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saroz162's review against another edition
4.0
Doctor Who: Voyager sees the end of Steve Parkhouse's five-year run on the DWM comic, and he certainly goes out...well...even weirder than he came in. The Voyager storyline, encompassing four separate stories, abandons the pretense at science fiction seen throughout most of his Davison strips and parades a real science-fantasy sensibility. Thankfully, that works, even if the results are pretty mind-boggling. Parkhouse's interpretation of Colin Baker's Doctor is roughly the same as his Davison - no bad thing, and possibly more appropriate here - and his introduction of the shape-changing companion Frobisher is sheer genius (bringing in some welcome levity to the strip). It's too bad that he chose to leave the strip when he did, but the timing was right and certainly not rushed.
Unfortunately, the second half of the graphic novel is where things start to get - at very least - less good. Editor Alan McKenzie's stab at the writer position is perfectly serviceable, and his Doctor is closer to what we saw on screen, but but his one- and two-part stories barely make any sort of impact with the reader. His attempt at an "epic" storyline spanning the four installments of Kane's Story/Abel's Story/The Warrior's Story/Frobisher's Story is interesting, but it just doesn't go anywhere - there's not enough time before the heroes simply have to get down to the business of fighting the fight and saving the day. And it doesn't seem especially Doctor Who-ish, either. It's more like a transplanted Star Trek storyline, as is McKenzie's earlier "War Game"; both have some strong similarities to Klingon-centric plots that TNG and DS9 would feature in the coming decade.
Fortunately John Ridgway's art is a real high point, bringing consistency to the strip for the first time since Dave Gibbons (and the last time for roughly a full ten years afterward). His work is looser and sketchier than Gibbons', but there's a lot of great detail worked in; you can really see it in stories like "Polly the Glot" and "Once Upon a Time Lord."
This is a great graphic novel for the collection, and I'm pleased to finish off the run of Parkhouse strips. I just wish the other included material didn't feel quite so much like filler.
Unfortunately, the second half of the graphic novel is where things start to get - at very least - less good. Editor Alan McKenzie's stab at the writer position is perfectly serviceable, and his Doctor is closer to what we saw on screen, but but his one- and two-part stories barely make any sort of impact with the reader. His attempt at an "epic" storyline spanning the four installments of Kane's Story/Abel's Story/The Warrior's Story/Frobisher's Story is interesting, but it just doesn't go anywhere - there's not enough time before the heroes simply have to get down to the business of fighting the fight and saving the day. And it doesn't seem especially Doctor Who-ish, either. It's more like a transplanted Star Trek storyline, as is McKenzie's earlier "War Game"; both have some strong similarities to Klingon-centric plots that TNG and DS9 would feature in the coming decade.
Fortunately John Ridgway's art is a real high point, bringing consistency to the strip for the first time since Dave Gibbons (and the last time for roughly a full ten years afterward). His work is looser and sketchier than Gibbons', but there's a lot of great detail worked in; you can really see it in stories like "Polly the Glot" and "Once Upon a Time Lord."
This is a great graphic novel for the collection, and I'm pleased to finish off the run of Parkhouse strips. I just wish the other included material didn't feel quite so much like filler.
otherwyrld's review against another edition
3.0
2 1/5 stars
I picked this up on a whim from the library, mostly because it was by artist John Ridgway. I'm not a huge fan of his very distinctive black and white work, but he has done a lot of really good stuff for 2000AD in the past, so I was curious to see what he could do with some Doctor Who material. For the most part he does quite a good job. His portrayal of the Sixth Doctor and Peri is very well done, they are instantly recognisable. His work is very crisp and clean here, and benefits from the oversized pages in this book.
Pity the same can't be said of the stories by Steve Parkhouse that he has to illustrate. I found them to be silly and childish for the most part, certainly not helped by the addition of a shape-shifting alien that decides to become a talking penguin called Frobisher for no apparent reason. At times the Doctor acts in a most un-Time Lord like way that does the stories no favours. Given that the Sixth Doctor is often considered to be one of the weakest of the Classic Who Doctors, and the evident hatred that the BBC had for the series during this period, these stories do little to endear itself to any loyal readers out there.
