Doctor Who fen also have a plethora of transmedia options available to them. Regardless of whether it's the ongoing television show -- with Jodie Whittaker's stint as the 13th Doctor coming to an end this year -- earlier series streaming on Pluto TV, the monthly magazine, Big Finish's audio dramas, media tie-in novels, or the comic books published by Titan Comics, Doctor Who fen have plenty of outlets to choose from. DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF THE WOLF is a fine recent example of non-TV approaches to the Doctor Who franchise. DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF THE WOLF #1 (Titan, December 2021) features the Eighth Doctor (modeled after Paul McGann) and Eleventh Doctor (modeled after Matt Smith, who recently starred in the excellent LAST NIGHT IN SOHO), Rose Tyler, and a human regeneration of the Tenth Doctor (modeled after David Tennant). So it's a bit of a mash up -- written by Jody Houser and drawn by Roberta Ingranata -- sure to please fen of multiple Doctors and seasons. The gambit of the series is that Tyler is stuck in an alternate timeline, happily married to a human regeneration of the Tenth Doctor (named John Smith) -- and a mother. After having an intense vision, she disappears and wakes up on an unknown shore. Meanwhile, Empress Rose, "glorified as the Bad Wolf Empress" in an alternate timeline and in need of assistance, sends D'Pau to find the Doctor. The Eighth Doctor arrives in the Tardis in 20th century London, where he encounters a group of Sontarans. "That's not right," he says, before leaving and meeting Tyler, whom he doesn't remember because "things in my life can happen in an odd sort of order." The Eleventh Doctor, then, is on holiday, where he also sees a group of Sontarans about to engage in battle -- and is found by D'Pau, to be brought to Empress Rose. There's a lot going on, and it's all setting up the storyline, but there's plenty to work with: a case of mistaken identity, disappearing armies, old friends meeting anew, and a world in danger. To be honest, DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF THE WOLF would be a bit of a mess of a read if the characters weren't so familiar and the new pairings -- a human regeneration of the Tenth Doctor, father to Tyler's child? -- so much fun. It'll be even more of a hoot when the two Doctors come together, as portrayed on David Buisan's cover. The issue ends with a Reader's Guide offering thumbnails of collections featuring the Ninth through Thirteenth Doctors. There's plenty to dive in to; why not start with DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF THE WOLF?
Showing posts with label Titan Comics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Titan Comics. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Friday, November 27, 2020
Comics Commentary: Science Fiction Tie-In Comics
(Part One)
(Part Two)
This is a Media Diet Comics Commentary video review of Star Trek: Voyager—Seven's Reckoning #1 (IDW, November 2020), Doctor Who #1 (Titan, December 2020), and Dune: House Atreides #1-2 (Boom, October-November 2020). Unscripted, unedited. Just a guy talking about comics.
Audio only (Part One). Audio only (Part Two).
Transcript below...
Thursday, June 07, 2018
Patchwork Anime
Robotech #9 (Titan, June 2018, $3.99)
Following an initial run written by Brian Wood, the new Robotech adaptation published by Titan is now written by Simon Furman. The comic is still drawn by Marco Turini, whose near-realistic portrayal of the characters helps make this modern retelling of the patchwork anime quite compelling. In this issue, Azonia and Breetai discuss the escape of the Micronians while, on the SDF-1, Thomas Riley Edwards is in custody and under suspicion.
Bron, Rico, and Konda have infiltrated the batlefortress posing as Micronians, and Breetai lets off some steam while Lisa Hayes and her crew receive an SOS. Rick Hunter and several other Veritech pilots go to Mars to see what's what and are attacked. Breetai viciously pummels Max with a piece torn from his own battloid, in the end again capturing a handful of Micronians—including a blinded Hunter.
It's a little disorienting coming back to the series midstream, having read the first few issues—and having seen the anime up to this point—before taking a break, so I recommend reading it as a run from the beginning. Regardless, the series continues to be an intriguing and worthwhile update and adaptation of the classic anime.
Availability: Issues #1-4 have been collected, as have #5-8. Robotech: The Macross Saga is also available on DVD.
Following an initial run written by Brian Wood, the new Robotech adaptation published by Titan is now written by Simon Furman. The comic is still drawn by Marco Turini, whose near-realistic portrayal of the characters helps make this modern retelling of the patchwork anime quite compelling. In this issue, Azonia and Breetai discuss the escape of the Micronians while, on the SDF-1, Thomas Riley Edwards is in custody and under suspicion.
Bron, Rico, and Konda have infiltrated the batlefortress posing as Micronians, and Breetai lets off some steam while Lisa Hayes and her crew receive an SOS. Rick Hunter and several other Veritech pilots go to Mars to see what's what and are attacked. Breetai viciously pummels Max with a piece torn from his own battloid, in the end again capturing a handful of Micronians—including a blinded Hunter.
It's a little disorienting coming back to the series midstream, having read the first few issues—and having seen the anime up to this point—before taking a break, so I recommend reading it as a run from the beginning. Regardless, the series continues to be an intriguing and worthwhile update and adaptation of the classic anime.
Availability: Issues #1-4 have been collected, as have #5-8. Robotech: The Macross Saga is also available on DVD.
