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geekwayne's review against another edition
4.0
At Winter's Dawn begins a story with the 11th Doctor and his companions Amy and Rory. It's the wedding anniversary of Amy and Rory and they want to get away somewhere romantic. The Doctor has other ideas and whisks them away to Victorian England on the eve of the Great Exposition. They find things amiss in the crystal palace when they discover something that shouldn't be there. It ties in with a couple who think they have been communicating with the spirit world, but instead have been speaking with an alien being. The story concludes in Victorian England, but leads to a cliffhanger that is not resolved in this issue.
The backup story is a fun one. Amy decides the boys need a night out by themselves to drink a few beers and bond. This leads them to London in 1814. Amy sets out to sightsee and leaves the Doctor and Rory to their own devices. They decide to speed up the evening with the Tardis which leads to some pretty funny complications. Amy finds herself in the Great Beer Flood of 1814.
Writing by Andy Diggle and Brandon Seifert is very much in keeping with the characters and the stories are reminiscent of ones you might see on the show. The art by Mark Buckingham and Philip Bond is in 2 very different styles, but works for each story. Buckingham's almost seems like rotoscope work and Bond's is more cartoonish, but I liked both styles.
I was giving a review copy by IDW and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for letting me review this graphic novel.
The backup story is a fun one. Amy decides the boys need a night out by themselves to drink a few beers and bond. This leads them to London in 1814. Amy sets out to sightsee and leaves the Doctor and Rory to their own devices. They decide to speed up the evening with the Tardis which leads to some pretty funny complications. Amy finds herself in the Great Beer Flood of 1814.
Writing by Andy Diggle and Brandon Seifert is very much in keeping with the characters and the stories are reminiscent of ones you might see on the show. The art by Mark Buckingham and Philip Bond is in 2 very different styles, but works for each story. Buckingham's almost seems like rotoscope work and Bond's is more cartoonish, but I liked both styles.
I was giving a review copy by IDW and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for letting me review this graphic novel.
eoghann's review against another edition
4.0
As others have noted the description above appears to be incorrect.
Since I was working from a partial review copy, I didn't have the full volume to read, just the first 4 issues (2 stories). Specifically _The Hypothetical Gentleman_ by Andy Diggle and Mark Buckingham and _The Doctor and the Nurse_ by Brandon Seifer and Philip Bond.
This should be fairly representative of the material available in the full volume though. It is a collection of issues from the monthly comic featuring the (then) current teaming of Matt Smith's 11th Doctor, Amy and Rory.
In _The Hypothetical Gentleman_ we get a story that really could have appeared on screen with only a few minor adjustments. Diggle has no trouble capturing the incredibly fast pacing and snappy dialogue that the Doctor's adventures have given us in the last season or so and even manages to give us a mystery villain who lingers after the story is done. In terms of art work it's difficult to criticise someone with Mark Buckingham's skills, and the likenesses are top notch. But the art did seem just a bit stiff and posed. He's using a painted style here rather than what he does in Fables and that may explain the difference.
_The Doctor and the Nurse_ is a rather sharp change of tone and style which took a moment or two to get used to. Brandon Seifer goes for a more comedic and less dark approach. Which isn't what we've been seeing on screen lately, but that's fine because there's plenty of room for variety in Who. The artwork by Philip Bond is much more cartoony which perhaps suits the mood of this story. You can easily recognize the characters, but there's no attempt at photo-realism here. The switch is probably less jarring if you take a break between stories and allow for a palate cleanser.
The other stories which make up this book (which I haven't had an opportunity to read)are:
- The Eye of Ashaya by Andy Diggle and Josh Adams (2 parts)
- Space Oddity by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andres Ponce (2 parts)
- Sky Jacks by Andy Diggle and Andy Kuhn (4 parts). This last story features Clara Oswald.
I'm a little hesitant to make a definitive recommendation on a book I haven't fully read, but with Andy Diggle as the recurring writer to give the season a cohesive feel and a solid lineup of artists I do think I can recommend this to Doctor Who fans as something that will give them more of what they like. So long as they understand it's not a single story and there will be art and style changes along the way.
By the standards of comics based off of tv properties I consider this pretty successful.
Since I was working from a partial review copy, I didn't have the full volume to read, just the first 4 issues (2 stories). Specifically _The Hypothetical Gentleman_ by Andy Diggle and Mark Buckingham and _The Doctor and the Nurse_ by Brandon Seifer and Philip Bond.
This should be fairly representative of the material available in the full volume though. It is a collection of issues from the monthly comic featuring the (then) current teaming of Matt Smith's 11th Doctor, Amy and Rory.
