DWM in the 90s - #207 added 24/6 - 30th Anniversary Special Issue!

[Jonno]

Almost 3 years ago when we were on EZboard I decided to start a thread looking back at the early days of DWM - specifically to focus on news items and reviews, and looking out for well known letter writers. Having started at issue 44 (the first monthly), we got up to issue 197 earlier this month (the intention was to relaunch here with issue 200 but time was not on my side!).

It's not compulsory to have read the issue in question to contribute to this thread BTW - any comments on any of the matters raised, whether it's a review, a news item or memories of a TV programme/chart topper mentioned, are gratefully received! The item, along with a summary of contributions to this thread, is then given a polish and, with some choice scans from the relevant issue, put up on The Vervoid shortly after.

Coming this weekend - issue 198!

[Rob McCow]

Well now we've sorted our DWM's into release order, maybe I might make some contributions to this! Did 198 have Sontarans on the front?

[Paul Clement]

It had Troughton on the front cover didn't it? I thought this was the Prison in Space issue.

[Jonno]

Paul is correct. The Sontaran cover was 195 - still to come (fairly soonish) on The Vervoid.

[Jonno]

The Basics - Issue 198, 14 April 1993. The front cover has a photo of the Second Doctor from The Two Doctors. There is a free poster inside of Pete Wallbank's artwork of Enlightenment previously used as the front cover to issue 186.

Indicia - "But Doctor, the Rani is evil, horrible and a thoroughly bad sort! How could you possibly confuse us?" asked Mel anxiously. The Doctor opened his mouth to reply - and then realised that any reply he gave would put him further into hot water!

News And Views - UK Gold are continuing to show the Jon Pertwee adventures, but only in the Sunday morning omnibus slot for the moment. The BBC Audio Collection have temporarily shelved any future releases of the Missing Stories due to poor quality of the soundtracks.

New Fiction - The Brief Encounter "Three Steps to the Left" is set in the Australian Outback and features the Seventh Doctor. This issue's Prelude covers Deceit.

Reviews - Off The Shelf reviews Image of the Fendahl ("a fairly watchable and enjoyable romp") and Deceit ("coherent, entertaining, pleasantly easy to follow").

Boxpops - Parts Three and Four of Revelation of the Daleks (in a four part version) are repeated on BBC2 on Friday 2 and 9 April at 7.15pm. Parts One and Two of Battlefield are repeated on BBC2 on Friday 23 and 30 April at 7.20pm and 7.10pm respectively.

Top of the pop charts throughout April 93 was Young At Heart by The Bluebells.

[Paul Clement]

I remember enjoying the Prison in Space featurette. I've always had a soft spot for the 'stories that never were'.

I'm not sure I'd agree with the review of Deceit though. I found the novel to be extremely boring.

[Rob McCow]

News And Views - UK Gold are continuing to show the Jon Pertwee adventures, but only in the Sunday morning omnibus slot for the moment.

Ah! Some things never change!
The Enlightenment art was nice, but nothing special. The video cover was probably better.
Collectors Corner! Was there ever a more amusing feature in DWM? The Insurance Claim for the Mechanoid city was fabulous.
The Prison In Space feature left me wondering what 'In Drag' meant at the time. I thought that Zoe and the Doctor might have spent the story dragging an unconcious Jamie around.
It's a very strong issue from a good period of the magazine. And a Richard Gauntlett interview - surely DWM's ultimate scoop?! He played Dick in the Secret Garden you know.

[Si Hunt]

This was obviously a very special issue at an exciting time, and the poster adorned my walls for many years afterwards. However, I can recall all the dull historian stuff about David Whitaker being very tedious and uninteresting. I never liked Hearns articles digging up dusty documents and paperwork. It seemed very remote from the series itself.

Si.

[Jonno]

Looking at this issue, and glancing ahead over the next handful, there's a clear change of direction now. Gallifrey Guardian is greatly reduced in length and basically serves as a guide to what merchandise is being released. It looks like the official cancellation of The Dark Dimension made them think that the show would never come back, and they had to concentrate on the past - in greater detail than ever.

I'd forgotten about most of the content of this issue - I don't think I ever read much of it actually. This was a time when I was commuting from Chelmsford to London to work and never had time to read the mag properly!

[SiHart]

The cover/ poster was magnificent and it highlights my all time favourite picture of Tom Baker in the middle, grinning his largest, happiest, most toothy grin ever! I had that on my wall for a long time afterwards- I think I took that and its monster counterpart with me to Uni each year.

The issue itself is mostly dull. The Whittaker stuff is worthy but a bit dreary and the story they found wasn't really very inspiring at all, sadly. Nice scoop, but not that brilliant. The "interview" with Whittaker also says very, very little about anything!

Nice controversial letter from Peter Darvill-Evans...

