The Fifteenth Doctor #02

'Mancopolis' (2024) from Doctor Who Magazine 599-603.

A solid, pretty clean-cut story, with a decent amount of time spent with The Doctor and Ruby, adding a nice personal touch to Ruby's character, an interesting setting and villain, and plenty of cool historical commentary to chew on. It doesn't really knock me off my feet or anything, but it's a short and enjoyable little tale.

Mancopolis is, in my view, stronger than most of the Fifteenth Doctor TV stories this year. It feels like a loving homage to the first RTD era, with its antagonists (resembling giant moths) feeling at home with the TV Series' monsters like the Judoon and the Krillitane.

Setting the story in a futuristic Manchester is an inspired move, considering Millie Gibson's real life heritage, and it gives it a brilliant quirky vibe. The story is similar to others like The Macra Terror where the citizens are brainwashed into believing they live in a happy and thriving society, but with a dark undercurrent underneath, and the art by Lee Sullivan really sells it.

I also like the parallels that the Doctor draws between Manchester 1819 and in 2424 when the citizens rebel, suggesting that the way the establishment treats people lower down the chain never really changes. It's quite a strong piece of social commentary.