Double Trouble (comic story)

The Doctor has been sentenced by the Time Lords because they believe him responsible for misdeeds throughout space and time, but these were actually committed by a human double sourced by the Vatheks.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Stanley, the Doctor's double, wreaking havoc.

The Vatheks have sourced a double of the Doctor from Earth, a human named Stanley, using him for their own ends throughout space. The Time Lords, upon seeing the destruction wrought summon the Doctor, and pass sentence. The Time Lords suggest a death sentence for his monstrous crime, or one million years in the "realms of time" - in suspended animation whereupon his intelligence would have regressed to the most primitive races.

Once the Doctor is apparently sentenced, the Vatheks continue to utilise their double of the Doctor.

The Doctor inside his TARDIS with a Time Lord.

Upon realising their mistake, the Time Lords are distressed that they have incarcerated the Doctor's body and mind in an irreversible prison. One Time Lord reveals he did not follow through with the sentence and instead merely imprisoned the Doctor in his TARDIS.

Released from his prison, the Time Lords task the Doctor to deal with the Vatheks for daring to outwit the Time Lords. The Doctor finds his double at a Craconian base and disables him.

Travelling onto the Vathek planet, the Doctor discovers a crystal that the Vathek have been using the hypnotise people including his double.

The Doctor grabs and uses the crystal on the Vatheks and places them in suspended animation for two million years.

The Doctor wipes his double's memory.

The Doctor returns Stanley to Earth and uses the crystal on his double, erasing all his recent memories and exploits in time and space. Stanley's wife finds him staring into space, which to her is nothing unusual.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Stanley relaxes with a smoking pipe while gardening.
The Doctor uses a hypodermic needle to incapacitate his double.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

This is the second of five stories where the Doctor Who comic strip is reduced from two pages to one.
Apart from as an image on the Vatheks' viewing screen, the real Doctor does not appear at all in the first instalment.
Stanley is not referred to by name until the story's last instalment where, having been returned to Earth with his memories erased by the Doctor, his wife says to him, "Staring into space as usual, Stanley!"

Original print details[[edit] | [edit source]]

(Publication with page count and closing captions)

TVC 1298 (1 page) Follow this exciting story next week!
TVC 1299 (1 page) [No closing caption]
TVC 1300 (1 page) Is it the end for the Doctor? — See next week!
TVC 1301 (1 page) Is the Doctor lost for all time? See next week!
TVC 1302 (1 page) [No closing caption]
TVC 1303 (1 page) Will the Doctor escape? Don't miss next week's episode!
TVC 1304 (1 page) A new Dr. Who adventure begins next week!

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added