In _The Hypothetical Gentleman_ we get a story that really could have appeared on screen with only a few minor adjustments. Diggle has no trouble capturing the incredibly fast pacing and snappy dialogue that the Doctor's adventures have given us in the last season or so and even manages to give us a mystery villain who lingers after the story is done. In terms of art work it's difficult to criticise someone with Mark Buckingham's skills, and the likenesses are top notch. But the art did seem just a bit stiff and posed. He's using a painted style here rather than what he does in Fables and that may explain the difference.
_The Doctor and the Nurse_ is a rather sharp change of tone and style which took a moment or two to get used to. Brandon Seifer goes for a more comedic and less dark approach. Which isn't what we've been seeing on screen lately, but that's fine because there's plenty of room for variety in Who. The artwork by Philip Bond is much more cartoony which perhaps suits the mood of this story. You can easily recognize the characters, but there's no attempt at photo-realism here. The switch is probably less jarring if you take a break between stories and allow for a palate cleanser.
The other stories which make up this book (which I haven't had an opportunity to read)are:
- The Eye of Ashaya by Andy Diggle and Josh Adams (2 parts)
- Space Oddity by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andres Ponce (2 parts)
- Sky Jacks by Andy Diggle and Andy Kuhn (4 parts). This last story features Clara Oswald.
I'm a little hesitant to make a definitive recommendation on a book I haven't fully read, but with Andy Diggle as the recurring writer to give the season a cohesive feel and a solid lineup of artists I do think I can recommend this to Doctor Who fans as something that will give them more of what they like. So long as they understand it's not a single story and there will be art and style changes along the way.
By the standards of comics based off of tv properties I consider this pretty successful.
bella_lettore's review
4.0
This is yet another installment in the much loved Dr. Who series. Now as someone who is very new to this wonderful cast of characters I was very interested in experiencing a true Dr. Who story. And I will say that I was not disappointed. The characters were wonderful to follow around, the story very interesting, and all of the art was very well done. I really enjoyed the way that each page was composed; never really repeating the monotony of normal comic panels, but were broken up with characters almost engaging outside of the "restricted" boundaries.
I think that this graphic novel will be something that any true Dr. Who fan will enjoy, and even if you are unaware about this series then this is a great place to start.
Oh and I should mention that the story starts with seance gone wrong in old victorian London; Dr. Who decides to make a stop in right on the first year anniversary of Amy and Roy, and within the first 10 pages they are stopped by a rather evil woman.
I will not say anymore, I hope that you all enjoy the novel. Happy Reading!!!
I think that this graphic novel will be something that any true Dr. Who fan will enjoy, and even if you are unaware about this series then this is a great place to start.
Oh and I should mention that the story starts with seance gone wrong in old victorian London; Dr. Who decides to make a stop in right on the first year anniversary of Amy and Roy, and within the first 10 pages they are stopped by a rather evil woman.
I will not say anymore, I hope that you all enjoy the novel. Happy Reading!!!
book_steph's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
bridgette's review
4.0
ARC received from Netgalley.
As many others have pointed out, the description of this is wholly inaccurate. The twos stories in the preview feature the Eleventh Doctor and the Ponds, not Ten and whatever companion they chose to put in there.
The stories are set soon after Amy is rescued by the Doctor and Rory from Madame Kovarian and has lost Melody (River) as a baby. That being said, the two stories--"The Doctor and the Hypothetical Gentleman" and "The Doctor and the Nurse"--were enjoyable. The first is set during the time of The Great Exhibition in London and center around a couple who do seances for a living and think Emily, the wife, is being spoken to by an angel, but the letters she writes down are Galliferyan. The villain seems to a recurring one, but with the limited amount of stories, he didn't appear again. "The Doctor and the Nurse" is a story about Amy trying to get Rory and the Doctor to bond. They supposed to just drink at a pub in 1814 London, but, of course, things don't go according to plan. This story was parts funny, part action, just like the show. It would have been nice to have stories that actually matched the description of the book, or at least to have been told there were only two stories in the advance sample not the sixteen advertised.
I don't typically read graphic novels, but I'm new to the Doctor Who universe, so I thought I would give it a try. I thought the stories were very well drawn and several of the illustration in "The Hypothetical Gentleman" were beautiful. The banter was still with the characters along with Rory's exasperation at the Doctor's decision.
Overall, it was a great read, but I'm wondering what the finished product will be. Ten or Eleven?
As many others have pointed out, the description of this is wholly inaccurate. The twos stories in the preview feature the Eleventh Doctor and the Ponds, not Ten and whatever companion they chose to put in there.
