I recently got the opportunity to read the upcoming Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time #1, and I can tell you that it is great. If you are a fan of Doctor Who, then this is one you should check out. In this issue, the first Doctor, Vicki, Barbara, and Ian (some of the first companions) travel to London in 1868. Their intention is to attend a lecture by Thomas Huxley, who earned the nickname Darwin’s Bulldog for his staunch defense of the theory of evolution, but things go predictably awry.

The writing by Scott and David Tipton manages to capture the unique blend of humor and unsettling alien danger that Doctor Who does so well. The pacing is marvelous. I never felt that the story was going too slowly or too quickly. The big bad of the series is mysteriously introduced, and you start to see the threads of his plan. There is also a monster-of-the-week that works quite well. We also get a decent glimpse of academia in the mid-19th century. The fact that this is all balanced and perfectly contained in 22 pages is impressive.

Simon Fraser’s art does everything it should. The characters are all recognizable versions of the actors, but never feel like they are just traced from the TV. The obvious advantages of comic book alien monsters versus 1960s BBC budget rubber alien monsters is perfectly demonstrated here. An old foe from Season 2 of the original series is here, and there isn’t a sign of the low-budget nonsense here.

I loved this comic book and can easily recommend it to anybody who likes Doctor Who. Everything was executed well, and the stage has been set for an exciting miniseries. Also, famed anatomist and debater Thomas Huxley punches an ant in the face.

Five Vicious Ant Boxers out of Five.