December 7th, 2007
The 10 Doctors: Page 73
The 3rd and 5th Doctors meet with the Master and find out that he wants them to ‘bless’ his plan to unite the various races of the Federation, allied or otherwise and lead them in a battle against the Daleks. The 5th Doctor can find no fault in it.
December 7th, 2007 at 7:51 am
I should start making more requests! While the Master would obviously insult any of the Doctor’s, I found it interesting he’d start on 3 after seeing Ainley praise him as “a worthy foe” in Destiny of the Doctors. ALso, the fact that he knows (somehow) that there are 10 Doctors adds more intrigue
I like the way that the Master’s appearance is actually kind of generic within the context of the character. He looks a little Delgado-ish and has Ainley’s hair colour (presumably), but if he shaved it off, he’d likely look lots like Simm. Cool
December 7th, 2007 at 8:06 am
Yeah, I remembered the traler to the Doctor Who video game when I did that panel. There is definately a respect for the 3rd Doctor, but he’s also fed up with trying to convince him that he’s not trying to kill him. Remember his insult in “The Five Doctors”.
Master: “I knew this was going to be difficult but I didn’t think that even YOU would be so stupid as to make it impossible!”
I have to confess that Ainley is MY Master. While Delgado was terrific and had some WONDERFUL lines and delivery, when I think of the Master I think of Ainley, especially in Five Doctors, he was brilliant.
Roberts was… forgettable… as the Master. I mean he was evil enough, but there was just something too American about him.
And I wasn’t terribly fond of Simm’s Master/Joker. He was too silly for me, the Master’s always had a sense of humour, but this was real left field stuff, and the drums thing was totally new and unsuppoerted. Like suddenly declaring the Doctor half human. But in the context of his experiences in the time war, I could accept him.
My Master for the comic is, naturally, meant to be a new post-Fox Flim, pre Time-War incarnation, and instantly recognizable. I also designed him before the Master’s appearance in the new series. So any resemblance to Simm is completely accidental!
December 7th, 2007 at 8:46 am
If it was possible to leave a blank page, then I would. I am totaly speachless your comic strip and the wonderfull charectisations of all the charecters in it, its just “ACE” and you are “ICE HOT”, Thankyou, I think its the best Dr Who Comic strip ive ever read, and ive read alot.
Thankyou.
‘][’
December 7th, 2007 at 9:09 am
I love the Master here! I do like Ainley, but I have to admit I liked Simm too - except for the bit about the drums, which just seemed superfluous and random to me.
The beard, as always, is a dead giveaway. A friend and I have a mock campaign going for Lani Tupu as the next Master - he’s got the look, he’s got the skills, and I’d love to see him running around having fun, causing mayhem… but some people think he couldn’t play the role right because he’s Australian.
Hey, John Barrowman’s Scottish and he plays American just fine. So why not? I think the Master’s character should be British, yes, because that’s how he and the Doctor are. But not necessarily the actor… as long as it’s a good actor who does a good job. Having someone play the role well is more important than their nationality.
Anyway, end soapboxing. Love this installment!
December 7th, 2007 at 9:10 am
P.S. TarQuin - you said “ice hot!” You are now endeared to me forever!
December 7th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Barrowman’s American accent is his natural one. He has Scottish family so he can do that one easily.
December 7th, 2007 at 10:15 am
Actually, as I recall, Barrowman is bidialectal (what a fun word). He was born in Scotland, then moved to America as a child, where he learned the American accent to avoid being teased. Either accent is natural to him, like learning a new language at a young age.
December 7th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Aww, I love it how you draw 5 with his tiny button eyes. I hope we get so see more of him.
December 7th, 2007 at 11:06 am
Lani Tupu as the Master??? Now why didn’t I think of that?
Personally, I was going more for John Simm’s old sparring partner Phillip Glennister. In full on Gene Hunt mode of course…
“I am the Master, an’ I’m ‘aving ‘oops!”
December 7th, 2007 at 11:07 am
Which Master is this? Why, isn’t that obvious? It’s the Jonathan Pryce Master (heh heh)!
December 7th, 2007 at 11:30 am
I just discovered this over a who-blig, and it’s FANTASTIC.
All your Doctor’s are simply great and who doesn’t love multi-Doctor?
The Doctor and the Master together on one side: Yeah!!!
I just hope Five’s naivity to ‘trust’ his old frenemy in this situation, won’t get them into trouble.
‘And once the universe is populated exclusively by megalomaniac dustbins [..] it will be an excessively dull place’ Tihihi
(Reminded me of Spike’s first alliance with Buffy)
Just know that I joined the rank of people who LOVE you and your work.
December 7th, 2007 at 11:56 am
YES! Back to 3 and 5! And good for them for being suspicious; I suspect the Master has ulterior motives as per usual.
While I agree that Roberts’ Master was unimpressive, I enjoyed John Simm’s portrayal as the Master. Yes, he was somewhat silly at times, but the time spent as a human might have made him a little bit crazier and he had just triumphed over the Doctor by taking over his favorite planet. Shame he was killed off (damn you, Russell T. Davies!).
Rich, who would you want to play your incarnation of the Master?
December 7th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Kelly: “A friend and I have a mock campaign going for Lani Tupu as the next Master - he’s got the look, he’s got the skills, and I’d love to see him running around having fun, causing mayhem… but some people think he couldn’t play the role right because he’s Australian.”
Actualy, Lani Tupu is a Kiwi.
I guess he suffers from the problem a lot of New Zealand actors have that most of their early work is done in Australia so a lot of people assume they’re Aussie.
December 7th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
The characterizations are completely brilliant and I love the allusions to previous episodes. It’s like 40 years of concentrated Who! Great work!
“All your Doctors are belong to us!”
December 7th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
This must be the Jacobi master long before he becomes human. I strongly approve, he’s definently as in-character as one of the Masters is. They all tended to be unique in their own ways, same as the Doctors (a pity none are fleshed out enough for something like The Six Masters storyline).
I still don’t trust him though. He’s up to something. But at this point, facing Davros, the Rani, the Valeyard, and gods-only-knows what else, he’s likely as good an ally as the Doctors are likely to come across.
Oh, and I’ll toss in my two cents about Roberts too. It wasn’t his being American that killed him, it was his being camp. He was a villain who played a villain, unlike most of the former Masters, who are “the universe would be better off under me” or “necessary evil” or even “let’s have some fun” like Simms. And even he had a healthy dose of “I’m a Time Lord, I should be in charge”
All things considered, Jonathan Price played a better master during ‘Curse of Fatal Death’
December 7th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
I may be alone in this, but I’d like to see a David Hyde Pierce Master.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
I have a theory on the Doctor being half-human thing. It’s not necessarily a bad idea although I do think the idea of his mother having been human is rubbish (unless maybe it turns out to be Leela, but that’s a fanboy idea for another day and another comic). By the time of the Doctor’s 8th incarnation, he will have regenerated inside the morphogenetic field of the Earth at least 4 times, possibly five depending on how you count his first regeneration. Who is to say that this can’t have an effect on a timelord’s regeneration cycle? Probably, 99.99% of all other timelords regenerate within the morphogenetic field of Gallifrey so this probably isn’t normally an issue. In my head, allowing an alien planet’s morphogenetic field to affect your regeneration cycle would be something you would have to purposely allow to happen, but keep in mind that the Doctor isn’t particularly skilled at regenerating.
Thoughts?
December 7th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
I think of Ainley when I think of the Master, too.
December 7th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
I discovered this amazing saga today, and wanted to put my two cents in. First off, it’s magnificent!
(That was one cent, I suppose.)
As to the Master being alive, although I’ve read much discussion of his being absolutely dead, one must remember that at the end of the season, the last scene, someone picked up his ring … which could potentially bring him back to life …
He does have a knack of surviving, no matter what the situation, after all.
As does the Doctor, of course…
December 7th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
My Master would be Ainley too..
Great stuff.. but is Romana dead / going to regenerate?
December 7th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
Nick: The Master has been killed off many times before, and it has never stopped him from coming back.
Dave: That’s the best hand-waving of the “half-human” thing I’ve ever seen! Although I still don’t like it, on principle.
Loved McGann in the role, though, and have listened to all his Big Finish adventures. Where they consistently fail to mention any half-humanity.
December 7th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Rich,
Like a lot of others, I just found this site a few days ago, but wow! I’ve never seen any of the Classic series, except the tv movie with McGann. It made me even prouder to see you’re doing this from Halifax [ok, so you may not be a native bluenoser, but you’re from the East in any case
]. This comic has given me a sense of what to expect in terms of personality (particularly Number 4).