The stories are set soon after Amy is rescued by the Doctor and Rory from Madame Kovarian and has lost Melody (River) as a baby. That being said, the two stories--"The Doctor and the Hypothetical Gentleman" and "The Doctor and the Nurse"--were enjoyable. The first is set during the time of The Great Exhibition in London and center around a couple who do seances for a living and think Emily, the wife, is being spoken to by an angel, but the letters she writes down are Galliferyan. The villain seems to a recurring one, but with the limited amount of stories, he didn't appear again. "The Doctor and the Nurse" is a story about Amy trying to get Rory and the Doctor to bond. They supposed to just drink at a pub in 1814 London, but, of course, things don't go according to plan. This story was parts funny, part action, just like the show. It would have been nice to have stories that actually matched the description of the book, or at least to have been told there were only two stories in the advance sample not the sixteen advertised.
I don't typically read graphic novels, but I'm new to the Doctor Who universe, so I thought I would give it a try. I thought the stories were very well drawn and several of the illustration in "The Hypothetical Gentleman" were beautiful. The banter was still with the characters along with Rory's exasperation at the Doctor's decision.
Overall, it was a great read, but I'm wondering what the finished product will be. Ten or Eleven?
noveladdiction's review
3.0
Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts are my own.
Type: Graphic Novel, Series, Science Fiction, Time Travel, The Doctor Is In!!
About the Book: A graphic novel with stories featuring the 11th Doctor - from Silence to a Beer Flood, and more! Follow the Doctor and the Ponds on their many adventures.
My Review: Well, this will be an interesting and short review, since I only got a preview of the novel to review - as in, just the first two "episodes." While I did get a sense that there will be an over arching theme, it seems like these issues could be read on their own with no trouble. The graphic novel was fun, and was pretty much everything I would look for, regarding Doctor Who stories - adventure, time travel, ridiculous hijinks, and more.
The art was well done. I prefer my graphic novels to be a little more detailed than these were. But you could definitely tell who was who, and had a good sense of expressions, so well done there.
Cover Lovin': The cover was simple and to the point. I like it - though I don't think I would automatically know it was a graphic novel if I just saw the cover art.
Recommendation: For fans of Doctor Who and graphic novels. Or maybe someone who just needs to beef up on their Doctor Who drug while we eagerly anticipate the 50th anniversary episode.
Final Rating: THREE out of FIVE (3/5). I'd give it higher, but I really only got a portion of the book (maybe a little over a fifth?), so I can't properly judge the whole thing. If the rest of the book was in the same vein as what I read, it would definitely be at least a FOUR star rating.
Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~
Review was originally posted at: www.glowsnoveladdiction.blogspot.com
Type: Graphic Novel, Series, Science Fiction, Time Travel, The Doctor Is In!!
About the Book: A graphic novel with stories featuring the 11th Doctor - from Silence to a Beer Flood, and more! Follow the Doctor and the Ponds on their many adventures.
My Review: Well, this will be an interesting and short review, since I only got a preview of the novel to review - as in, just the first two "episodes." While I did get a sense that there will be an over arching theme, it seems like these issues could be read on their own with no trouble. The graphic novel was fun, and was pretty much everything I would look for, regarding Doctor Who stories - adventure, time travel, ridiculous hijinks, and more.
The art was well done. I prefer my graphic novels to be a little more detailed than these were. But you could definitely tell who was who, and had a good sense of expressions, so well done there.
Cover Lovin': The cover was simple and to the point. I like it - though I don't think I would automatically know it was a graphic novel if I just saw the cover art.
Recommendation: For fans of Doctor Who and graphic novels. Or maybe someone who just needs to beef up on their Doctor Who drug while we eagerly anticipate the 50th anniversary episode.
Final Rating: THREE out of FIVE (3/5). I'd give it higher, but I really only got a portion of the book (maybe a little over a fifth?), so I can't properly judge the whole thing. If the rest of the book was in the same vein as what I read, it would definitely be at least a FOUR star rating.
Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~
Review was originally posted at: www.glowsnoveladdiction.blogspot.com
pussreboots's review
4.0
Two fun adventures. One at the Crystal Palace. One during the Great Beer Flood of 17 Oct 1814. Shame though there was no appearance of Capt. Jack when they stopped in to Cardiff to refuel.
mordredrisika's review
3.0
“I reeeeally wouldn’t touch it if I were you. You see, your Nazi mythology got it wrong-along with everything else.”
The Doctor in Doctor Who Series 1: Winter’s Dawn, Season’s End by Tony Lee
Every once in a while I love to read comic books, as they are usually a nice break from 500+ page books. Recently I was in the mood for some comics and was browsing Netgalley. I saw a Doctor Who comic, and I didn’t even stop to read a description before I requested it. It wasn’t until I opened the book that I saw that it was the 11th Doctor with Amy and Rory (a married couple from modern day England who travel with the Doctor) in the story.
There are two stories within the book, and it is hard to tell if the second follows immediately after the first or happens a bit later. The first story is set mostly in Victorian England, and on Amy and Rory’s anniversary. The Doctor takes them to see the Crystal Palace the night before it first opens, but they have a slight detour on the way. However, it isn’t until the Doctor and his companions arrive at the Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition, in 1851, that strange things begin to happen.
