A SECOND full-length Dr Who graphic novel from the pen of Who stalwart Justin Richards and artist Mike Collins has the Eleventh Doctor (as portrayed by Matt Smith) pitting his wits against the Daleks – again.

Set in 2017 and 1917, the story starts with the Doctor – alone – arriving at an archaeological dig in northern France in 2017 where some strange artifacts have been discovered, and some scientists have been injured,

The Doctor has seen it all before.

Back to 1917 and an English stately home where industrialist Lord Hellcombe has developed a war machine that he calls … a Dalek.

The Doctor joins forces with Professor Angela Todd, Lord Hellcombe’s son and the Lord’s maid Mary in order to try and stop history being changed by the Daleks in the First World War.

Hints of Bracewell’s Ironsides and the Cybermen’s airship crop up in the story, which, as is usual with Justin Richards, has all the hallmarks of a classic Who story.

The lavish illustrations by Mike Collins are up to their normal exemplary standard and these two have developed an excellent partnership as they haven’t just produced two gripping graphic novels, but have collaborated on the comic strip in the Doctor Who Magazine.

It’s been two years since their first novel – The Only Good Dalek – let’s hope that we won’t have to wait as long for the next.

But let’s have something different to Daleks eh?

By the way, after reading this book, you’ll look at all previous human conflicts with a new understanding as to their possible causes.

BBC Books.
ISBN 978-1-846-07755-5