Saturday 24 January 2015

"Up Above the Gods..."

1 part (DWM 227) 5th July 1995
Writer: Richard Alan, Artist: Lee Sullivan, Editor: Gary Gillatt


In a story that fills in the gap after the 6th Doctor's abduction of Davros at the beginning of 7th Doctor tale "Emperor of the Daleks!"... 


 The Doctor and Davros discuss Davros' turn to evil...  

...and once more debate morality. 


The Doctor offers him the opportunity to change his destiny.  

He knows where an army of Daleks waits in hibernation, and he offers to take Davros to them on the condition that Davros reprogrammes them with pity and compassion. 

After some thought, Davros agrees... 

...although he intends to break his word, and remains unaware that this is all part of the Doctor's complex plan to ensnare him. 

A strong entry from the mid-90s run of Past Doctor strips, that tickles the fan bone with a vignette of Colin Baker's 6th Doctor butting heads with Davros and desperately trying to find that glimmer of hope in the dark heart of the Kaled genius. 


It's a classic "two-hander", though obviously rather more in homage to Tom Baker's 4th Doctor and Michael Wisher's original Davros than to Dot and Ethel. 


Eventually rather slight, it's the nonetheless a satisfying read, not least because of some stellar artwork from Lee Sullivan, who not only lends furious malevolence of Terry Malloy's performance to his Davros but also perfectly captures and embellishes the power, bombast and earnest hope of Colin Baker's 6th Doctor.  

A special mention too for his wonderful embellishment of the Cloister Room, sympathetically expanding on its (then) one and only appearance in Logopolis

8/10


TTFN! K.
Coming Soon... Inferno

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