Torchwood: Rift War

BBC's super-fun sci-fi series TORCHWOOD extends its multimedia tentacles further, with the graphic novel TORCHWOOD: RIFT WAR. The 10-chapter tale is culled from the franchise's monthly magazine, each issue of which includes a comic feature. The epic story begins with a rift opening in the middle of a department store, unleashing a slew of heavily armed, heavily armored and crimson-maned aliens that look like animals. Naturally, the men and women of Torchwood Institute — England's one-of-a-kind extraterrestrial investigation agency — swoop in to save the day. Except that's easier said than done. Turns out the invasion of the Harrowkind was just to distract Team Torchwood from the aliens' true goal: stealing Torchwood HQ, leaving a mostly black void in its place, and destroying it so that it can then destroy humanity without interference. The upside is the rift also allows a bald, ponytailed man named Vox through, and he pledges to help Torchwood defeat the aliens. In each chapter, the rift presents a new challenge for Captain Jack Harkness and his crew, including a giant baby who turns into some sort of Lovecraftian creature, a horde of dinosaurs, and a shapeshifter loose in a shopping mall. The most ingenious part takes place at a Stonehenge-type site, where dual storylines set in 1918 and the present day unfold simultaneously, with characters crisscrossing from one to the other. Even more so than the spinoff novels, RIFT WAR actually captures the TV series' spirit, visually depicting its action-packed, tongue-in-cheek blend of fantasy and fun, only minus the horniness. Better yet, each character gets more playtime — even Torchwood's pet pterodactyl. With the exception of Brian Williamson's bonus standalone story, "Jetsam," which struggles to make sense, the writing by Simon Furman, Paul Grist and Ian Edginton is solid, as is the art by Grist, D'Israeli and SL Gallant. It's a little weird having different artists alternate among chapters, especially since Gallant's more realistic style looks nothing like the others' more cartoony approach. All look great — just don't expect cohesion (sometimes, Gwen isn't even drawn with her trademark tooth gap). Until the series' abbreviated third season, CHILDREN OF EARTH, hits DVD, RIFT WAR will serve as a perfectly acceptable substitute for the real deal. —Rod Lott Buy it at Amazon. OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES: • TORCHWOOD: ANOTHER LIFE by Peter Anghelides • TORCHWOOD: BORDER PRINCES by Dan Abnett • TORCHWOOD: THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE YEARBOOK