"Too many Bakers spoil the crust."
Firstly... I've started blogging this, but I'm still only two days after my operation, I need to recover a bit before properly blogging something so crammed with character and lore moments, so bear with me. Love the metatextual nature of the above line between the Fourth and Fifth Doctors though.
While there are hints of a complex overall plot, the events here are fairly straightforward. It's just after The Runaway Bride, so we ought to disregard everything screened after that- including Time Crash. The Tenth Doctor is pining for Rose in the Eye of Orion, when all the past Doctors, plus companions turn up, except Eight, who is in a particularly complacent era on Gallifrey. The Master has plans for him. Meanwhile the Galactic Federation is concerned about mysterious mass deaths, for which an uninvited Sontaran blamed the Daleks, and accuses the Time Lords of arrogant indifference.
But, of course, this is about far more than plot. It's about character and... well, yes, fan service, but of the superior kind. It's about the perfectly judged, part-cartoony artworks, and the little visual Easter eggs outside the panels at the edges. It's about the many monsters amongst the Federation- including the Foamasi and the Mentors of Thoros Beta. It's about Maxil working, it seems, for the Master.
But mostly it's about the Doctors and companions- and I particularly like the subtitles in which Rich Morris explains his reasoning. While I have to frown at his embrace of the whole Season 6B nonsense, the characterisation is exquisite. I love Rose's increasing exasperation to Nine at his long string of attractive female companions, prefiguring School Reunion. I love Three's concern at Nine's relationship with her, cue Seven's reference to Nine's "second midlife crisis", and when asked about the first- Six gets the perfect entrance!
It's a nice touch to have Five, Tegan and Turlough arrive just after the events of The Five Doctors, and for Four to have Romana do all the exposition for the "not-mes". Overall, yes, this is necessarily set-up, but it's a very strong start.
It'll probably be a few more days of recovery from the op before I continue with this, but I've started!
There is no rush; after all, your health comes first, so best wishes to you! Due to mixed feelings (mostly negative) regarding the 2015- 2017 of the Moffat era, the 2020 of the Chibnall Era and most of the Second RTD era, I tried to find this comic, and found it several times but couldn't fully read it until now. I read this a few years ago (even recently as a few months ago), and had a hard time trying to *not* turning another page (well, loading the next page anyway) in this epic-sized labor of love.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to key points of the story thus far, in regards to the clear nod towards Season 6B, I would say back in 2007, the Season 6B theory was treated more seriously by fans than it is now, so it is something we have to go with for the story, whether anyone likes it or not.
It is an amazing "hilarious in hindsight" with Ten's excited reaction to seeing Five, as the first chapter was posted over six months before before "Time Crash" was broadcast.
6 acting indignantly at the implications of 9 and Rose's relationship while Peri seems surprised, is honestly realistic, especially with 3 questioning 9 about it, though it seems more in the case that 3 is concerned about the fact 9 is lying about his age. Past Doctors would not be entirely sure about his future self's decision either (Not that the Doctor couldn't see where he was coming from; it was the Eighth Doctor who'd started to speculate and acknowledge the possibility that he could have a closer relationship with the humans he travelled with than friendship, even his awareness of the complexities of such a bond at the time had made it impractical to pursue anything further. In 3's case, it is clear his question of 9's decisions is in a manner that made it obvious he was wondering what chain of events had prompted his future self to make that kind of decision).
Five saying to Four "so you decided to join us this time?" is a nod to the fact Tom Baker declined to return for 1983's "The Five Doctors".
The Master in this comic is a original incarnation, inspired by Anthony Ainley's incarnation. In the film, the Eric Roberts “incarnation” of the Master was absorbed into the heart of the TARDIS. The comic has that he remained in there as part of the power core for some time before he learned or deduced the results of the Time Wars that were brewing in the not too distant future. Opportunity arose when a Time Lord technician got too close to the power core and he possessed his body, causing a regeneration that he was able to manipulate into his happy familiar goateed form.
I fear I've been very much anti-Season 6B ever since it was proposed in The Discontinuity Guide back in '95- it's about as far from Occam's Razor as you can get! But I do understand that continuity problems with the Second Doctor are a hallowed tradition with multi-Doctor stories, so will accept it in that spirit!
ReplyDeleteLove Five's comment to Four. It's already apparent that nice little metatextual lines are going to be a thing!
I like that quip that "too many Bakers spoil the bread". I even like how 4 seems to be aware he is the most popular Doctor, when he says "I am Number One here" and the others glare at him.
DeleteThis will be a small plot point in later, but considering where the 9th Doctor is at this point in his life, the previous Doctors will come to notice that the Time War which they have learned is affecting 9 in a way, that is different from what they are at the moment, since these seven incarnations (8 is literally on pre-time war Gailfrey at the moment) were around long before their 8th self experienced the time war. The First Doctor especially already show reactions the only indication of how difficult it is for him to discuss that particular topic, of what will come in the future.
ReplyDeleteYou comment on the artwork is notable. The drawings themselves are appealing to the eye and accurately capture the distinct qualities of every Doctor, companion, and enemy.
I'm very taken with the decision to use a style which is cartoonish in rather a serious and nuanced way, which really works when it comes to character.
ReplyDeleteOn Facebook, Rich Morris says he is still honoured by the acclaim for his story, even though he stopped watching DW years ago. He never seemed to have really realised how popular his story was among fans.
ReplyDeleteThis fan made story just might be the best multi Doctor story we NEVER had; heck, it is no wonder it could be considered the unofficial 45th anniversary, as it was made from 07 to 09
ReplyDelete