‘PRISONERS OF TIME’
Please feel free to comment on my review.
The Eleven Doctors – Celebrating 50 Years of ‘Doctor Who’
For Leigh (IWishIHadATARDIS), a ‘keen reader’
This should have been made as a TV story or a Big Finish audio with all the Doctors and companions!
‘Prisoners of Time’ is a fantastic graphic novel from IDW comics that definitely celebrates the 50th anniversary of ‘Doctor Who’ in all its glory! After enjoying the ‘Doctor Who’/‘Star Trek’ crossover adventure, ‘Assimilation2‘, I saw no reason to not purchase this celebratory story in its complete form!
I purchased this graphic novel at the ‘Cardiff Film and Comic Con’ in 2014 which was a fantastic and memorable weekend! It’s taken me a while to get round to reading this graphic novel from start to finish. I was looking forward to reading the twelve stories featuring all the Doctors and companions.
This story features the eleven Doctors for the 50th anniversary of ‘Doctor Who’. It was released in twelve monthly issues with each of the Doctors from 1 to 11 in turn from January to November. The last issue in December starred all the eleven Doctors and companions in the story’s final showdown.
I’m very pleased this comic story in graphic novel form celebrates the 50th anniversary of ‘Doctor Who’ properly by featuring all the eleven Doctors which was what I wanted unlike the TV story ‘The Day of the Doctor’. With some of my favourite companions joining the Doctors, it was a joyful treat.
I wish this multi-Doctor story in comic form became the TV adventure that I wanted to see. Or at least have Big Finish produce this story with all of the Doctors like ‘The Light At The End’ and include Christopher Eccleston; David Tennant and Matt Smith. It would be heaven for a ‘Doctor Who’ fan!
The story is by Scott and David Tipton, with comic artwork done by various artists including Simon Fraser; Lee Sullivan; John Ridgway; etc. I wished the artwork in this story was consistent as some of stories with the different Doctors disappointed me. But it still manages to hold together somehow.
In each of the eleven Doctors’ stories of ‘Prisoners of Time’, a mysterious cloaked figure watches the Doctors and their adventures with their companions. His identity gets revealed later, but he’s determined to remove the Doctor’s companions from his timelines. This also gets revealed later on.
Each of the Doctors’ stories ends with their companions are kidnapped by the mysterious cloaked figure and the Doctor is alone. This left me as the reader in suspense and wondering what’s happened. I was anxious for the Doctor losing his companions and wondered how he’d rescue them.
Chapter 1 called ‘Unnatural Selection’ features the First Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Vicki. The artwork is by Simon Fraser, which I didn’t really like. I enjoyed the story with the Doctor meeting Thomas Huxley in Victorian London. The Zarbi and the Animus from ‘The Web Planet’ make an appearance.
Chapter 2 called ‘Bazaar Adventures’ features the Second Doctor; Jamie and Zoe. The artwork is by Lee Sullivan, which I love as it feels very 60s. This is a great story where the Doctor and friends visit the outer space Frenko Bazaar and they face against lizard Voraxx; White Robots and Ice Warriors.
Chapter 3 called ‘In With The Tide’ features the Third Doctor and Sarah Jane with Liz Shaw and the Brigadier. The artwork is by Mike Collins, which is superb. This is a very gripping instalment as the Doctor and friends deal with the parasitic mind-numbing Remoraxians that can control the weather.
Chapter 4 called ‘A Rare Gem’ features the Fourth Doctor, Leela and K9. The artwork is by Gary Erskine, which is also superb. This instalment is rather exciting as the Doctor; Leela and K9 face a new series monster, the rhino-like Judoon. It’s not as action-packed as I expected it to be though.
Chapter 5 called ‘In Their Nature’ features the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan and Adric. The artwork is by Phillip Bond, which I don’t like at all. The Sontarans and Rutans appear, but I thought that Nyssa would meet the Rutans in ‘Castle of Fear’ and Tegan would meet the Sontarans in ‘Heroes of Sontar’.
