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DOCTOR WHO has appeared in comic-strip format from practically his earliest days. First in Polystyle Publication's TV COMIC, then in COUNTDOWN, followed by TV ACTION (when the former changed its name), and then back to TV COMIC. However, in 1979, under the helm of editor DEZ SKINN, the time-travelling titan was awarded his very own British MARVEL magazine in the shape of (unsurprisingly) Doctor Who Weekly.
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The first issue was cover-dated October 17th (meaning it would've come out the week before) and lasted in its weekly format until issue #44, when it then became a monthly. Essentially a children's adventure comic originally, with the change to monthly publication it gradually became more of a geeky, anorak-type title aimed primarily at diehard fanatics. (Does anyone really need to know that the un-credited 'extra', third from the left in the background of a scene in UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS was also on view for all of two seconds in a 1976 episode of Doctor Who? Some people can't survive without such information, apparently.)
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As well as original strips, the comic also featured reprints of various U.S. Marvel stories (from their mystery, suspense and Marvel Classics titles) with a TALES From The TARDIS logo and illustration of TOM BAKER pasted onto the splash page of each tale. So, here's a select few pages from that premiere issue from all those years ago. Apparently, the magazine is now listed in the GUINNESS BOOK Of RECORDS for being the longest-running TV tie-in publication in the history of everything. What can I say? Timeless.
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One more thing: Back then I had no way of knowing that, nearly 25 years later, I would be a freelance contributor to several issues of the mag - at least one of which reprinted a back-page DALEKS strip from TV CENTURY 21. It gave me a strange sense of connection with my childhood days to see a page I'd read as a kid presented alongside contemporary work that bore my name. A very TWILIGHT ZONE-ish moment indeed.
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I believe Dr. Who Weekly was promoted as a children's adventure comic partly because the series had scored some of its highest ratings due to the 1979 ITV strike.
ReplyDeleteDr. Who Magazine reflected the swing toward a "sci-fi geek" fanbase, on the other hand, because that's the market the current production team was targeting. That niche is where it has remained; the launch of Dr. Who Adventures indicates how the programme regained its currency among children.
I occasionally still buy it, Dougie, but sometimes it can be a bit too 'anal'. I suppose by padding it out with useless 'facts', it saves the writers from having to come up with anything new or relevant about old episodes. Having said that however, it's been a good while since I bought one - maybe it's not as bad as it used to be in that department.
ReplyDeleteHere's something about Dr. Who and Basil "Raven" Rathbone:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thedoctorwhoproject.com/pages/subguidelines/guidelines.php
Took a look, Dougie. They take it seriously, don't they?
ReplyDelete