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As all you Crivvies will know by now (because I never shut up about it), I own all three DALEK books from the 1960s. However, what you don't know (because I haven't told you yet) is that I also have a spare copy of each of the first two books. (Okay, now you know.) Try and control your seething jealousy at my good fortune. (Update, April 2024: I now also have a second copy of the third book, so - a 'hat trick' !)
Thing is, when I got them, they both had pages missing. I knew before I bought The DALEK WORLD, but didn't find out in the case of The DALEK BOOK until after I received it. (That's the order in which I purchased them, not the sequence in which they were published.) It's unlikely that the seller knew either, because the missing pages weren't immediately obvious (yes, I got a partial refund). Not a problem to me, as I simply scanned the absent pages from my complete copies, then printed them out and restored them to their alloted space in the books.
The first book doesn't have the usual laminate wrinkling that this edition often suffers from (not on the front cover anyway, and just a little on the back), so it would've been a sinful waste to dispense with it merely because of four missing pages. The second book (which was issued without a laminate covering) is pretty much scuff-free, a problem that it's often prone to. (It was also short of four pages.)
The first book doesn't have the usual laminate wrinkling that this edition often suffers from (not on the front cover anyway, and just a little on the back), so it would've been a sinful waste to dispense with it merely because of four missing pages. The second book (which was issued without a laminate covering) is pretty much scuff-free, a problem that it's often prone to. (It was also short of four pages.)
So they're now complete, and you'd have to look twice (maybe even three times) when browsing through them to spot that they aren't the original pages. They're even more or less the same thickness as the originals. Ah, I'm so gifted. My parents told me when I was a kid that I was a 'gifted' baby - "You surely don't think we'd have paid for you?" my father said.
Anyway, wondering whether I did a good job or not? (Don't lie, you know you are.)
Then check out the piccies below. (Incidentally, the camera flash bouncing off the replacement pages have made them look a little whiter than they actually are, but the difference between new and old is less apparent than appears here. The pages are simply 'cleaner', with no age spots or discolouration. However, that will probably change over time.
And now, in response to reader DW's special request (see comments section) - 'BATTLE For The MOON'... (I don't make a habit of this, so don't anyone be deluging me with requests.)
Lovely restoration job. Any chance of scanning the complete 'Battle for the Moon' dalek strip onto here?
ReplyDeleteDave Walker
Give me a few days or so, DW. I'm worn out just now and will be taking it easy for a day or two. Check back Monday, though if I can I'll do it before then.
ReplyDeletePages now up. You were lucky - I'd forgotten I'd already scanned them a couple or so years back.
ReplyDeleteTop man, good skills. Dave Walker
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the strip. I never knew about the annuals back in the day, presumably this is one you had as a kid?
ReplyDeleteThe art in that Battle for the Moon strip is just beautiful. Thanks fire sharing this!
ReplyDeleteThat makes two satisfied readers, DS. I must be getting better at this.
ReplyDeleteApologies for my spelling on my last couple of posts - it seems I don't always pick up on my phone's auto-corrections when posting while still half-asleep!
ReplyDeleteIs that Ron Turner art on that strip? I keep going back and looking at those pages again, they are stunning and much more appealing to me than anything that could be done on a computer these days.
There are three artists named in the front of the book, DS: R. Jennings, J. Woods, and A.B. Cornwell. Sadly, they aren't identified with their strips. As the story is the last one in the book, I'd hazard a guess and say that if it's not Jenning's work, then it's by Cornwell.
ReplyDeleteAmazing, glorious- not sure if the chap that bought mine got back to you sir... I did pass on your details :)
ReplyDeleteThanks AJ. No, never heard from the chap, so maybe he had the facilities for restoring the book himself.
ReplyDelete