseless faces, their bodies adorned with gleaming chest units and lethal energy weapons, these early Cybermen have more than a hint of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein about them. Like Shelley’s creation they are twisted anachronisms of life, a mutilation of science and gothic themes gone mad in the darkness of interstellar space. In many ways they are far more memorable than their modern counterparts, still clinging to the last vestiges of their humanity, utilizing the formality of individual names even though they no longer have any emotional resonance for them, and going so far as to adopt disguises to infiltrate the Space Tracking Station.

After attacking someone from the Snowcap Base outside the TARDIS, our first close-up of a Cyberman as it turns over Tito’s lifeless body reveals the monsters featureless visage, one that is stretched and distorted beyond anything even remotely human, with dark bulbous eyes and a leathery slit of a mouth. The headpiece is like an elaborate sensor array, with tubes and wires spilling out from the bulky chest unit, while the limbs support and array of cybernetics that end abruptly with cold humanoid hands. The patchwork nature of the Cybermen gives some inkling towards their nomadic existence, sacrificing their humanity as the vast expanse of space loomed before them, until their technological advances drew them inexorably back to their origins like some intergalactic swarm seeking to wrap their human cousins in their cold embrace.

Once they arrive, the Cybermen dominate every scene, looming over the inhabitants of the Snowcap base as cold logic dictates their actions. One of the most unnerving qualities about the Cybermen are their curiously harmonic voices, provided by Roy Skelton, an effect that is made more disquieting by the way the creature’s mouths stay open as they speak. It is almost as if the Cybermen have yet to realize that they no longer need to articulate the words anymore. The citizens of Mondas are now lost forever, even their original objective to survive has become consumed by their dedication to logic, leaving only a mutilated husk of flesh cocooned in a shell metal and plastic.

The Tenth Planet is a clear indication of the new format the series was about to take, one that would arguably see the series grow above and beyond its original premise, becoming instilled with many of the familiar themes and concepts that are still prevalent in Doctor Who today. Although the Troughton era would successfully build on  the “base under siege” formula, the early steps taken in The Tenth Planet show considerable flare and imagination in terms of its production. The Tenth Planet quickly establishes the isolated military settlement, where the humans are threatened by an alien menace, and the Doctor has to battle against the blind ignorance of authority (General Cutler’s selfish determination to rescue his son’s spacecraft despite the risks) to save everyone from the extraterrestrial threat by destroying the aliens link to their own power supply. It may seem existentially simply in the extreme, but what the Tenth Planet lacks in finesse it more than makes up for with its sheer ambition.

If you can see past the polystyrene snow and the clear sticky tape holding the Cybermen’s helmets together, there is a lot to enjoy here, particularly an eclectic cast of characters and a greater empathise on the Doctor’s companions. Having only been introduced at the end of season three during The War Machines (1966), Polly and Ben were a world away from the Doctor’s original companions: school teachers Ian (William Russell) and Barbara (Jacqueline Hill), whose curiosity about the Doctor’s granddaughter, Susan (Carole Anne Ford) led them to a fog shrouded junkyard and a strange metropolitan Police Box. The companions who followed were in may ways a reflection of the original trinity of TARDIS crewmembers, Vicky (Maureen O‘Brien), Steven (Peter Purves), Dodo (Jackie Lane), all offered great potential that was only partially realized in some cases – however the valiant acts of self sacrifice by Katarina (Adrienne Hill) and Sarah Kingdom (Jean Marsh) in The Dalek Master Plan (1965-66) brought home the terrible price the Doctor often pays for his most decisive victories.. Just as the show was evolving, so to was the role of the companion, Innes Lloyd wanted to bring a new dynamic to the male and female companions – and Secretary Polly Wright and Seaman Ben Jackson were a further attempt on Lloyd’s part to update the series with more contemporary characters.

Gerry Davis’ Target novelisation added even more depth and substance to the Snowcap personnel, with Ben and Polly getting an even greater share of the action – something which was necessitated during the recording of Episode 3 of The Tenth Planet when William Hartnell became unwell. While the fourth episode of The Tenth Planet sadly no longer resides in the BBC’s archives, this episode was eventually reconstructed from images and the remaining footage to be released as part of a BBC Video set (Which also included Attack of the Cybermen), and it is these final pivotal seconds of grainy footage that catalogues the most momentous moment of all in Doctor Who’s fifty year history.