Great work! And Vive les provinces maritimes!
December 7th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Actually, I feel the whole Half-Human thing was more of a device the TVM writers put in as a means of making The Doctor ‘more acceptable’ to American audiences. Silly, though, since we preferred The Doctor as being Gallifreyan.
But I do agree with Dave’s interpretation of it, because it also sort of explains how The Doctor has a device for rewriting one’s biodata into a human form (Human Nature). As for The Master, I love Rich’s interpretation of the character because originally that’s how we remember him. Don’t get me wrong, I know writers wanted something different with the TVM with Eric Roberts, then the new one with John Simms, but I felt they really weren’t The Master.
In fact, I’ve considered Simms more of a projection of The Master because we know when he took over the Keeper of Traken’s body, he had acquired many tricks for outlasting his limitations. I hope if the series does bring him back, they go with the more Classic version of him than another unfamiliar new one.
Still enjoying the ride, Rich, keep up the excellent work!
December 7th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
TarQuin: Thank you so much! Build high for happiness!
Kelly2: They’ve had 2 Scottish Doctors (and McCoy didn’t even bother hiding his accent!) so why not an Australian (sorry, Heather, New Zealander) Master? Sounds good to me!
Lili: Yeah, Peter Davison has these deep eyes that disappear. And somehow it softens them and gives him a very approachable look. I try to simulate that by giving him teddy bear button eyes.
Herk: Thank you so very much! It’s all about the Doc! Welcome to the comic.
Nick: I actually thought Jonathan Pryce was EXCELLENT as the Master. I’d love to see him reprise the role seriously. To play this one from the comic though? I don’t know…. I hadn’t really thought of him in terms of an actor. Since he’s in the regenerated body of a Time Lord I made up myself… He’s like a young and elf-like Anthony Ainley. If you can think of anyone who fits that description, that’d be him.
Nix: Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I’ve just always wanted to do a Doctor Who comic and this seems to be the best way to get all of it ever out at once. Hehehe
Inutaisho01: The six Masters, eh? Hmmmmmmmm…. *mind grinds*
Jim North: You know, I just never thought of that, but it’s not a bad suggestion.
Dave: Oh, that’s clever. I like that. He might just have said “on my mother’s side” because he was telling this stranger and was in an awkward position. The Doctor is known to get sarcastic from time to time. HOWEVER, that being said: The plot point to him being half humans was that he was the one trusted to guard the Eye of Harmony because of his unique human retina. *rolls eyes* Because, y’know, it makes sense to give the guy the ULTIMATE POWER OF THE TIME LORDS -which can only be opened and fiddled with by someone with a Human eye- to the guy who hangs out on Earth with Humans ALL THE TIME. And to even exile him there. Because it’d be perfectly safe on Earth with all those good little Humans who aren’t power hungry or evil or clumsy or careless in any way.
-stupid stupid stupid-
Jeremy: “I’m indestructable. The whole universe knows that.” and THANK YOU!!!
Mr.Scirev: Weeee shall seeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Amy: Thank you! Welcome to the comic’s readership! You’re here in Halifax somewhere? *looks around suspiciously* Well, keep an eye out for me. You’ll see me wandering around town in the cold weather in a long grey army coat and a Tom Baker scarf. That thing is freakin’ warm!
December 7th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Fangarius: Thank you!
December 7th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
What did you think of Derek Jacobi’s brief appearance as the Master by the way?
The Doctors are so in character here. The 5th being courtious and considerate, even to his greatest enemy (one of which, anyway).
Could it be the Master’s got it right for once?
December 7th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Uh, well…. I thought that he was good as the doddering old scientist, but once he became the Master he gave Bill Shatner a run for his money. What a total ham. Acting at the camera and stuff. Awful.
Could beeeee…
December 7th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
Therru, Fangarius, Rich: I think my take on it is an excuse that would leave more fans semi-happy about the Doctor being half-human rather than less.
As for the Eye of Harmony, I didn’t think it was in the Tardis. My take on it was that because the Doctor’s Tardis is a Mark I, it still has the equivalent of a hard line connection to the Eye of Harmony, whereas later versions have a remote connection. As for the human retina scan, one assumes the Doctor can choose to use whatever imprint he wants to connect to the Eye of Harmony from his Tardis by programming the biometric scanner appropriately so at some point, he chose a human for whatever reason, possibly to keep it safer, at least until he became half-human himself.
Anyway, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. :p
December 7th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
How did the Master know there were 10 doctors? This master is between Roberts and Jacobi, for all he knows there are only eight. Did 3 and 5 explain the situation or does he know more than he’s letting on?
December 7th, 2007 at 11:38 pm
I was wondering when someone was going to bring that up.
Mwa ha hahahaahahah….
December 7th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
“Once the universe is populated exclusively by megalomaniac dustbins… and of course, me…”
I love this. Just when I was wondering “when are we getting back to 5 and the Master,” there’s a comic with 5 and the Master. Brilliant timing!
December 8th, 2007 at 12:57 am
He should have called them ’stupid tin boxes’.
December 8th, 2007 at 1:02 am
…I feel like I’ve missed a page or two… How did we get to 3 and 5 becoming guests of The Master from the last time we saw them?
December 8th, 2007 at 1:10 am
The deal with Simm’s Master, and his twisted sense of humor, is that he was meant to resemble the Doctor rather than exist as his opposite (as Martha wrote in her blog, he’s “the Doctor gone wrong”). As I understand it, this was the original intention for Delgado’s Master, whose sophistication and refined demeanor somewhat mirrored Pertwee’s Doctor’s personality. The implication is that the Master and the Doctor share more than just a high I.Q., and might have very easily gone down the road the other is currently walking on. Personally, I prefer this method of dealing with the character, since it adds an undercurrent of menace lacking in more blatant supervillainy. It just makes it seem like there’s this personal tie between the hero and the bad guy that might be exploited. Most other Masters come off as such generic evil geniuses to me.
Oh, great comic, still. Have to say.
December 8th, 2007 at 4:19 am
Chatty as Ten he is. If Ten wasn’t all sullen and old-manitized when they met the dialogue would never stop. It would be fun trying to cut scenes… They’d all end mid-sentance.
And I have this comic! 
Thank you!!
I’m with you Three. Weather eye open.
“Preposterous claptrap!” “Poppycock.” Oh, I really must find myself some Pertwee episodes. And McCoy, and McGann, and Hartnell, and …*sigh*. But it’s great, I have all this old stuff that’ll be new to me, to look forward to.
December 8th, 2007 at 7:12 am
Rich says (of Derek Jacobi’s Master): “Uh, well…. I thought that he was good as the doddering old scientist, but once he became the Master he gave Bill Shatner a run for his money. What a total ham. Acting at the camera and stuff. Awful.”
Could be that all those decades of the Master being suppressed and pent up under the false personality imprinted by the chameleon arch (should that be capitalized?) and then suddenly being released could explain the overly “aggressive” personality (”bad acting”).
Then again, we never got to see Jacobi’s Master *pre*-Yana. Well, aside from the audio plays, and I’m not sure those would count either. ^.^;
Don’t beat yourself up over delays between episodes, here — you have higher priorities, and we understand. We can wait!
Wildcat
December 8th, 2007 at 7:28 am
I heard rumours that Tom Baker was interested in playing the Master. Now that I’d find hilarious ^_^
December 8th, 2007 at 7:40 am
Romana… What Happened To Jamie, Sarah, K9 And Romana
Please Say That Martha Makes A Camoe Appearence When They Take Romana To Hospital Then They Get There Minds Earsed SO They Don’t Remember Any Of This At The End
December 8th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Fantastic
Just read this all in one sitting this morning
Found this through a website in the UK called outeverywhere.com which is a gay website with lots of fans so sure you will have lots more will soon be reading your comic
December 8th, 2007 at 10:14 am
I enjoyed Jacobi’s Master, meself. Dramatic, yes, but in a fun way. Plus, it was enjoyable to see him go off on the character that had been annoying me the entire episode.
December 8th, 2007 at 10:14 am
“Actualy, Lani Tupu is a Kiwi.
I guess he suffers from the problem a lot of New Zealand actors have that most of their early work is done in Australia so a lot of people assume they’re Aussie.”
Oh is he? Thank for clearing that up! ! I never looked him up on IMDB or anything, and I did assume. Silly of me, but now I know
I do think he’d be the perfect Master, though
December 8th, 2007 at 11:37 am
The only part of Jacobi’s performace that I thought was “hammed” was at the end, when he was talking to himself inside the TARDIS right before he regenerated. But I don’t think it would have worked to have had him just regenerate without some explanation (after all, he was able to run inside the TARDIS after he was shot, so it didn’t look like a fatal wound until he said he was “killed by an insect.”)
