Villordsutch reviews Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time #9…
“Our yearlong celebration of Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary continues! The Ninth Doctor takes the spotlight in this issue of a 12-part epic adventure featuring all 11 incarnations of the Doctor, with fan-favorite companion Rose Tyler in tow! Plus: Who has been kidnapping the Doctor’s companions? The Doctor’s mysterious enemy revealed!”
After the total stinker that was PoT #8 I have to be honest and admit that I was not overly looking forward to this issue. We had barely seen Paul McGann’s take on Who and we were given a comic that was rather embarrassing, so considering we had been given only one season from Christopher Eccleston before he left the BBC for reasons I was fairly doubtful that we would have a good comic.
Traveling in the TARDIS with the Ninth Doctor and Rose we materialise at the foot of the grand and glorious monument for the richest man in the outer spiral of the galaxy, Drake Ayelbourne of Altair VII (Deceased). Rose is bundled off by a mysterious figure inside the monument who pays a keen interest in her. After being shown around the tomb by the mysterious figure the Doctor appears to save the day.
Now my description of this Who tale may be rather short and rather empty, but on the whole this main story is short but enjoyable and feels like a we have stepped into the Who series from 2005. The writers (Scott and David) have captured what made the Ninth Doctor’s run fresh and enjoyable, but what is different in this issue is we are finally treated to some real meat from the story that has bound this series together and it’s good too. The forum visitors over at Gallifrey Base will be more than pleased with themselves at guessing who our Assistant Snatcher is; we see where his mistakes have taken him and what he has become.
I feel spoilt with this comic as we’ve had an excellent Ninth Doctor tale which has captured Rose and our favourite Time Lord so well that I can hear their voices play out their parts and finally I have gotten what I’ve be wanting for so many issues – our cloaked kidnapper is given more panel time than two to three squares. I can only thank both Scott & David Tipton for writing it so well that they have rekindled my want to read this series after the damage that #8 left me with. Also my praise need to be shared with those illustrating the tale – both David Messina and Giorgia Sposito and colours by Claudia Scarletgothica; thanks to those three people it looks fresh and new and adds movement to the characters, wrapping up the issue up perfectly.
Get on out there and buy this issue. The Ninth Doctor rides again and you shouldn’t miss it.
Villordsutch is married with kids and pets. He looks like a tubby Viking and enjoys science fiction. Follow him on Twitter.
Originally published October 1, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