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

Alas, rather like Mr Tom Baker Years, I can only regale you with my lack of memories on this one - the cupboard is strangely bare, with issue 201 next in the pile after 199. Where it's gone I don't know - I remember its blue (or was this the purple one?) cover but that's about it!

[SiHart]

It was purple. The monsters got the blue.

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

I've probably got that one then, lurking further down the pile. I wonder where 200 is - maybe bruv has somehow acquired it...

[SiHart]

I think we have a spare copy, if you'd like one.

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

No, no - it must be around somewhere, but it's now going to niggle me until I find it. Ah well, at least the cupboard'll get tidied out in the process!

[Jonno]

The Basics - Issue 201, 7 July 1993. The front cover has a photo from The Mind Robber, whose director David Maloney is interviewed inside. The contents page and Next Issue box are given a new look. The issue includes a new set of free postcards of Alister Pearson artwork from the Titan script book covers.

News And Views - BBC Video have revealed that they had been planning a drama special themselves, with a script having been written. This now seems unlikely to appear, and certainly not in time for this November's celebrations. Negotiations are underway to launch Doctor Who - The Musical on stage during 1994, with six songs already written. It is rumoured that the next two Titan script books will be The Web of Fear and The Pirate Planet. Timelines includes letters from Paul Cornell on the sex and violence debate regarding the New Adventures, and Gary Leigh of DWB congratulating DWM on its 200th issue.

New Fiction - This issue's Prelude is for White Darkness, and includes the Third Doctor and the Brigadier.

Reviews - Craig Hinton takes over from Gary Russell in the reviews section, which is now renamed Shelf Life. He reviews White Darkness ("an enjoyable adventure story"), Shadowmind ("a bit of a letdown"), The Invasion ("highly recommended"), The Keeper of Traken ("a solid story") and Vengeance on Varos ("one of the most appalling Doctor Who stories I have ever seen"). After Image reviews Revelation of the Daleks ("a formidable and striking piece of television").

Boxpops - Top of the pop charts in July 93 were the continuing Dreams and Pray by Take That.

[Jonno]

The Basics - Issue 202, 4 Aug 1993. The front cover has a photo of Adric, with Matthew Waterhouse interviewed inside. Further free postcards of Alister Pearson's book cover artwork are included inside.

News And Views - BBC Video have confirmed that the proposed 30th Anniversary video special is now confirmed and official, and it is being suggested that it may be transmitted on BBC1 as well. Its working title is The Dark Dimension, and all five surviving Doctors have been asked to appear. As a result of this, Reeltime's new production Downtime has had its production suspended and put back until 1994. Recording has finished on The Paradise of Death and begins transmission on Radio 5 in August, with a stereo cassette release in September. A novelisation of the story by its writer Barry Letts is being proposed, which would include new material.

New Fiction - This issue's Prelude is for Shadowmind, and includes illustrations by its author, Christopher Bulis.

Reviews - Shelf Life reviews both the Power of the Daleks novelisation ("acceptable, but disappointing") and script book ("a dull experience") and The Silurians ("absolutely magnificent; a taut, exciting story"). After Image reviews Battlefield ("four episodes of colourful adventure, fast pace and good character with a few laughs").

Boxpops - Top of the pop charts in August 93 was the continuing Pray, Living On My Own by Freddie Mercury and Mr Vain by Culture Beat.

[Simon R]

The next issue is where I jump on board the Big Red DWM bus.

Ooooh it's exciting.

[Jonno]

It'll be good to have you on board, Simon! And I'll try and speed the bus up a bit - it's been a bit slow since I went back to work!

[Si Hunt]

BBC Video have revealed that they had been planning a drama special themselves, with a script having been written. This now seems unlikely to appear, and certainly not in time for this November's celebrations. Negotiations are underway to launch Doctor Who - The Musical on stage during 1994, with six songs already written. It is rumoured that the next two Titan script books will be The Web of Fear and The Pirate Planet.

What was this, the Issue of False Prophecies?

I took this issue on holiday and it got a bit grubby. I never liked Craig Hinton's Shelf Life, I always found his style of writing hard to get on with.

Si.

[SiHart]

It was very exciting to suddenly have Doctor Who back in production- even if it was only for a week or so. It would probably have turned out to be not very good, but we'd have loved it all the same, wouldn't we?

I remember enjoying the David Maloney interview at the time, and even the Matty Waterhouse one was pretty good. He came across quite well for a change.

Like Si, I too never really apprecaited Craig Hinton as a reviewer. He wasn't as controversial as Gary, or as thoughtful and considered as Dave Owen would later be.

The postcards were nice. Mine are still attatched. Mr McCow's are not. Who was right?

Si xx

[Jonno]

The Basics - Issue 203, 1 September 1993. The front cover is artwork by Alister Pearson of Invasion of the Dinosaurs, the subject of this issue's Archive. Further free postcards of the same artist's book covers are included inside.

