Doctor Who #9

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The Life Bringer

STORYLINE

The TARDIS materializes on a barren beach near a craggy rock. As the Doctor and K-9 exit the TARDIS, they discover a rather large person chained to the rock. He claims to be Prometheus who was chained by Zeus to a mountain for stealing the spark of life. The Doctor frees the poor soul and he immediately wants to return to the planet Olympus. Thanks to his godlike powers, Prometheus is able to direct the TARDIS to the home of the gods. Unfortunately for him, no one seems all that glad to see him when he shows up. Zeus is especially irritated at his return, and he is even more dissatisfied that Prometheus has not learned anything tom his years chained to a rock. Zeus blames Prometheus for releasing the plague of humanity on the universe, and Prometheus still doesn't regret doing so. Zeus orders Prometheus to be confined once again. Instead of letting the Doctor and K-9 go, Zeus orders them to be taken to the scientist Asclepius.It is Asclepius' intention to dissect the Doctor.

Before Asclepius can make a cut, however, the Doctor orders K-9 to stun the mad scientist and is fellow god Hermes. K-9's stun beam is completely ineffective against these superior life forms, but it does provide enough of a distraction for the Doctor to slip out. Trying to keep ahead of his pursuers, the Doctor eventually finds the containment cell where Prometheus is being kept. Rather than wait a thousand years for the good to break down the weak spot in the cell, the Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver to open the door. Prometheus just makes one stop on the way out of the palace. He picks up some of the life-spores used to populate the universe. The three of them hijack a chariot and try to make their way back to the TARDIS. The arrive to the safety of the TARDIS just as an angry Zeus throws his full fury at the blue box. Fortunately, the TARDIS is able to escape and reposition itself somewhere in deep space. Prometheus now takes his leave of the Doctor. He plans to spread his stolen life-spores across the universe to throw a monkey wrench in Zeus' plans for a sterile universe...

Written by Steve Moore Art by Dave Gibbons

Star Tigers Parts 1 - 2

STORYLINE

Part 1: “Team-Building Exercises Are Hard When Everyone Is a Manic Murder Goblin”

We open on Absolom Daak—Dalek-Killer, cosmic berserker, romance tragic, and owner of the galaxy’s loudest chainsword—drifting through space in a barely functional ship. Why? Because after the events of his solo series, Daak is now wandering the cosmos trying to find a reason to keep going besides “chainsaw more fascist pepperpots.” It’s not going great.

Enter: the Star Tigers, a group of spacefaring rebels who are equal parts heroic, chaotic, and allergic to authority. They find Daak’s ship, haul his sulking bulk aboard, and immediately regret it, because he wakes up swinging. (In his defense, this is his default state.)

The Star Tigers consist of:

  • Prince Salander — the charismatic space prince who thinks he’s in a serious sci-fi epic. Bless his heart.

  • Taiwo — the pilot whose competence is inversely proportional to the amount of nonsense happening around her.

  • Harma — the tactician, who longs for order but instead gets Daak.

  • And Daak — a man who technically is not part of the team yet, but has already stabbed a bulkhead, so it seems inevitable.

The Tigers explain that they’re freedom fighters battling the Star Council, a corrupt interstellar empire whose policies include totalitarian control, selective oppression, and apparently a strict “no chainswords on board” rule that Daak immediately violates.

They want Daak to join them. Daak growls. They explain their mission. Daak growls louder. They say the enemy works with Daleks. Daak is interested.

That’s right—Daak may be depressed, volatile, and not house-trained, but he remains very consistent in his branding.

Part 1 ends with Daak reluctantly joining the Star Tigers, agreeing to take down the Star Council and possibly anything else that moves.

Part 2: “Infiltration, Incineration, and the Galaxy’s Worst Job Interview”

Part 2 begins with the newly expanded team planning an infiltration mission on a Star Council weapons facility. Everyone spends time reviewing the plan except Daak, who listens for approximately twelve seconds before sharpening his chainsword on the table.

The mission goes sideways immediately, because of course it does. The Tigers sneak in using stealth and holographic disguises; Daak sneaks in by kicking down a door and punching a guard so hard his soul files a complaint.

Inside, they discover that the Star Council is indeed collaborating with Daleks—because no villainous regime ever learned not to partner with genocidal murder-toasters. They find an entire production line of weapons designed to complement Dalek firepower. It’s not quite a Dalek factory, but it’s close enough to make Daak froth at the mouth.

Combat ensues. The Tigers use strategy, teamwork, and coordinated fire. Daak uses screaming.

The team manages to sabotage the weapons facility—but not before triggering every alarm on the base, which leads to a prolonged escape sequence involving:

  • A gravity shaft

  • Several explosions (Daak-caused)

  • Several more explosions (Daak-caused accidentally)

  • And a very dramatic leap out of the facility as it collapses behind them

Prince Salander even gets a heroic moment where he saves Daak from falling. Daak responds by accusing him of interfering with his personal battle destiny. (He’s very emotional, our lad.)

Back aboard their ship, the Tigers celebrate a successful mission; Daak broods in the corner, sharpening his sword and waiting for the next opportunity to make a Dalek’s day significantly worse.

The issue ends with the team realizing that if the Daleks and the Star Council have formed an alliance, the entire sector is in danger. Daak grimly volunteers to help—for Taiyan, for vengeance, and because no one else kills Daleks with his level of enthusiasm.

Written by ? Art by ?