Unnatural Selection (comic story)

Unnatural Selection
Doctor:	First Doctor
Companion(s):	Ian, Barbara, Vicki
Featuring:	Zarbi, Cloaked figure
Main enemy:	The Animus
Main setting:	London, 1868
Key crew
Publisher:	IDW Publishing
Editor:	Denton J. Tipton
Writer:	Scott & David Tipton
Artist:	Simon Fraser
Colourist:	Gary Caldwell
Letterer:	Tom B. Long
Release details
Printed in:	POT 1
Release date:	29 January 2013
Traded in:	Prisoners of Time: Volume 1, Doctor Who Archives: Prisoners of Time
Format:	American comic book, 26 pages
Prisoners of Time
Next →	Bazaar Adventures

Unnatural Selection was the first issue of Prisoners of Time. It featured the First Doctor and his companions Ian Chesterton, Barbara Wright and Vicki Pallister.

Publisher's summary

November 23, 1963: A day that changed the world forever. That day saw the broadcast debut of Doctor Who, which was to become the longest-running science-fiction series on television. And now 50 years later, we pay tribute to one of the greatest pop-culture heroes of all time with this special series, which tells an epic adventure featuring all 11 incarnations of the intrepid traveller through time and space known simply as... the Doctor.

Plot

A cloaked figure studies images of the Doctor in solitude. He reflects on the legacy of the Doctor, as well as what he is capable of. He then notes that the Doctor has always had friends, and that he will have to change that...

The group encounters the Zarbi.

The Doctor arrives at the Royal College of Surgeons in London, England in the year 1868. The First Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Vicki step out. The group has arrived to meet Thomas Huxley, a friend of the Doctor's and evolution supporter. After attending his lecture, they meet with Thomas. Huxley is happy to see the group, but is soon called away. Thomas explains that he and some of his pupils must go searching the London Underground for a group of missing students. The Doctor convinces him to let them come along. Some time later, the Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Vicki arrive at the entrance to the London Undergrounds to help look for the students. They find a fresh trail of footprints leading to a mysterious passage, covered in webs. Vicki begins suffering from headaches, something which last happened to her on Vortis. Barbara reminds her that they are far away from Vortis and that there can't be a connection. Suddenly, the group finds themselves surrounded by Zarbi.

The group tries to fight them off, but the Doctor suggests against it, saying that going with them is the only way to find the missing students. Ian, Huxley, and the Doctor are split away from the rest of the group, who are given gold mind-control bracelets to wear. At the Doctor's suggestion, Ian and Huxley fight off the Zarbi and the trio escape.

After searching the tunnels, the Doctor finds the Animus, who says a seed of it remained despite the destruction. It has reformed itself on Earth to get revenge on the Doctor. The Animus plans to take over Earth with an army of Zarbi drones, but before he can enact his plan he is hit by a train piloted by Ian.

The Animus is hit by a train.

The Doctor uses a portal to send the Zarbi home. After some debate, the Doctor convinces Huxley to keep quiet about what he has seen. Huxley leaves, noting that he hates leaving the Doctor alone. The Doctor notes that the Animus could not have reformed on its own, and that the portal used to bring it here was beyond its technological abilities. The Doctor suggests further investigation to his companions, but is shocked to find them missing.

Characters

• First Doctor
• Ian Chesterton
• Barbara Wright
• Vicki Pallister
• Thomas Huxley
• Messenger
• Student with glasses
• Peck
• Overstreet
• Zarbi
• Animus
• Cloaked figure

Worldbuilding

• The cloaked figure studies images of the Doctor and his companions, including images of Rose Tyler, Leela, Romana I, the Brigadier, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, K9, Sarah Jane Smith, Vicki Pallister, Captain Jack Harkness, Romana II, Adric, Ace, Dodo Chaplet, Rory Williams, Amy Williams, Mickey Smith, Liz Shaw, Frobisher, Adam Mitchell, Ian Chesterton, and Katy Manning, among others.
• The cloaked figure has an image of the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith driving away from the TARDIS while in Hollywood.
• The cloaked figure describes the First Doctor as "a teacher," the Ninth Doctor as "a soldier," the Sixth Doctor as "a madman," and the Tenth Doctor as "the Oncoming Storm."
• Thomas Huxley is a famous professor and supported the evolution theory created by Charles Darwin.

Notes

• Although it was scheduled to be released on 30 January 2013, it was released a day in advance by iTunes.

Continuity

• The cloaked figure studies an image of the Seventh Doctor in a hospital whilst discussing the Doctor's ability to regenerate. (TV: Doctor Who)
• The cloaked figure studies the Roman stone carving of the Tenth Doctor, Donna Noble and the TARDIS. (TV: The Fires of Pompeii)
• Barbara tells the Doctor not to interfere with history. Similarly to how he had previously told her in (TV: The Aztecs)