Of the three Doctor Who titles Titan
Comics currently has going, The Tenth Doctor continues to
show that it is far and away the best of the bunch. Issue #5, the conclusion of
the two-part “Arts in Space” arc, further illustrates that this incarnation of
the Time Lord, along with his travelling companion Gabby Gonzales, are easily
the most relatable, connected duo running around the comic book pages, while
also showing that writer Nick Abadzis isn’t afraid to take his time in letting
a story or thread unfold and evolve.
The plot picks up where we left off last time, with the pair
searching for the Doctor’s friend, the block transfer manipulation artist
(don’t ask) Zhe, running from the male/female split personalities of the
Apprentice. Still framed, at least in part, as a letter from Gabby to a friend,
the action is harrowing and dark as the two search for answers, all while
dodging things their enemy twists out of reality, like dragons, sculptures come
to life, and a whole space mansion in a state of angry flux.
But the story is not as simple as merely running from a bad
guy. The Apprentice is not so one dimensional, and the male and female pieces
are actually the personification of different sides of its personality, and as
the Doctor and Gabby’s true intentions become clear, due almost entirely to her
enthusiasm and earnest interest in art, the narrative shifts and changes.
This issue even delves into the origins, uses, and meanings
of art. In exploring this, Gabby taps into something much older and more universal
than herself. Everyone in the galaxy makes art, and after our basic needs are
met, that’s the first thing any conscious species in this universe gets up to.
It helps them make sense of their surroundings, interpreting what they see, and
forms the basis for language and numbers. The biggest theme running through
“Art in Space” is the idea of seeing the world from another perspective. This
begins as a discussion of art, but evolves into something much larger and more collective.
As it grows and progresses, the story taps into themes of self-doubt and
self-confidence, creativity, loneliness, friendship, and connection, as well as
trying to look at the world from new angles.
Gabby’s letter to her friend encapsulates all of this. She’s
on this crazy adventure with this strange man, travelling through time to
distant planets. In the process, she’s definitely experiencing the world in a
new way, and bringing her own unique perspective to the adventure. Unsure of
herself, unsure what to do, she has to tap into her own self, what makes her
special, to discover what she has to offer. Her drawings that illustrate her recollections
are one way of trying to make some semblance of sense out of all of this
apparent chaos. Trying to explain what a jaunt with the Doctor is like is just
as much for her benefit as for anyone on the outside. It’s a crazy experience,
and this comic does a solid job of capturing what that feels like.
Not only is this a piece of the two-part “Art in Space” arc,
this issue is really the conclusion of the first chapter of the saga of the
Doctor and Gabby together. It isn’t until the very end that she really becomes
his fulltime companion. Initially, this was just supposed to be a quick,
one-off jaunt, a thank you for her help in the first couple chapters. In
reality, this one issue is a piece of a larger story, and a piece of an even
larger story beyond that. That may frustrate some readers, as there may not be
an easy resolution at the end of each issue, but it illustrates exactly how
patient the creative team on this run is with letting their story unfold. They
don’t rush it to fit into page constraints, and it took five issues just to
fire what is essentially the opening salvo. The narrative is that much stronger
for this approach, and this is a huge reason why The Tenth
Doctor stands so far above Eleven and
Twelve.
No comments:
Post a Comment