PART TWO OF MARVEL'S DOCTOR WHO COVER GALLERY...

DOCTOR WHO copyright BBC TV

Never one to rest on my laurels (though sometimes I'll relax on my hardies), I plunge once more into the frenetic fray with yet another generous helping of images from MARVEL's U.S. monthly mag from the mid-'80s. DAVE GIBBONS was the cover artist for these issues and, as ol' BRUCIE would say, didn't he do well?!  (That one will probably be lost on our American readers.)

Seeing as how the 50th Anniversary of The DOCTOR is coming up later this month, I thought I'd whet your appetite for all things WHO by teasing you with the accompanying awesome illustrations. And just think, you lucky peeps - there's still one more part to come featuring the final eight covers in the series.  Don't forget to be here!

Da-da-de-dum, da-da-de-dum, da-da-de-dum...

  

THE CHILDREN OF PAN...

Images copyright relevant owner

When Scottish-born author KENNETH GRAHAME wrote his literary classic The WIND In The WILLOWS at the beginning of the last century, his original title for the book was The Wind In The Reeds.  However, it was considered too similar to William Butler Yeats' novel, The Wind Amongst The Reeds, so Grahame offered yet another suggestion - The Children of Pan.  Other names were proposed, before the original title was amended slightly to the more alliterative one we all know and love today.

30 years ago (1983/'84), when I purchased the THAMES METHUEN edition featuring colour plates specially photographed on the set of the COSGROVE HALL TV movie, every single dustjacket in every single bookstore I visited had wrinkles marring the clear 'lamination' on the cover.  I bought the best one I could get and then contacted the publishers for a replacement dustjacket.  The one I received had the exact same problem (as you can see in the accompanying scans) so it seems that they were all printed with the same imperfection.

That aside, however, it's a nice little edition, so I thought I'd share the interior colour plates with those of you who may never have seen them before.  I don't know if this particular edition of the book is still available, but if you're looking for the ideal Christmas gift for your children, nieces or nephews (from 11 up), any one of a number of other versions of this classic tale would be a superlative choice.  (I'd recommend an ERNEST H. SHEPARD illustrated edition.)  The book hasn't been out of print since first published in 1908, so it must have something going for it.

And if you're an adult who hasn't yet read the book yourself, then why delay such a delightful adventure any longer?  You're in for a rare treat indeed.  Buy a copy now - before Mr. TOAD pays you a visit in his motor car.  POOP!  POOP!

   

Update, 4-5-'25: On Sunday 5th May 2024, I purchased another copy of this book via eBay, which arrived on Friday 10th.  The only difference is that it's a Book Club Associates edition and, thankfully, the cover lamination isn't crinkled in places.  Nice to have a spare. 

TV CENTURY 21 COVER GALLERY - PART THREE...

Copyright relevant owners

Time for another instalment in our TV CENTURY 21 cover gallery, this time featuring issues #21-30.  Hopefully, these will bring a warm glow of nostalgic recognition to those who read the comic as kids way back in the '60s.  Of course, as TV21 was dated a hundred years ahead, if any of us make it to 2065, we're due to meet our younger selves exiting the newsagent's, clutching a brand-spanking new edition of Britain's greatest comic.

Maybe our younger incarnations will allow their older selves to read the comics over their shoulders, eh?  Hey, Presto - full circle!