CAST
A very simple cast for this one. Just the Tenth Doctor, Rose (series 2), Cybermen and Cyber Controller (Toys R Us exclusive. Or was it Woolworths?)
INSPIRATION
The AFT began life using home-made custom 4" figures but I was delighted when Character started making their 5" range. The trouble was, they were the ONLY figures in that scale at the time so finding supporting cast was next to impossible.
This was one of the stories I came up with to get round that. Essentially, a retelling of TOMB OF THE CYBERMEN.
I did consider using K-9 as the Earth robot but in order to get something new into the story, I created a papercraft robot. You can download and make your own (see below). Note the Torchwood logo on the side. A subtle series 2 touch.
SHOOTING
It was one of the first times I designed sets in photoshop, all based on the Tomb of the Cybermen.
The Cybermen's transmitter is the cloud city weather vain that came with the Saga Bespin Luke Skywalker figure in 2002 with the power box and cables from the vintage tripod laser cannon and vehicle maintenance engineer.
The control panel that the Cyberman is holding is the firing backpack from the Episode 1 Sith accessory pack. The Doctor's cloaking device is an accessory from a Spy Kids figure. His bomb is an accessory from a Corps Space figure.
The TARDIS console room appears in all its glory for the first time (it had been glimpsed in a previous tenth Doctor story BACKWARDS). Also appearing for the first time is the TARDIS money box as the Police Box. The proper TARDIS exterior had yet to be released.
EDITING
For its original appearance, the story was posted as individual panels so the layout isn't particularly dynamic. For this reproduction, I've put the images together into pages and added frames.
The opening EarthNet newsfeed was deliberately meant to look like the BBC website.
CONTINUITY
The story is set after AGE OF STEEL where Rose first meets the Cybermen but before ARMY OF GHOSTS/ DOOMSDAY. Despite the fact that these are 'parallel Earth' Cybus Cybermen, our story makes the assumption that such a look was also developed in OUR universe. Later Doctor Who episodes would confirm this.
The headlines on the opening page are mostly random but the 'Earth Reptile Parliament' refers to the Silurians speculating that they co-exist on Earth following the events of WARRIORS OF THE DEEP. London Seabase is a reference to climate change and an assumption at the time that London will be flooded by the 22nd Century.
TRANSMISSION
This story was originally posted in early 2007. It was reprinted on 4th and 11th March 2023.
