Frobisher (Doctor Who)

Frobisher is a fictional character who appeared in the Doctor Who Magazine comic strip based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who in the 1980s. He was a companion of the Sixth and Seventh Doctors. The canonicity of the comic strips, like other Doctor Who spin-off media, is unclear.

Related Topics:
Fictional character - Doctor Who Magazine - British - Science fiction television - Doctor Who - 1980 - Companion - Sixth - Seventh Doctor - Canonicity - Spin-off

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Frobisher is a Whifferdill, one of a shape-changing extraterrestrial race. What is assumed to be his natural form, as seen in his first comic strip appearance, is humanoid, pale yellow in color, three to four feet in height, with a round, featureless head, and wearing spectacles. However, he preferred to spend his free time in the form of a penguin.

Related Topics:
Extraterrestrial - Humanoid - Penguin

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When he first appeared in The Shape Shifter (DWM #88-#89) (written by Steve Parkhouse, with art by John Ridgway), Frobisher was a private investigator calling himself "Avan Tarklu" (a play on the phrase "Haven't a clue"). He came across the Doctor when an enemy, Dogbolter, had placed a bounty on the Doctor. After infiltrating the TARDIS, instead of turning the Doctor in for the money, Tarklu decided that he liked the Time Lord and helped him against Dogbolter. He then joined the Doctor on his journeys. He assumed the name of Frobisher because he felt that it sounded British and thought that the Doctor would like that.

Related Topics:
Steve Parkhouse - John Ridgway - Private investigator - The Doctor - TARDIS - Time Lord

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Frobisher was once married to Francine, another Whifferdill, who left him because she was a better detective than he was. Apparently, he was very fond of her in penguin form, and so adopted it to remind himself of her. It is not a static form, however, as Frobisher has been seen emulating different types of penguins.

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Frobisher travelled with the Doctor for quite a long time, occasionally parting company only for their paths to cross once again. He left the Doctor permanently during the latter's seventh incarnation in A Cold Day in Hell (DWM #130-#133) and reunited with Francine. Subsequently, he was seen to have set up a bar called "Bish's" and remarried to Francine, who had taken the alias Caralla.

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The canonicity of Frobisher as a companion is unclear, as he has never appeared in a televised serial. Since his departure from the comic strip, Frobisher has occasionally appeared alongside the Sixth Doctor in spin-off media. These include a novel, Mission: Impractical by David A. McIntee and two Big Finish Productions audio plays, The Holy Terror and The Maltese Penguin, both written by Rob Shearman and featuring Robert Jezek as Frobisher. Maltese Penguin also featured Dogbolter (Toby Longworth) and Francine (Jane Goddard).

Related Topics:
Canonicity - Spin-off media - David A. McIntee - Big Finish Productions - The Holy Terror - The Maltese Penguin - Rob Shearman - Robert Jezek - Toby Longworth - Jane Goddard

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In the novel The Scarlet Empress, Iris Wildthyme claimed that a shape-changer who assumed the shape of a penguin was once her companion. This could refer to Frobisher, Francine, or someone else entirely. However, like much of everything associated with Wildthyme, this claim may or may not have anything to do with actual events.

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