Scan barcode
reddyrat's review
4.0
As an obsessed Whovian, a comic entitled The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who is right up my alley. It's also my first western style comic, as opposed to the typical manga volumes that I read, so it's a different reading experience. The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who is not a complex or particularly meaningful story, but it was sweet and good fun.
The comic was written by Paul Cornell, who wrote my two favorite Doctor Who episodes Human Nature and Family of Blood, so I had high hopes for his comic. Like the episodes he wrote, it does a good job of focusing on the characters' emotions. How the Doctor feels to have a TV show chronicling his life (as you'd expect, bemused and surprised). How Matt Smith feels that the Doctor is real (very surprised and pretty cool). How the little girl feels to encounter the real Doctor (skeptical but then a big cheerleader).
The main subplot of this story focuses on bullying. Like many (most) Doctor Who fans, the little girl/mega Who fan is not particularly cool with her peers and she has to deal with some really mean kids. The Doctor helps her be more confident in herself and handle the bullies. The morality part of the comic was a bit heavy-handed for my taste, but the comic is clearly aimed at a younger reader so I tolerated it better than I would otherwise.
I still prefer manga style art over western style since that's what I'm used to. But the comic was easy to follow. The art was good, not spectacular. It never got in the way of the plot. It was also very short - 44 pages. I'd really prefer a longer story, but if you're aiming for 10-12 year olds, perhaps that's a good length.
If you're looking for a mature and complicated comic strip, The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who will not be your cup of tea. On the other hand, if you want sweet and innocent fun celebrating Doctor Who and all those who love it, Paul Cornell's comic is a fabulous tale.
The comic was written by Paul Cornell, who wrote my two favorite Doctor Who episodes Human Nature and Family of Blood, so I had high hopes for his comic. Like the episodes he wrote, it does a good job of focusing on the characters' emotions. How the Doctor feels to have a TV show chronicling his life (as you'd expect, bemused and surprised). How Matt Smith feels that the Doctor is real (very surprised and pretty cool). How the little girl feels to encounter the real Doctor (skeptical but then a big cheerleader).
The main subplot of this story focuses on bullying. Like many (most) Doctor Who fans, the little girl/mega Who fan is not particularly cool with her peers and she has to deal with some really mean kids. The Doctor helps her be more confident in herself and handle the bullies. The morality part of the comic was a bit heavy-handed for my taste, but the comic is clearly aimed at a younger reader so I tolerated it better than I would otherwise.
I still prefer manga style art over western style since that's what I'm used to. But the comic was easy to follow. The art was good, not spectacular. It never got in the way of the plot. It was also very short - 44 pages. I'd really prefer a longer story, but if you're aiming for 10-12 year olds, perhaps that's a good length.
If you're looking for a mature and complicated comic strip, The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who will not be your cup of tea. On the other hand, if you want sweet and innocent fun celebrating Doctor Who and all those who love it, Paul Cornell's comic is a fabulous tale.
clothpeg's review
3.5
I hate comic book art honestly i wish the art was prettier and i really wanted the story to tug at my heartstrings a bit more but it didnt - but i loved seeing the doctor interact with our world that bit was fun
nwhyte's review
4.0
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2299904.html[return][return]Utterly lovely. The Eleventh Doctor slips through a gap between universes and finds himself in a world where "Doctor Who" is a TV show and he himself is portrayed by a bloke called Matt Smith. Among other things, he discovers fan-fiction. It's great.
daringreader13's review
4.0
4.0 out of 5 stars
Liked this one way better than the one before it. Made more sense and the art was consistent all the way through!
Liked this one way better than the one before it. Made more sense and the art was consistent all the way through!
just_fighting_censorship's review
3.0
This was...interesting.
I liked it but was left somewhat disappointed.
First off, this comic seems to be decidedly for children whereas other comics, and the show itself, are appropriate for children but are in more of a rated E for everyone category.
Secondly, not a whole lot happens and the things that do happen are a bit boring. For example, since the Tardis has fallen into a parallel universe, our universe, the Doctor comes face to face with Matt Smith (note this is not a spoiler as it was the selling point of the comic). This meeting is not quite as humorous or as exciting as you would think. Basically Matt Smith is dressed like a chav....
...and thinks that the Doctor is in cosplay.....boring
The tone is very sappy with an anti-bully type message. I did like the whole, be yourself, and love Doctor Who, but it all felt very juvenile.
Overall, I liked it but thought it could have been so much better. It's a fast read and meant to be an ode to fans, but be warned, it does have a PSA vibe and a lackluster plot.
I liked it but was left somewhat disappointed.
First off, this comic seems to be decidedly for children whereas other comics, and the show itself, are appropriate for children but are in more of a rated E for everyone category.
Secondly, not a whole lot happens and the things that do happen are a bit boring. For example, since the Tardis has fallen into a parallel universe, our universe, the Doctor comes face to face with Matt Smith (note this is not a spoiler as it was the selling point of the comic). This meeting is not quite as humorous or as exciting as you would think. Basically Matt Smith is dressed like a chav....
...and thinks that the Doctor is in cosplay.....boring
The tone is very sappy with an anti-bully type message. I did like the whole, be yourself, and love Doctor Who, but it all felt very juvenile.
Overall, I liked it but thought it could have been so much better. It's a fast read and meant to be an ode to fans, but be warned, it does have a PSA vibe and a lackluster plot.
mayakittenreads's review
4.0
So lovely. *hugs it* Definitely a love letter to the show and to fandom.
tsana's review
3.0
The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who written by Paul Cornell and illustrated by Jimmy Broxton is a graphic story celebrating the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who (which was last year in 2013). I mainly read it because it was shortlisted for a Hugo Award this year.
Honestly, I found this a bit meh. The story was all right and the illustrations were OK but not my favourite. What I liked best was the premise of the story. The TARDIS malfunctions and punches through to our universe from the Doctor's default universe. The Doctor encounters a twelve-year-old girl who at first mistakes him for Matt Smith, until he shows her (and her mother) the real TARDIS.
To be fair, it was an amusing story, especially when they go to a Doctor Who convention, but I couldn't help feeling that it could be more. More funny, more deep, more something. But it wasn't a bad way to spend half an hour.
I recommend The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who to completist fans and anyone interested in a quick read. Also anyone wanting to read a complete story arc in one hit (which is always nice). I'm not sure people not familiar with Doctor Who will get as much about of this.
3.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
Honestly, I found this a bit meh. The story was all right and the illustrations were OK but not my favourite. What I liked best was the premise of the story. The TARDIS malfunctions and punches through to our universe from the Doctor's default universe. The Doctor encounters a twelve-year-old girl who at first mistakes him for Matt Smith, until he shows her (and her mother) the real TARDIS.
To be fair, it was an amusing story, especially when they go to a Doctor Who convention, but I couldn't help feeling that it could be more. More funny, more deep, more something. But it wasn't a bad way to spend half an hour.
I recommend The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who to completist fans and anyone interested in a quick read. Also anyone wanting to read a complete story arc in one hit (which is always nice). I'm not sure people not familiar with Doctor Who will get as much about of this.
3.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
More...