Review of Empire of the Wolf by 15thDoctor
30 October 2024
This review contains spoilers
Jody Houser writes with such freedom. Cherry picking what she likes from Doctor Who and then introducing new elements with charm and creativity. Nothing is too precious. Seeing Rose Tyler’s child and learning what happened to her next feels like forbidden territory, but it’s handled so breezily. This is a story that majors on fun: two Doctors, two Rose Tylers, and a whole load of fun. It manages to be both silly and substantial.
If I was to have one critique it would be that the Sontarans are a bit of a spare part in this story. They arrive en masse and disappear en masse at regular intervals without much emotional consequence. It's the only part of this story which didn’t feel thought through.
The artwork is phenomenal. The care and attention paid to Rose’s stunning purple empress robes is impressive and impactful.
Full disclosure, this is my first non-DWM Doctor Who comic in a long, long time and I’m struggling with how legit this story feels. It feels like the reins are taken off and the story can go anywhere. A crossover event is also a nice way to ease into the world of Titan comics. We can never have enough Paul McGann.