The Spoilers (comic story)
This story debuted with either the Second or Third Doctor, then was reprinted with the Fourth Doctor. It may have had different companions in the reprint, as well. From an in-universe point of view, it's unclear which Doctor lived through these events.
The Spoilers was a Third Doctor TV Action comic strip story. Consistent with themes seen in the television series at the time, it had an ecological theme. The titular "spoilers" were those people who had ruined a planetary environment — not, as commonly understood in the 21st century, advanced knowledge of a future story.
In its original version The Spoilers was the "Big Story" of TVA 123, meaning it got pride of place on the issue's cover and was the longest story in that issue.
It was reprinted as a Fourth Doctor comic strip story in the 1977 Doctor Who Winter Special.
Summary
At the bidding of the Time Lords, the Doctor travels to the polluted planet of Farraf. There he discovers that the evil warmonger, Lord Soton, intends to use the TARDIS to invade the idyllic neighbouring planet Raffar. Escaping from his prison cell, the Doctor attempts to warn the pacifistic Rafs of Soton's threat.
Characters
Worldbuilding
Notes
- This was the last story in a run of Doctor Who. In the next issue, #124, the Doctor Who strip took a rest. However, that next issue is of vital interest to Doctor Who fans, because its letters column is the first public appearance of the name "Gallifrey". Barry Letts fielded a question there about the home planet of the Master which led him to let slip a spoiler — some six months before television viewers would first hear the name in TV: The Time Warrior. Thus, this story ironically preceded a spoiler given away for free by the show's producer.
- The strip's title read simply The Spoilers and was accompanied by an illustration of the Doctor's head, without the words Dr. Who.
Original print details
(Publication with page count and closing captions)
- TVA 123 (7 pages) The Doctor returns to Earth in two weeks!
Continuity
to be added
External links
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