December 8th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
The brilliant part of Simm’s Master being a “joker” was that the Doctor couldn’t be a joker around him, llike he usually is around terrible adversaries. Like the crew said, it was the Master “stealing the Doctor’s greatest weapon.”
December 8th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
No! You can’t have that idea! It’s mine! MINE!
December 8th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
lol- I loved Simm’s Master too - it was so perfect for David’s Doctor. Someone else at that high-level of energy and eccentricity, spinning a bit more out of control than than he used to (”he” in this case being “them”, both the Doctor and the Master are a bit more likely to let loose with hellfire and damnation of anyone that crosses them since they lost their homeworld)
This is a not only a mad, meglomanic Master in Simms, it’s a mad meglomaniac damaged Master whose just found his entire people whiped out of existance because of a war with Daleks… I thought the character perfect..but I like this mad meglomanic not yet damaged Master in the comics too
I think he must be up to something as well… and how *does* he know the Doctor!! Not to mention, did he recognize all the old ones simply because he knew them all by sight - or is that mental blocking of the other Doctors playing no part in his recognition anyway??
Still, he’s got the best plan the Doctors have seen yet…only 9 or 10 could say if was a bad idea at this point!
December 8th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
I think it’s just no one within the Citadel on Gallifrey recognizes the Doctors. I have a feeling the Meddling Monk will explain what’s happened to One and Ten. I think it has to do with them all having been pulled forward and backwards into the Eighth Doctor’s timeline.
Just a thought (and probably a grossly incorrect thought).
December 8th, 2007 at 11:59 pm
Hee! *squees again*
You just made my day! I can’t wait to see more. I’m curious as to what the Master is really up to… Hmm… I need to rewatch Classic Doctor Who… I miss Five!
December 9th, 2007 at 1:35 am
I have to say that I adore this comic. And I love the 5/3 scenes. I’m so glad this chunk got updated again!
December 9th, 2007 at 2:44 am
Perhaps while we’re learning why the Time Lords on Gallifrey don’t recognize any Doctor but Eight, we’ll also learn why incarnations Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen haven’t shown up . . .
December 9th, 2007 at 6:53 am
Rich, not that you haven’t got enough on your plate, but let me just throw that Six Masters idea out there again (Perhaps a sequel when this is done? how long do you plan for this to be BTW?)
December 9th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Eala Dubh - He did in “Frontier in Space”. One of the things I enjoy in writing the Master is that he’s got a wonderful sarcastic wit. I wanted to come up with new ones. If I was more familiar with foppish expressions of disbelief, I’d expand the 3rd Doctor’s language too. Jehosephat! Balderdash! Poppycock!
LoneWolf23k - I thought it was a small step from the Master finding the 5th Doctor and talking to him all friendly like to inviting them both back for a cup of tea. If I ever do fix this up and go to print, should I include another panel or two explaining this step?
Joe - Thanks! Yeah, I’d heard the whole Doctor analog Master theory. It’s just that the Master developed his own personality by the time Ainley had been doing it for a little while, so personally I’d have preferred they be true to that then reboot him. But it works, I guess. In that context. And I could accept that his experiences in the war changed him. Just if I had my drothers, I’d want a goateed Master that cracks brilliant remarks and chuckles evilly. Not bouncing, singing, maniac boy.
Dragon64 - You’re welcome and thank YOU! I do heartily recommend watching some classic stuff. While the new stuff is brilliant on its own, the episodes are peppered with references, nods and flippant comments that hook back to the old episodes. (The Macra, for example, are the main monsters from an old Troughton episode. The Face of Boe comes from the Isop galaxy where the 1st Doctor met the Menoptera and the Zarbi. The classic Cyberman head in Dalek is from Tom Baker’s era. It just goes on and on and one.)
Wildcat - Meh. I won’t try to find in-show excuses for bad acting. I’d go nuts trying to figure out who Margus is talking to in “Caves of Androzani” every time he turns directly to the camera and shares his thoughts aloud right in front of everyone behind his desk. Very Shakespearean, but totally weird for TV. Thanks for the understanding about the in-between bits. I do them when I can.
Rob - That would be cool.
Bob - Romana? Aw come on, Bob, I only JUST got back to the 3rd and 5th Doctors. I will give no spoilers regarding cameos or plot points that haven’t happened yet.
Homo Superior - Thanks, and welcome to the readership! To everyone else who came from your site, too! Please read! Share and Enjoy!
Chan, Andrew Perron: Chan, you didn’t like Chan-Tho, Tho? Chan, you should learn to be a bit more patient with alien cultural social habits, Tho. Chan, let’s have fun and recap previous sentences in Chan-Tho speak, Tho. Chan, “Chan, you didn’t like Chan-Tho,Tho?”,Tho And once more, just for giggles: Chan, “Chan,”Chan, you didn’t like Chan-Tho, Tho?”Tho”Tho. Tho
(Chan, it’s like programming in Basic where you have to keep remembering and backcalculating all the parentheses!, Tho)
Jim - Until he regenerated, I found the Master in that episode very akin to the final throes of Roberts’ Master. There was no subtlety. He turned into a raving Voorheesian monster. The Master *I* knew would have remembered who he was and started calmly chuckling to himself.
Mreen - Yes, that whole thing about the Time War is what makes me accept the Simm’s Master’s new weirdness.
The Master, like other Time Lords, can usually recognize other Time Lords and identify them dispite their appearances. Especially the Doctor. Someone or something, however, in this comic, appears to be fiddling with that phenomenon.
Sean - Not a bad conclusion to draw. Perfectly logical. Won’t say more at this point.
Phantom Student - Hehehe.. yeah, I watched episode 1 of “Castrovalva” again this morning. Best post-regenerative scenes EVER.
PlainSimpleGarak - Thank you!
Jim North - Possibly.
Danfink - Trust me, Danfink, that seed has been perfectly well lodged into my brain and is giving it every wonderful consideration. As for how long I planned for “T10D”, I didn’t plan. I’m just going with it. I think we must be somewhere in the middle now, though, since the Doctor’s are starting to learn what’s going on.
Actually…. technically there should be… erm… *calculates, figures out*….. 19 Masters so far (if I count my comic as canon for a future comic I might do).
We don’t know what number incarnation Roger Delgado was. but we can assume it wasn’t his 1st, just because of what he’s been getting up to.
1 - Little boy from “Sound of Drums” (who presumably grew up.)
Roger Delgado was presumably one of the later ones in the Time Lord’s normal cycle (It has been suggested that Roger Delgado represents several incarnations of the Master, that he, like Romana and unlike the Doctor, has remarkable control over his regenerations. Probably because of this force of WILL that not only keeps him alive long after his body starts to decay, but also changes Tremas’ body enough to more closely resemble his favorite physical form).
13 - The rotting zombie Master from “Deadly Asssassin” and “Keeper of Traken” are the same incarnation. His last, well past its’ lifespan and held together with pure hate.
14 - Tremas’ stolen body (Anthony Ainley)
15 - The crystalline/snakey beast that he turned into after the Daleks exterminated him in “Enemy Within” (Fox film) Technically IS an incarnation, like it or not.
16 - The Paramedic’s stolen body (Eric Roberts)
17 - The Technician’s stolen body regenerated (from my comic)
–Actually, we don’t know how many more regenerations he’s got here, nor how many he might have gone through in the Time War experience.–
18 - The post-war hiding Master (Derek Jacobi, this COULD be an older version of my comic Master, but more likely he regenerated before hiding to doubly conceal his identity)
19 - John Simms.
Naturally, since I don’t consider “The Curse of Fatal Death” to be a real Doctor Who episode, I don’t count Jonathan Pryce, though he was stellar. He should pick up the mantle in the new series.
So… should I try “The 19 Masters” after this? We’ll see if I’m still inspired by the time I’ve slogged through 10 Doctors.
December 9th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
“The Master *I* knew would have remembered who he was and started calmly chuckling to himself.” You’ve got a point; also, the Master who’d shown up in Trial of a Time Lord to save the Doctor from the Valeyard wouldn’t have just left the Doctor to the Futurekind. He’d want to kill the Doctor himself. I think Jacobi’s a brilliant actor; the script just screwed him over at the end.
On a separate note, I thought Delgado played the 13th Master and that the zombies in Deadly Assassin and Keeper of Traken were decayed versions of Delgado’s incarnation. Don’t know where I heard that, but that’s what I assumed, for some reason.
