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“EVERYONE MUST GO! – A RETAIL NIGHTMARE ON A DYING EARTH”
Everyone Must Go! marks the Fifteenth Doctor’s comic debut in an era of visual storytelling that fits his energy, empathy, and wide-eyed wonder. Set immediately after the 2024 Free Comic Book Day prelude, this four-part Titan Comics run flings us into a crumbling, climate-ravaged 29th-century Earth, where the last shopping mall limps on amidst the wreckage. The few humans who remain are too scared to leave, clinging to routine in the face of solar storms and encroaching madness.
In classic Doctor Who fashion, the shopping centre is much more than it appears. The lower levels are filled with chittering half-human, half-Cyberman hybrids – metallic terrors with insectoid traits. These creepy creations, however, are not the return of a familiar foe, but manifestations of fear. They are phantoms summoned by a new villain: the Sommelier.
THE PANTHEON OF GODS RETURNS
The Sommelier is another member of the Pantheon of Gods introduced in the Fourteenth Doctor specials – a collector of fear who bottles screams like fine wine. He lurks in a yellow-hued fear dimension, manipulating reality and thriving off terror. It's a genuinely great concept, equal parts twisted and whimsical, and ties nicely into Doctor Who’s long history of monsters that feed on emotion. Sadly, despite the build-up, he is ultimately defeated too easily, leaving his potential feeling a little undernourished.
The Cybermen, though teased as the main threat, are really just fear-puppets pulled from Maria’s memories. As such, they end up sidelined and contribute little beyond atmosphere, becoming distractions in what is ultimately a mindscape war.
THE DOCTOR, RUBY, AND MARIA
Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor is written with a strong grasp of his character – he’s passionate, energetic, and deeply empathetic, especially in his mission to protect young Maria. There's a great moment where he sets off on a classic rescue mission, leaving no one behind, and offering fierce comfort to the fearful humans. He’s also shown doing a bit of proper TARDIS tinkering, something we've seen less of on screen so far.
Ruby, meanwhile, has less to do. She spends most of the story trapped in a basement with cockroach-like aliens terrified of light. While her scenes offer some fun horror flavour, she’s more a witness than a player here. The young girl Maria, central to the plot, barely speaks until the end. She works better as a symbol of fear than as a developed character, which limits the story’s emotional weight.
DYSTOPIA, DENIAL AND THE LAST SHOPPING CENTRE
What sets Everyone Must Go! apart is its quiet commentary on climate change and class. Humanity has abandoned Earth, but those left behind include people too anxious to board evacuation ships or too dedicated to their retail jobs to let go. It’s a surprisingly sharp touch of satire, reminiscent of the Russell T Davies school of grounded science fiction.
The mall setting evokes the decay of late-stage capitalism, with retail clerks selling pointless products in a world with no customers, and fear being the last commodity worth anything. It’s absurd, but tragically relatable.
ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES BUT VISUALLY STRIKING
The comic’s art is a bit divisive. At times, it's rough, with soft and indistinct detailing, especially on character faces. But when it leans into surrealism – particularly in the yellow-tinted fear dimension and the surreal Hall of Bottled Screams – it becomes strikingly memorable. The design of the hybrid Cybermen is also disturbing in a way that works well on the page.
There are some lovely character moments too, like the Doctor and Ruby trying on clothes in a playful montage – a sweet and whimsical interlude that perfectly captures the tone of this new TARDIS team. Also notable: the Doctor wearing a long scarf over his regular outfit, a nice nod to past incarnations.
TIES TO THE CURRENT ERA
Fans of the TV continuity will enjoy the subtle tie-ins. This story appears to take place shortly before the events of The Legend of Ruby Sunday, with hints that the Doctor and Ruby are just about to arrive at the UNIT tower. And unlike much of Season 1, this adventure actually has an extensive sequence inside the TARDIS, giving us more time in the newly redesigned console room and showing off the Doctor’s technical side.
📝 VERDICT: 8/10
Everyone Must Go! is a solid if slightly uneven debut for the Fifteenth Doctor in comic form. The Pantheon of Gods continues to be an intriguing concept, and the Doctor’s battle against bottled fear is a clever and colourful slice of high-concept Who. While the plot sometimes fumbles its best ideas, and the art can be hit or miss, the energy of the characters, thematic sharpness, and eerie setting make this an enjoyable read – and a promising start to Ncuti’s adventures on the page.
MrColdStream
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