Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

“INVASION OF THE MINDMORPHS – A META ADVENTURE WITH MIXED RESULTS”

Invasion of the Mindmorphs is another example of Titan Comics’ penchant for meta-narratives, this time focusing on the nature of creativity and inspiration. The premise follows Val and Sonny, the disillusioned writer and artist behind Time Surgeon—a Doctor Who-inspired comic series—who are whisked away by the Doctor on an adventure designed to reignite their passion for storytelling.

The setup is intriguing, especially since Time Surgeon was previously referenced in Fourth Wall. The idea of the Doctor taking cynical, jaded creatives on a journey through time and space to teach them how to write better stories is a wonderfully Doctor Who-esque concept. However, the execution is somewhat uneven.

A TOUR OF TIME AND SPACE (WITH A LOT OF BICKERING)

The journey takes us from the Jurassic period to various alien worlds the Doctor has saved, all while Val and Sonny constantly bicker and suppress their romantic feelings. While their eventual reconciliation is meant to feel like character development, it comes off as a little forced. Their transformation from bitter rivals to collaborative partners doesn’t feel as organic as it should.

The adventure eventually lands them on an intellectual utopia overtaken by the titular Mindmorphs—floating brains that have outlawed free thought and enslaved the population. The Mindmorphs serve as a physical manifestation of oppressive conformity, which ties well into the story’s themes. However, beyond some fun moments—such as taunting the Doctor by conjuring up past incarnations, various Masters, and classic monsters like Morbius and Scaroth—the Mindmorphs don’t leave much of an impression.

STANDARD ADVENTURE, STANDARD ART

The final act becomes a more traditional Doctor Who story, with the Doctor leading an effort to liberate a world he reveres without resorting to violence. While it delivers some nice moments, it lacks the innovation or emotional depth that could have made it a standout tale.

Visually, Invasion of the Mindmorphs is serviceable but not particularly striking. The art style is more conventional compared to the bold and dynamic visuals of Sonic Boom, making it one of the less visually distinctive Titan stories.

VERDICT: CLEVER CONCEPT, UNEVEN EXECUTION

There’s a great idea at the heart of Invasion of the Mindmorphs, and its exploration of creativity and inspiration fits well with the Doctor’s character. However, the story doesn’t fully commit to its themes, and the character arcs feel rushed. The Mindmorphs themselves, while visually interesting, don’t offer much beyond a familiar villainous plot.

📝7/10