The Good
The Doctor and his trusty TARDIS comes to Earth... our Earth. The Doctor discovers he's famous here and everyone knows about his adventures.
This is an insanely fun issue, and that's for sure. Writer Paul Cornell keeps this super-sized issue fun and actually gets a few chuckles out of me, like when the Doctor wins second place at a cosplay contest or when applause confuses the single Cyberman on Earth. What really makes this a great issue is the fact it doesn't go where you'd think it go. It doesn't get caught up, too much, in this life or death story. It's really just about the Doctor discovering the fan worship for him on our Earth, while getting close to someone who loves the show. Sure, there's a little Cyberman action here, but the heart of this book isn't about that.
This is a big issue. It comes out to 40 pages, so it's about double the size of your standard comic, but the best part is that it doesn't really feel long. The story has a great flow to it, and by the time it wraps up, you'll wish there was more.
There's something that's kind of touched on here that needs more delving into. The Doctor has come to Earth and realizes all of his stories have been made into a fictional series. This includes his current journey to Earth, which is the episode Matt Smith is currently filming during this adventure. Does that mean Steven Moffat has some sort of connection to the Doctor's universe? Is Steven Moffat some sort of god? I know it's really out there, but this is a story idea that Cornell grazed over that should really be explored more. How does a normal man get the idea for the true Doctor's stories? Normally, this is something I'd lean more towards putting in the bad section of a review, but Cornell does a really great job at giving the reader a taste of these ideas, but sticking to his guns with this main story. This is a place I'd love for Cornell to visit again though.
The Bad
This is really a book for Doctor Who fans. Random folks picking this up won't pick up on the inside jokes and little nuances Cornell throws into this issue. You also have to be caught up on Doctor Who news, as well, to catch on to a few little things in here, like who is playing the incarnation of the Doctor.
The girl, in this story, doesn't have a name. Her name is never mentioned when they meet, and I didn't seem to notice it throughout the book. It bugged me a great deal, especially in the opening greeting where The Doctor introduces himself to her and she says nothing back.
The Verdict
This DOCTOR WHO SPECIAL is a book for Doctor Who fans and no one else. That sounds mean and cruel, and it's not supposed to come off that way, but it's true. Fans of the series will love this 2013 Special. It's really a love letter to the fans and the series. In fact, it's one of the more fun issues of DOCTOR WHO I've read since IDW recently relaunched it. There's not a lot of books coming out this week; however, if you have some extra cash or you're a Doctor Who fan, you really should pick this book up. It's a ton of fun.