Who writer Gary Russell Interviewed

With a new Doctor Who comic book on its way from IDW Publishing (and reprints of the Marvel UK/Panini Who strips already on sale only in the US via the company), comics site Broken Frontier has an interview with its writer, Gary Russell.

Gary, who currently works as a script editor on Torchwood, says it's been easy to adapt the Tenth Doctor's character for comics, "by remembering that comics are a different medium to TV so it’s more about the sparky dialogue than David's unique delivery and energy. Then Nicky [artist Nick Roche] can capture that energy and fun in his panel layouts and facials. In other words, I make him do all the hard work."

Gary, a longtime Who fan and former editor of Doctor Who Magazine with plenty of comics experience, reveals the new book is not a mini-series, "just six individual stories, but with a few background links seeded through them."

In terms of TV monsters the first issue will feature the Sycorax who appeared in the 2006 Christmas Special, and we can also expect to see Catkind at some point. Gary says he has mapped out a second set of issues (a four or five part story, rather than individual issues) that he says mysteriously "showcase my favourite monsters from the classic series that have yet to turn up in the new show, so it’s a chance to give them a 21st century spin."

That'll be the Ice Warriors, if his work on the Radio Times comic strip some years back is any pointer...

• The Doctor Who comic book will be available in US comic shops later this month. The IDW Doctor Who comics will only be available in the US for licensing reasons.