Chapter 6 called ‘Facades’ features the Sixth Doctor, Peri and Frobisher. The artwork is by John Ridgway who was the main artist for the Sixth Doctor comics in the 1980s and he co-created Frobisher the penguin. The Master (played by Anthony Ainley) appears and the Tenth Doctor makes a cameo!
Chapter 7 called ‘Cat and Mouse’ features the Seventh Doctor and Ace. The artwork is by Kev Hopgood and it is really good. This episode takes place in Scotland 1830 where the Doctor and Ace try to save people’s lives at a gothic castle. The Anthony Ainley Master reappears for a second time!
Chapter 8 called ‘The Body Politic’ features the Eighth Doctor and Grace. The artwork is by Roger Langridge, who contributed to the Eighth Doctor comics beforehand. This episode is very special, as it features the return of Grace Holloway from ‘The TV Movie’ as she joins the Doctor on an adventure.
Chapter 9 called ‘Mystery Date’ features the Ninth Doctor and Rose. The artwork is by David Messina with Giorgia Sposito and it’s pretty gripping and gritty. The mysterious cloaked figure happens to be Adam Mitchell, short-time companion of the Ninth Doctor who was in ‘Dalek’ and ‘The Long Game’!
Chapter 10 called ‘Quiet on the Set’ features the Tenth Doctor and Martha. The artwork is by Elena Casagrande and it looks great and captivating. The Doctor and Martha visit 1950s Hollywood. Martha gets to be a movie star. I was surprised that the Dominators and the Quarks appeared in this.
Chapter 11 called ‘The Choice’ features the Eleventh Doctor and Clara. The artwork is by Matthew Dow Smith and is pretty good. Sadly Clara gets captured too early by Adam. But the Doctor follows the trail to find Adam where he’s working with the Ainley Master at his base outside time and space.
Chapter 12 called ‘Endgame’ features the Eleven Doctors and their companions. The artwork is by Kelly Yates. This is a great finale as the Doctors team up to free their companions and battle against Adam; the Master and an army of Autons. I wish I could see every companion in this final episode.
There are one-page articles called ‘Reflections of Time’ at the end of some of the stories by various contributors to the ‘Doctor Who’ comics such as John Ainsworth; Gary Russell; Clayton Hickman; etc.
At the end of the graphic novel, there is an impressive art gallery that contains fifteen covers of the ‘Prisoners of Time’ comic book series. I liked seeing the various artworks of the Doctors and their companions as well as an impressive spread of the Doctors with Adam and the Master in the gallery!
‘Prisoners of Time’ is a wonderful graphic novel to celebrate 50 years of ‘Doctor Who’. I enjoyed going through each of the 12 chapters and uncovering how each of the eleven Doctors’ adventures builds to the grand finale. If only they could make this story as a TV adventure like ‘The Five Doctors’.
‘Prisoners of Time’ rating – 9/10
The previous story For the First Doctor was
For Ian was
For Barbara was
For Vicki was
For the Second Doctor was For Jamie was For Zoe was For the Third Doctor was
For Sarah Jane was
For the Brigadier was For Liz was
For the Fourth Doctor was For Leela was For K9 Mk I was For the Fifth Doctor was
For Tegan was For Nyssa was For Adric was
For the Sixth Doctor was
For Peri was
For Frobisher was
For the Seventh Doctor was For Ace was For the Eighth Doctor was For Grace was For the Ninth Doctor was For Rose was For Adam was For the Tenth Doctor was For Martha was For the Eleventh Doctor was
For Amy was For Rory was For Clara was
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The next story For the First Doctor is For Ian is For Barbara is For Vicki is For the Second Doctor is
For Jamie is
For Zoe is
For the Third Doctor is For Sarah Jane Smith is For the Brigadier is For Liz is For the Fourth Doctor was For Leela was For K9 Mk I was For the Fifth Doctor is For Tegan is For Nyssa is For Adric is For the Sixth Doctor is
For Peri is
For Frobisher is
For the Seventh Doctor is For Ace is For the Eighth Doctor is
For Grace is
For the Ninth Doctor was For Rose was For the Tenth Doctor is For Martha is For the Eleventh Doctor is For Amy is