As the Doctor collapsed onto the floor of the TARDIS the lights inside the time machine wax and wane, before a brilliant glow begins to flair around his face. It is unclear if it is the energy drain from Mondas, the battle with the Cybermen, or just the Doctor’s immense age that causes the regeneration – but his haste to reach the TARDIS indicates that the sanctuary of the time machine is crucial to surviving the transformation.  In those few, brief seconds William Hartnell was transformed into Patrick Troughton, leaving a legacy that would endure to this very day. For me one of the quintessential moments in Doctor Who is when William Hartnell stands in defiance of the Cybermen’s impassive adherence to logic: “Emotions. Love, pride, hate, fear. Have you no emotions sir?” The Doctor’s impassioned speech is one that will resonate down through the decades, infusing every incarnation with a righteous anger in the face of tyranny and evil. It would seem that the Cyber Race also hold this moment in high regard, as it forms part of a  sequence of clips used in Earthshock (1982) when the Cyber Leader reviews their past encounters with the Doctor.

From the moment the Doctor Who theme tune gives way to the special computer tape opening and closing graphics (created for this story by Bernard Lodge) it becomes clear that The Tenth Planet is about to herald significant change. The Cybermen proved immensely popular and would return many times to menace Patrick Troughton’s new incarnation throughout the course of the sixties: appearing in such classic stories as The Moonbase (1967), Tomb of the Cybermen (1967), The Wheel in Space (1968), and even invading Earth in The Invasion (1968), their design evolving and changing with each successive story, rightfully earning them their place amongst the elite pantheon of Doctor Who’s most successful recurring monsters.

We can only hope that the fourth episode of The Tenth Planet might be found one day, but for now at least we can still enjoy the DVD release of The Tenth Planet. The missing fourth episode is presented as an animated reconstruction on The Tenth Planet DVD, using a similar animation process that was employed to represent the missing 4th & 5th episodes for The Reign of Terror DVD. The Tenth Planet DVD also features a documentary, Frozen Out, by Chris Chapman about the making of the story, which will include contributions from Anneke Wills (Polly), Earl Cameron (Williams) and Reg Whitehead (Cyberman), along with designer Peter Kindred and the woman who vision-mixed the first regeneration, Shirly Coward.

The adventures that began in a junkyard in 1963 with William Hartnell could very well have come to an end if the regeneration had not been successful. It was a bold move for its time, but in those closing moments The Tenth Planet secured the series a longevity that nobody could ever have dared to dream possible in 1966. A winning formula was born; Doctor Who endured this change of lead actor, as it would do again, many, many times. We must never forget the great debt we owe to William Hartnell, especially as we enter the 50^th Anniversary Year of Doctor Who. So as we prepare to celebrate Doctor Who’s fifty glorious years let us all take a moment to remember the first great champion of time and space, William Hartnell.

The Walking Dead #108 Review

Tags

Alexandria, Andrea, Carl Grimes, Charlie Adlard, Dwight, Ezekiel, Jesus, Michonne, Negan, Rick Grimes, Robert Kirkman, Shiva, The Kingdom, The Saviors, The Walking Dead, Tiger, Walkers, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies

The Walking Dead #108

Review by Paul Bowler

Now that Carl has returned safely from the Saviors stronghold Rick is more determined than ever to strike back at Negan. With the information they now possess about the strength of Negan’s forces, Rick and Jesus attempt to forge an alliance with the leader of another group of settlers. While Carl and Michonne deal with a pack of Walkers outside the gates of Alexandria, Rick and Jesus are allowed to enter The Kingdom settlement by the horseback patrols and make their way towards the headquarters inside the school for an audience with King Ezekiel and his pet tiger.

The meeting with Ezekiel goes well. Rick is relieved to learn that Ezekiel wants to be rid of Negan and the Saviors as much as he does, and the information Rick provides about Carl’s time inside Negan’s base makes Ezekiel feel confident that the time has come to attack the Saviors.

