Titan; $4.99 

The Doctor came to the floating prison Panoptopolis with one goal: to save his traveling companion Belinda Chandra from the lunatic warden that is holding her against her will. The Doctor embarked on a Dante’s Inferno style odyssey through the prison, alongside four prisoners who were just transferred to the facility. Three of them have been killed by other prisoners or the prison’s own defenses, leaving the Doctor with just Felik the Slitheen pirate. 

They have finally made their way to the heart of the prison, the block meant for the most dangerous criminals, and the place where the warden is hiding with Belinda. There are still multiple challenges ahead before the Doctor and Belinda are safe, because the warden has a few more cards to play. 

Doctor Who: The Prison Paradox is a very good Doctor Who comic that hits many of the high notes from the sci-fi series courtesy of writer Dan Watters, artist Sami Kivelä, and colorist Valentina Bianconi. The Doctor is put in multiple no-win situations and yet he prevails, giving the book moments of suspense bested by heroics. The book features several creative alien designs – both classic and new – and those creatures are treated as beings capable of complex emotions instead of just as monsters. It also has Doctor Who’s ever present hopefulness that is a comfort to the show’s viewers and comic readers. 

–Amanda Sheriff