Minus Seven Wonders (comic story)

Minus Seven Wonders
Doctor:	Tenth Doctor
Companion(s):	Martha
Main setting:	Egypt, 2375
Key crew
Publisher:	BBC Magazines
Editor:	Moray Laing
Writer:	Trevor Baxendale
Artist:	John Ross
Colourist:	Alan Craddock
Letterer:	Paul Vyse
Release details
Number of parts:	2
Printed in:	DWA 32-33
Release date:	21 June - 5 July 2007
Format:	Comic
DWA comic stories
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Minus Seven Wonders was a Doctor Who Adventures comic story featuring the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones.

Summary

Part one

The Tenth Doctor is impressing Martha Jones with the Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt, 2375 AD, when it suddenly disappears before their very eyes, spooking their camels. Racing back to the TARDIS, the Doctor tries to trace where it has gone. Following it, they are just in time to see the Temple of Diana at Ephesus disappear just as the pyramid had done.

A scan with his sonic screwdriver reveals that the Temple's disappearance appears to be following the same time track as the Great Pyramid. Their next stop, arriving just in time to witness the Colossus of Rhodes, confirms that all the Seven Wonders of the World are being stolen. With another four Wonders already missing, the TARDIS goes to the last remaining Wonder – the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, where, hiding in a bush, the Doctor uncovers Pholonius Ginn, a Talithan Swindler who reveals he is "collecting" the Seven Wonders to be sold to the highest bidder on G-Bay, where there is a lucrative market for Earth antiquities.

Pholonius Ginn tries to pass himself off as a legitimate trader, but they are interrupted by the arrival of a giant robot, who identifies itself as Sylven, a representative of the Fatkat Corporation. Its arrival is to purchase the planet Earth and the entire human population...

Part two

Sylven teleports the Doctor, Martha and Pholonius Ginn back to its place of origin — headquarters of the Fatkat Corporation, just as the auction for Lot 13: planet Earth — (complete with all fixtures, fittings and indigenous life-forms) is under way. The successful bid amounts to thirteen zillion galactons.

The Doctor and Martha break away and head to the office of the managing director of the Fatkat Corporation, one Trongus Squum. When they get there, they find that Trongus had been left bankrupt and homeless and the company is now being run by Pholonius Ginn in all but name. The Doctor has guessed as much, with Pholonius summoning Sylven when he got caught and in trouble on Earth.

Again Sylven arrives to protect Pholonius, but as he waves the sales document, the Doctor, having read the small print, realises that the contract is null and void on a technicality: the agreement states that Earth must be sold in it's entirety, including every man, woman and child born in the Humanian era. But there's one missing: Martha Jones. With her not being on Earth at the time it was sold means the sales contract is worthless.

Trongus Squum arrives with his Fatkats and Pholonius is arrested for breach of contract. Squum again secures control of his company. As a mark of gratitude to the Doctor, he agrees to tear up the sales contract for Earth and return the Seven Wonders to their rightful places.

Characters

• Tenth Doctor
• Martha Jones
• Pholonius Ginn
• Sylven
• Trongus Squum

Worldbuilding

• Pholonius Ginn tries to pass himself off as a legitimate trader by using psychic paper.

Notes

• The DWA comic strip adventures were aimed at a younger audience and the artwork and colours were bold and bright, reflecting the tone of the magazine.
• Self contained, one part stories were the norm in the early issues, later being expanded to two-parters for a while before returning to standalone stories.

Original print details

Publication with page count and closing captions

1. DWA 32 (6 pages) NEXT WEEK – CAN THE DOCTOR SAVE THE SEVEN WONDERS? FIND OUT NEXT ISSUE!
2. DWA 33 (6 pages) NEXT WEEK – MORE ADVENTURES NEXT ISSUE!

• No reprints to date.

Continuity

to be added