In the second story, Amy decides that the Doctor and Rory have never really had a chance to bond without her around, and this must be why they are not getting along. So she convinces them to spend some time together while she wanders around, but little does she know that the boys try to cheat and skip ahead to the meeting time. However, as sometimes happens with the Tardis, the Doctor and Rory have a little trouble making it back to where they are supposed to be.
The first thing that struck me with these comics is that they are for fans, and not really for people who are unfamiliar with Doctor Who. While it is unnecessary to have seen every episode, some basic understanding of the show and characters is helpful. The second thing that hit me was that I much prefer comics where the artist is free to draw however they want, instead of having to base their drawings on real people. The art was different between the two stories, and I preferred the second, which was more classical cartoon style. The first story was trying for realistic and in the end it was a bit unappealing. Overall, I just found it strange to see well known characters in comic form.
I did like the plot of both stories and the insights into characters I am already familiar with. I thought it was neat that in the first story the Doctor kicks something like in soccer (football to those outside the US), because Matt Smith (the actor portraying this Doctor) originally wanted to be a soccer player before he was injured. However, the first story felt a little too similar to a plot that was used with the 9th Doctor when he and Rose had a Victorian Christmas.
I enjoyed the second story more, just because it was a funnier plot. There were also some great lines from this part. Rory seems to have inspired Ian Fleming to create James Bond, and he is told, “Try not to die for once” which is a great reference to his character being killed frequently in the TV series. However, as the comic ends, you realize that the stories have left us with more questions than they answered.
Final Verdict: A fun short read for the Doctor Who fans, but a bit inaccessible for a casual reader.
Original Review posted: http://francesandlynne.wordpress.com/doctor-who-series-1-winters-dawn-seasons-end/
The Doctor in Doctor Who Series 1: Winter’s Dawn, Season’s End by Tony Lee
Every once in a while I love to read comic books, as they are usually a nice break from 500+ page books. Recently I was in the mood for some comics and was browsing Netgalley. I saw a Doctor Who comic, and I didn’t even stop to read a description before I requested it. It wasn’t until I opened the book that I saw that it was the 11th Doctor with Amy and Rory (a married couple from modern day England who travel with the Doctor) in the story.
There are two stories within the book, and it is hard to tell if the second follows immediately after the first or happens a bit later. The first story is set mostly in Victorian England, and on Amy and Rory’s anniversary. The Doctor takes them to see the Crystal Palace the night before it first opens, but they have a slight detour on the way. However, it isn’t until the Doctor and his companions arrive at the Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition, in 1851, that strange things begin to happen.
In the second story, Amy decides that the Doctor and Rory have never really had a chance to bond without her around, and this must be why they are not getting along. So she convinces them to spend some time together while she wanders around, but little does she know that the boys try to cheat and skip ahead to the meeting time. However, as sometimes happens with the Tardis, the Doctor and Rory have a little trouble making it back to where they are supposed to be.
The first thing that struck me with these comics is that they are for fans, and not really for people who are unfamiliar with Doctor Who. While it is unnecessary to have seen every episode, some basic understanding of the show and characters is helpful. The second thing that hit me was that I much prefer comics where the artist is free to draw however they want, instead of having to base their drawings on real people. The art was different between the two stories, and I preferred the second, which was more classical cartoon style. The first story was trying for realistic and in the end it was a bit unappealing. Overall, I just found it strange to see well known characters in comic form.
I did like the plot of both stories and the insights into characters I am already familiar with. I thought it was neat that in the first story the Doctor kicks something like in soccer (football to those outside the US), because Matt Smith (the actor portraying this Doctor) originally wanted to be a soccer player before he was injured. However, the first story felt a little too similar to a plot that was used with the 9th Doctor when he and Rose had a Victorian Christmas.
I enjoyed the second story more, just because it was a funnier plot. There were also some great lines from this part. Rory seems to have inspired Ian Fleming to create James Bond, and he is told, “Try not to die for once” which is a great reference to his character being killed frequently in the TV series. However, as the comic ends, you realize that the stories have left us with more questions than they answered.
Final Verdict: A fun short read for the Doctor Who fans, but a bit inaccessible for a casual reader.
Original Review posted: http://francesandlynne.wordpress.com/doctor-who-series-1-winters-dawn-seasons-end/
glennisleblanc's review
3.0
Two story arcs are contained in here with different artists. The first one has the Doctor and the Ponds off to Victorian London. They defeat the villain but the Doctor isn't happy with the win. The second one has Amy insisting that Rory and the Doctor spend some time together. Both stories were entertaining and a nice jump back into the Pond era.
Digital copy provided by the publisher through Netgalley.
Digital copy provided by the publisher through Netgalley.