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“DOCTORMANIA: A CHAOTIC BUT FUN SATIRE OF FANDOM AND FRAUD”

Doctormania sees the Ninth Doctor, Rose, and Jack tracing a distress signal sent by a future version of Jack, only to land on a planet where the Doctor is a massive celebrity. The world is obsessed with Doctor Who?, a TV show starring a man who looks exactly like the Doctor, complete with Dalek-like Chumblies in the skies and a horde of devoted fans chasing their idol—and the real Doctor—everywhere. It’s a Titan Comics meta-story through and through, playing with Doctor Who's own popularity in a way that both embraces and satirises fandom.

A CHAOTIC START THAT FINDS ITS FOOTING

The story initially feels like a collection of rapid-fire ideas thrown together, resulting in some messy action sequences and an overwhelming sense of chaos. However, after the first issue, it settles into a clearer direction, with a more structured plot and a better-defined tone.

NINE FACES FANDOM FRENZY

It’s fitting that it’s Nine, rather than the more widely adored Ten or Eleven, who has to endure the crazed adoration of fans. True to character, he’s thoroughly fed up with it, grumbling his way through autograph requests and photo ops. His aversion to weapons and unnecessary destruction is also well portrayed, aligning him with his TV counterpart.

SLITHEEN SCHEMING AND A FAMILY FEUD

The Slitheen’s involvement is a welcome surprise, with this story cleverly tying into their earlier appearances in Aliens of London/World War Three and Boom Town. This time, they are using more advanced technology, operating from the future, and engaging in a conflict with the Jinglatheen family. The core deception—that the Slitheen stole the Doctor’s face from historical records to manipulate both their rivals and the Doctor’s fanbase—is an entertaining twist, fitting their usual brand of selfish profiteering. Slist, the main Slitheen antagonist, starts as a scheming villain but transitions into an uneasy ally, adding a layer of complexity to the family feud.

ROSE TAKES THE LEAD, JACK GETS SIDELINED

Rose is particularly well-utilised here, taking the initiative by infiltrating the Slitheen’s operations with the psychic paper. She faces the most direct danger, while the Doctor and Jack spend much of the story trying to catch up to her. The Doctor and Jack’s dynamic is captured well, with their usual bickering and Jack’s penchant for dramatic escape plans. However, Jack’s role diminishes in the second half, making him feel somewhat underused.

ROUGH ART BUT GOOD EXPRESSION WORK

The artwork is a mixed bag. The style feels rough and somewhat messy, but it does succeed in conveying strong character expressions. The Slitheen, in particular, look appropriately grotesque and intimidating.

HIGHLIGHTS: DISGUISES AND DINOSAURS

The pacing remains engaging, with a solid balance between exposition, character work, and world-building. Standout moments include the Doctor and Jack disguising themselves as Slitheen to pull off a daring rescue, and the sheer joy of seeing Nine ride a dinosaur-like creature—something he always felt a bit too serious to do on TV.

📝 VERDICT: 7.5/10

Doctormania is a fun, fast-paced adventure that plays with Doctor Who's own fandom while delivering a satisfying Slitheen conspiracy. Despite a chaotic start, an occasionally rough art style, and a sidelined Jack, the story finds its footing and delivers strong character moments, an entertaining villain, and a well-paced narrative. Fans of the Slitheen and meta-commentary will likely enjoy this wild ride.

I absolutely love this. Expanding on the lore of Raxacoricofallapatorius, showing us more of the Raxas Alliance, telling us where Nine learnt about the tricks Blon tries to use in Boom Town.

I also love how defensive Nine is of the Chumblies. It could so easily have been a throwaway thing, but the fact whenever they come up he makes it clear that they're not chumblies is just super fun.

And then Slist is just a great character. I love that you get a Slitheen here who's able to redeem herself and her family. I love that even in her trying to be better she's still motivated by profit at first, and still puts a bomb in Rose. And I love her redemption, using her knowledge of pirate broadcasts to get the truth out there.

All in all, it's just a super fun story!