Prisoners of Time: An Interview with artist Gary Erskine

IDW's yearlong celebration of Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary Prisoners of Time features the work of many British creators, with Phillip Bond providing art on Issue 5, on sale soon. Issue 4, the Fourth Doctor issue, was drawn by Gary Erskine, with assist from Mike Collins.

Put on your scarves and munch on some jelly babies, as we talk to Gary about his work on the fan-favourite Fourth Doctor...

downthetubes: Prisoners of Time is, I believe, the first time you have drawn an official Doctor Who strip - although you were commissioned to draw some illustrations of the Fourth Doctor for Doctor Who Magazine some 20 years ago. Is he your favourite Doctor?

Gary Erskine: Technically my first Doctor was Jon Pertwee with [Sarah Jane Smith] and Planet of the Spiders but my first vivid memory was the end of that particular episode and his regeneration into Tom Baker. He made for an astounding debut and was crazy as Hell. Leela proved a very memorable companion too and their episodes remain my favourite part of childhood television.

downthetubes: Can you tell us which companions feature in the story?

Gary: My episode of Prisoners of Time features Leela [in her classic leather outfit] She was always a favourite companion and I was fortunate to meet Louise Jameson in Edinburgh around the early 1980s when she was filming The Omega Factor at Edinburgh Zoo. I was twelve years old at the time and on a school trip and she was very sweet. I had such a crush on her too and could barely speak.

downthetubes: How do you approach the thorny issue of 'capturing likeness' - always an issue with licensed series based on real actors?

Gary: I have worked on a number of comic book licenses before and the likeness capture always proves a tricky area. The main area we had to concentrate on was the balance between Tom Baker's quirky and individual appearance and the delicate beauty of Louise Jameson. Not always an easy task and there was a lot of BBC approval edits and changes over the course of producing the book. It goes with the territory of working with licenses and actor/agent approval but we were very pleased with the end result.

downthetubes: Were there any particular aspect to working on this story that proved a particular challenge (and why?)

Gary: Not really. I love Doctor Who and any opportunity to work with the characters was welcome. The Judoon make an appearance and they have proved a new favourite alien species for the series. Leela's interaction with them is particularly memorable but saying anything more would be a spoiler.

downthetubes: you've also drawn another great British SF hero, Dan Dare - are there any other British heroes you'd like to tackle given the chance?

Gary: I remember an old Sydney Jordan story called Lance MacLane which was serialised daily in the Daily Record in Scotland for years in the late 1970s to 80s. It followed on from his work on Jeff Hawke and had a European sci-fi vibe to it and I really enjoyed following it. Several artists worked on the series and would change almost daily but the stories were fun and entertaining. I would probably wish to reboot that character somehow if the opportunity arose.

downthetubes: Why do you think Doctor Who has proven such an enduring success over the past 50 years - in print as well as on TV?

Gary: Doctor Who works because it is good wholesome sci-fi with clever story-telling featuring likeable characters. It is a combination that has proved (nearly) timeless.

Everyone seems to have an affection for a particular Doctor but very much like James Bond, the overall legacy remains strong and the audience will always be there for the show (in whatever form it takes). I look forward to more.

dowthetubes: Would you like to draw a longer Doctor Who series, given chance, and which minsters would you like to feature?

Gary: Sylvester McCoy's portrayal of the Doctor always intrigued me and Ace proved herself to be a feisty companion. I would hope to work with them at some point but a longer return to Tom Baker (with either or both Leela and Sarah Jane Smith) would be a sweet opportunity. I might pester my editor Denton Tipton and the writers Scott and David Tipton later this year and see what we can come up with?

I have a wee idea of a story that could work quite well. I can say no more at the moment.

downthetubes: You have your own 'franchise' you're working on right now, The Roller Grrrls - can you tell us what that's about and your plans?

The Roller Grrrls project is something my colleague Anna Malady and I have been working on for over 18 months now by building up an audience and trust with the roller derby community to create an on-going serial featuring the girls in a local league.

Part soap opera, part sporting comic, Roller Grrrls actually references an earlier comic legacy of British comics such as Tiger, Champion, Action and other boys comics where sporting scenarios and characters were the popular focus, which featured football stories and strips like Roy of the Rovers, Hot Shot Hamish and Billy's Boots. Elsewhere there was Formula 1, wrestling, boxing, speedway and many other sporting stories. Even Action  and 2000AD gave a nod to the reading audience's interest in sport with the Harlem Heroes, Speedball and Inferno stories.

