The Star Beast

The Star Beast was a Doctor Who serial by writer Pat Mills and artist Dave Gibbons which ran in Doctor Who Weekly issues #19-26, published by Marvel UK from 20th February to 9th April 1980. Reprinted several times since, in both Britain and America and by publishers including Marvel, IDW and Panini, it is probably one of the most deservedly popular and well remembered Doctor Who comic stories. It also marked the first appearance of Sharon Davies, who was The Doctor's first non Caucasian companion.

The plot
Beep the Meep, a cute, furry alien crash lands in the northern town of Blackcastle, pursued by the hideous Wrarth Warriors, and is rescued by schoolchildren Sharon and Fudge. Unfortunately, as becomes clear when The Doctor and K9 arrive, the Meep is not all that he seems; he is, in fact, a genocidal maniac intent on escaping capture by the Wrarth warriors (who are actually Galactic police officers) even if it means creating an artificial black hole which will destroy Blackcastle (and, incidentally, the rest of Earth). The Doctor successfully thwarts his scheme, and Beep is sentenced to an unfeasibly long prison sentence (though, as the sequel Star Beast II later reveals, he will not, in fact, end up serving it out). Note: John Wagner is credited as co-writer, but the script was, in fact, all by Mills; the pair were taking it in turns to write the stories at this point, but being co-credited on all of them.