The Dalek Classic! When I first heard about The Dalek Project back in 2009 I instantly placed my order – the prospect of a full length graphic novel featuring the 10th Doctor and the Daleks – set during World War 1, gripped me. But then come the advertised release date it never arrived. Instead the date kept getting pushed back until it disappeared off the schedules full stop. There was much speculation as to the reasons why – the most common been that the storyline was similar in tone to a forthcoming TV episode in production at that time! (3 years later we now know this is why the book was postponed).Instead we got The Only Good Dalek – a thoroughly entertaining adventure. My only negative was that the Doctor’s character didn’t quite match that of Matt Smith. My reasoning for this was that the book had been produced during the early stages before the world had yet to observe the 11th Doctor in action.Jump forward 3 years and my excitement levels again rose when I again saw the release advertised of The Dalek Project – this time featuring the 11th doctor. I did feel a little disappointed as I had hoped to see the book released one day with the 10th Doctor at the helm (although it wouldn’t make much sense commercially I guess to release a book featuring the exploits of a past Doctor).Anyhow, was it worth the wait? The answer is an astounding YES. This book is simply fantastic!!SPOILERS: The story kicks off in France in 2017 when an archeological dig uncover a sphere from a Dalek saucer within a long buried World War 1 Trench system. This action begins to resurrect the metal maestros who promptly rediscover the art of extermination! Into this comes the Doctor who within 30 pages has dispatched of his oldest enemies – ‘unfinished business’ as he describes it. Is that it then? you ask. Hell no, that’s just the beginning. From here we are taken back one century to witness how the Daleks came to be trapped in the first place. The Doctor arrives at Hellcombe Hall in Kent where…. I’m sure you’ll all have read the summary!I would love to reveal more as this book warrants full applause. The Doctor here is the 11th version that we know fine well – we get the “Panama hats are cool” lines (although no ‘Geronimo’s’).There are many excellent sequences – eerie sequences when the Doctor first arrives at the ghostly Hellcombe Hall, different zones behind various doors, the Doctor and his newly found ‘gang’ escaping from the Daleks in a german U-Boat, and a fantastic finale set on the front line itself. I’ll say no more.In a nutshell – if you like graphic novels and are a fan of Doctor Who, buy this book!!!!
Excellent Dalek Story Admittedly, I did fear a repetition of ‘Victory of the Daleks'(the third Doctor Who Episode in the first series featuring Matt Smith as the Doctor) but I am very pleased that this is not the case at all. The only similarity is that it’s about Daleks playing some part in a World War but that is where it ends (although there are some fun inclusions of cameos from the TV episode but those I am sure are included only for the nutty fans like me who watch and read anything with the word “dalek” in it).The Daleks are back. This story features the Copper and Bronze Daleks from the RTD era and in my view that is a good thing, as I can’t help but feel that the new Paradigm has been a bit of a mistake. But not just those, we even get a quasimodo Dalek (and once you’ve seen it, I’m sure you will agree on the name) and hords of so-called Proto Daleks, which are robotic versions of a Dalek (no Squid type lifeform inside). All a recipe for an enjoyable read, as the Daleks have ensured both parties in the Conflict produce these proto Daleks.There are actually two plotlines, one taking place in 2017 and another in 1917 (during the Great War). It’s Doctor Who, so the future plotline takes place before the main story occurring in 1917. I remembered another kind of “Dalek Project” in the serial “the evil of the Daleks” from 1966. In this serial events took place in 1966 and 1866. No similarities otherwise, but still I like it very much when wrters know their Who history and add such details as an extra bonus for the long-time fans while not distracting from the story for new comers.The Doctor is executed very well here, characterised as Matt Smith had shown him to be in the series, so that is great. The Daleks are also done very well (besides the fact that I like them better in this version) here. There are also some nice other characters involved. I must say I also very much enjoyed the drawings and colours. Nice faces, expressions on the faces and, truly wonderful Daleks!Another great thing is shown too: if the Daleks would truly have no organic living core inside of them, time lords would be able to manipulate them far too easily. And that’s the most spoilery remark I am going to put in this review. For the rest I would advise all fans of the Daleks, and Doctor Who in general, to just go and read it! Highly recommended.
Proper Daleks on Parade! The long-delayed “Dalek Project” is here. Was it worth the wait? Yes, though it’s a qualified yes. the quality of Mike Collins’ art varies from page to page, going from clean and “comic-booky” to quick frenetic and gritty. Oddly for me, I think I prefer the gritty style, seen more consistently throughout the earlier graphic novel “The Only Good Dalek”. Thankfully, the Daleks in this adventure are the bronze “Time War” era Daleks rather than the far less popular “Paradigm” Daleks featured in “The Only Good Dalek”, which pleases me greatly. The plot isn’t particularly high-brow, and it doesn’t reveal anything new about the Daleks, but it does have them at their manipulative best; cunning, devious and homicidal. Which, if you’re a Dalek fan, is pretty much what you want!