December 9th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
That’s a perfectly logical conclusion to come to. Though, there is no onscreen evidence to support either way. It was never said that Delgado was the final incarnation of the Master. Or that–
Oh wait, I see what you’re saying. That would make Delgado and both rotting Masters all one incarnation. *nods* You’re absolutely right. Shouldn’t have made that distinction there. Unless, as I suggested, Delgado represents more than one regeneration.
That would make it the 18 Masters, then. *nods* Nice catch.
December 9th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
I love The Ten Doctors! It’s so cool! Is the newest Master going to turn up…?
Or am I just being illogical?
December 9th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Concerning control over one’s own regenerations, the idea that the Doctor has trouble with his regenerations while others do not has always sort of confused me. Is there any actual in-canon dialogue that supports this? It would seem to me that there’s a far more suitable explanation considering the regenerations we’ve seen. I must admit that I have not actually seen the new Master regeneration yet so I’m not really aware what the exact circumstances there were, but all other non-Doctor regenerations that I know of were undertaken voluntarily by the Time Lord/Lady in question. The Doctor, on the other hand, has *never* had a voluntary regeneration, all of them coming about from some horrible mishap or another. One got drained by Mondas (or some such), Two was forced by the Time Lord council, Three got radiation poisoning, Four fell off a tower, and so on and so on. It would seem to me that because of the often sudden and brutal nature of the reasons behind his regenerations, he wouldn’t exactly have the time or ability to make sure they went smoothly. It might be that if any of his incarnations reached a *natural* end, he’d be able to choose his own next form just as readily as any other Time Lord.
Or did I miss something somewhere? I’ll be the first to admit it’s entirely possible and would certainly welcome correction!
December 9th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
I agree, the Master’s personality had been well established right up through Jacobi’s brief tenure. He’s been basically the same guy through most of his incarnations. He’s a chuckling, ridiculously evil megalomaniac. But that’s the problem. We’ve had that Master, he’d been done to death (quite literally, over and over again). I dig Simm’s Master exactly because he’s different. Each Doctor has had his own distinct personality, with clear and unique qualities all between them. So why not have the Master gain new attributes and quirks as well? What is a regeneration if not a “reboot,” of sorts?
December 9th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Rozzy - I started this comic (and introduced my Master) before the new series introduced theirs. I didn’t really take it into account when I made up the story, so it’s unlikely, I’m afraid, that the Simms Master will appear.
Jim North - Well… there’s nothing onscreen that directly answers this question. I think one can assume that the Master’s various deaths have been, if anything, more violent than the Doctor’s, though we rarely see the result of them. (And the 1st Doctor regenerated because his body simply wore out). *If* we go with Roger Delgado being more than just Master #13, and that he was actually several of the later incarnations, then he’d have to have remarkable control to come back exactly the same. Like Romana chosing to look like Princess Astra. Though, like you said, this was a controlled, voluntary regeneration. So maybe.
Regenerations other than the Doctor’s we see onscreen are:
K’Anbpo Rimpoche - Cho’Je
Romana 1 - Romana 2
Jacobi Master - Simms Master.
Azreal, though it was his last, so he dies without changing.
And yeah, all these were voluntary regenerations. Though there is some similarity to K’Anpo’s to the first Doctor - second Doctor. In that they simply were replacing warn out bodies. Problem with the Doctor’s was that he waited too long and collapsed just inside the TARDIS.
December 9th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
I love Ainley’s Master, and so was very very excited when this your version had the “traditional” Master features. Because really, without his goatee and silly black clothing, what IS the Master?
Also, I can pretend that this one has Ainley’s voice, because his voice makes me happy.
December 9th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Fantastic!
I just gave the whole series a read in one shot. Wonderful job Rich! You have captured the central characters of all of the Doctors with your characterization and your drawing skill. I too have a soft spot for 5; he was my first Doctor, and you never forget your first! I have to wonder why the later incarnations are putting up with Turlough, but whatever. Wonderful story and I look forward to future installments.
December 9th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
Of course, the First Doctor’s body was aged a bit ahead of its time by the Time Destructor.
December 9th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
It was?
December 10th, 2007 at 3:50 am
Ohhhhhhh dear.
December 10th, 2007 at 4:03 am
The Time Destructor was part of the Hartnell serial, “The Daleks’ Master Plan,” which had a lot of aging and de-aging going. Wikipedia has a decent synopsis of events.
December 10th, 2007 at 7:17 am
Yeah, I knew it was part of that episode. I just didnt’ realize it effected the Doctor.
December 10th, 2007 at 8:52 am
On the subject of the Master’s regenerations, he should have had another 12 following the Timewar. If I remember correctly during the Sound of Drums, he mentions that he was resurrected by the Timelords to fight in the Timewar as he was the most warlike Timelord. He of course then ran away to hide in the far future being far more into self preservation. This could just be giving him a new set of regenerations or bringing him back from the “dead”.
December 10th, 2007 at 9:27 am
Well, I thought I had read that the Time Destructor played a part in hurrying along the Doctor’s years. But perhaps it was just the energy drain from Mondas that did it. Gerry Davis said that much for certain. In any case, it seems the Doctor hasn’t ever really had a “natural” death.
December 10th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Hooray! More Master! And he just smacks of Ainley! I’ll admit that Simm’s kinda got my heart, just because I love the whole “mad as a brush and dead sexy to boot,” but Ainley was my absolute favorite thing about The Five Doctors. And while Simm is quite nice to look at, nothing says “I’m an evil megalomaniac” quite like the goatee and all-black esemble.
I love his expression in the second panel. Poor Master. Even when you’re not intending to betray someone (just yet), it’s so hard to make the moral types go along with nice, pragmatic solutions.
“The brilliant part of Simm’s Master being a “joker” was that the Doctor couldn’t be a joker around him, llike he usually is around terrible adversaries. Like the crew said, it was the Master ’stealing the Doctor’s greatest weapon.’”
I’d never heard that before. Pretty spot-on. I really did like the whole Master=Evil Doctor thing Simm had going, just because on one hand, he was so darn lovable (I can’t hate a villain if they make me laugh), and on the other hand, he was just so evil. It was niffy.
December 10th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Romana
Martha
Companions
Master
Docs1 -10
Aaaaaaaah
to Many docs and masters and god knwos what
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
I’ve Finally Got What’s Going To Happen
December 10th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
You are awesome (Where awesome is a product of all the dozens of times your excellent story made me shout “AWWWWW WOW THAT IS GOOD, and then some)
I especially am happy that I live in a world where the original Dr is so lovingly drawn as wise and noble, and the 4th gets to pull faces so expressive of his character.
You are so talented!
December 11th, 2007 at 4:43 am
If Romana has to regenerate again, why can’t she take Mary Tamm’s likeness once more? That would be great (confusing too!)! I suppose she could..
December 11th, 2007 at 7:48 am
Erm… yeah, I suppose she could.
It would certainly make ‘Warrior’s Gate’ a little tricky to get to.
December 11th, 2007 at 8:03 am
The thing is, Rich, if you’d used the Mary Tamm Romana post The Key to Time but pre-Destiny of the Daleks, you could have sent her back into Who-continuity at the end of this with her memory wiped and just this burning need to regenerate, thus putting your own stamp on the eternal Romanan Regenration Controversy!
But then I wouldn’t have the added enjoyment of seeing you using the Lalla Romana instead
December 11th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Rich, your story is breathtaking (in a good sort of way)!
December 11th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
the Master Is
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLL
OK
December 11th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
A few points on what others have brought up here:
* I’ts more than just a rumor — originally the Master was supposed to turn out to be the living embodiment of the Doctor’s Id — all of the Doctor’s darkest thoughts and impulsive bad nature that he kept supressed by his Ego. There was a script planned explaining all this during the Pertwee era because Roger Delgado asked that the Master character be written out of the series so that he could leave “Doctor Who” on a high note and pursue other acting offers he had been getting. Sadly, the summer before filming was to begin on the Master’s last season Delgado was killed in a car accident. The script was abandoned and the Master was simply never seen on screen again until the end of Tom Baker’s tenure.
* As for the Time Destructor — While the Doctor does age out (and poor Sarah Kingdom ages to death), it is implied that he is restored to roughly his proper age when Steven accidentally reverses the effects of the Time Destructor. I don’t think the energy drain from Mondas really had anything to do with it either — it’s just as the First Doctor said — his body was wearing thin. He’d gotten old in that form and he could not hold onto it any longer.
The question, though, of why other Time Lords (and Ladies) seem to be able to choose what they look like but the Doctor does not is a bit of a mystery. Recall, when the Second Doctor is forced to regenerate the Time Lords offer him several ‘faces’ which he rejects — this would seem to imply that they, at least, could have controlled what he looked like.