Ezekiel finally agrees to help Rick and the people of Alexandria bring Negan’s reign of terror to an end, while also offering the services  of a new ally who has decided to join their fight against the Saviors, one of Negan’s own lieutenants – Dwight.

Although Rick warns Ezekiel not to trust Dwight, the Kingdoms leader allows Dwight to make his case. Dwight reveals how his wife, Sherry, became one of Negan’s wives and how after the Savior’s leader caught them together again, he branded Dwight’s face with a hot iron, scarring him horribly for life for daring to defy him. He realizes that he can never make up for the terrible acts he has carried out for the Saviors, all Dwight asks is for a chance to help so he can save his wife from this tyrants clutches and be reunited with her again. An uneasy silence hangs in the air as Dwight vows to reveal Negan’s secrets so they can plan their attack…

The Walking Dead #108 finally sees Rick beginning to take some decisive action against Negan and the Saviors. We have watched as Rick has been forced to submit to Negan’s demands, handing over precious supplies to ensure the safety of his group, and even being beaten up and humiliated in front of his son, now the time has come to strike back. Robert Kirckman has taken Rick Grimes to the edge and back with this incredible new storyline. We have begun to see just how resourceful Rick can be, how he will stop at nothing to protect those closest to him, even if he has to risk alienating people to gain the advantage they need to defeat the Saviors.

Negan continues to rule over his people through fear and intimidation. Even a simple game of table tennis becomes a lurid double-entendre dripping with threats of violence and the imminent sexual degradation of Dwight’s wife. The Saviors may be the biggest settlement amongst the Hilltop communities but they are not as well trained as Rick’s people or those of the Kingdom. However it would seem that Dwight’s betrayal could well be the key to Negan’s downfall.

Ezekiel is another fantastic new character, and brings a much needed splash of dark humour to the pages of The Walking Dead. Indeed, Ezekiel has never been a party to Negan’s truce, and crowned himself King of his own Kingdom to keep his people safe. He seems to hold nothing but contempt for Negan and the Saviors, and has often felt exacerbated by the way Negan gained such power on the back of so many lies and heinous acts against his own people. Ezekiel also knows Jesus very well, considering him a true friend, and is grateful that he has brought Rick to meet him. The look on Rick’s face when he sees Ezekiel’s tiger, Shiva, for the first time is priceless. Quite how Ezekiel managed to own a pet tiger remains to be seen, it certainly adds an intriguing dynamic to the character, and he certainly doesn’t have to worry about any Zombies getting too close with Shiva around!

The art by Charlie Adlard in The Walking Dead #108 perfectly illustrates the harsh realities of the Zombie apocalypse, and the scene where Michonne and Carl have to face a horde of Zombies outside the gates of Alexandria really ups the stakes when Cark is caught of guard and nearly overpowered by a Walker. After helping Carl get free, Michonne drags him inside and chastises him for disobeying her direct order to retreat, but when Carl says he feels worthless because he is blind in one eye Michonne is quick to reassure the boy – reminding him how his father coped after he lost his hand; and that Carl will also learn to adapt to his limitations over time.

It’s great to see the bond that has developed between Michonne and Carl. There is also another great scene with Michonne and Andrea where they discuss how much their lives have changed while they enjoy a quiet lunch together. Andrea points out how they always used to be on edge, ready for the Walkers to attack at any time, and how the relative safety of living in Alexandria makes it possible to enjoy the simple pleasure of having lunch with a friend again. Sadly the Zombie Apocalypse has brutalized Michonne so much that she doesn’t believe she has any social graces left. She reveals how she used to be a chatty and friendly person before the outbreak, and it’s heartbreaking to watch her admit that she doesn’t think she could ever be that person again.

While a brief interlude between Spencer and Father Gabriel, where Spencer goes to solemnly pray at the altar for the strength to grant his request, may seem superfluous to the overall plot, it could nevertheless herald a significant development for the future. The Walking Dead #108 is another fine issue by Robert Kirckman and Charlie Adlard. The new alliance between Rick and Ezekiel offers a wealth of possibilities for the future, there is some superb character development for Michonne, and it looks like Rick will soon get the chance to take revenge against Negan and the Saviors for all the atrocities they’ve committed.

