Tunnel Terrors! (comic story)

Arriving sometime in the 25th century but not at a holographic safari park as expected, the Eleventh Doctor and Clara find themselves in the path of a rampaging giant rodent. As the excited rodent passes they are called out of the tunnel by an astronaut — part of a team digging the asteroid for valuable rocks and minerals. The rodents are referred to as "Mole monsters" and only recently have they turned crazy and the tunnels declared unsafe for civilians.

The Doctor suspects that the noise from the drilling may be disturbing them and when the opportunity presents itself, both Clara and the Doctor hitch a ride on one of the moles back and is taken down through the tunnels to an idyllic underground cavern. Realising the moles are peaceful creatures simply agitated by the drilling which has driven them to tunnel up to the surface.

The Doctor returns to the surface with an idea, something to calm the moles down. He instructs the astronauts in the construction of two giant exercise wheels! The moles love to run and can play in the wheels while the astronauts continue to finish off their drilling. No more tunnel terrors just happy neighbours! A nice quiet cup of tea at the Whispering Waterfalls of Shhh are apparently lovely this year!

Characters

References

to be added

Notes

Clara is drawn once again with a red satchel.
The Mole monster bears more resemblance to a rat rather than a mole.
These aren't a party of mineralogists or explorers but ... astronauts and civilians!

Original print details

Publication with page count and closing captions

DWA 319 (4 pages) More adventures next time

No reprints to date.
The final frame contains the caption "more adventures next week" - which for a now fortnightly title is incorrect and also reoccurs in several later issues.

Continuity

The Doctor previously encountered a giant rat in the sewers beneath London in 1889 during his fourth incarnation. (TV: The Talons of Weng-Chiang)