A Review by Richard Radcliffe 18/4/02
Steve Parhouse here signals his more aggressive and imaginative style of storytelling. After the disappointing The Deal, he hits on squarely in the face with a tale of grime and despair.
The TARDIS materializes in an underground. The Doctor nearly gets run over by one of the automatic trains and then encounters a group of thugs, straight out of Hell. This is a world of "no bright lights, no cinemas, just pollution, waste and unbounded gloom" as Parkhouse so eloquently puts it. Streetgangs fight for whatever scraps are left. The Doctor is seen as Lunch. This is sounding awfully like another show on TV but here goes:- Just when this collection of demons are about to decapitate the Doctor, Angel arrives - a streetfighting Saviour. Angel, it turns out, is one of a group of Guardian Angels - the only peacekeepers in this dark underbelly of civilization - she looks surprisingly pristine too!
There is some terrific Black Humour included. The "Meals on Wheels" gag when the Doctor is chased by the Cannibals on a moving train, is the best. Also funny to see the Doctor's scarf being a hindrance for a change, about time it got caught in something.
The End of the Line of the title is in fact the outside. The Engineer is trying to rig the electric, automatic trains, so that they go onto the outside line. Outside the city into the Countryside - a lush place of magic away from the dark, decrepit city. The Doctor helps of course, and the train leaves.
The genius of this story lies in its resolution. There is no happy ending here, there wasn't in the last Comic Strip either. The Doctor has to find out whether the train made it out of the city. The TARDIS materializes in the "Countryside", outside the City Walls - but it is a waste, just with no walls. He sits on a Wooden Chair, next to the Railway Line, waiting for the train that never comes.
End of the Line is a rich tale of survival. It pulls a fair old punch, and contains a dark gloomy world that only can be seen in nightmares. Full credit to the very talented Dave Gibbons for the Artwork. One of the best Comics you are likely to read. 9/10