Batman #18 Review

Tags

Alex Maleeve, Andy Kubert, Batman, Blackgate, Bruce Wayne, Damien Wayne, DC Comics, FCO Plascencia, Gotham City, Greg Capullo, Harper Row, James Tynion IV, Sandra Hope, Scott Snyder, The New 52, Zero Year

Batman #18

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

If the psychological damage inflicted upon the Bat-Family by the Joker in Death of the Family wasn’t enough to contend with, tragedy struck again when Damien, the ten year old son of Bruce Wayne and Talia Al Ghull, was brutally slaughtered in Batman Incorporated #8. The requiem for Robin continues across all the Bat-Titles this March as everyone close to Batman has to come to terms with the shocking news of Damien’s death.

Overwhelmed with grief, Batman’s life starts to spiral out of control. It falls to Harper Row, the young electrical engineer who once helped Batman in the past, to try and make the Dark Knight see reason before his reckless crime-fighting spree gets him killed.

Scott Snyder handles the aftermath of Damien’s death in Batman #18 by crafting an incredibly moving tale, albeit one with two distinctly different creative teams. The first part of Batman #18 is by Scott Snyder, Kubert and Sandra Hope, while the closing half of the story is handled by Snyder and James Tynion IV, and Alex Maleeve.

This issue features the return of Harper Row, who assisted Batman after he helped her deal with a gang that was bullying her brother. Harper and her brother, Cullen, are still living together in the Narrows of Gotham City with the hope that the Wayne Foundation will soon honour its promise to redevelop the area. Batman #18 opens with Harper and Cullen as they set out to visit their father in Blackgate Penitentiary. The visit doesn’t go well, their father upsets Cullen, and then blames Harper’s “special friend” for getting him sent to jail.

After the unpleasant visit to Blackgate, they return home, where Harper decides to go out looking for Batman. She is deeply concerned about the changes she has noticed in him recently. Even though he told her to end her activities, Harper has continued to monitor Batman’s movements, and over the last week she has been shocked by the level of ferocity she’s witnessed Batman using to apprehend ordinary street criminals – even operating during the daytime – almost as if he is consumed by a pain that feels strangely familiar to Harper.

Harper’s fears that Batman’s relentless crusade against crime is wearing him down, to the point where he is actually beginning to make dangerous mistakes, are realized when Batman is caught off guard by a surprise attack from a thug involved in Ultra-Dog fights. However, when Harper takes it upon herself to intervene, the Dark Knight is far from pleased, and the ensuing war of words inadvertently leaves them both with more than a few home truths to dwell on.

Unperturbed by Batman’s violent outburst, Harper visits Wayne Tower the next day and has a meeting with Bruce Wayne – where she asks him to help her send a message to Batman. That night Batman meets Harper on a rooftop overlooking Wayne Enterprises. Batman apologises for lashing out at her before and Harper explains how she recognised his pain, comparing it with how badly she felt after her mother was murdered. Those dark days would’ve destroyed Harper were it not for the memory of her mother’s advice that helped Harper to find the light in her life again. It is this one word that Harper shares with Batman, a silent message glowing in the night, a light which she hopes will help Batman find the strength he needs to overcome the pain of his loss.

Batman #18 is a remarkable issue by Snyder and Tynion that sensitively deals with Bruce’s reaction to Damien’s tragic death. Both aspects of this story are well handled by Snyder and Tynion, they work extremely well together, and the transition between their scripts is almost seamless. It would have been easy for Snyder to have had Batman go off the rails like he did after Jason Todd was murdered by the Joker in Death of the Family (1988/89), however by utilising the return of Harper Row in Batman #18 Snyder and Tynion have the opportunity to explore Batman’s grief from an entirely new perspective. The way Harper pushes Batman to confront the grief she herself once faced is truly inspired, as is the way they both unwittingly discover an inner catharsis that neither of them were expecting to find as a result.

There has been a lot of speculation about whether Harper will be the next Robin. While this is a distinct possibility, the similarities between Harper’s story and Tim Drake’s origin could just be a red herring to keep readers guessing, I believe Harper’s real potential lies more with her operating on the fringes of Batman’s twilight realm. Harper isn’t interested in finding out Batman’s secret identity, neither does she want the right to fight by his side, all she wants is to make Batman realize how much Gotham needs him – and that she is not prepared to watch him die while he is consumed by a pointless vendetta against his own pain.

