Alons-y! The Fourteenth Doctor’s first story has just made its debut in Doctor Who Magazine.
There’s been a lot to keep up with over the last few weeks, not least the revelation that David Tennant (formerly the Tenth Doctor) would be returning to Doctor Who as the canonical Fourteenth Doctor, after surprisingly appearing at the end of Jodie Whittaker’s last episode.
And now it appears that his very first adventure is making its debut in the pages of Doctor Who Magazine as a comic strip adventure. We won’t give away spoilers here, but judging by the cover it looks as if the Fourteenth Doctor’s first story takes place shortly after the last scene of ‘The Power of the Doctor,’ as it shows the new Time Lord (complete with new outfit) racing through Jodie Whittaker’s TARDIS.
And whilst it may seem strange to have the Fourteenth Doctor’s first story in comic book form (and exclusive to a magazine) in many ways it makes a lot of sense. Indeed, David Tennant’s very first appearance as the Doctor back in 2005 took a similar approach, with his first proper scene taking place not in an official TV episode but in a specially-produced scene for Children in Need.
The mini-story – jokingly subtitled ‘Pudsey Cutaway’ – saw the Doctor’s companion Rose trying to get to grips with the fact that her best friend had just changed his entire body, and desperately trying to work out whether she could trust him. The Doctor, too, was getting used to his new incarnation, complete with the (not ginger) hair and unexpected side burns. Plus, of course, the new teeth, which were just weird.
And so the fact that the Fourteenth Doctor’s first story will be appearing in the pages of Doctor Who Magazine is logical from a pacing point of view. Presumably, when the series returns in 2023, the newly-regenerated Doctor will be able to dive headlong into his first TV adventure without any post-regenerative preamble, as was the case with the Tenth Doctor in ‘The Christmas Invasion.’
In addition, if you’ve never bought Doctor Who Magazine or have been away for a few issues, this latest edition will be a great jumping-on point. The latest magazine marks the beginning of a brand new era for the publication, with the front cover proudly displaying the new retro-inspired Doctor Who logo (which, in turn, reflects the magazine’s cover layouts of the 80s and 90s) plus the unabashed declaration that “David Tennant is the Doctor.”
Plus, readers of this latest edition can learn more about the filming of the Thirteenth Doctor’s regeneration, and also enjoy a full account from the new showrunner Russell T Davies about how David Tennant came to be the Fourteenth Doctor, and how a tweetalong of ‘The Runaway Bride’ inspired Tennant, Tate and Davies to return to the franchise after some 13 years, with Davies stating “it was his duty to get it done.” Tate, of course, will be joining the Fourteenth Doctor as his “new” companion Donna Noble when the show returns in 2023.
As for the further adventures of the Fourteenth Doctor, we still have some time to wait, as David Tennant’s next episode isn’t expected to arrive until November next year. But (fingers crossed) there will be plenty to look forward to until then.
How do you feel about the Fourteenth Doctor making his debut in Doctor Who Magazine? And what are you most excited to see in the new era of Doctor Who? Let me know in the comments below.
Seventh Doctor’s umbrella – order now from the Lovarzi shop!
Leave a Reply