Titan Comics - the publisher who currently hold the comic book rights to Doctor Who - has confirmed that the comic book adventures of the first female Doctor shall be presented by an all-star, all-women creative team. This news came with the publisher’s confirmation that a comic series centered around the Thirteenth Doctor (played by actor Jodi Whittaker) will be premiering this fall, to coincide with the release of Doctor Who season 11.
Focused upon the adventures of a time-traveling alien known as The Doctor, Doctor Who is the longest running science-fiction series in television history. It has been allowed to continue its lengthy run thanks to The Doctor’s ability to regenerate into a new form when severely injured - a conceit that allows the show to continue whenever the actor playing The Doctor leaves the role. Doctor Who has become an institution in its own right in its native England, and has found increasing popularity worldwide in the wake of the series’ 2005 revival. Titan Comics, which has held the comic book rights to Doctor Who since 2014, have found great success publishing several regular monthly comic book series based on the most recent incarnations of The Doctor.
Titan Comics has announced the new Thirteenth Doctor monthly comics series via a press release and a posting to their Twitter account. In addition to Jodi Whittaker’s Doctor, the series will also depict the companion characters to be played by Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill, and Tosin Cole on the television series.
Given that Whittaker’s Doctor is the first female incarnation of the science-fiction hero, it seems fitting that an all-women creative team be formed to craft The Doctor’s adventures. To that end, Titan Comics has recruited Eisner-nominated writer Jody Houser to write the new Thirteenth Doctor series. One of the most prolific comic writers today, Houser is no stranger to writing licensed works, having written the comic series based on Orphan Black as well as the graphic novel adaptation of Star Wars: Rogue One. Artist Rachel Stott - a fan-favorite who worked extensively on Titan Comics’ Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor series - will be providing the art for the new book, while Enrica Angiolini (Warhammer 40,000) will be handing the color art duties.
Doubtlessly, Titan Comics’ announcement will inspire much fist-shaking and accusations of tokenism from the same individuals that blame “social justice warriors” and “forced diversity” for ruining comics. Such claims seem baseless, however, given the proven track record of all of the creators involved. More, it seems highly unlikely that anyone who honestly disapproves of the idea of fighting for social justice would be inclined to be a fan of Doctor Who in the first place, since The Doctor is nothing if not a fighter of injustice. The Doctor’s true fans will be able to see her doing just that this fall, on TV and in the comics.
More: Why The Doctor Wanted To Become A Woman
Doctor Who season 11 will premiere sometime in Fall 2018. Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor: Year One will release around the same time.
Source: Titan Comics
Header image artwork by OwenOak95@DeviantArt.