For Rory is
For Clara is |
Return to The First Doctor’s Timeline | |
Return to Ian’s Timeline | |
Return to Barbara’s Timeline | |
Return to Vicki’s Timeline | |
Return to The Second Doctor’s Timeline | |
Return to Jamie’s Timeline | |
Return to Zoe’s Timeline | |
Return to The Third Doctor’s Timeline | |
Return to Sarah Jane’s Timeline | |
Return to The Brigadier’s Timeline | |
Return to Liz’s Timeline | |
Return to The Fourth Doctor’s Timeline | |
Return to Leela’s Timeline | |
Return to The Timelines of K-9 | |
Return to The Fifth Doctor’s Timeline | |
Return to Tegan’s Timeline | |
Return to Nyssa’s Timeline | |
Return to Adric’s Timeline | |
Return to The Sixth Doctor’s Timeline | |
Return to Peri’s Timeline | |
Return to Frobisher’s Timeline | |
Return to The Seventh Doctor’s Timeline | |
Return to Ace’s Timeline | |
Return to The Eighth Doctor’s Timeline | |
Return to Grace’s Timeline | |
Return to The Ninth Doctor’s Timeline | |
Return to Rose’s Timeline | |
Return to Adam’s Timeline | |
Return to The Tenth Doctor’s Timeline | |
Return to Martha’s Timeline | |
Return to The Eleventh Doctor’s Timeline | |
Return to Clara’s Timeline | |
Return to The Doctors’ Timelines Index | |
Return to The Companions’ Timelines Index | |
Return to Doctor Who Timelines | |
Return to The Nyssa Challenge | |
Return to Doctor Who | |
Return to Sci-Fi |
Hi Tim
Thank you so much for the very kind dedication; that’s very kind and thoughtful of you. I am a ‘keen reader’!
I read the Prisoners of Time series, and really liked the stories. You’re quite right, some of the artwork is not as good as some of the other artwork, but I like in the graphic novels that you usually get, with the artwork, a real sense of presence of the Doctors, and the other protagonists in the story, and you get a real flow of the story as it moves along. They really are great fun , the graphic novels.
I’m glad you liked this, even though some aspects of it were not what you expected. I think it’s a very ambitious thing to write a story like this, and I thought it was a really great thing for the authors, artists and the publishers to give us as keen Doctor Who fans!
Thanks again, Tim, I really appreciate your very kind thoughts.
Leigh
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Hi Leigh
That’s okay. Glad you like my dedication to you in my review and very pleased you enjoyed reading it.
I haven’t read that many graphic novels apart from ‘The Tides of Time’ with the Fifth Doctor; some of the Eighth Doctor stories and ‘Assmilation2′ with the Eleventh Doctor team and Star Trek: The Next Generaton’. I enjoyed how each of the episodes of ‘Prisoners of Time’ explores each of era of ‘Doctor Who’ which is very satisfying even if the artwork’s inconsistent a lot of the time. I hope to post/write more reviews of ‘Doctor Who’ graphic novels soon on my blog.
Thanks again for your kind comments, Leigh. I always enjoy hearing your feedback on my blog posts; reviews and stories.
Tim. 🙂
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Hi Tim
I like to read the graphic novels when I can find them. Sometimes they’re hard to find out here in this part of the world, or expensive, so I look out for them occasionally. I did like the Assimilation stories with Star Trek.
The Prisoners of Time is certainly a very big story, with all the different Doctors, companions and timelines having to tie together. One of those epic tales you feel you could quite happily read again.
You’re very welcome, Tim, I like checking out your blog.
Leigh
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Brilliant review Tim, adding the comic book illustrations is a great touch & your review via chapters is wonderfully written.
Nice one Bradders.
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Hello Simon. Good to hear from you!
Glad you enjoyed my review on ‘Prisoners of Time’. Glad you liked the comic book illustrations to my review to make it colourful. Glad you enjoyed the reviews on each chapter in the story.
Thanks. Tim. 🙂
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