Now before we go any further, let’s all stare at this beauty, shall we?
Look at that stunning cover by Sean Longmore.
ooh new daleks. hang on is that the eighth doctor console room
I’m a little surprised the news is out whilst DARK GALLIFREY: MORBIUS is still ongoing (Part 3 next month, get ready)… but yes, it’s true - Morbius is set to return! I’m thrilled to have written the first story of an epic new range: “THE WAR DOCTOR RISES”. This is a full-throttle tale of revenge and war, coming out in August 2024. Come on, it’s one of the Time Lord’s greatest generals entering the Time War, how’s that for a hook?
Lightly billed as a sequel to my DARK GALLIFREY story, MORBIUS THE MIGHTY is in some ways the second-half of a grand Morbius mini-saga. However, I was very conscious to make it function as a standalone story. This is a three-hour gothic action-adventure in its own right. You won’t need to have heard any of “THE WAR DOCTOR BEGINS” either - this is a new range, a new chapter, a new situation. I don’t want anyone missing out because they have to play catch-up.
(Of course, if you like what you hear, I do hope you’ll go back and check out both my DARK GALLIFREY story and the earlier stuff in the WAR DOCTOR range. There are some amazing stories in that series and Mr Carley’s performance needs to be heard to be believed!)
Bringing Morbius back
I’ve never really done this sort of ‘continuation’ of a guest character before. It very nearly happened with a couple of original characters (including Marta Malvani from THE GULF and Jack Frost from BREAK THE ICE) but generally I thought I was a one-and-done kind of writer. However, I adored the verbose villainy of Morbius… and Sam West had such a fun time in the booth… so when I was pitching for this new range, I pushed for another chance to write for the villainous Time Lord.
DARK GALLIFREY recorded in 2022 (not 2023 as the website suggests) so I had a whole year to conjure up a compelling story. During that time I revisited the greatest sequel I know - STAR TREK 2: THE WRATH OF KHAN. When I first saw this film, I actually knew very little of STAR TREK, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the heck out of it. If you’ve never seen it, I really recommend it. There are beautiful themes, tense action sequences, literary allusions… and it all comes down to a fantastic clash between two opposing forces.
I hope I’ve distilled those vibes into MORBIUS THE MIGHTY. There’s even a nod to one of the film’s famous speeches. Other influences for this tale of revenge include THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO and the MASTER AND COMMANDER series. I’ve also continued some of the spooky nautical vibes from my DARK GALLIFREY - this Morbius seems to be shaping up as a kind of un-dead Napoleon. And you know what, I’m cool with that.
Morbius the Mighty
I have to admit, there were times when I was a little nervous about writing the return of Morbius. He’s known as the General, he’s a brilliant tactician, I knew I couldn’t half-arse his appearance in the Time War, you lot would never forgive me! I had to make him as effective in this environment as possible. That’s what would make him a very powerful adversary - especially compared to an ailing War Doctor. (wait why’s he sick? what’s happened to him?)
So what differentiates Morbius from all the other dodgy Time Lords out there? Personally, I think it’s something to do with the fact that Morbius is a born leader - or at the very least, believes himself to be one. There’s a point in the story when he describes himself as a ‘coalition of conquest’, and I think that’s very telling. He feels incomplete if he does not have a following, an army. He is the ultimate Frankensteined figure whether he’s made from bits of other creatures or not - because even when he’s whole, he is a broken patchwork who feels like there’s something missing, something owed to him.
Compare this to the lone wolf of the War Doctor, and I hope we’re geared up for a fascinating confrontation…
MORBIUS THE MIGHTY features Jonathon Carley as the War Doctor and Samuel West as Morbius. There’s also Sheila Ruskin as Cora, a ex-sister of Karn, Gareth Armstrong as Judd, Theo Solomon as Herving and Pamela Nomvete as the mysterious 1-8-1.
With special guest star… Nicholas Briggs as the Daleks! I’m normally terrified of writing for the Daleks, but this time it was a riot. Listen to find out why.
One final thing - nobody got my super-subtle hint about this sequel in my previous substack (I was sure the Davina meme was a giveaway). So - I’ve got an Even Subtler hint hidden in these paragraphs about something huge that’s waiting in the wings. Enjoyyyy!
have been enjoying dark gallifrey: morbius a lot and i think you’ve sold me on this box set!