Batman #18 also offers readers a very striking mix of artistic styles. Adam Kubert’s art is inked by Sandra Hope, and portrays the Dark Knight as a muscle bound engine of vengeance who goes all out to vent his pent up fury on Gotham’s petty criminals. The final pages by Alex Maleev offer a more refined interpretation of the Dark Knight, one which I feel gives an even greater emotional resonance to the stories closing moments. The different styles don’t really detract from the overall effect of the story, in some ways it actually enhances it, although of the two I preferred Maleev’s take on the Dark Knight as it seemed more in keeping with the overall tone of the issue. Greg Capullo and FCO Plascencia’s cover for Batman #18 features Robin’s empty red laced books; it’s a powerfully understated image, and one that instantly surmises the emptiness of Robin’s death.

Snyder and Capullo’s next big story arc, Zero Year, begins in June with issue #21 and will explore the secret history of Bruce Wayne’s transformation into Batman. The death of Damien Wayne will no doubt seem even more poignant as we look back at Bruce Wayne’s early years in the months ahead. Batman #18 not only provides a fitting coda to Robin’s demise, it also brings Harper Row closer to the legacy of the Bat, and gives Batman a chance to openly face up to his loss and look to the future with a newfound resolve to be the strength that Gotham needs to survive.

All New XMen #8 Review

Tags

All New X-Men, Angel, Avengers, Avengers Tower, Brian Michael Bendis, Cyclops, David Marquez, Hydra, Iceman, Jean Grey, Marvel Comics, Marvel Now, Original X-Men, Scott Summers, The Beast, Warren Worthington III, Wolverine, X-Men

All New X-Men #8

Review by Paul Bowler

 

The adventures of the original X-Men continue to be as enthralling as ever in All New X-Men #8 when the young Warren Worthington III finally encounters his future self. He takes to the sky with this metal winged Angel of the future, trying to keep up with his present day counterpart, but their flight is cut short when they notice Avengers Tower being attack by Hydra. The winged Mutants swoop from the sky to defend Avengers Tower, keeping Hydra’s forces at bay with their combined speed and agility, before the Avengers arrive to lend a hand.

When the Avengers find themselves confronted with the bizarre sight of two Angels, they return with the Mutants to the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning where the Beast does his best to explain to Captain America why the original X-Men are currently residing in the present – even though their presence could be potentially jeopardising to the space time continuum. Before the Beast can finish explaining, the Avengers are left dumfounded when the young Scott Summers intervenes and assures Captain America that he intends to make up for everything his future self has done.

Satisfied that the Beast has the situation under control, Captain America and the Avengers take their leave, but moments later an alarm sound from Hank’s lab. They rush to the lab where the young Angel is trying to activate the Time Cube so he can return to his own time. Warren’s team mates try to get him to calm down, but he refuses and says he wants to leave and go home, unaware that Jean Grey is about to intervene and change his mind for him…

All New X-Men #8 is another amazing issue in Brian Michael Bendis’ time warping saga of the Original X-Men’s exploits in the present day. It’s been a long time coming, but this issue Bendis finally throws the spotlight on Angel, who has had the most difficult time coping with his visit to the future. The way he interacts with his future counterpart is skilfully handled by Bendis, who shows that Angel is just as agile as his future self, and more than capable of handling himself in the fight with Hydra.

The scenes where the two Angels are flying together are beautifully realized by David Marquez, his art captures the glorious freedom that comes with the power of flight, and leaves us giddy with excitement as they swoop in to attack Hydra’s forces. Here the differences between the two Angels becomes even more apparent, with the youthful Warren proving to equally as adept in combat as his metal winged self. Their fighting styles stand in marked contrast to each other, yet together they make a formidable team, and it’s great to see the bemused look on the Avengers faces when they realize they are looking at two Angels from different time zones.

The young Scott Summers also makes a scene stealing entrance when he interrupts Captain America and the Beast, quickly defusing the tension in his own inimitable way, utilizing his natural leaderships skills in a way that gives both teams cause to sit up and take notice – even Wolverine seems impressed.

