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| The DALEKS copyright BBC TV and the Estate of TERRY NATION |
RON TURNER (1922-'98), the comics artist famous for RICK RANDOM and numerous other strips, was responsible for nearly half of the 104 DALEKS pages which appeared on the back cover of TV CENTURY 21 from 1965-'67. 30 years later, MARVEL UK asked him to return to the strip for a 6-part adventure which started where the last TV21 Daleks story had ended three decades before. These new episodes appeared in DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE #s 249-254, March-August, 1997. The above strip is the last one from 1967. Below is what happened next...
Click on images to enlarge - click again for optimum size.
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Sadly, Ron passed away before he could complete the next part of the saga, DEADLINE To DOOMSDAY. Two unlettered pages were published in DWM #276, which are presented below. I'm not too sure if these pages are complete because, even allowing for a page-wide logo along the top of each strip, they each look a tier short* to me. Just think - this was perhaps the last comic strip art that Ron ever produced.
(Update: *Apparently, Ron asked to be reminded of the page size, but mistakenly assumed that the dimensions he was given included the logo, so he reduced the height of the pages to accommodate it.)
A big THANKS for sharing those with us ( the first time I've seen them ) - But it won't be the last ...
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to see Ron return to one of his most famous strips from the '60s, eh?
ReplyDeleteJust found out that Ron was actually working on a second story when he died. I can't help wonder where the saga would have gone next.
ReplyDeleteFurther digging has revealed to me that 2 unlettered pages of the story "Deadline To Doomsday were shown in DWM #276! I've got to ask, "Have you got it and, if so, would you show us?" Cheers, J ("the pest") P
ReplyDeleteNot the best quality of reproduction I'm afraid, JP, but it should give you a fair enough idea of what a treat it would've been had it been finished.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! Thanks, Kid. And I've just ordered a DWM # 276 off EBay for a mere 75p ( plus p&p ) !
ReplyDeleteThat's a good buy in anyone's language.
ReplyDeleteI hope there's an insight into John Lawrence's actual story in the mag. I get the jist of the story from these 2 pages, but I can't foresee where the potential "doomsday" will come from, unless it's a bit of a copy of Beneath the POTA?
ReplyDeleteI managed to get a copy of DWM #276 myself, JP (for a mere £2), so when it arrives, I'll replace the inferior page scans which someone sent me. (Not that you'll be worried, what with having your own copy.)
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the Daleks are taking a gubbing in one of those pages, so perhaps the 'doomsday' referred to is the threat of their extinction if they don't gain the upper hand. Hopefully, we'll both soon find out.
You know, I got to thinking that I wished that I knew of a letterer who could do a good job "ghost"-lettering these 2 pages and then it hit me! - HOLD ON A MINUTE! -I'll ask Kid! - Maybe HE'LL know of someone!
ReplyDeleteYour above comment was one that was hiding in my Spam file, JP - just rescued it from oblivion. Funnily enough, I had already considered lettering the pages when I first saw them, but the quality of the scans wasn't good enough for that. That's why I bought the issue on eBay. Watch this space.
ReplyDeleteNOW you've grabbed my attention! I will be watching this space with greater interest than anybody else!!
ReplyDeleteJP, I've now replaced the scans of RT's last Dalek art with superior ones. Click on, then click on the result for optimum size.
ReplyDeleteYeah, much better! I know what you mean about the size of the pages, particularly the first page, but I think that they ARE finished. Perhaps Ron was going to design a slightly wider new logo strip to go with this second story and I reckon you're right - that he was planning to polish the Daleks off, but I can't see how a primitive race armed with rocks & spears could achieve that! My guess is that either by accident or design, the Daleks would take the whole planet with them, perhaps their saucer would turn into a thermo- nuclear device ,causing doomsday for the planet? ( I am even planning my own imaginary lettering for these pages ) - I reckon we are paying tribute to RT, by even thinking these thoughts !
ReplyDeleteI wasn't suggesting that the Daleks were going to be made 'extinct' as a race, JP - merely that the particular Daleks on that spaceship might be facing their own 'doomsday' at the hands of the planet's inhabitants. Of course, as you suggest, it could've been the planet's doomsday that was being referred to, of which I'd also considered the possibility. However, we'll never know unless John Lawrence spills the beans.
ReplyDelete