Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor Volume 0 – The Many Lives of Doctor Who

Have you ever heard the term fanwank? The late Craig Hinton, in large part to describe his own Doctor Who novels, coined it.

Remember that “fan” derives from fanatical, and keep in mind that someone who appreciates fanwank will indeed be fanatical. This sort of work thrives on the trivial, indulges continuity obsessions, and tickles those of us who devote entirely too much time to what is, after all, a children’s television program.

I love a good fanwank, and this breezy introduction to the Thirteenth Doctor’s comic adventure is a nice read if you’ve got thirty minutes of downtime. I’m assuming, of course, that anyone who’s gonna read a TV tie-in comic also likes a good fanwank.

That’s really all this book is. Thirteen thinks back on all the men she’s been, and each past Doctor gets a two- or three-page story to sum up his era.

The stories all have different artists with wildly different styles – from Arianna Florean and Adele Matera’s bright and cheery Tom Baker panels to Neil Edwards and Dijjo Lima’s dark and vibrant War Doctor panels – which is the book’s strong point.

Issue 0 seeks to get us hyped for a new Doctor, and specifically on her forthcoming comic book adventures. Of course I’m in.