Star Death (comic story)

Star Death
Featuring:	Rassilon
Main enemy:	Fenris
Main setting:	Gallifrey
Key crew
Publisher:	Marvel Comics
Editor:	Dez Skinn
Writer:	Alan Moore
Artist:	Dave Lloyd
Letterer:	no credit given
Release details
Printed in:	Doctor Who Magazine Issue 47
Release date:	December 1980
Format:	B&W 1 part / 4 pages
DWM backup comic stories
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Star Death was a backup comic story published in Doctor Who Magazine in 1981. It featured the early days of the Time Lord civilisation and was set during the time of Rassilon and Omega.

Summary

On the order of Grand Master of the Prydonian Chapter, Rassilon, Lord Griffen and Lady Jodelex await the collapse of the dying star, Qqaba. Fenris, also known as the Hell-Bringer, a mercenary from the future, travels back in time to sabotage the experiment and change Time Lord history. He causes the ships' stasis haloes to fail, leaving Lord Omega doomed to fall into the black hole. However, Rassilon’s intervention sees Fenris dispatched and the experiment a success. Fenris' discarded belt provides the much needed technology to use the new energy and will provide a form of directional control.

Characters

• Rassilon
• Lord Griffen
• Lady Jodelex
• Omega
• Fenris
• Fourth Doctor (cameo)

References

• Qqaba is the name of the dying star with which Rassilon and Omega created the black hole to enable time travel.

Individuals

• Lord Griffen belongs to the Elders of Gallifrey.
• Fenris comes from 30000 years in the future.
• Rassilon is the Grand Master of the Prydonian Chapter.
• The mind of Rassilon is able to hold back the power of a black hole.
• Rassilon can spring bolts of power arc from his fingertips, a power called electro-direction.

Technology

• Gallifreyans were provided with starbreaker ships. The flagship of the fleet was Aeon.
• Stasis haloes technology prevents a ship from being caught by a black hole.
• Fenris uses a wave scrambler to sabotage the stasis haloes.
• Fenris is provided with a time-jumper. Rassilon gets inspiration from it to invent directional control of time travel.

Notes

• This is one of five collaborations between writer Alan Moore and illustrator David Lloyd, who would go on to create the graphic novel V for Vendetta.
• In 2012, Lawrence Miles said, "Alan Moore's back-up strips were an obvious influence on both Marc Platt's view of ye olde Gallifrey and my view of its future."

Original print details

Publication with page count and closing captions

1. DWM 47 (4) The End

Reprints

Reprinted by Marvel in The Daredevils issue 5

Continuity

• This story, along with the comics 4-D War and Black Sun Rising, takes place during the Black Sun War.
• Details about the genesis of Gallifreyan time travel and the disappearance of Omega (TV: The Three Doctors, Remembrance of the Daleks et al.) are expanded.