Girls comics too would feature sporting activities like hockey or netball and we are hopefully echoing that previous trend and pushing it to a new audience [both comic and roller derby fans] with Roller Grrrls. Granted, some of the themes we will be tackling involve more mature themes but the spirit of the earlier comics is still there.

I am also working up Incendiary.US which is an apocalyptic road movie (The Driving Dead?) and a horror western called Zachariah Gunn: Dakota, with colleague Dominic Regan, which references Once Upon A Time In The West and Hellboy. Both are to follow later this year after the Roller Grrrls launch in July. Stay tuned and follow them all on Facebook!

downthetubes: Above anything else, what one piece of advice would you offer aspiring comic artists?

Gary: Work hard.

• Gary Erskine's official web site is at: http://garyerskine.blogspot.co.uk/

• Print editions of the IDW Doctor Who titles are not officially on sale in the UK but you can purchase the digital editions

• Buy Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time #4 for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch

Prisoners of Time: An Interview with artist Mike Collins

British comic creators are heavily involved in US publisher IDW's Doctor Who at 50 celebrations for their 'Prisoners of Time' maxi series, which launched  in January with a First Doctor story drawn by Simon Fraser and continued with a Second Doctor story drawn by Lee Sullivan.

'Prisoners of Time' will feature every incarnation of the Doctor, as well as a long list of villains, some new, some old.

downthetubes caught up with Issue Three's artist Mike Collins, whose both written and drawn several Doctor Who tales down the years

Entering the industry in the mid 1980s, smuggled in under Alan Moore's beard, he drew Alan's Dourdevil - Man Without A Sense of Humour strip for Marvel UK. After that he worked as writer/co-artist on a short-lived Spider-Man UK strip, then moved onto various licensed properties (pretty much all there was at the time): Transformers, He-Man, Action Force, Thundercats, Zoids and oh so many more.

It was here he began his long-running connection with Doctor Who, as occasional writer on the Doctor Who Magazine strip, writing adventures featuring the Sixth and Seventh Doctors (and later drawing Sylvester McCoy while I was editing the title).

Branching out to 2000AD, Mike drew Slaine and Judge Dredd. He was one of the artists press-ganged in the Second DC Wave, working on various of their superhero and fantasy books - Flash, Teen Titans, Dragonlance, Spelljammer amongst them. At the same time he served as artist on the Judge Dredd newspaper strip for the Daily Star.

A brief dalliance at Marvel had him working on Sub Mariner and the X-Men (drawing the first appearance of Gambit), returning to DC to write and draw Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt, then Star Trek, Babylon 5 and various JLA titles, and solo hero books including Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman.

In the last decade he's worked on a series of Norse Noir albums for the Norwegian market Varg Veum, took over the long running Panini Doctor Who Magazine comic strip when the TV series returned, and co-created American Gothic with Ian Edginton for 2000AD.

He's storyboarded for various pre-school TV shows, amongst them: Grandpa in My Pocket, Claude, Hana's Helpline, Igam Ogam and Horrid Henry. Definitely not for pre-school, he also boarded on the recent Warhammer 40k CGI movie. He's also boarded adverts for Colmans, Coca Cola, amongst others.

Outside of comics, he's illustrated for various magazines and newspapers, and runs workshops for schools and libraries using comics, primarily for the Read A Million Words In Wales campaign.

Mike's pencils and colour for his cover for Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time #3

downthetubes: Prisoners of Time is far from your first Doctor Who project but I gather you have a particular fondness for the Third Doctor's era of the show?


Mike Collins: Pertwee was 'my' Doctor - as a little un, I was terrified by the odd snippets I saw of the show (I remember an episode of The Krotons that I caught, maybe round a friends house, but got traumatized by it). I was a bit of a wimp as a kid. When Pertwee took over I was 8, 9... old enough to cope with the scary stuff! So for me, Pertwee was the Doctor.
 Just like the comics you read at 11 are the best ever, whoever is the Doctor at that age is best. (Though if I'm dispassionate about it, Matt Smith is absolutely the best Doctor ever.)

Watching back to back old stories, it's obvious that some of them were better than others, inevitably but Holy Crow, they're so slow! It's the starkest testament to the way we've become inured to rapid cuts and compressed storytelling: you probably get as much plot in a modern 40/45 minute episode as a four part plot back then!

