Joan Brown

Joan Brown was a companion of the Third and Fourth Doctors.

Biography
Joan was a reporter for a newspaper circa the 1970s. She met the Third Doctor shortly after his exile on Earth began and later invited him to a formal dinner in aid of the Lindfield Society. (PROSE: Countdown to TV Action) She went on to travel in the TARDIS with the Fourth Doctor.

Whilst observing a dying planet at the edge of Mutter's Spiral in the TARDIS, the Zircon caused it to explode. Joan believed that the Doctor had accidentally taken them to the time the planet went nova, but the Doctor stated that it was impossible and calculated that the galactic cyclone resulting from the nova would read the Earth as a poison cloud.

After several days, Joan and the Doctor arrived on Earth where they informed General Maxwell-Lennon of the situation. The three visited the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street where the rescue of a chosen few was planned. Joan was upset at how many people were going to die, telling the Doctor that she wished to die with the rest of humanity. The two drove Bessie to a giant electronic eye where they spotted the Zirconian fleet, who Joan remarked would have to be quite intelligent to do what they had.

The Doctor planned to use the Earth's satellites to create a shield of static electricity to protect the planet from the cloud, but Joan was sceptical that he could generate enough power. They waited until the fleet was within range before activating the shield, causing the cloud to explode and the fleet to be destroyed. The two later visited General Maxwell-Lennon before driving away in Bessie.

According to another account, this threat was instead thwarted by the Third Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith. (COMIC: Doomcloud)

Behind the scenes

 * Joan Brown's sole appearance was in the Mighty Midget Doctor Who Comic reprint of Doomcloud, in which she replaced Sarah Jane Smith, while the Third Doctor was replaced by the Fourth. As TV Comic's depiction of Sarah was so unlike that of Elisabeth Sladen, no alteration to the artwork was necessary in this case. However, the Doctor does still refer to "Joan" as "Sarah" in one panel presumably overlooked during the updating process.