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“The Twist: Murder, Music, and Monsters"

A rocking adventure that blends a punk Twelve, a mysterious colony, and humanlike foxes in a classic Who romp.

Punk Rock Twelve in His Element

Set on The Twist, a human colony world in the 40th century, this story kicks off with the Doctor attending a rock concert—a quirky and very Twelve activity. Peter Capaldi’s punk-infused Doctor shines here, as his rebellious energy feels perfectly at home in the gritty, music-fuelled setting. His dynamic with Hattie, a bass player from the band, is a highlight. Hattie’s cool, grounded demeanour contrasts nicely with the Doctor's manic brilliance, making her a promising companion candidate.

Murder Mystery Meets Classic Who Tropes

The story begins with a murder mystery as the Doctor investigates a series of deaths blamed on Jakob, a brooding and volatile character. This initial intrigue gives way to a traditional Doctor Who runaround involving secret tunnels, futuristic cityscapes, and monstrous creatures. While the shifts in tone keep the pace lively, the narrative occasionally feels predictable, especially with its well-worn tropes of misunderstood monsters and xenophobic humans.

The Foxkin: Eerie but Familiar Antagonists

The Foxkin, humanoid foxes who evolved from the original colonists, are a unique visual addition but ultimately fall into familiar patterns. Their secret existence drives their hostility, as they kill anyone who uncovers their presence. The twist that humans are their genetic creations adds a clever reversal to the "evil colonist" trope but doesn’t entirely escape the shadow of similar narratives.

Jakob’s role as the aggressive, anti-Foxkin human positions him as a foil to the Doctor’s more empathetic worldview. While his motivations are understandable, his descent into outright villainy feels overly telegraphed.

Visual Brilliance

The story’s art style is stunning, with photorealistic details, moody lighting, and beautifully designed environments. From shabby concert venues to the neon-lit "power park" with its electronic trees, every location feels richly atmospheric. The tunnels beneath the colony are especially evocative, enhancing the story's suspense.

Hattie and Jakob: New Companions in Waiting?

Hattie’s curiosity and adaptability make her an engaging stand-in for the companion role, and her musical background adds a fun, modern twist to the classic formula. Jakob, on the other hand, is more contentious, questioning the Doctor’s ethics and providing conflict. While these dynamics are interesting, neither character is given enough depth to distinguish them significantly from previous companions.

A Familiar Conclusion

The final act delivers a classic Doctor Who ending, complete with a stirring Doctor speech and a resolution that preaches understanding and coexistence. Predictably, Jakob is unmasked as the murderer, solidifying his role as the antagonist. Hattie’s invitation to join the Doctor hints at exciting possibilities for future Titan Comics stories, marking a fresh chapter for Twelve post-Clara.

Verdict: Rocking Yet Routine

The Twist is an enjoyable adventure that captures the essence of Twelve's era while leaning heavily on familiar Doctor Who themes. The murder mystery, while engaging, wraps up predictably, and the Foxkin are intriguing but not groundbreaking as monsters. However, the stunning visuals, lively setting, and the Doctor’s punk charm keep the story afloat.

📝81/10

Full on Punk 12, the best art I've seen in a Titan Comic, just such a fun setting, all in all I'm loving this.

I'm always a fan of this characterisation for Twelve, where he does just give that 'old punk' vibe, so putting him into a setting like this one to really bring that out is just brilliant. I especially love the new companion we get here, a punk rocker from the future just works so well for Twelve, especially her being a musician he's a big fan of, but just early in her career.

I also quite like the twist we get here on the 'evil human colonialists' story we often see. It's still very much a story with those vibes, but the fact that the foxkin weren't the original settlers but came with the humans, the humans having died, and then the humans here now being genetic recreations by the foxkin, it adds another layer to the story that makes it stand out all the more.

The ending does feel a little rushed, but I think for this kind of story and setting it works well for me. On the one hand, making peace with a single speech doesn't feel the most realistic, but on the other, the twist is a setting with a vibrant and widespread punk scene, and with how that scene is so accepting of minorities and such, I think it does work here.

Also the art! This is some of my favourite art I've seen in a titan book, while I like the art in other Doctor Who comics it can, at least for me, often feel either too comic-y, ending up trading some of the realism you get with who, or the character's likenesses, of trying to be too real, losing the sense of motion and action from a comic. This art perfectly splits that down the middle, being a bit more realistic but keeping that comic book charm and I absolutely adore it.

stories were kind of nothing but can’t say no to some gorgeous rachael stott art and the 12th doctor jamming with a cool punk dyke <3333

This comic is very good. It has a really interesting concept and strong characters. In some ways, it reminds me of my favourite 2000 AD comic strips and, in that regard, I only wish this strip could be longer in order to develop the world even more. As it stands, the plot is pretty good, but extra breathing room wouldn't hurt. The art is pretty good. I am excited to see where this run goes next!