‘MONSTROUS BEAUTY’ (TLV)
Please feel free to comment on my review.
Vampires with the Ninth Doctor and Rose
The comic story ‘Monstrous Beauty’ is ‘Doctor Who Magazine’s contribution to the ‘Time Lord Victorious’ series. This is a three-part adventure by Scott Gray with the artwork drawn by John Ross.
The colours are by James Offredi and the lettering is by Roger Langridge. The story features the Ninth Doctor and Rose as they come up against the evils of the Great Vampires from the Dark Times.
This is quite a departure for the main ‘DWM’ comic strip. Usually, it would focus on the current incarnation of the Doctor – in this particular case, Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor. But not here!
It’s interesting that ‘DWM’ returned the Ninth Doctor and Rose to their comic strip to tie into the ‘Time Lord Victorious’ series. I liked reading the tale and ‘DWM’s take on the Ninth Doctor and Rose.
I had to purchase three issues of ‘DWM’ in order to read ‘Monstrous Beauty’ for the ‘Time Lord Victorious’ series. The story is included issues #556, #557 and #558 when I purchased the entire story.
‘Part One’ of this story is unique since it wasn’t published within the magazine itself. It was provided in a supplementary publication released alongside issue #556 and was published in 16 pages in total.
‘Parts Two and Three’ were each published in 8 pages in total in their issues of ‘DWM’. I found the story very invigorating to read, especially since the Ninth Doctor and Rose came up against vampires.
In the story, the Doctor and Rose end up in the Dark Times where a war ensues between Gallifreyans and Great Vampires! It’s very intriguing to note that the Gallifreyans aren’t called the Time Lords yet.
They’re called the Space Lords instead. There’s also the introduction of a female incarnation of Rassilon fighting against the vampires. She does not recognise the Doctor at this point in her history.
The Doctor does his best to hide his identity from her as well as everyone else who serves Rassilon, calling himself ‘the Traveller’. It isn’t easy, especially as he knows too much about this certain war. 😐
It’s also intriguing to see the Ninth Doctor and Rose ending up in a place where Gallifreyans and vampires fought each other. This is where the history of the Gallifreyan and vampire war took place.
It was established in ‘State of Decay’ and other vampire stories to follow in books and such. I’d like to think Terrance Dicks would be happy to hear his vampire story in ‘Doctor Who’ is expanded upon.
Rose is sceptical about the existence of vampires when she and the Doctor encounter them. There’s even a piece of foreshadowing in the tale where Rose is sceptical about the existence of werewolves.
This is before the TV story ‘Tooth and Claw’ after all. Actually, there is a ‘DWM’ comic story called ‘Tooth and Claw’ featuring vampires in them. I’m sure it’d be easy to confuse the comic and TV tales.
Rose ends up becoming a vampire herself to which the Doctor is horrified by. I wonder how that happened for Rose. She was about to be devoured by the Three Mad Sisters at the end of ‘Part One’.
I’m sure Rose and Nyssa would have a lot to exchange with each other since they became vampires at some stage. Tegan too! Nyssa was vampy in ‘Goth Opera’, Tegan was vampy in ‘Blood Invocation’.
The beginning of the comic story features a quote from ‘Tears of the Kotturuh’ from the Ninth Book of the Crimson Spiral. The Kotturuh happen to be very significant in the ‘Time Lord Victorious’ series.
Actually, it’s interesting that the Ninth Doctor and Rose end up in a place where they shouldn’t be in the Dark Times with early Gallifreyans and vampires. I wonder if a future Tenth Doctor caused this. 😐
At the end of the comic story, I’m sure there’s a cameo of the Tenth Doctor watching the Ninth Doctor and Rose saying goodbye to Centia. Please tell me you spotted this as well and that it wasn’t just me.
There’s an evil vampire character called Friar Grystok who served the Three Mad Sisters in the story. There’s also a Gallifreyan scientist called Androkan whom the Doctor befriends throughout the story.
‘Monstrous Beauty’ is a gripping comic adventure from the pages of ‘Doctor Who Magazine’. I enjoyed reading it and how the Ninth Doctor and Rose became involved in ‘Time Lord Victorious’. 😀
‘Monstrous Beauty’ (TLV) rating – 8/10
| The previous story
For the Ninth Doctor was For Rose was |
The next story
For the Ninth Doctor is For Rose is |
| Return to The Ninth Doctor’s Timeline | |
| Return to Rose’s Timeline | |
| Return to The Doctors’ Timelines Index | |
| Return to The Companions’ Timelines Index | |
| Return to Doctor Who Timelines | |
| Return to Doctor Who | |
| Return to Sci-Fi |