One of my favourite moments is where Beast is trying to explain what’s happened to Captain America, while just out of earshot, Iceman and Kitty Pryde hilariously mimic the seriousness of their conversation. Iceman’s take on what Captain America might be saying is absolutely hilarious, and as for Kitty’s “blah blah, blah” rendition of Hank McCoy’s incomprehensible techno babble, well, that is simply priceless. It’s writing like this by Brian Michael Bendis that makes All New X-Men so endearing and special.

However, it’s not all played for laughs. The scene were Warren decides to return to his own time is one of the pivotal moments in All New X-Men #8. His angry outburst leaves his team mates reeling when he states that his future would be safer if he had nothing to do with them anymore. It’s a great character moment for Angel. Right from the outset, The Original X-Men have failed to acknowledge any of Warren’s concerns about their trip to the future, it was clear he was having a hard time coping, so it was inevitable something like this was going to happen sooner or later.

What is really astounding about this issue is the way Jean Grey uses telepathy to alter Warren’s thoughts to make him stay. This blatant abuse of Jean’s newfound powers is quite shocking, and it offers a wealth of possibilities for Brian Michael Bendis to explore in the issue ahead. With its engaging plot and superb characterization, All New X-Men #8 is another thrilling issue by Bendis and Marquez, and remains one of the best X-Titles around at the moment.

Earth 2 Issue #10 Review

Tags

Alan Scott, DC Comics, Doctor Fate, Earth 2, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, James Robinson, Jay Garrick, Khalid, Nabu, Nicola Scott, The Flash, The New 52, The Tower of Fate, Trevor Scott, Wotan

Earth 2 Issue #10

Review by Paul Bowler

 

While visiting his mother’s house in Michigan, the Flash is attacked by the by The Atom and Major Sonia Sato. In order to distract the Flash, Colonel Dodds teleports into the fracas and holds Jay’s mother at gunpoint, enabling Major Sonia to subdue the Flash with her martial arts skills. Fortunately Hawkgirl has sent her friend, Khalid Ben Hassin, to watch over Jay Garrick. Khalid attacks Dodds, giving the Flash a chance to break fee and rescue his mother, but as they attempt to escape all three of them are suddenly teleported away by magical forces.

The Flash, his mother, and Khalid find themselves transported to the mystical Realm of Nabu. As they gaze up at the ominous looking tower on the horizon they are confronted by the green skinned mage, Wotan, who represents a secret organization that wants to acquire the power of Nabu. After Wotan refuses to send his mother home, Jay attack the dark mage, but Wotan uses The Angry Spell of the Dark Heart to leave the speedster writhing in agony. Khalid explains that he found the Helm in a tomb in Egypt with Kendra, and how it almost drove him mad when he put it on. Rejecting his destiny as the chosen vessel of Nabu, and in an attempt to regain his sanity, Khalid commanded the Helmet to seal itself way in the tower where no one could reach it again.

Wotan wants the Flash and Khalid to retrieve the Helm of Nabu from the tower, as their powers are magically attuned to Nabu’s Realm. In order to ensure their obedience, Wotan threatens to kill Jay’s mother if they refuse, before magically teleporting Khalid and the Flash inside the tower.

Meanwhile in the Jiangsu Province of China, Alan Scott stands before Sam’s graveside with Mr Zhao. He offers Mr Zhao his condolences, and apologizes for missing Sam’s funeral. Having been consumed with grief, Alan didn’t go to the funeral, and he is unsure what reception he will get from his deceased partners father. Mr Zhao openly admits he never entirely approved of Alan’s relationship with his son, he is nevertheless more understanding than Alan expected, and pleased that Sam was so happy while they were together.