December 11th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
No really, Gerry Davis was the script editor for The Tenth Planet and he did say that the energy drain from Mondas was meant to have contributed to the Doctor’s regeneration, though it didn’t come across clearly onscreen. It’s mentioned in the Wikipedia article.
December 11th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
I heard somewhere that if a Time Lord regenerates on their own terms (ie: not a violent death), that they have more control over the form they pick. Dunno, though.
December 11th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Barima: True. But I just like Lalla Ward’s Romana better.
rockin’ ray risby: Thank you! Glad youre enjoying it!
Bob: Yes. Yes he is.
Stressfactor: The Master’s Origin - Hmm.. Well, I can’t really count a script that was never produced. And that’s obviously not where he came from, but a retcon for Mr.Delgado’s benefit.
The Time Destructor - I just never got to see or read any of the second half of that story. Sadly, I wasn’t able to find part 2 of the novelization. So where “Dalek Masterplan” is concerned, I’ve only got brief summaries and oblique references to go on.
Regeneration - Yeah. There’s an amusing note in “The Discontinuity Guide” that points out that one of the faces they Time Lords offer the 2nd Doctor looks suspiciously like Peter Davsion.
Joe England - I’ve never heard that before. If so, why didnt’ it effect Ben & Polly?
December 11th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Rich, you say you never got to read “The Daleks’ Master Plan” in full? How would you like to read the script?
A group called the Earthbound Timelords have managed to transcribe the audio and action from every missing Doctor Who episode. The script for “The Daleks’ Master Plan” can be found here: http://homepages.bw.edu/~jcurtis/Scripts/DMP/intro.html
For me, earlier this year I found out my local library system had the audios for “Daleks’ Master Plan”, “Tenth Planet”, “The Abominable Snowmen”, “The Web of Fear” and “The Invasion” so I’ve at least listened to them all.
December 11th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
Aw sawheeeeet.
Thanks for the link! I gots me some reading to do!
December 11th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
Hey, s’just what I heard. I’ve never even seen the episode. Got a lot of catching up to do, myself. Though I would wager the power drain affected the Doctor more because he really was quite old anyway.
December 12th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
# Hermes Says:
December 7th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Barrowman’s American accent is his natural one. He has Scottish family so he can do that one easily.
Hermes - I don’t know. I have tons of English family, even spent a couple years over there, and I can’t do any British accents to save my life
December 12th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
I think he was born in Glasgow, but his family moved to America when he were 8 years old. Illinois I think it was.
December 13th, 2007 at 12:03 am
Yeah, Nicola Bryant was “half American” but I didn’t buy her crappy accent for a minute.
December 13th, 2007 at 4:33 am
Micky: I duno his kinda…
Jack: Hansome
Micky: More like cheesey
Jack: Eairly 21st century slang chesse is good right?
Micky: It’s bad
Jack:But bad is good right.
In this case it is good is was soo CHESSEY.
December 13th, 2007 at 5:41 am
Oh so this Romana is pre-Warrior’s Gate?
Ok I see..
I hope we can get the Two Romanas soon.. oh I probably will write it myself!
December 13th, 2007 at 7:57 am
I’ve just found this site and I’ve devoured the first 74 pages. You are doing a magnificent job!
I particularly liked the sixth doctor’s furious bluffing and blagging, not very convincingly - very in character. The treatment you’ve given the fifth doctor here is great too - the hesitancy and the embarassment around his former selves. And, as in ‘The Five Doctors’ he gives the Master a fair hearing.
December 13th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
“Barrowman’s American accent is his natural one. He has Scottish family so he can do that one easily.
Hermes - I don’t know. I have tons of English family, even spent a couple years over there, and I can’t do any British accents to save my life ;)”
I recently saw an interview in which Barrowman used his Scottish accent. He said that when he moved to America he learnt the American accent so that kids wouldn’t make fun of him, but he uses his Scottish accent when talking to Scottish people.
December 14th, 2007 at 3:40 am
just found this strip on Tues (Dec. 11). think it was from a link on Reddit. i have viewed all the archives. my main comment is one word, with GREAT emphasis:
WOW!
i became a fan of the Doctor early on when Tom Baker (number 4) was on PBS here in the states. i’ve caught some of 2, a fair bit of 3, LOTS of 4, a little 5, and a little 9. i found Davidson (5) a disappointment, personally, but i accept him as canon.
i am AMAZED at how well you’ve captured the personae of the Doctor’s incarnations!! (i’m tempted to put a third “!” there, but i don’t wish to be seen as being as looney as i probably am.)
your artwork is nothing short of wondrous. i especially like your subtle blend of parody and portraiture, each in-keeping with the actor’s portrayal. truly brilliant!
i intend to print all pages of this for myself, and can only wish for a colorized version — i understand how much work that would be, and i would not envy a bit of it. if you could send me links to all of those you have colored, i would be truly grateful.
i do think it likely that the BBC would have issues with any unauthorized publication of this work, but i also think it’s possible you could have a chance at film contract — pay for play if not pay or play.
best of everything to you. i look forward to more. your talent is exceptional!
December 14th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
I see Jim already beat me to pointing out that Delgado’s Master, the burnt up zombie Master in Assassin, Keeper of Tralkin were all the same (13th) body of the Masters - and someone else pointed out that expecting the Master to have the same personality after a regeneration would be as wrong as the Doctor having the same personality after each one.
He’s supposed to change completely - still a nasty villian, still the same man, but body and personality completely altered to each new regeneration. (Ainley was criticized for not really altering the Master very much, just making him a little madder and over the top…but … I confess, I didnt care, I enjoyed him all the same ) But I was very glad to see the Masters in the new series didnt fall into that trap, but kept the character rolling forward.
As for the Doctor preparing for regeneration, well, he did do that once, when he became Peter Daver - Tom’s Doctor, the 4th one, created a future projection of himself to insure that the next regeneration would survive, just as I think K’Anbpo Rimpoche - Cho’Je change was insured. Of course, that regeneration was still messy, but perhaps that’s why Peter was the youngest Doctor we’d seen at that time Perhaps just that once the body change was more controlled.
Anyhow I think any timelord in an accident would have a tricky regeneration.. I doubt the Master had it easy in the first few days of his regeneration on Earth…(cant you picture him madly terrifying some poor souls wherever he landed in Cardiff, then fainting and running off again? one of those kinds of things someone should write to amuse RD or ourselves) The Doctor tends to die in accidents, and eventually I think the Master led that sort of life as well.
Using a machine to have controlled regeneration, well, I doubt its much of an issue.
(I want to compare it to a hand shaped cookie with random baking times bcs you dont actually have recipe and have to wing it, vs using a cookie mold on a timer supervised by Martha Stewart. But I think the holidays are affecting my use of metaphors so I wont. I mean, I’d then start saying Peter’s Doctor is like having the cookie mold but using the dough after its been dropped off a very tall building and hoping for the best and… see… this is me, stopping.)
Lets just say… the Doctor and the Master’s regenerations have more character than other Time Lords, but … maybe they just arent quite as stable
And back to the plot- the 9th and 10th Doctors cant remember their 8th form, and no one in the 8th timeline can recognize the other forms of the Doctor ..it’s all connected somehow, to a dastardly plan that can only be the Master’s and the Rani’s!
Looking forward to seeing more!
December 14th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Is it just me, or is it true that the younger the new Doctor is after each regeneration, the “messier” the aftereffects of that regeneration are?
December 14th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Jim- Not necessarily, when 5 regenerated into 6, he was a bit older, but he was quite dangerous. However, the regeneration into 7 was pretty smooth, except for amnesia which was actually caused by the Rani.
I keep wondering what Glitz is after on Terminus… a Lazar’s cure he can sell to the highest bidder? Some new technology? Is he in cahoots with the Master again? Tune in next time…
December 15th, 2007 at 2:00 am
RE: AInley’s Master - I’d think it reasonable that he be pretty much the same as the previous Master since he was really just the previous Master taking over another person’s body rather than going through an actual regeneration, neh? It’d also be why Roberts’ Master was basically the same as well, if a bit ill tempered due to his cramped time schedule and rapidly degenerating body.
RE: Four -> Five - That’s a good thought, that it was a more controlled regeneration in their case. Five still went pretty loopy for a while, necessitating his need to use the Zero Room, but yah, it could easily be explained that there was enough time for him to prepare himself a more youthful body and personality but the fall from the tower still caused some good bit of trouble. And there’s the fact that the Watcher wasn’t fully formed any of the times we saw him pre-regeneration, so maybe Four still wasn’t *fully* prepared when it happened, which also caused problems.
