Coral Maze (comic story)
Coral Maze is a Doctor Who Adventures comic strip published in 2013.
Summary
Newly arrived colonists unwittingly threaten the survival of a giant coral brain when they set up base.
Plot
Taking Clara to see the amazing glowing coral on the small human colony planet of Polypia 4 (in 2211) the peace is soon disrupted by a giant two-headed shark creature with arms and legs that as usual appears, scares the colonists then suddenly disappears. The the Doctor makes introductions with the five explorers from Earth that had recently decided to settle on the planet. The two-headed shark has been appearing every night but never seems to attack. The Doctor suspects it has something to do with the coral and takes one of the female researchers (a “poor, frightened colonist person!”), aboard the TARDIS. From high above the planet the Doctor presents an aeriel view from the TARDIS’s open door showing the coral to be a giant brain, an organic creature that is alive and capable of dreaming. The colonists arrival gave the coral nightmares – and the sharks were part of that nightmare and not real, just angry illusions created by the coral stress. Clara suggests that rather than building their base on the living coral which is hurting the coral brain the colonists move across to one of the other more boring but less ‘alive’ islands. Not intending to have hurt the coral brain the colonists willingly agree to move camp and within a few days they are rewarded by the sight of a happier coral brain – now a mass of glowing colours and with even more new and colourful coral growths. The beginning of a beautiful friendship observes the Doctor as he returns to the TARDIS with Clara.
Characters
References
- This story appears to follow on immediately from the previous one with Clara wearing the same clothes and including the red sachel from the previous story.
- The Doctor announces to Clara on arrival that the planet Polypia 4 is home to a small human colony - yet it appears the 'colony' of a crew of five has only just settled recently. There is the implication that maybe the Doctor knew of the damage to the coral had the colonists not been encouraged to move at the earliest opportunity.
Notes
- For a small party of five, one of which is even taken aboard the TARDIS for an aeriel view of the planet there are no other named characters in the story beyond the Doctor and Clara, it is with some humour that the main character is referred to as simply a “poor, frightened colonist person!”
Original print details
- Publication with page count and closing captions
- DWA 317 (4 pages) More adventures next week
- 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 reply to new travelling companion Clara's comment that with "no more monsters! I suppose that means it's time for us to go!" (not a question but a statement), that she is "definitely getting the hang of this [travelling thing]!"