Wednesday, June 06, 2018
A New Number Six
The Prisoner: The Uncertainty Machine #1-2 (Titan, June 2018, $3.99)
When I first learned about this comic, published in part to help celebrate the TV show's 50th anniversary, I was excited—but expected it to be a straightforward tie-in comic or adaptation of the show. Imagine my surprise when I read the first two issues and realized it was not an adaptation, but an all-new story occurring in the Village—and in the present day! This comic is much better than I was expecting, and that's a pleasant surprise.
Written by Peter Milligan and drawn by Colin Lorimer, with #1's cover by Mike Allred, the series focuses on a new Number Six, an MI5 agent named Breen who is framed as a traitor and forced to go on the lam after a mission gone wrong in the Middle East. His partner Carey captured, Breen returns home to a new assignment: Go to the Village and "liquidate" Carey.
It's not entirely clear whether Breen's arrival at the Village is planned or otherwise, but there we find him, wearing the characteristic black jacket with white piping. #2 opens with another hallucinatory flashback—a Milligan hallmark—this time to childhood, as the Village's proprietors try to get to Breen's memories. He evades his escorts and finds Carey's cabin before attempting an escape. Rovers take on a double decker bus, and the issue ends with a bang after Breen eats some cheese with a strange texture.
I look forward to #3, and reading the comic inspired me to watch the first episode of the series again—TV at its finest.
Availability: A collection of this comic series will be published in October. An unpublished comic by Jack Kirby and Gil Kane (!!!) will be published next month. DC published a graphic novel titled Shattered Visage in 1991. You can also get the show on DVD.
When I first learned about this comic, published in part to help celebrate the TV show's 50th anniversary, I was excited—but expected it to be a straightforward tie-in comic or adaptation of the show. Imagine my surprise when I read the first two issues and realized it was not an adaptation, but an all-new story occurring in the Village—and in the present day! This comic is much better than I was expecting, and that's a pleasant surprise.
Written by Peter Milligan and drawn by Colin Lorimer, with #1's cover by Mike Allred, the series focuses on a new Number Six, an MI5 agent named Breen who is framed as a traitor and forced to go on the lam after a mission gone wrong in the Middle East. His partner Carey captured, Breen returns home to a new assignment: Go to the Village and "liquidate" Carey.
It's not entirely clear whether Breen's arrival at the Village is planned or otherwise, but there we find him, wearing the characteristic black jacket with white piping. #2 opens with another hallucinatory flashback—a Milligan hallmark—this time to childhood, as the Village's proprietors try to get to Breen's memories. He evades his escorts and finds Carey's cabin before attempting an escape. Rovers take on a double decker bus, and the issue ends with a bang after Breen eats some cheese with a strange texture.
I look forward to #3, and reading the comic inspired me to watch the first episode of the series again—TV at its finest.
Availability: A collection of this comic series will be published in October. An unpublished comic by Jack Kirby and Gil Kane (!!!) will be published next month. DC published a graphic novel titled Shattered Visage in 1991. You can also get the show on DVD.
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Plentiful Insects
The Beautiful Death #2 (Titan, November 2017, $3.99)
Published under Titan Comics's new Statix Press imprint, this is a European comic translated into English. Mathieu Bablet's story was originally published by Ankama in 2011 in French as La Belle Mort. It would find a comfortable home in Heavy Metal, perhaps, or as a bande dessinee—and it also reads well as a comic book.
Not having read #1, I missed the end of the world, but there are a few survivors: three, and then they find a fourth. Food and resources are scarce, but insects—insectoids, to be specific—are plentiful. And they seem to be attracted to strong human emotion. Bablet has an idiosyncratic drawing style that reminded me a little of a more complicated Scott Morse (Ancient Joe or Volcanic Revolver, perhaps): densely detailed without being overly realistic or sketchy-cartoony.
The detailed cityscapes and urban environs (a la Jeff Zenick) resonate, but it is the color palettes that really sing here. There are two muted palettes at play, changing with the changing light in the day—even keeping pace through Wayne's flashback and violence.
I look forward to more insects, such as the giant insectoid on the cover. But for now, they are small, or a just-off-panel threat, as muted as Bablet's coloring.
Watch Also: Quatermass and the Pit (e.g., Five Million Years to Earth)
Availability: The full story is available in French as La Belle Mort. You can order this issue directly from Titan.
Published under Titan Comics's new Statix Press imprint, this is a European comic translated into English. Mathieu Bablet's story was originally published by Ankama in 2011 in French as La Belle Mort. It would find a comfortable home in Heavy Metal, perhaps, or as a bande dessinee—and it also reads well as a comic book.
Not having read #1, I missed the end of the world, but there are a few survivors: three, and then they find a fourth. Food and resources are scarce, but insects—insectoids, to be specific—are plentiful. And they seem to be attracted to strong human emotion. Bablet has an idiosyncratic drawing style that reminded me a little of a more complicated Scott Morse (Ancient Joe or Volcanic Revolver, perhaps): densely detailed without being overly realistic or sketchy-cartoony.
The detailed cityscapes and urban environs (a la Jeff Zenick) resonate, but it is the color palettes that really sing here. There are two muted palettes at play, changing with the changing light in the day—even keeping pace through Wayne's flashback and violence.
I look forward to more insects, such as the giant insectoid on the cover. But for now, they are small, or a just-off-panel threat, as muted as Bablet's coloring.
Watch Also: Quatermass and the Pit (e.g., Five Million Years to Earth)
Availability: The full story is available in French as La Belle Mort. You can order this issue directly from Titan.
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