Occasionally there are glimpses of a darker story to be seen, and the artist clearly relishes these parts more than the rubbish he otherwise has to illustrate at times here. It's a pity that the whole thing was played for laughs because a dark and gritty Doctor Who might have been much better received.
There are quite a few of these books around, which I should mention reproduce stories that were originally printed in the Official Doctor Who Magazines. These days they are little more than curiosities, a reflection of a low point in the long running history of a certain rogue Time Lord. The book does have some charms, I just wish it didn't poke such fun at loyal fans who should have had richer fare than this to feast on.
I picked this up on a whim from the library, mostly because it was by artist John Ridgway. I'm not a huge fan of his very distinctive black and white work, but he has done a lot of really good stuff for 2000AD in the past, so I was curious to see what he could do with some Doctor Who material. For the most part he does quite a good job. His portrayal of the Sixth Doctor and Peri is very well done, they are instantly recognisable. His work is very crisp and clean here, and benefits from the oversized pages in this book.
Pity the same can't be said of the stories by Steve Parkhouse that he has to illustrate. I found them to be silly and childish for the most part, certainly not helped by the addition of a shape-shifting alien that decides to become a talking penguin called Frobisher for no apparent reason. At times the Doctor acts in a most un-Time Lord like way that does the stories no favours. Given that the Sixth Doctor is often considered to be one of the weakest of the Classic Who Doctors, and the evident hatred that the BBC had for the series during this period, these stories do little to endear itself to any loyal readers out there.
Occasionally there are glimpses of a darker story to be seen, and the artist clearly relishes these parts more than the rubbish he otherwise has to illustrate at times here. It's a pity that the whole thing was played for laughs because a dark and gritty Doctor Who might have been much better received.
There are quite a few of these books around, which I should mention reproduce stories that were originally printed in the Official Doctor Who Magazines. These days they are little more than curiosities, a reflection of a low point in the long running history of a certain rogue Time Lord. The book does have some charms, I just wish it didn't poke such fun at loyal fans who should have had richer fare than this to feast on.
nwhyte's review against another edition
3.0
Reprinted from Doctor Who Magazine #88-#107, Voyager contains the adventures of the Sixth Doctor and his alien companion Frobisher, a shape-changing alien Whifferdill who prefers to look like a penguin, all illustrated by John Ridgway who gets a two-page interview at the start. The first half of the book has stories by Steve Backhouse, which are visionary and surreal and take the Doctor to strange places in inner and outer space, swirling around the sinister magician Astralabus, but including of all things a Rupert Bear pastiche. The second half, by Alan McKenzie, is a little (though not much) closer to the TV series, even bringing in Peri for the last story, but is still rather better than the TV show was at the time. Ridgway's art is superb as well. It is well established that I am not a Sixth Doctor fan but I recommend this volume.
thecommonswings's review against another edition
5.0
I’m not reviewing the edition pictured, but the Marvel coloured version from the late eighties which just keeps the first Frobisher story, Voyager itself, Polly the Glot and Once Upon a Time Lord and collects them as a graphic novel. And furthermore, it’s 100% my favourite Doctor Who thing ever: it’s eccentric, eerie, silly, baffling, brilliant and just full of invention and ideas. Ridgway is an astonishing artist at his very best here, and Parkhouse’s writing is just glorious, especially nailing Baker’s slight pomposity, Frobisher’s affability and Astrolabus’ ornate and disingenuous prattle. Baker is my favourite classic series Doctor and honestly part of that is the Frobisher stories - it delights me that Baker is obviously very fond of this era too. Every page of this is a joy and contains more ideas than whole eras of the later comics would ever manage. A masterpiece
esperata's review
2.0
I like surrealism and out-of-this-world fantasy but it simply wasn't suited here. No explanation is given for Frobisher joining the Doctor instead of turning him in for the whole ransom. Why does he sometimes shape-shift and sometimes not? Astrolabus' manner of speech is insane. Overall there was simply a sense that the artists were revelling in free imagination and the unlimitless budget.
One point of interest was the story 'Funhouse'. A strange alien house that tried to absorb the energy of the TARDIS. It felt like the idea behind "The Doctor's Wife".
One point of interest was the story 'Funhouse'. A strange alien house that tried to absorb the energy of the TARDIS. It felt like the idea behind "The Doctor's Wife".
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