When the Pertwee stories are good though, they're really good: there's a level of sophistication in the plotting and themes that sailed far over my pre-teen sensibilities. When you get past the not-even-Chewits Godzilla ad stop motion SFX, Invasion of the Dinosaurs plays like a cross between a Troy Kennedy-Martin thriller and - in one subplot- a JG Ballard 13 To Arcturus riff. Amazing for a family TV show.

downthetubes: Can you tell us which companions feature in the story?

Mike: The Brig, Liz Shaw and Sarah-Jane. If the Tiptons could have shoehorned Jo Grant and Sergeant Benton in there, I'd've had a full house.

downthetubes: Is there an old TV Monster in this part of the story?

Mike: They're new monsters but fit in exactly with the feel of the best Pertwee stories, as they address ecological and political issues. I can say no more!

downthetubes: How do you approach the thorny issue of 'capturing likeness' - always an issue with licensed series based on real actors?

Mike: Likenesses have been - I hope- one of my strengths over the years. I develop a shorthand for the characters so that if they don't look exactly like the actors, they should look how you think the actors look - it's a bit of a trick - I discovered on the Panini strip that getting screen grabs off episodes is great but the actors mid-scene hardly ever look like themselves.

downthetubes: Were there any particular aspect to working on this story that proved a particular challenge (and why?)

Mike: I had a clear idea in my head when I started this that it should feel like a 70s strip, that aspects of the storytelling and page design should be authentic to the period. I slipped in a couple of TV Century 21 panel designs to add to the ambiance.

downthetubes: You've both drawn and written Doctor Who - do you have a specific approach to tackling adventures for the franchise?

Mike: I always refer to the brief at Panini: always conceive adventures that TV couldn't afford to stage!

A digression: I've written and drawn Star Trek properties for Marvel and DC. I realized that for DC I was creating Trek stories in comics form but for Marvel, it was a Marvel story that just happened to be about Star Trek... does that make sense to anyone besides me?

downthetubes: Which Doctor Who story you've worked on has been your favourite to date?

Mike: Not dismissing anything I did after, there have been some amazing stories but my favourite Who comic strip I've drawn is The Cruel Sea, written by Rob Shearman, still his only comic script I think. He used the format and genres of comics in a way I've never seen anyone within the industry approach... brilliantly barmy.

In terms of things I've written, episode 2 of The Futurists is probably the tightest scripts I've ever done, and the jokes actually work, also, I ended with the villains proclaiming 'Now WE are the Lords of Time!' which could've be the corniest payoffs but I seemed to get away with it. I could've written a dozen episodes around the Welsh versions of Asterix I'd accidentally created there.

downthetubes: Why do you think Doctor Who has proven such an enduring success over the past 50 years - in print as well as on TV?

Mike: Go anywhere, do anything. Be decent, save lives, right wrongs. It's a concept that reinvents itself every story, every new location.

downthetubes: What's your next project and when is it on sale?

Mike: Currently running in the Judge Dredd Megazine is a three parter featuring Hondo City being besieged by Zombie Samurai. Written by Robbie Morrison, inked by Cliff Robinson and coloured by Len O'Grady, all doing stand-out work it's up there with the art I'm most proud of in my career. And it has ZOMBIE SAMURAI fer gawds sake!

Other than that, I'm back storyboarding for telly right now, on the new season of pre-school fave Igam Ogam... Upcoming for comics, I'm drawing an utterly brilliant Dredd for the Megazine written by old mate Ian Edginton which harks back to Dredd's roots through the darker lens of today. And is very, very funny.

downthetubes: Above anything else, what one piece of advice would you offer aspiring comic artists?

Mike: Draw every day, draw everything. I've sketchbooks full of drawings of foreign walls, plug sockets, window frames. Be aware of the world around you and infuse your work with a plausibility even if you're drawing a 40 foot tall jellyfish in a time vortex full of ruined worlds. Make the reader believe those panel borders aren't ruled lines around your pictures but window frames into worlds that-if you could push through and look around- extend to infinity.

• Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time #3 written by Scott and David Tipton with art by Mike Collins is on sale from 27th March from IDW Publishing.

