The Periodic Adventures of Señor 105 - Volume 1
by Cody Schell, Lawrence Burton, and Blair Bidmead
Ebook collection available now
Paperback/ebook available October 31
While the character is unknown to many save for the most hardcore of Whoniverse enjoyers, Señor 105 occupies an interesting place in my life. I know of his Obverse adventures; I've written one myself. And as someone who was raised on Mystery Science Theater 3000, I have an awareness of the Lucha Libre films (especially those starring El Santo) that inspired him. And while his stories will be most accessible to those who have a foot in one or both of those worlds, it's hardly necessary to be versed in either to enjoy these adventures.
The Periodic Adventures of Señor 105 collects nine novellas from years past into new editions. This first volume contains three: "The Gulf," "The Grail," and "By the Time I get to Venus."
Cody Schell's "The Gulf" features 105 and his friend Sheila — a cluster of sentient helium atoms who travels around in a color-changing balloon — as they investigate new happenings in and around the Chicxulub crater. While this is a fun adventure in and of itself with an excellent guest cast (especially Lori Flaherty, the self-proclaimed "first Canadian Mounted Policewoman"), the real appeal of this novella is in its flashbacks to 105's mentors and origins. This makes an excellent gateway for new readers.
Lawrence Burton's "The Grail" sees 105 and his companions twisted up in the reality-defying goings-on of a small town, overseen by the luchador El Profe. It doesn't take long to realize that this is an unapologetic musing on the state of classic vs. modern Doctor Who and its changing hero — and, by extension, the purpose of "heroes" in media in general. Whether one agrees or disagrees with Burton's take, it is a brisk and exciting read, and one with some really fun visceral imagery toward the close.
Blair Bidmead's "By the Time I Get to Venus" saw new life as one half of The Rise and Fall of Señor 105, another novella from the Obverse 10th anniversary sextet. While there isn't a bad story in the bunch, this was easily my favorite, even on a second read. This and "The Gulf" create nice bookends for this particular volume, offering up scenes from both the past and present of 105.
This first volume is definitely more than the sum of its parts, with these three novellas offering an excellent entry into the world of Señor 105. From flashbacks to training on Venus and the work of his mentors to "present-day" battles, we get to see all sides of character and the series he inhabits right from the jump. You don't need to know Señor 105 already to read this book; you'll know him extremely well by the end.
TEA PAIRING: Beach Reads
While it's hard to pin down just one vibe (he's an element-themed luchador with 105 masks, after all!), this lemonade-like herbal feels like a good match for 105's adventures in this volume, which take him from sunny Mexico to the deserts of Venus. Use my code KARA15 at checkout for 15% off this and other blends!
Thanks for the 'brisk and exciting' verdict - genuinely appreciated. My story wasn't a musing on classic v. modern Who any more than Gulliver's Travels is about some bloke having adventures with tiny people. It's about the law of diminishing returns as populist media has succumbed to corporate influence and so been simplified to cliches and stereotypes AND how this simplification is then reflected in fan communities which echo the language of the marketing department (the franchise, the property, discussion of viewing figures etc.) and grow increasingly intolerant (see Alejandro and Marco) in reinforcing their collective, somewhat fragile identity as an extension of a product. There were a couple of references to modern Who mainly because of who I knew would be reading, probably anticipating beloved telly characters with the serial numbers filed off. My main hope was honestly that it should be a grin, generally speaking. With hindsight I was probably trying too hard, but never mind.
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