Make ‘Doctor Who’ Comics Day a Family Affair

Titan Comics will release their first Doctor Who crossover miniseries, Doctor Who: Four Doctors!, with a global Doctor Who Comics Day event this week!

The five-part weekly comic by Paul Cornell, with illustrations by Neil Edwards, will feature the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors, and their comic companions.

The Doctor Who Comics Day celebrations will include several location-exclusive variant covers of the Four Doctors #1, cosplay contests, giveaways, collectible merchandise, comic signings, and more at sites throughout the United States, United Kingdom, and other locations.

Cornell, Edwards, Tenth Doctor writer Nick Abadzis, and Eleventh Doctor writers Rob Williams and Al Ewing will also take part in a special live Doctor Who podcast from London’s Orbital Comics.

However, there doesn’t have to be any special appearances or extras to enjoy this event anywhere. One of the most appealing things about the entire Doctor Who fandom is how it has spawned at least three generations of Whovians, in its more than five decades of existence.

Here are some ways to take advantage of the family opportunities the day offers:

Take part in some inter-generational cosplay. Are you from the era of long scarves or leather jackets? Capes or Converse? Flutes or fezzes? Master or Mistress? K-9 or Captain Jack? Romana or River? Wow! There is a lot to work with in that wardrobe department. It’s amazing to see how much one show can evolve so much over the years and still remain, at its essential core, the same appealing story of adventure. Different generations dressing up like a character from their favorite Who era is, when you think of it, pretty close to time travel.

Dive into the “expanded Whoniverse.”  Titan has been doing its part, giving fans of the Doctor’s incarnations, from the Ninth to Twelfth, as well as the War Doctor, new adventures—and there will be more to check out at the event. While you’re there, also see what other types of audio dramas and novelizations, reference books, or role-playing games are out there. For example, fans of the Eighth Doctor may be surprised to find out he has been part of more non-television stories than any other Doctor incarnation, from the award-winning audio dramas like Dark Eyes to novels, to a long-running comic serial in Doctor Who Magazine from the time the movie aired to the series re-launch nearly 10 years later. He’s about to get even more stories, with Titan’s Eighth Doctor miniseries coming out in October.

Bring snacks on the road! “Would you like a jelly baby?” “Bananas are good!” “Don’t be lasagna!” Let’s not forget fish fingers and custard, Jammie Dodgers, the avoidance of beans and pears, and any other number of foodie references throughout the years. Bring along some banana chips or jelly babies (gummy bears are good substitutes). Kitchen Overlord creator Chris-Rachael Oseland also has some great Whovian-inspired recipe ideas on her website, and in her Dining With the Doctor cookbook soon to get a “regenerated” upgrade.

Make a full day of it. Doctor Who Comics Day doesn’t just have to be during a designated time and place. Enjoy those aforementioned snacks with a family lunch or picnic before the event and let everyone pick a favorite episode that night for a Who marathon.

If Doctor Who can bring people of all ages and walks of life together through 50-plus years of fandom, then The Doctor can certainly do the same for your family.

Doctor Who Comics Day is Saturday, August 15, at comic shops, bookstores, and libraries worldwide. Learn more about what’s happening on Facebook and Twitter.