• Mike Collins Official web site

• Read our interview with Simon Fraser, who drew Prisoners of Time #1

• Read our interview with Lee Sullivan, who drew Prisoners of Time #2
 
• More about IDW's Doctor Who range on the official web site

• Read an interview with David and Scott Tipton about the maxi series on Comic Book Resources  

Prisoners of Time: An Interview with artist Lee Sullivan

(Updated 25/2/13): British comic creators will be heavily involved in US publisher IDW's Doctor Who at 50 celebrations for their 'Prisoners of Time' maxi series, which launched  last month with a First Doctor story drawn by Simon Fraser.

'Prisoners of Time' will feature every incarnation of the Doctor, as well as a long list of villains, including the Ice Warriors in Issue 2 and the Zarbi.

downthetubes caught up with Issue Two's artist Lee Sullivan, who has a long-standing connection with Doctor Who dating back to the 25th anniversary comic story Planet of the Dead for Doctor Who Magazine, which featured every Doctor to date. His Daleks are considered second to none by most Who comic fans, but Ice Warriors featured in the Radio Times Doctor Who strip he drew.

downthetubes: What have you been up to recently as an artist?

Lee Sullivan: Nothing in comics. Mainly, I've been working in educational publications for people like HarperCollins, although I have drawn a mini Eleventh Doctor comic-strip for the forthcoming Royal Mail stamps release, which will be included in the premium package, and will be providing Who art for a forthcoming BBC Worldwide Celebratory something-or-other. I'm also providing illustrations for Dan Freeman's Minister of Chance SF audio drama.

downthetubes: How did you gain the commission to draw the second issue of 'Prisoners of Time?

Lee: I'd been in contact with commissioning editor Denton J Tipton for a while, and he finally found something he thought would suit. I am apparently a 'contemporary' Second Doctor comics artist, which I think decoded means 'last surviving' artist who has drawn Troughton (in 'Land of the Blind' for Doctor Who Magazine back in 1995).

Panels from 'Land of the Blind' from Doctor Who Magazine #224

downthetubes: This isn't your first Doctor Who project by any means but it does, I think, mark a return to the character for you after a long absence?

Lee: The last strip I drew for Panini was 'Children of the Revolution' in 2002, but since then I've produced art for the BBC webcast Shada in 2003 and the Ninth Doctor drawings for the BBC's website to tie in with 'The Empty Child' and 'The Doctor Dances' episodes. Then, between 2006 - 9, I drew all but one of the Tenth Doctor strips for Fabbri's 'Battles in Time' Magazine. Subsequently I provided line art for Fabbri's 'Doctor Who DVD Files' from 2009 till 2012 which were converted into digital paintings by artist Tom Connell. Also, last year I provided a digital painting for the current Who Annual. So, hardly any Who involvement at all!

downthetubes: IDW are keeping their cards close to their chest about the story, but can you tell us which villains feature in the story?

Lee: Iccccce Warriorrrrsssss.

downthetubes: Are they a monster you enjoy drawing?
Lee: Yes, though they aren't exactly masters of emoting, facially. You can give them a little body language, but even that's limited. I have actually shown them running in this one, which may be a first.

downthetubes: You're well known and highly regarded for you work on DWM's Dalek strips. What's the secret to drawing them?

Lee: Attention to detail, really, for my style of work. I tried to get all the subtle angles and shapes right, but if you look at TV Century 21 Dalek artist Ron Turner's stuff they are all over the place, but none the worse for that! I've been experimenting with Turner-style Daleks recently for a possible future project . . .

downthetubes: A project like this inevitably attracts comments over likenesses, do you find that limiting given the freedom you have on other projects?
Lee: Likenesses are always a problem because the closer you get to them in terms of photographic reference, the less likely they will fit with the drawings that don't use photo reference.

This time around, I was able to use screen grabs from 'The Krotons' which opened up a lot more (consistent) reference opportunities, but even so, it's always a bit of a nightmare. I suppose I've worked on so many projects that require likenesses one way or another that I don't really notice the difference any more!

