Doctor Who character
Frobisher
Affiliated with	Sixth Doctor Seventh Doctor
Race	Whifferdill
Home planet	Xenon
Home era	82nd century
First appearance	The Shape Shifter
Last appearance	A Cold Day in Hell
Portrayed by	Robert Jezek (voice)

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 open to interpretation. Frobisher, a shapechanging extraterrestrial from the Doctor Who comic strip in Doctor Who Magazine. ... The Sixth Doctor is the name given to the sixth incarnation of the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... The Seventh Doctor is a fictional character, the seventh incarnation of the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... Robert Jezek is a British actor who plays the part of the companion Frobisher in a range of audio dramas by Big Finish Productions based on the BBC television series Doctor Who. ... A fictional character is any person, persona, identity, or entity whose existence originates from a work of fiction. ... Doctor Who Magazine (abbreviated as DWM) is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... A broadcast of the long-running and popular British science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... This article is about the television series. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Companion, in the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, is a term used to describe a character who travels with and shares the adventures of the Doctor. ... The Sixth Doctor is the name given to the sixth incarnation of the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... The Seventh Doctor is a fictional character, the seventh incarnation of the Doctor seen on screen in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. ... Canon, in the context of a fictional universe, comprises those novels, stories, films, etc. ... Doctor Who spin-offs refers to material created outside of, but related to, the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ...

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. For other uses, see Shapeshifting (disambiguation). ... Green people redirects here. ... The term humanoid refers to any being whose body structure resembles that of a human. ... Modern genera Aptenodytes Eudyptes Eudyptula Megadyptes Pygoscelis Spheniscus For prehistoric genera, see Systematics Some penguins are curious. ...

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. Steve Parkhouse is a writer/artist/letterer who has been working in comics since 1969 when he worked on Marvel Comics Nick Fury character. ... John Ridgway signing Lobo comic books. ... A private investigator, private detective, PI, or private eye, is a person who undertakes investigations, usually for a private citizen or some other entity not involved with a government or police organization. ... The current TARDIS prop. ... This article is about the Time Lords from Doctor Who. ...

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.

Frobisher travelled with the Doctor for quite a long time, occasionally parting company only for their paths to cross once again. When he first came on board the TARDIS, the Sixth Doctor was travelling alone, but in Kane's Story (DWM #104), the Sixth Doctor's television companion Peri Brown returned, apparently placing Frobisher's stories between Seasons 22 and 23 (indicated by Peri's changing hairstyles in the comic strip compared to her television appearances). Peri Brown, full name Perpugilliam Brown, is a fictional character played by Nicola Bryant in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ...

Frobisher was obviously not with the Doctor and Peri in Season 23's The Trial of a Time Lord, but no explanation was provided in the comic strip for his absence. Frobisher's last appearance prior to Trial was The World Shapers (DWM #127-#129). The Trial of a Time Lord is the on-screen title for all fourteen episodes comprising the 23rd season (1986) of the original Doctor Who series. ...

At the end of Trial, it was revealed that Peri had married King Yrcanos and settled on the planet Krontep. The graphic novel The Age of Chaos, written by Colin Baker (who played the Sixth Doctor) revealed that Frobisher and the Sixth Doctor visited Peri's descendants several times, so Frobisher must have rejoined the Doctor after Trial in an unseen story. After this story, Frobisher apparently departs again, since he is never again seen travelling with the Sixth Doctor. For the Wales international football player see Colin Baker (Welsh footballer) Colin Baker (born London, June 8, 1943) is an English actor who is best known for playing the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who, from 1984 to 1986. ...

Frobisher was ultimately reunited with the Seventh Doctor, once again "off-screen", and eventually departed permanently in A Cold Day in Hell (DWM #130-#133). Subsequently, he was seen to have set up a bar called "Bish's" and remarried to a bird-like humanoid named Caralla (Where Nobody Knows Your Name, DWM #329). Frobisher therefore had at least three distinct tenures with the Doctor, only one of which has a depicted ending.

The canonicity of Frobisher as a companion is open to interpretation, 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). The placement of these spin-off stories is not firmly established, but as the Sixth Doctor and Frobisher are travelling alone, they may take place between Trial and The Age of Chaos. // The Whoniverse, a portmanteau of Doctor Who and universe, is the fictional universe in which Doctor Who, Torchwood and other related stories take place. ... Doctor Who spin-offs refers to material created outside of, but related to, the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... David A. McIntee is a British writer. ... Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces audio plays released straight to compact disc, based on British cult science fiction properties. ... The Holy Terror is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... The Maltese Penguin is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... Robert Shearman appearing on Doctor Who Confidential Robert Shearman (also credited as Rob Shearman; born February 10, 1970 near London, England, United Kingdom) is currently best-known as a writer of Doctor Who audio plays for Big Finish, and for his ongoing association with Jarvis & Ayres Productions (Martin Jarvis and... Robert Jezek is a British actor who plays the part of the companion Frobisher in a range of audio dramas by Big Finish Productions based on the BBC television series Doctor Who. ... Toby Longworth is a British actor who has appeared on film, radio and television. ...

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. The Scarlet Empress is an original novel written by Paul Magrs and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. ... Iris Wildthyme is a fictional character in the spin-off media based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, appearing mainly in short stories and novels. ...

External links

• Frobisher at TARDIS Index File