Yah, I could see that. And really if any of the incarnations were to be careful and forethoughtful enough to make sure they had any kind of regeneration plan set up - even an only half-formed one - it would have definitely been Four.
December 15th, 2007 at 6:45 am
First of all I would like to tell Rich how much I am enjoying The Ten Doctors. Keep up the great work!
Re: The Master:
My take on the Master’s regeneration cycle is:
* 13th (a) Master - Roger Delgado (up until Frontier in Space, when he teamed up with the Daleks)
* 13th (b) Master - Gordon Tipple (from the TVM pre-credit sequence doing a Richard Hurndall, when he was put on trial for crimes against the Daleks - ie failing to cause a war between Earth & Draconia, plus laying a trap for the Doctor - the latter implied in the TVM novel if I recall correctly)
* 13.25th Master - CGI morph-snake creature-thingy in the TVM
* 13.5th Master - Eric Roberts (first attempt at “taking over” another body, starts decaying early on, gets sucked into the Eye of Harmony (link) in the TARDIS)
* 13.75th (a) Master - Peter Pratt (decayed body unable to regenerate, rescued by Chancellor Goth from the planet Terserus, attemps to use the Eye of Harmony on Gallifrey to create a new regeneration cycle)
* 13.75th (b) Master - Geoffrey Beevers (stil in a decayed body, unable to regenerate from Dust Breading, Master & Keeper of Traken - successfully takes over Tremas’ body)
* 14th Master - Anthony Ainley (offered a new regeneration cycle by the Time Lords in The Five Doctors, at some point the Time Lords give the Master a new regenration cycle for co-operation in the Time War)
* 15th Master - Sir Derek Jacobi (true to form the Master looks out for number one and uses the Chamelion Arch to become human, and flees the Time War to the end of time)
* 16th Master - John Simm
I’m sure the books and comics will show a flaw in my theory. But if you base it on TV appearances only, I think it works.
December 15th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Given that the books and comics aren’t considered canon, whether or not they show a flaw in your theory is irrelevant. TV appearances are all you can go on.
(Oh, and that movie, which I know is officially considered canon but personally I’ve tried to wipe the entire thing from my mind. Paul McGann would have made a great Doctor but that movie sucked hard.)
When I first read your list I was sure you’d made an error in putting Anthony Ainley after the movie appearances, but from a certain perspective it makes sense. Being Time Lords there’s no reason why the Doctor’s and Master’s stories have to be linear. It’s quite possible that the events of the movie happened in the Master’s personal time stream at a different point than the Doctor’s personal time stream. So while for the Master the movie had already happened before the events of Keeper of Traken, from the Doctor’s point of view that transitional Master didn’t happen until later.
December 15th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
I’m thinking that the order has to be rearranged to put Anthony Ainley back before the TV movie where he belongs. Because Gallifrey keeps everyone on their same timelines, Peter’s Doctor and Anthony’s Master had to be in the same timeline. (They were on Galafrey together, and Peter was considered the ‘present” Doctor) Also Sylvester’s Doctor was going to take the dust/snake+ Master’s remains to Gallifrey to for burial so they must have been in the same timeline as well, because Galifrey keeps everyone in their own “present” when they arrive. So the order doesnt seem subject to whim.
And while Robert’s is nobody’s favorite Master, I’ve read on BBC that while they found him cartoonish(which in the american version, was the actual goal of the character ) they did appreciate the fact that at least he finally gave them a new Master with new personality instead of just a copy. It wasnt a regeneration anymore than other stolen bodies so I dont see the big deal, but I understand what they were saying about it.
(yes, I’m still peeking in everyday for a new page!!)
December 15th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
A problem with putting Ainley after the movie Master(s) is his cat eyes, an attribute he picked up as Ainley’s Master.
December 16th, 2007 at 10:01 am
I love Stephen’s Master chronology. I always forget to allow for non-linear progression in a time-travel show. I can’t abide by it because it means my own comic can no longer have happened, but I love when the pieces can fit out of our percieved sequences. Like the Dalek histories written in the DisContinuity Guide which have the Daleks experience their episodes in a different order to the way we did with the Doctor.
Mreen: The Gallifrey time line doesn’t necessarily keep all of them in order together outside of Gallifrey. We know this because of the existance of “The Two Doctors, The Three Doctors and the Five Doctors” episodes.
(Sorry it’s been slow. We’ve been busy and December is always a real slog as far as getting stuff done is concerned)
Jim: While I agree with you about the eyes, and was thrilled to see them used in the Fox film as -yet another nod to the series continuity- I tend rather to think that that detail was coincidence. It seems to me that the eyes were intended to be those of the snake-thing the Master had posessed (according to the novel, it was a crystalline alien creature he had earlier taken over that was also rapidly decaying) It too had yellow cat-like eyes. Remember that the cat-people thing would have given him the ability to teleport and he couldnt’ do that. So I’m thinking it was just coincidence.
December 16th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
The Cheetah teleportation was shown to be extremely specific, tho’, generally only allowing them to teleport to their prey’s world and then teleport back home, neither of which would have particularly helped the Master at that time . . . his prey was already on the same planet as him, and teleporting back to his “home” probably would have gotten him nowhere.
But meh.
December 16th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
Hmmm… if you don’t mind, Stephen, Rich, I’ll have to poke at that a bit. The problem with putting the Roberts Master before his previous incarnations chronologically would be that he would thus have somewhat detailed foreknowledge of the Doctor’s future through much of the classic series, which I have a hard time believing he wouldn’t use to his advantage somehow. And of course, trying to kill the Doctor over and over as he did would have been a spectacularly stupid thing to do, since succeeding would have directly altered events crucial to the Master’s own personal timeline. This theory would also mean that the Doctor himself would have been confused regarding the Master’s history, since he was genuinely taken off-guard by the events of the TV movie. The only way for him to have believed that the Master had actually been destroyed by the Daleks is for him not to have known that he was in fact dealing with one of his old foe’s earlier incarnations. And since it would have been Delgado’s body which was executed, it seems almost impossible to think that he would not have noticed… even without an experienced Time Lord’s natural intuition, which I’m sure must count for something in matters such as these. Furthermore, the Time Lords themselves would have known that something was up. If the Delgado Master was presumably destroyed once and for all, that would have made very clear and profound gaps in history (assuming they were in keeping up with the Doctor’s own history, as they always have), since the activities of the other Masters would have been widely known and documented and necessary for causality. How could the decrepit Master have sabotaged Gallifrey and gone on to take over the body of an alien king and interrupt farcical court hearings if he was to be exterminated before he became any of them? The only way that execution would have been allowed would be if neither the Time Lords or the Doctor ever discovered which Master had been killed. Which I suppose is possible, but not at all likely. Especially since, at least all through the classic series, Time Lords have always seemed to travel through time somewhat in sync with one another.
On another matter entirely, I’m thinking that perhaps the “drums” Simm’s Master suffered from had their origins in the War, and merely seemed to have always existed from the Master’s own perspective. The phantom sound may have been a retroactive condition inflicted on him by the Time Lords when they resurrected him, as both a punishment and a bargaining chip of sorts. Perhaps it was like a temporal flaw forced into the structure of his life, a kind of scar in his biodata, causing him to feel as though he had always suffered from the maddening sound of drums… they figured he would jump at the chance to be rid of his curse, which would have been all the worse since he now had been suffering from it throughout his life, and if he ran then the drums would be an eternal punishment for his cowardice, forever calling him back to a war which had long since been ended without him (I may have heard this theory somewhere else, come to think of it). Which, of course, is exactly what wound up happening, before the Time Lords could even offer to conditionally release him of his burden… or maybe they did, and he ran anyway. After all, having lived his whole life with the sound (or so he felt), he may have simply thought that his people must have been liars, incapable of helping him, or they would have before… ironically, he condemned himself by the judgments his own vicious personality made of others.
Isn’t it fun thinking about what might have happened? Now let’s talk about why Russell’s crew seems to insist that the Doctor’s just over nine hundred… my guess is he’s just lying about his age again…
December 16th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
I wonder if great big segments of the Doctor’s life were obliterated during skirmishes in the Time War? As I understand it, the Time Lords and the Daleks were battling by changing each other’s history: Genesis of the Daleks is a clear example of this, and didn’t RTD say somewhere that Genesis was one of the early moves in the Time War? So basically anything in Dr Who history might have been changed after the fact by the actions of one side or the other in the Time War.
I’m a bit hesitant about suggesting that, though … it seems a little bit too much of a blank cheque to cover any number of discontinuitiues between the classic pre-time-war series and the modern post-time-war one.