I met my long-time comics hero Mike Noble a few months ago and looking again at his marvellous work was reminded how important dynamics and body-language are to storytelling, so I've tried harder than ever to get the character's body-language and gestures right. It's also forced me to sharpen my clothing-folds technique. He really was (and remains) an absolutely consummate artist.

downthetubes: Will you be doing more Doctor Who projects for IDW after this one?
Lee: I suppose it depends on how well the guys there like what I've done! I'd certainly like to, they're a nice bunch. I've offered to continue to lend an older & British 'ear' with regards to dialogue for the rest of the series, as it's so hard for the US writers to get the odd nuances of British actors - especially from the past - so verbal anachronisms turn up, which is ironic considering we're dealing with a time-traveller, but they do.

downthetubes: Has the way you draw comics changed since you first drew Doctor Who and if so, what's the biggest change?
Lee: Without doubt, the digital revolution. Not just in terms of sending artwork (we used to use the post or Federal Express and hope for the best) but in producing the art. I now work with Manga Studio and Photoshop, and use a tremendous piece of kit - a Wacom Cintiq 24" HD graphics tablet, which means you draw or paint directly on the screen with a stylus. For years now I've edited my scanned artwork in Photoshop and now with Manga it's possible to do the whole thing digitally, should you wish to. Thumbnails, roughs, reference, finished pencils, finished art and maybe colour all in the one file. When time is very tight, it's an amazing advantage.

downthetubes: 50 years of Doctor Who - what do you think is the key ingredient that's given it such longevity?

Lee: A very simple but amazingly flexible format: interesting guy solves mysteries with his pals at any time and in any place.

downthetubes: What's your next project?

Lee: I have no idea. Though there are some projects indicated in my previous answers. Offers, please :)

downthetubes: Above anything else, what one piece of advice would you offer aspiring comic artists?

Lee:  Think again.

To expand: Don't think you'll get rich or have a normal 9-5 daytime job (unless you're way more disciplined than me) and do expect a bumpy ride. But if it's what you do best, then I suppose you're doomed :)

• Read our interview with Simon Fraser, who drew Prisoners of Time #1

• Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time #2 written by Scott and David Tipton with art by Lee Sullivan is on sale from 30th January from IDW Publishing.
 
• More about IDW's Doctor Who range on the official web site

• Lee Sullivan's Official web site

• Read an interview with David and Scott Tipton about the maxi series on Comic Book Resources  

Prisoners of Time: An Interview with artist Simon Fraser

British comic creators look set to be heavily involved in US publisher IDW's Doctor Who at 50 celebrations for their 'Prisoners of Time' maxi series, which launches this week.

'Prisoners of Time' will feature every incarnation of the Doctor, as well as a long list of villains, including the Zarbi from the TV story best known as The Web Planet.

downthetubes caught up with comics artist and writer Simon Fraser - best known for his work on Nikolai Dante, a series he created with writer Robbie Morrison in 2000AD - to ask him about his work on the first issue...

downthetubes: How did you gain the commission to draw the first issue of 'Prisoners of Time'?

Simon Fraser: I share a studio with Tim Hamilton who has worked for editor Denton Tipton at IDW on Doctor Who previously. Tim wasn't available this time , so he passed the job on to me. One of the advantages of sharing a studio with other comics types.

downthetubes: Are you a fan of Doctor Who and if so, which Doctor?

Simon: I was recently clearing my old stuff out of my parents house. I seem to have had six large posters of Tom Baker on my bedroom wall when I was 16. That might answer both questions. The other two posters were Star Wars related and there was an airbrushed poster of a Porsche (it was the 80s).

downthetubes: IDW are keeping their cards close to their chest about the story, but we do know the Zarbi feature in your issue - have you updated their design from how they appeared in 'The Web Planet'?

Simon: I have updated the Zarbi. They no longer have one set of suspiciously heavy stockinged legs and 2 other sets that seem to waggle aimlessly. I've gone for something that's a cross between an Ant and a wingless Wasp.

downthetubes: A project like this inevitably attracts comments over likenesses, do you find that limiting given the freedom you have on projects like Nikolai Dante for 2000AD?

Simon: It's all about learning the characters faces and mannerisms until they feel like your own characters. Rather than slavishly copying production stills or framegrabs, because that always looks wooden and stilted.

The older characters are usually easy. Hartnell especially was a joy to draw. It's one of the oddly wonderful things about a career in comics that I can now draw a decent portrait of Sir Thomas Huxley from memory.

I'm not sure I'm as strong on Ian and Barbara frankly, but I've spent a lot of time looking at them now and I've got a great deal better appreciation of just how good William Russell and Jaqueline Hill were in the roles.

downthetubes: Will you be doing more Doctor Who projects after this one?

Simon: I've got no plans to right now. I'm trying to keep off licensed properties for a while and do more creator owned work. When the chance to draw William Hartnell's Doctor came along though, I was powerless to resist.

downthetubes: 50 years of Doctor Who - what do you think is the key ingredient that's given it such longevity?