The Dalek Classic! When I first heard about The Dalek Project back in 2009 I instantly placed my order – the prospect of a full length graphic novel featuring the 10th Doctor and the Daleks – set during World War 1, gripped me. But then come the advertised release date it never arrived. Instead the date kept getting pushed back until it disappeared off the schedules full stop. There was much speculation as to the reasons why – the most common been that the storyline was similar in tone to a forthcoming TV episode in production at that time! (3 years later we now know this is why the book was postponed).Instead we got The Only Good Dalek – a thoroughly entertaining adventure. My only negative was that the Doctor’s character didn’t quite match that of Matt Smith. My reasoning for this was that the book had been produced during the early stages before the world had yet to observe the 11th Doctor in action.Jump forward 3 years and my excitement levels again rose when I again saw the release advertised of The Dalek Project – this time featuring the 11th doctor. I did feel a little disappointed as I had hoped to see the book released one day with the 10th Doctor at the helm (although it wouldn’t make much sense commercially I guess to release a book featuring the exploits of a past Doctor).Anyhow, was it worth the wait? The answer is an astounding YES. This book is simply fantastic!!SPOILERS: The story kicks off in France in 2017 when an archeological dig uncover a sphere from a Dalek saucer within a long buried World War 1 Trench system. This action begins to resurrect the metal maestros who promptly rediscover the art of extermination! Into this comes the Doctor who within 30 pages has dispatched of his oldest enemies – ‘unfinished business’ as he describes it. Is that it then? you ask. Hell no, that’s just the beginning. From here we are taken back one century to witness how the Daleks came to be trapped in the first place. The Doctor arrives at Hellcombe Hall in Kent where…. I’m sure you’ll all have read the summary!I would love to reveal more as this book warrants full applause. The Doctor here is the 11th version that we know fine well – we get the “Panama hats are cool” lines (although no ‘Geronimo’s’).There are many excellent sequences – eerie sequences when the Doctor first arrives at the ghostly Hellcombe Hall, different zones behind various doors, the Doctor and his newly found ‘gang’ escaping from the Daleks in a german U-Boat, and a fantastic finale set on the front line itself. I’ll say no more.In a nutshell – if you like graphic novels and are a fan of Doctor Who, buy this book!!!!
Excellent Dalek Story Admittedly, I did fear a repetition of ‘Victory of the Daleks'(the third Doctor Who Episode in the first series featuring Matt Smith as the Doctor) but I am very pleased that this is not the case at all. The only similarity is that it’s about Daleks playing some part in a World War but that is where it ends (although there are some fun inclusions of cameos from the TV episode but those I am sure are included only for the nutty fans like me who watch and read anything with the word “dalek” in it).The Daleks are back. This story features the Copper and Bronze Daleks from the RTD era and in my view that is a good thing, as I can’t help but feel that the new Paradigm has been a bit of a mistake. But not just those, we even get a quasimodo Dalek (and once you’ve seen it, I’m sure you will agree on the name) and hords of so-called Proto Daleks, which are robotic versions of a Dalek (no Squid type lifeform inside). All a recipe for an enjoyable read, as the Daleks have ensured both parties in the Conflict produce these proto Daleks.There are actually two plotlines, one taking place in 2017 and another in 1917 (during the Great War). It’s Doctor Who, so the future plotline takes place before the main story occurring in 1917. I remembered another kind of “Dalek Project” in the serial “the evil of the Daleks” from 1966. In this serial events took place in 1966 and 1866. No similarities otherwise, but still I like it very much when wrters know their Who history and add such details as an extra bonus for the long-time fans while not distracting from the story for new comers.The Doctor is executed very well here, characterised as Matt Smith had shown him to be in the series, so that is great. The Daleks are also done very well (besides the fact that I like them better in this version) here. There are also some nice other characters involved. I must say I also very much enjoyed the drawings and colours. Nice faces, expressions on the faces and, truly wonderful Daleks!Another great thing is shown too: if the Daleks would truly have no organic living core inside of them, time lords would be able to manipulate them far too easily. And that’s the most spoilery remark I am going to put in this review. For the rest I would advise all fans of the Daleks, and Doctor Who in general, to just go and read it! Highly recommended.
Proper Daleks on Parade! The long-delayed “Dalek Project” is here. Was it worth the wait? Yes, though it’s a qualified yes. the quality of Mike Collins’ art varies from page to page, going from clean and “comic-booky” to quick frenetic and gritty. Oddly for me, I think I prefer the gritty style, seen more consistently throughout the earlier graphic novel “The Only Good Dalek”. Thankfully, the Daleks in this adventure are the bronze “Time War” era Daleks rather than the far less popular “Paradigm” Daleks featured in “The Only Good Dalek”, which pleases me greatly. The plot isn’t particularly high-brow, and it doesn’t reveal anything new about the Daleks, but it does have them at their manipulative best; cunning, devious and homicidal. Which, if you’re a Dalek fan, is pretty much what you want!