December 16th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
And I don’t really like the thought of losing or changing parts of the Doctor’s past history.
December 16th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Joe: Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey…
Chris: Gah! That could mean that Eccleston isn’t the 9th, but possibly the 6th Doctor??!! (Couldn’t be any earlier than 5th because of “Time Crash”.) That’s a pretty cool notion, dispite the distress it causes those of us who like the stuff that would have gotten ‘lost’.
December 16th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
But, then he remembers his 7th and 8th selves, as dreams, and stories, in Human Nature. But in a preview for Voyage of the Damned, he says flat out that he’s 903. Meaning they reset his age at 900 in the first season/series of the new series/program.
December 16th, 2007 at 8:21 pm
Yeah. Both true. Argh.
The 7th Doctor states flat out that he’s older than 903….
December 16th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
I know, it drives me nuts. I’ve been rooting for him to pass the 1000 mark for as long as I can remember, and now they throw this “just 900″ crap at us… dammit, I don’t want to have to wait another hundred years!
December 16th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
Well, the current Doctor has to be 10, he specifically told Sarah Jane is School Reunion hat he had regenerated a half-dozen times since she’d seen him last. 4+6 = 10, lol.
December 16th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
Much as I love YAFGC …. worrying me watching it update and nothing here. Intermission time for the Doctor?
December 16th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Rich: Actually we do know that Galafrey keeps its own timeline that all the Timelords were in sync with, and that in those episodes 3-5 Doctors someone was deliberately messing with that in an extraordinary circumstances, using more power than ordinarily the Time Lords had at their disposal. Since the Master was contacted/captured by more ordinary means, we know they didnt swipe him out of the future (the High Council barely stood for the present one being called for, let alone some future one)..and story wise, from the character perceptions, it just doesn’t really make sense. So we know if you consider the show cannon, it didnt happen.
As far as fan fic goes, I have heard the theory before about the Master being the other Master in a twisted timeline. I’m sure I wrote short story myself that way at some point in time, adding in a twist where the burnt up shell body of the Master is in fact due to him landing in Star Wars (this was way back before the prequals) and being the Emperor till he was thrown down an energy shaft by Darth Vader and apparently explodes in a blue flash of light (tossed back to Doctor Who universe ) (arent you glad already I never put it on the web ?!! lol) and while these stories are fun and intriguing and dont have to make complete sense with cannon from TVland… I cant actually reconcile them to the characters actions and reactions to the show, particularly after I found about the Galefreyian time being THE time Time Lords lived their lives out in, regardless of what point in time space they traveled.
So while the theory is fun, I know it cant have actually happened on the show. ;p
Anyhow Rich, I’m not complaining that you dont have a new page everyday (much as that would be great) I’ve been pretty amazed at how prolific you’ve managed to be this time of year as it is!
December 17th, 2007 at 4:03 am
The internal time of a TARDIS is locked to Gallifrey standard so as to prevent time travel into Gallifrey’s history, which is expressly forbidden, but it doesn’t prevent Timelords from crossing paths a bit out of sync.
“Look, I take it you both come from the same place Doctor?”
“Yes, I regret that we do, but I would say that I am 50 years earlier.”
–Steven Taylor and The 1st Doctor discussing The Monk. “The Time Meddler” [Season 2, Episode 9, Part 4]
December 17th, 2007 at 7:41 am
Yeah, sorry about this one going slow again. YAFGC strips are quicker and easier to draw, and I’m committed to making sure I have one up every morning. I’m also a few weeks ahead on them so you can’t see when I speed up and slow down on them. T10D is a sporadic updater dependant on my whim and my schedule. So, I’m hoping to have another update soon, though I am pretty busy.
When I am forced to take stock of priorities, YAFGC wins over T10D. Sorry gang.
I’m working on it!
December 17th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Thanks! .. not trying to push for more/sooner/NOW (though tempting!) Just hoping nothing More Serious than normal busy-ness going on keeping you from it. I can be patient… especially when it’s worth it!
December 17th, 2007 at 11:38 am
shhh… we’re distracting Rich from his very important work which i’m thoroughly enjoying btw. I love the different doctor pair ups, especially #2 & #7.
Once the strip is finished, I’d pay to have a full colorized version in print, and I’m sure others would too.
I enjoyed Simm’s Master, I can’t look at our conference room speakerphone the same way.
December 17th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Hey everyone,
Rich, it wasn’t my intention to stuff up your Master characterisation. To paraphrase another fine television show, please feel free to reject my reality and substitute it with your own (that applies to everyone else too).
I’m probably going to be a bit non-linear with my responses, so here goes…
As Heather, Rich and DrkFire666 have also pointed out for two (renegade) Time Lords who continually travel in time and space, they are bound to meet each other from time to time, in a non-linear sequence. The reason it doesn’t happen on the show is because of actor logistics – where it is impossible for the David Tennant Doctor to meet the Roger Delgado Master in the series (which is the great thing about the novels, short stories and comics, where they can).
Mreen & Joe, The Time Lords on Gallifrey don’t (or is that didn’t? Or perhaps won’t?) appear to keep track of its renegade’s movements:
- In the Doctor’s case, when we first meet him in An Unearthly Child, he believes he is on the run from his society, and this seems to be the case leading up to the end of The War Games. It is only after the Doctor’s first trial and exile that the Time Lords appear to be able to locate the Doctor in his first two incarnations
- In the Master’s case, the Time Lords weren’t even aware of his presence on Gallifrey (or the Matrix) in The Deadly Assassin or The Trial of a Time Lord, which implies that they weren’t always keeping a close eye on him
- Professor Chronotis, an escaped Time Lord criminal, successfully eluded the Time Lords by living in his TARDIS disguised as a college dorm, with a stolen Gallifreyan artifact – admittedly he did have the aid of superior mental abilities. Shada also demonstrates how two renegade Time Lords can meet in a non-linear sequence
- Morbius successfully hid from the Time Lords on the planet Karn (relatively close to Gallifrey) for decades
- Azmael was the ruler of Jaconda for many years
- K’anpo/Cho-je – two incarnations of the same Time Lord (breaking the first law of time, no less!) running a Buddhist retreat on Earth
- The Rani, conducting genetic experiments on humans and other intelligent life forms across time and space without the Time Lords acting – and this was after they exiled her!
- The Monk, a Time Lord, whose purpose was to meddle in the affairs of lesser races, in direct violation of the policy of non-intervention (on an aside – and I don’t mean to bring up the whole FASA role playing Monk/Master theory – doesn’t the kid who played the Master as a child look a bit like Peter Butterworth?)
- The War Chief – another Time Lord who used stolen Time Lord technology to advance a war mongering race – only brought to the Time Lords attention by the Doctor’s plea for help
- Drax – well, um, yes…
Officials of Time Lord society have contacted the Doctors in non-linear sequences three times on TV - in the case of The Three Doctors, this was in a time of crisis, in the case of The Five Doctors and The Trial of a Time Lord (future alternate Doctor) by corrupt officialdom. In the Master’s case he is brought to Gallifrey in The Deadly Assassin by corrupt officialdom and in The Five Doctors during a time of crisis. It should be pointed out that in the case of The Two Doctors, Time Crash, and if you think about it Logopolis (the Watcher), there was no Time Lord intervention at all.
Joe, The Master has not been averse to trying to kill previous incarnations of the Doctor before, once again during The Five Doctors.
There are instances of Time Lords not immediately recongnising each other, once again in The Five Doctors (again), the First Doctor doesn’t recognise The Master, despite “being in the academy together”, even the Third Doctor takes a brief moment to recognise the Anthony Ainely Master, and still seems to require confirmation on the identity of his old foe.
We also know the Doctor’s record keeping skills are atrocious and non-linear. I can’t remember if it is in the beginning of The Keeper of Traken or Logopolis, that Adric childes the Doctor for writing that something happened, only to later to say it didn’t, and then later again that it will, but sometime in the future. If the Doctor can’t keep his own chronology in order, it seems very unlikely that he keeps a linear record of the Master’s personal time-line (that’s up to us fans ;p ).
Jim, Re: The Master’s eyes in the TVM, good point. I must confess until you mentioned it, I had never thought of them as cat’s eyes before. But I can see how you would. I had assumed, as Rich pointed out, that they were related to the snake-thingy’s eyes. Just another example of the show we love being ambiguous and contradictory. One of the main reasons I like to think that the Robert’s Master came before the Ainley Master (besides the whole Dalek trial thing) is that Bruce’s body decays quicker than Tremas’ body. In my reasoning Bruce was the Master’s first attempt at a stolen body. It is only after being exposed to the Eye of Harmony (and years of planning and research) that he can perfect the process by the time he steals Tremas’ body.
