Now, this is what I call a quality comic. A finale of great emotional weight was inevitable at this point, but what Scott Gray does with Izzy and Destrii is nothing short of a miracle — instead of pitting them against each other and coloring one as the outright villain, he goes for the far more complex approach of setting parallels between them (there's that masterpiece of a two-page illustration that I used as my front image for this review, one that perfectly encapsulates the differences and similarities between these two characters) and showing just how fraught both of their lives were. It's a beautiful moment when Izzy, despite all the pain and suffering Destrii has put her through, stands up for herself and for the Oblivioner in front of her and urges her to fight for what she herself believes in.
As well as emotional payoff, intensity is the game here; it's been quite a while since I last encountered a Doctor Who story with such a bleak, 'we're all going to die and no one knows enough to save us' atmosphere. The planet Oblivion is brown and grey, with skulls and depravity on the outside plains and the decadent monsters of the inner domed city. This is a tale of ghosts, those subjugated and in need of a purpose to live. I'd go on and complain about how frequent these Eighth Doctor comics have turned out to have incorporeal baddies... but I don't think I will, not when they're so well done.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
When the payoff is this immaculate, the artistry in display is so encapsulating and the characters are so well-crafted, you start to get the sensation that what you're reading may be an all-timer. Oblivion sends off Izzy Sinclair in spectacular fashion, celebrating not just her travels with the Doctor, but who she is as a human being. Her fraught relationship with her parents as an adopted child, her troubled teenage years and her burgeoning sexuality, everything is so beautifully done. I don't think a comicbook kiss has given me more overwhelming happiness than the one Izzy and Feyde share — it's a symbol of freedom, of self-acceptance and a sign that Izzy is now in complete control of her life. She knows who she is, who she must be, and why she must leave the Doctor. It's been a wild ride, Izzy, I think to myself as I close these pages, and I'm going to miss you. Oblivion is an epic, emotional finale in a city of nightmares and decrepit lives, and it leaves you with stronger emotions for the Eighth Doctor, Feyde, Izzy... and even Destrii... than ever before. I love them all dearly, as I love this adventure with such intensity. We can be — we are so much better than those that have scarred and abused us.
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