Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor: Everyone Must Go is written by Dan Watters and published by Titan Comics. Artwork is by Kelsey Ramsay, colours by Valentina Bianconi and letters by Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith.
Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor: Everyone Must Go is available from today, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
With a new sonic screwdriver, a new TARDIS, and a new companion, the Doctor is ready to explore all of time and space once more. But is he ready to face his greatest fears…?
Review
Over the years, Doctor Who has seen the release of many comics that delve into the extended adventures of the Doctor and their companion. Some of these stories in the past have been enjoyable for the most part and give fans of the show a short burst of time traveling excitement to tide them over between seasons. However, more often than not, these expanded universe outings feel like something extra and never quite reach the heights or emotional depth that the core show can.
So, does this new story from Dan Watters break this trend or will Everything Must Go end up being another lacklustre side quest?
The first thing that should be noted about this story is that it throws everything at the wall. From strange ideas to fan favourite villains, it tries to cram an awful lot into its narrative which definitely works in some areas but not for all of them. I commend Watters for going big and bold here and it definitely pays off in terms of sheer spectacle as the stakes and tension get gradually turned up with each new development. On the other hand though it can feel like there is too much going on at once to truly appreciate any single aspect.
The initial setup for the story is very strong as the comic opens with a bang. We’re thrown right back into the TARDIS as the Doctor and Ruby attempt to follow a sound that is reverberating through the time vortex, pulling the Doctor into significant locations that all weigh on their tortured past in one way or another. This is brought to life by a stunning double page spread that harkens back to iconic stories from the show such as Planet of the Spiders, The Satan Pit and Forest of the Dead.
Watters also does a solid job of playing to the strengths of the dynamic between the Doctor and Ruby. Their bubbly chemistry is capture brilliantly here, especially as they both explore the supposed last shopping mall abandoned on Earth. The issues only arise once the story starts upping the stakes.
After all the plot threads have been established, the manner in which the narrative attempts to tie everything together is where things get a bit disjointed. The set pieces are all fun in the typical ways they should be but Watters decides to throw as many ideas as possible into the mix. You have the main villain who is disappointingly named the Scream Sommelier, an army of Cybermen and giant bug-like creatures called the Cancaranka. Watters does find unique ways to make these varying elements all work within the central mystery at play but it is a lot to handle all at once.
Kelsey Ramsay’s artwork for this comic is something that both works and doesn’t at the same time. Her art style is noticeably scratchy in appearance which would probably be the perfect fit for something a bit grittier or intense but here it has mixed results. The illustrations are noticeably enhanced by Valentina Bianconi’s vibrant colour work which perfectly encapsulates the bright and stylish look of the most recent series of Doctor Who. Ramsay and Bianconi’s styles do work together well, especially in the more playful moments, but for dialogue driven interactions or instances of genuine character growth it can be a little distracting.
There is a lot of potential to be found with Everything Must Go, maybe too much in fact. Every idea and villain presented here could work in their own standalone adventures but having them all crammed into a single storyline can feel overwhelming. The end result is a mixed bag that nails the Doctor Who feel but can come across as cluttered more often than not.
Verdict
Despite having an art style that doesn’t quite fit and a story that is a little outlandish even for Doctor Who standards, there is still quite a bit of fun to be had with this adventure. Even if it does feel like Dan Watters and co. are trying to squeeze as much as they can out of this story whether it works or not.
⭐⭐⭐
