DOCTOR WHO: ORIGINS #1 – Review

DOCTOR WHO: ORIGINS #1, from Titan Comics on June 8th, 2022, begins a new mission for the Fugitive Doctor as she receives orders to stop a cult planning to destroy Gallifrey. All, as usual, is not as it seems.

The Details

• Written By: Jody Houser
• Art By: Roberta Ingranata
• Colors By: Warnia Sahadewa
• Letters By: Richard Starkings, Jimmy Betancourt
• Cover Art By: Simone Di Meo (cover A)
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: June 8, 2022

Was It Good?

DOCTOR WHO: ORIGINS #1 gives readers an opportunity to get to know the Fugitive Dcotor during her time working for the Division. When she receives a mission that sounds deadly serious but doesn’t make a lot of sense, we see the personality traits that eventually lead her to become a Fugitive. Largely, this is an appealing introduction to this incarnation of the Doctor, and the only down points are related to the art. More on that in a minute.

The highlight of the issue is Houser’s portrayal of the Fugitive Doctor (FD). FD is wise, sharp, and headstrong. When her mission pairs her up with a junior member of the Division, FD immediately assumes an authoritative role that suits her character and informs you why she’s held in high regard.

FD’s mission stinks right from the start. She knows it, the readers know, and the only one who doesn’t know it is the freshman Division agent she’s saddled with. If you’re up to speed on Doctor Who lore, you can see how this is the type of mission that eventually leads to a split with the Division, and it serves as an excellent motivation point for her future.

The down point of the issue is the art. In and of itself, the quality of the designs, linework, and coloring are all good. However, there are two key areas that throw off the reading experience. First, Ingranata struggles to keep FD’s anatomy consistent. Sometimes FD is a heavy-set woman (consistent with the real-life actor), sometimes she’s a thin woman with a granite jaw that would make male Hollywood actors envious. Second, Ingranata goes overboard with repeat panels and cut/paste objects. There are several panels (and in one case, an entire page) where it’s the same panel copied multiple times with a slight tweak in dialog or a shift of a hand. There are good creative reasons to re-use assets, such as simulating a dramatic pause or zoom in/out, but here it’s overdone.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

We begin with the Fugitive Doctor (FD) making her way through a darkened hallway covered in spiderwebs. Using a sensor, she finds a hidden panel covering a recessed hole containing a collection of eggs. After she takes the eggs, a giant Nebula Spider charges from a shadowy corner. Fortunately, a Weeping Angel arrives for the rescue.

Later, FD receives a call from the Division to meet and receive her new assignment. In an out-of-the-way diner, FD is introduced to Taslo, a freshly-graduated agent from the Division’s training academy. FD is given orders to eliminate a series of cult strongholds as the cult is preparing to destroy Gallifrey, and she’s ordered to take Taslo with her.

We conclude the issue with a surprising way to store weaponry, a surprising first stop, and a surprising first meeting.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.

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