Re: The Sound of Drums – Series 3, seems to show that the Master has been living with the sound of drums since he was exposed to the vortex as a child. The Doctor mentioned that his reaction when he saw the vortex was to run.
Chris, I think your Time War theory is valid. We know planets and races were affected, surely time would have to be disrupted during a time war also. I have to agree that I wouldn’t like parts of Doctor Who history to never have happened. Perhaps this is why the Time War should never be shown on screen, novel, or comic, that way people can say particular events (like the TVM, Heather, or other people least favourite episodes), never occurred, without contradicting other peoples enjoyment of the same episodes. Does that make sense? Possibly not. And yes, RTD specifically said that Genesis of the Daleks, was the opening strike by the Time Lords in the Time War.
Joe, Re: The Doctor’s age – I agree, the Doctor’s lying. He’s been caught out fibbing about his age before, and now that he can pull the girls, the Tenth Doctor does appear a little vain - see the 2005 Children in Need Special “I’m not bald!” and Time Crash (his reaction to the Fifth Doctor). Like he said in Time Crash, when he was younger he was always trying to be old and important. Now that he is old, he’s lying about his age and trying to be young and hip. ;p
Sorry to take up so much space, guys.
If I don’t type on here before (or hopefully on page 74), Merry Christmas to all of you at home!
December 17th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
See, I’m saying that the drums were literally a retcon, in that they were always around since the Master was a child because the Time Lords messed with his personal timeline at a later date. So though by our perspective and the Time Lords perspective it’s a recent development, it’s actually always been around because they… it’s like… well, they do it in comics all the time, don’t they? Like that.
December 17th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
With this storm we just got walloped with, we’re stuck in Halifax but I introduced family to the Doctor–the results were interesting. Good thing you have that scarf, Rich, it feels almost as cold as that prison planet in the Infinite Quest
December 17th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
Well the Doctor’s got to be over 1000 years old now. He was aged 900 years by the Master’s thingy, and despite the fact that his body was restored, he was in “The Eye of the Storm” or whatever so the aging was not undone when the paradox was reversed.
Hmm. Anyway, re the Master’s drums… I wonder if the Master’s drums weren’t just because he was a Time Lord. You see, Time Lords always have that rhythm in their heads: da-da-da-dum, da-da-da-dum, da-da-da-dum, like the theme tune.
No, I’ve got it! The Doctor Who title graphics have always supposed to represent the Vortex, right? And so the theme tune is the sound of the Vortex: The opening titles are just footage from the Vortex with sound and vision, right? And it’s such a catchy tune that the Master got it stuck in his head!
December 17th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
I would love to see some more old episodes. But since Space stopped playing re-runs and collecting the DVDs looks pricey, what’s a Who fan to do? What’s the best way to see the old classics?
December 18th, 2007 at 12:04 am
Three words, my good dragon: YouTube, Stage6, and Veoh.
December 18th, 2007 at 1:12 am
Of course, on the Valiant the Doctor wasn’t aged in a temporal sense, just physically.
December 18th, 2007 at 10:45 am
Re the da da da dum bit, I heard someone speculating about how you know, that might be what a time lord’s double heartbeat sounds like.
Also on the age thing. While he may mention his age at various times, what’s to say he’s using the same definition of year every time (Sometimes he might be giving it in Gallifreyan years, sometimes in Earth years)
December 18th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Dragon64 - come over to my place and watch them. I taped them all years ago in Australia when they showed the entire series (of completed stories, anyway), starting with “An Unearthly Child”. It was great to revisit those really old stories - most of which hadn’t been repeated since I watched them first time around as a kid.
Since then we’ve managed to collect the “Lost in Time” series and the reconstructed stories (”Tenth Planet”, “Invasion”, “The Ice Warriors”). Of course, coming to the east coast of the US may not be practical for you…
December 18th, 2007 at 11:44 am
Jim North Says: “Three words, my good dragon: YouTube, Stage6, and Veoh”
The Beeb recently went on a YouTube crackdown so a LOT of the early stuff is gone. At one point they actually had all of the old Hartnell serials up but they got wiped and I haven’t seen that anyone has restored them.
At any rate, currently there’s a bit of Pertwee and quite a bit of Tom Baker been put back up search for them under their episode numbers on YouTube (i.e. “93p1″ for episode 93 part 1).
Someone DOES have several of the Troughton stories up under their own episode titles so you can just plug in “The Tomb of the Cybermen” or “The Mind Robber” and find them. If you want “The Invasion”, though, with the missing parts replaced by the animation try searching for “Cosmo’s Invaders”.
And I PRAY the BBC are not looking here. I’d hate to be responsible for stuff getting wiped again.
But I would never have become a Troughton fan if it were not for seeing the epsiodes on YouTube. I’ve gone out since then and bought the DVD’s. Yes, it is expensive but most of them have wonderful extras with cast sommentaries. Some of the Tom Baker stories have commentary by Baker and you see that Tom is as mad today as he ever was. In fact, sometimes I’m not sure if he was really acting when he was the Doctor — he seems just as crazy.
December 18th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Wow! You got a lot of comments now! please don’t let that distract you and just continue with your story
December 18th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
Aria: I like the theory with the double heartbeat. He’d be hearing it in his ears all the time as his pulse thumped through his veins. It also works in that the Professor seemed to be most affected by it when he got excitied.
Problem is, in Human Nature it is revealed that the human transformation extended as far as giving the Doctor one ordinary human heart, so the Professor would presumably have had an ordinary human pulse.
December 18th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Ah! Thank you very much for the tips guys! I shall get my freinds to teach me to use YouTube!
Thanks for the invite Heather! Sadly I’m up here in Canada! But I am very jealous of your collection.
(heh, these faces are kind of freaky but mine kind of looks like me, cool)
My brother taps out that beat all the time like a crazy little Master. Then he got it in my head too.
tap tap tap tap, tap tap tap tap…
I like your ‘catchy tune’ theory Chris. It explains why the beat sounds like the Who theme!
December 18th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
hi
December 18th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
This is wonderful! Your comic was recced on a Doctor Who newsletter on LiveJournal and I’m so glad I checked this out! I’m an avid fan of new who, and I adore your ten and nine. But it’s also really fun getting to know the other versions of the Doctor. Your drawing is just wonderful! Thank you so much!
December 18th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
time Lords can choose there own regenerations IF They Force There Own Regeneration (Like Romana)
December 18th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Whoa the faces are cool! Happy holidays everyone! Rich: I love the comic, and hope to see more soon!
December 18th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Say, what’s with those little… face… avatar… things above the comments? They slow down the page’s loading time quite a bit.
December 19th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Oh My Giddy Aunt! These little face avatars are cute, but I must confess mine is a little freaky, as it looks a little like a beige Doctor Who Diamond Logo wearing an exact replica of my new glasses! :s
Heather, the old ABC TV repeats were how I got most of my 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th Doctor episodes. I had already bought most of Doctors 1, 2 & 3 on VHS, but was able to complete my collection with the complete run of complete stories.
I’m resisting upgrading my collection of Classic Who to DVD, only because I would prefer to buy them in series box sets. It must be the only series (besides The Goodies), that hasn’t been released in series by series box sets.
December 19th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Well, I can understand it not being released as series box sets — I mean when you have so many multi-part stories It would probably end up taking up a lot of disks which would make for bigger box sets which make for more expensive.
For example, William Hartnell’s first season consisted of 42 half-hour epsiodes (basically, running time was I think around 25 minutes)! A complete William Hartnell first season box set would end up being massive and expensive. There would probably end up being fewer extras as well.
Plus, considering that the Classic Doctor Who was story serial based there are a lot of people who might want to own, say “The Aztecs” but would be quite happy to never see “The Gunfighters” ever again (I’m one of them).
December 19th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
joe: Wavatars. The loading time should be better on pages with fewer comments; let me know if it’s still a pain in the ass when the next page is up.
December 19th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
A friend of mine, knowing my fondness for the Fourth doctor, pointed me in your direction two days ago, and I am totally hooked. I’m fairly familiar with Four, Five and Six, having followed them when they used to run on public television in the states many years ago. I only knew One, Two and Three from “The Five Doctors”, I never saw Seven at all, and of course, Eight was just the movie. I’ve loved the new series, with Nine and Ten, but am unfamiliar with most of the other media you’ve drawn upon.
This is absolutely amazing–well drawn, and as plausible as can be for the “Who-niverse”–the combination of serious trouble wtih absolute whackiness is the trademark of Doctor Who, and you have captured it perfectly!
Oh, I do hope for updates soon!!