DOCTOR WHO: ORIGINS #3, from Titan Comics on August 3rd, 2022, follows the Doctor and Taslo to each of the “terrorist” colonies, only to find all is well. Now, the Doctor must find out who is responsible in the Division or risk interplanetary genocide.
The Details
- Written by: Jody Houser
- Art by: Roberta Ingranata
- Colors by: Warnia Sahadewa
- Letters by: Richard Starkings, Jimmy Betancourt
- Cover art by: Priscilla Petraites (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: August 3, 2022
Is It Good?
DOCTOR WHO: ORIGINS #3 breezes through the Doctor’s covert investigation to find out if there really are terrorists posing a threat to Gallifrey, ending with an unsettling revelation that leads to an explosive cliffhanger. Does all the buzz surrounding the Renegade Doctor make this issue worth the price of your very own sonic screwdriver? Mostly, yes.
Houser’s take on the Renegade Doctor at odds with the Division is a vast improvement over her previous forays into the Doctor’s mythology. The story is clean and clear, the dialog feels Doctor-esque (as it should), and the character motivations/actions make sense.
In the last issue, the Doctor concluded the terrorist cell was nothing of the kind. Taslo took a lot more convincing to come to the same conclusion. Now, the Doctor makes the rounds to other colonies to confirm her suspicions, eventually putting her on a path to confront the ringleader of this misadventure.
The Doctor’s path to confirmation is well-executed, and her “plan” to sus out the ringleader is a little basic but clever enough to work. The ringleader’s identity isn’t a shocker, but the motivation behind the ringleader is a little odd. You get the impression Houser is trying to say something about sovereignty or colonialism, but the message doesn’t quite come off clearly, which makes this point the only down point in the issue.
The art by Ingranata and Sahadewa is very good. Sahadewa’s eye for palette selection and textures is the standout in this issue, bringing all the characters to life with vibrancy. Ingranata’s lines are clean and polished, however, there are still too many copy/paste panel reproductions. When you have multiple panel sequences on a page where it’s clear the same panel is copied over and over with minor tweaks, it becomes impossible not to notice.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Find out how the Doctor arrives at her conclusion about the Division’s corruption by reading our DOCTOR WHO: ORIGINS #2 review.
We begin with the Doctor and Taslo reporting back to the Division, proclaiming her mission to wipe out the terrorist colony is complete. She even turns over a charred toy as evidence. Later, the Doctor explains to Taslo that the toy is artificially infused with radiation to give the illusion that the provided weapons were used. Secretly, the toy has a tracker as the Doctor expects the toy to make its way to the person responsible for the mission assignment.
The Doctor decides to part ways with Taslo as the remaining investigation would only get more dangerous. Traveling alone, the Doctor traces the toy to its new location – the office of one of the members of the Gallifreyan Council. When confronted with the deception, the Councilman explains it was necessary to wipe out the colonies to prevent the potential future threat of Time Lords forming their own societies outside of Gallifrey’s control.
We conclude the issue with a shift in the balance of power, a secret plan, and a deadly choice.
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Final Thoughts
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DOCTOR WHO: ORIGINS #3 is a simple-yet-effective setup that uncovers a Division conspiracy, leading to an explosive cliffhanger. The writing is well-paced, the dialog is spot-on, and the cliffhanger includes a solid twist. The art is also very good with the only down point being an over-abundance of copy/paste panels.
Related Information
Who is the next Doctor Who 2022?
Doctor Who 2022 is the 13th Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker. Whittaker assumed the role of the Doctor in 2018 at the beginning of Series 11 of the modern era of Doctor Who. Series 13 will be the last run for Whittaker in the role before the lead is handed off to the 14th Doctor.
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