Until now Alan had believed that he was the target for the train attack that resulted in Sam’s death, but Mr Zhao has been investigating the cause of the explosion, and it turns out that Sam was really the target all along! After trying unsuccessfully to find out why Sam was targeted for death Green Lantern travels to Louisiana, were Hawkgirl has just defeated a Parademon cell, and asks for her help. Back in the Realm of Nabu the Flash and Khalid are exploring the bizarre interior of The Tower of Fate, desperately trying to make sense of their surroundings, but their chosen path leads to an encounter with demonic forces from very the pits of hell itself…

The Tower of Fate storyline begins in earnest with Earth 2 #10 as James Robinson propels us into the intricate mythology that surrounds the legacy of Dr Fate. Where last issue acted as something of a prologue to the main event, here Robinson skilfully introduces the magical Realm of Nabu, detailing Khalid Ben Hassin’s first encounter with the Helm in Egypt with Hawkgirl through a series of flashbacks that meld seamlessly into the ongoing narrative. Although we don’t get to see how Kendra got her wings, we do see the moment afterwards, where she is struggling to cope with her sudden mutation as Khalid reaches out towards the Helm of Nabu.

We gain a far greater understanding of the Egyptian Mage, Nabu, who was able to use his arcane might to transform chaos into order, and how his long dormant powers were discovered by Khalid when he was sent by the military to investigate the tomb with Kendra. Unable to cope with the helmets immense power, Khalid was overwhelmed by Nabu’s spirit, so he sent the Helm of Nabu to this dimension to be sealed in the tower where it would be safe. Wotan also gets to show how charmingly malicious he can be, using his powers to viciously attack the Flash, although we still have yet to lean who he is actually working for.

The work by Nicola Scott and Trevor Scott on Earth 2 #10 is some of their best yet, and they take full advantage of the otherworldly setting to create some incredible visuals, culminating in Jay and Khalid’s journey inside The Tower of Fate itself. These incredible scenes are reminiscent of the Klimmen en Dalen (Ascending and Descending) by the Dutch painter MC Escher, with Khalid and the Flash exploring gravity defying walkways, its disarming uses of perspective will leave you marvelling at one of this titles most intricate spectacles to date.

It’s also good to see Alan Scott return after Sam’s death. He has a reconciliation of sorts with Sam’s father, Mr Zhao, in China where he learns that Sam was actually the intended target during the attack on the train. Green Lantern sets out to discover the truth, determined to find out why Sam was targeted, but he soon learns that brute force alone will not provide the answers he’s looking for. Green Lantern is unable to find any leads to Sam’s murderers in China, so he tracks down Hawkgirl in Louisiana and asks her for help. After being so dismissive of working with the New Wonders of Earth 2, it’s a refreshing turn of events to see Green Lantern acknowledge that he was wrong to be so dismissive of them, and the fact that he turns to Hawkgirl for help is a clear indicator that Alan Scott is beginning to realize the benefits of working together as a team.

While Earth 2 #10 doesn’t see Khalid Ben Hassin transform into Dr Fate this issue, we are now tantalisingly close to that moment. I think its marvellous how James Robinson has taken the time to make this prelude to Dr Fate such an integral part of Earth 2’s ongoing storyline. He has endeavoured to make Dr Fate’s return a spectacular event, reimagining his origin for a new generation of readers, whilst remaining true to the essence of this classic character. Earth 2 is constantly entertaining and well written, the art is spellbinding, and with Khalid about to embrace his destiny as Dr Fate, Earth 2’s first year has seen the title continue to deliver on all fronts.

New Dr Who Season 7 Official Pictures

Tags

Doctor Who, Dr Who, Dr Who Season 7, Ice Warriors, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Matt Smith

First New Official Pictures For Dr Who Season 7

The Doctor and Clara return for 8 exciting new adventures that begin on Saturday 30th March, check out these new official pictures of the new season just released by the BBC. These pictures are from the first few episodes, and they look fantastic!

Check out the full image gallery on the Official BBC Website http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/galleries/p015xzmf

Images Belong To BBC

Dr Who: New Ice Warrior Revealed!

Tags

Doctor Who, Douglas Mackinnon, Dr Who, Dr Who Season 7, Ice Warriors, Mark Gatiss, The Ice Warriors

Doctor Who: New Ice Warrior Revealed!

The new Ice Warrior design was officially unveiled today by SFX Magazine. This stunning new version of the classic monster will debut in the third episode of Doctor Who Series 7B, featuring in a story written by Mark Gatiss and directed by Douglas Mackinnon.  I really like the design of the new Ice Warrior, it remains faithful to the classic design, while giving them a great new look for their spectacular return.