In this anniversary year of Doctor Who, IDW is publishing a 12-issue mini-series called Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time. It's a series that, obviously, celebrates the show - but more specifically, it's providing a really good read. In its first three issues alone, the series manages to not only serve as a great primer for classic Who...but contains some clever scripting by Scott and David Tipton
Focusing on one specific Doctor per month, Prisoners of Time begins with the premise that the Doctor is never alone - he always travels with companions. Focusing on an untold tale of each Doctor, Prisoners of Time serves to provide some great stand-alone tales, reflecting their eras and Doctors to near-perfection. (So much so, in fact, I half expected the first two issues to be published in black-and-white). All of them are great done-in-one issues that manage to subtly drive the overarcing plot without calling attention to it.
In fact (And this calls for some spoiler/speculation on my part), there are some incongruous plot elements in the first three issues that would make a hardcore Doctor Who fan complain loudly, possibly encouraging physical abuse by their more rational colleagues. However, I think these elements - on some level - are part of the overarcing story. I think it's deliberate, but only further issues will tell....
Artists have switched off for each issue, and that's actually a strength - they manage to bring off the feel not just of vintage Who, but of vintage Who comics (thankfully, the end of each issue brings a commentary on how the Doctor has been portrayed in comics within each era)....
Is this a perfect Doctor Who book? No, but it's got enough of the classic-era feel that it warrants reading for both new and old fans alike.
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