• A Review by Tom May
• A Review by Jamie Beckwith

A Review by Tom May 9/1/99

"You really haven't got this time travel lark sussed yet, have you?"
-Izzy, speaking to the Doctor

By Hook Or By Crook is a very useful diversion for the comic strip after the hefty Fire and Brimstone. A tone far more light-hearted than usual is noticeable. Despite the pictorial distractions of a bizarre-looking group of aliens, it's clear that this one-parter is characterisation on the part of The Doctor and Izzy. Their relationship is excellently conveyed, with the Doctor left helpless, and hapless throughout much of the story, while Izzy has to save his skin. Indeed, Izzy's character is used very nicely, coming across as witty, cynical, cunning and very likeable -- a far cry from successive whingeing TV Series companions in the '80s (ie. Tegan and Peri). Izzy has (as regular readers of the DWM comic strip will gather) a distinct propensity for name-dropping (generally of Science Fiction films et al), and it's unsurprising, but neatly post-modern to see her mentioning of Fritz Lang.

The Eighth Doctor appears to be almost a fully rounded figure for once (unlike in some offending BBC Novels), and displays a wonderful hangdog expresion in the penultimate picture. The art is exceptional, and done very differently than usual -- there's little attempt at realism, and the starring pair are given just that little bit more character because of the incisively basic drawings of them in this comic strip.

As I believe a cordial relationship between Doctor and Companion is very necessary in any medium, it's great to see the warm, witty rapport between The Doctor and Izzy, and for this alone, the story is brilliant. Aside from this, it's a pleasant little yarn, with many knowingly ironic touches, the odd in-joke and effectively drawn images.

In summary, By Hook Or By Crook is brilliant, winning light relief, that features Izzy and the Doctor at their finest. 9/10

A Review by Jamie Beckwith 28/6/10

For anyone who's taken even a cursory reading of Doctor Who Magazine over the last few years, they surely cannot have failed to notice the extremely distinctive artwork of Adrian Salmon. Vivid colours and angular lines providing an instant signature, his involvement with the comic strip stretches back to some of the earliest 8th Doctor adventures.

Here in this humorous one-off, the TARDIS crew land on an alien world. Izzy would rather finish reading the guide book to the planet's history first before exploring which leaves the Doctor to wander off by himself and pretty much almost immediately find himself accused of murder. Business as usual then really!

The story is slight, albeit fun, but it's the artwork which is the main star here. From the deranged hulk of insanity who is the actual murderer to the almost New-York-cop-style silhouettes of the Tor-Ka-Nomian prison guards to Izzy who in all her geeky glory has never looked sexier.

The final punchline works in that its cheekiness lets you overlook the Deus Ex Machina. Russell T. Davies never had it this easy!