News And Views - The planned Thirtieth Anniversary special, The Dark Dimension, has been cancelled by the BBC due to "budget constrictions and time availability". Many involved regard this as the last throw of the dice for Doctor Who. Alister Pearson is currently working on the cover to Virgin's forthcoming Resurrection of the Daleks novelisation, provisionally scheduled for release in April 1994.

Notables - The "Into 1993" Readers' Survey Results are published, with selected results as follows :-

Favourite BBC Video of 1992 - Tomb of the Cybermen, Caves of Androzani, Earthshock
Favourite Special Video Release - Shada, The Tom Baker Years
Favourite DWM Regular Feature - Gallifrey Guardian, Archives, Off The Shelf
Favourite DWM Issue - Time Lord Special, Sarah Special, #194
Favourite Comic Strip - Pureblood, Cat Litter, Ravens
Favourite New Adventures Novel - Nightshade, Witchmark, Love And War
Favourite Factual Book - The Sixties, The 4th Doctor Handbook, The Monsters
Favourite Merchandise - BBC Videos, DWM, Virgin Books
Favourite Fanzine - DWB, The Frame, Skaro
Favourite Doctor - Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Patrick Troughton
Favourite Monsters - The Daleks, The Cybermen, The Sontarans

New Fiction - The Seventh Doctor, Ace and Benny encounter the Silurians in a new four part comic strip, Final Genesis. The Prelude features Birthright.

Reviews - Shelf Life reviews The Curse of Peladon ("superb; acting of the highest calibre"), The Evil of the Daleks novelisation ("faithful and very well written; a winner") and Birthright ("probably the best NA novel published so far").

[Andrew Curnow]

Virgin's forthcoming Resurrection of the Daleks novelisation, provisionally scheduled for release in April 1994

Just a tad overdue now then...

Just dug this out of the cover - FWIW my postcards are still attached, but the cover has come off! I notice they report Bernard Bresslaw's death on page 6 - I had no idea he'd died at such a comparatively young age (59).

No surprises with Tomb winning the video vote, nor with Shada for that matter. I presume that the Daniel O'Mahony on page 9 is the same one who wrote Falls The Shadow (tut tut) and The Man In The Velvet Mask (hurrah). Similarly, is letter writer Matthew Jones (page 21) the same Matt Jones who later went on to do the superb Fluid Links columns (not to mention last year's impossible 2-parter)? And on the subject of books, how bizarre that Witchmark was the top NA of the year - I would say it was the weakest by far, and certainly no match at all for "Love and War" which comes in 2nd. Cornell was robbed I tells ya!!

It was interesting to read the synopsis of PJ Hammond's proposed TOATL story, but it does seem to show what trouble they had getting good stories for the series - even somebody as good as PJ Hammond seems to not really capture the style of Who, although HST it could have been interesting (shades of "The Faceless Ones" perhaps?). Mind you when we first see the Doctor reclining on a heart-shaped bed, it does make you wonder...

I notice that the Archive refers to part 1 of the Dinosaur tale being wiped by mistake, having been confused with the Troughton Cyberman tale - I thought that had long ago been dismissed as a myth? HST, I don't know if I've ever read why such a recent episode would have been wiped when all the rest of the series were kept?

And, what a coincidence - her name having recently popped up in Si's Incidental poll, there's a pic of Liz Parker on page 45, along with a very toothy Mary Tamm.

Finally, it's only re-examining these now that I realise the 'Next Issue' boxes of this era are aping the style of the old Radio Times listings. That completely went over my head at the time.

[Dirk Gently]

I just thought I'd pop in and say a few things. This era of the magazine for me was really annoying because no one near where I lived stocked it & I had to go to Leicester to a special Sci Fi shop to get it every other month as well as some back issues I'd missed. BTW, I still have the postcards attached.

The G.G was a revelation to me this month, the first thing I used to read was Doctor Who? by Quinn & Howett, this one was quite good. The merchandise pic is also very interesting.
Readers Survey Results:
Fav Complete Story of 1992 = Tomb 1st (of course) Caves 2nd & Earthshock 3rd. (Twin Dilemma last!)
Fav Special = Shada.
Story most wanted on Video = Two Doctors! Really?
I must make a note on Andrew's comments on the NA's. If you have another look at the poll you'll see Witchmark was actually second to Nightshade which got 22.76% of the vote.
Nice to see Transit came in for some stick, I personally think it's the worse book in the NA range.
Tom tops the Doctor Poll which looks like this:
Tom Baker
Peter Davison
Patrick Troughton
Jon Pertwee
Sylvester McCoy
Colin Baker
William Hartnell.
Daleks top the fav monster poll just ahead of the Cybermen. The more things change the more they stay the same.

I'd forgotten about Carmen Silvera being in The Celestial Toymaker, she looks so different in make-up. I remember her in Invasion of the Dino's of course which turns up a few pages later in the Archive Feature.

Nostalgia is great isn't it?

[Pip Madeley]

Only 40+ issues and I can finally join in.