Simon: It's a very clever format. The TARDIS is a brilliant way of moving characters into interesting situations, while at the same time being almost ludicrously simple to execute within the restrictions of network television. Then you have all these great writers and actors being given free reign to use their imaginations and enjoy themselves, back when British television was all rather po-faced. Something so imaginative and odd was bound to engender a strong fanbase, strong enough to carry the show through some pretty rough times and ultimately ensure its rebirth.

If I had to pin down just one thing I'd have to say, Imagination.

downthetubes: You've just completed 'Nikolai Dante' for 2000AD. What's your next project?

Simon: I'll be popping in and out of 2000AD on shorter gigs no doubt. I've got a four-pager coming up written by Monty Nero. Then I've agreed to do a sci-fi exploitation story for a Dark Horse anthology book written by Alex DeCampi. I've made it my New Year's resolution to get back to Lilly Mackenzie & The Treasure of Paros which is my webcomic on ACTIVATEcomix.com and ultimately in the Judge Dredd Megazine, where the first Lilly Mackenzie story ended up being printed.
Beyond that I'm involved with a series of pitches for original projects. One of which is a very ambitious series of books about the origins of the Arab Spring, specifically Syria. So I'm very interested in the news right now.

downthetubes: Above anything else, what one piece of advice would you offer aspiring comic artists?

Simon: To be brutally honest here, if there is anything else that you think you might be able make your life doing , try that first. Drawings comics is alongside being a musician, an actor or a poet in terms of career prospects. There's not much work, it's mostly poorly paid and frequently frustrating.

So, given that you are absolutely committed to your own eternal damnation; learn the craft and keep learning it. Draw from life as much as humanly possible, then do some more. The way to get and keep a career in the creative arts is to have a unique point of view and a unique way of expressing it and the way that you get to that is by starting at first principles and working up.

As soon as you are half competent, then start putting your stories on-line and get people to comment. You won't get as much serious criticism as you will need. The good stuff is supposed to sting, don't be afraid of that. With any luck you are your own harshest critic . You're supposed to be vaguely dissatisfied with your abilities, that's what motivates you to get better.

Have I put you off yet? No? Well if you were interested in taking good advice then you probably would be doing something much more sensible than comics in the first place.
Hmm, that's more than one piece of advice!

• Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time #1 written by Scott and David Tipton with art by Simon Fraser is on sale from 30th January from IDW Publishing.
• More about IDW's Doctor Who range on the official web site

• Simon Fraser's Official Blog: http://simonfraser.posterous.com/blog

• Read an interview with David and Scott Tipton about the maxi series on Comic Book Resources
Thanks to Denton Tipton for his help with updates to this story

IDW celebrates 50 years of Who with 'Prisoners of Time' maxi series

British comic creators look set to be heavily involved in US publisher IDW's Doctor Who at 50 celebrations with Simon Fraser and Lee Sullivan among the artists involved in their 'Prisoners of Time' maxi series, which launches this month.

'Prisoners of Time' will feature every incarnation of the Doctor, as well as a long list of villains, including the Zarbi from the TV story best known as The Web Planet.

The opening issue is being offered with two covers, one by Simon Fraser and the other a photo cover from publicity stills from the original Doctor Who episode, 'An Unearthly Child'.

"It's a 12-issue miniseries featuring all 11 incarnations of the Doctor," co-writer David Tipton told Comic Book Resources. "Each Doctor will be featured in one of the issues."

"And of course, there's a larger mystery spanning the course of the series," added co-writer David Tipton, "one which is set up in the opening pages of issue one, and which will increasingly come to light as the series progresses."

As yet, apart from the Zarbi, the villains who will play a part in the story have yet to be revealed.

Lee Sullivan has drawn the Patrick Troughton-Second Doctor story for #2 and Mike Collins has drawn the Pertwee-Third Doctor segment for Issue 3.

As well as the story, each issue will include an essay on the featured Doctor by prominent Who experts. Producer, director and script editor for Big Finish Productions, John Ainsworth provides these for #1 and #2, with Gary Russell contributing to #3.

• Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time #1 written by Scott and David Tipton with art by Simon Fraser goes on sale 23rd January from IDW Publishing. 

• Read an interview with David and Scott Tipton about the maxi series on Comic Book Resources