Divinity #1
Written by Matt Kindt
Pencils by Trevor Hairsine
Inks by Ryan Winn
Colors by David Baron
Letters by Dave Lanphear
Covers by Jelena Kevic Djurdjevic, Tom Muller, Tom Muller and Trevor Hairsine, and Lewis LaRosa with Brian Reber
Valiant Entertainment
Release Date: February 11, 2015
Cover Price: $3.99

Alternative history has always fascinated me, mainly because our past is full of pivotal points in time. If we were to alter a single incident, what else would change? Similarly, time travel offers the exact same scenarios unless you are among those who believe that fate is decreed and cannot be changed. The only reason I mention this is because Divinity #1 works on the premise that during the Cold War, the Soviets were far more advanced than we Americans were. But as oftentimes happens, fledgling science has repercussions. Which leads us to our story…

Classic Doctor Who villains, THE ICE WARRIORS, make a triumphant return in Cold War this week, as the 7th Series of modern Doctor Who continues. In the story written by Mark Gatiss and directed by Douglas Mackinnon, the Doctor (Matt Smith) and companion Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman) take a wrong turn in the TARDIS on the way to Las Vegas, and end up materializing on a sinking Soviet Submarine at the height of Cold War tensions in 1983.

While the materialization would ordinarily be an immediate threat to the Russian sailors, our heroes arrive in the middle of a crisis, with equipment damaged on the boat causing it to sink. Professor Grisenko (David Warner), attached to the command of Captain Zhukov (Liam Cunningham) for scientific drilling in the Arctic, has discovered a surviving Ice Warrior, who begins waging bloody war with the occupants of the submarine.

During TARDISblend 61, we celebrate a brilliant return of the fantastic Ice Warriors, their first appearance in 39 years. We also commend the performances by the spectacular guest stars on this episode, and look into the possibilities for the return of these characters, and perhaps more Ice Warriors adventures in the future…

As usual, we make some Classic Who recommendations too… All this and more on the latest TARDISblend!

Cold War #1
Created, written & drawn by John Byrne
Colors by Rhonda Pattison
Letters by Neil Uyetake
Covers by John Byrne
IDW Publishing
Release Date: October 19th, 2011
Cover Price: $3.99

WARNING!!!! Do NOT buy this comic unless you want to have FUN! I’m not sure just what I was expecting from this comic, but it went far beyond any and all expectations that I had for it. In spades.

Cold War #1 opens with an incredible 11-page sequence that is really fascinating. The great thing about this book is that, while it’s clearly a spy genre, James Bond-type of comic, it doesn’t beat you over the head with it. It’s not a direct homage to the genre, like Crossgen’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, but it has the spirit of the genre without blatantly ripping off James Bond trademarks like gadgets, scandalously named women, and witty one liners. It’s almost an undercover spy book. A covert undercover spy book. Good Lord, I feel like I’m in the “in-famous” scene in The Three Amigos movie.