Timeslip

From TARDIS Index File, the free Doctor Who reference.


Timeslip
Series:	Doctor Who - Fourth Doctor comic strip stories
Doctor:	Fourth Doctor First Doctor
Companions:	K-9 Mark II
Enemy:	Giant space amoeba
Setting:	The Doctor's TARDIS
Author:	Dez Skinn Paul Neary
Editor:	Dez Skinn
Artist:	Paul Neary
Colourist:
Lettering:
Published In:	Doctor Who Weekly 17-18
Publication:	6th February 1980 - 13th February 1980
Publisher:	Marvel Comics
Format:	Comic - 2 parts (8 pages)
Previous Story:	City of the Damned
Following Story:	The Star Beast

[edit] Summary

The Doctor and K-9 drift into contact with a deep space entity that feeds on time itself. As time begins to move backwards, K-9 reverts to the components in which he was made and the Doctor moves back through his regenerations, regressing to the point where he first throws the switch to bring life to the TARDIS. As the power reversal switches the power off, the entity weakens and time moves forward enough to throw the switch on, then back off, then on and so on. Each time the switch is changed the entity experiences indigestion and eventually weakens. As time rolls forward once again all that is left of the entity is a puddle on the TARDIS floor.

[edit] Characters

Fourth Doctor
First Doctor
K-9 Mark II
The Second Doctor and Third Doctor appear briefly
Space amoeba

[edit] Original Print Details (Publication with page count and closing captions)

DWM Issue 17 (4 pages) Next Week: Bid Time Return
DWM Issue 18 (4 pages) Next Week: The Star Beast

[edit] Reprints

DWMS Summer 1981
DWUS Issue 18 Reprinted in colour.
DWCC Issue 27 Reprinted in colour.
The Tides of Time Reprinted in black and white, with closing captions. (Unlike the rest of the stories, printed in full colour).

[edit] Notes

Announced in the previous issue of Doctor Who Weekly as Time Trap
This is the first comic strip story to feature another depiction of the Doctor other than the then-current fourth incarnation, and the first appearance in the comic strip of K-9.
This marked the first DWM appearance of the First Doctor, Second Doctor and Third Doctor. While the First and Fourth Doctors drive the story, the Second and Third appear only transitionally.
The full page regression of the Doctor (which relied heavily on photo-reference of stock photos) through his earlier selves was used as the basis of a colouring competition in DWM Issue 24.

[edit] References

to be added

[edit] Continuity

Reference is made to the Randomiser being operative, placing this story after the events of DW: The Armageddon Factor (and therefore quite a bit later than the preceding strip, DWM: City of the Damned). Romana is said to be absent, but the presence of K-9 and absence of Adric indicates this story (as well as those immediately following in which the Doctor travels with K-9 and Sharon) has to occur prior to the TARDIS entering E-Space in DW: Full Circle.
The reason for Romana's absence is not explained. The Doctor expresses a wish that he could contact her, suggesting that where ever she is (or perhaps due to the randomiser) that communication is difficult.

[edit] Timeline

This story occurs after: DWM: K-9's Finest Hour
This story occurs before: DWM: The Star Beast

[edit] External Links