Target Cover Competition - Group 5

[Paul Clement]

[Paul Clement]

There was only ever going to be one choice in this group, my favourite Taget cover of them all, Dalek Invasion of Earth.

Of the others, Awakening has a really poor likeness of Janet Fielding, Terminus is real 'Oh Dear, why bother' territory and Terror of the Autons is a usual Brookes paint with crayons number. Battlefield is a little dull, but the likenesses are very good.

[Andrew Curnow]

I agree with much of that - certainly, the likenesses on Battlefield are very good (although I always think the Brig's moustache is a bit too walrus-y) but that makes it a nice painting, rather than an interesting book cover. The Awakening is similarly fairly dull, and I'm afraid neither likeness is up to much (unusually for AP - if it hadn't been for his initials being on the cover, I'd have assumed Colin Howard had painted that one).

Of the others, Terminus is another photocover, nuff said (although it's probably the most exciting photocover we ever got, which says it all); I greatly love DioEarth, and for years assumed that the BBC robomen really did look like that... But my favourite, for all its absurd OTT glory, is the original Terror of the Autons. I do have that copy (bought a few years back from eBay) but the first copy I had was the second, more scary cover - but one day my brother brought that original version home from his school library and I just loved it.

[Pip Madeley]

Terminus is quite a good cover in that it's totally representative of the crap story inside. Battlefield is a rather poor effort considering who painted it, I don't like the 'motion blur' applied to the faces. Awakening wouldn't be so bad if Janet Fielding didn't look so awful in the outcome. DIOE is a good enough painting, but for me it pales in comparison to the sheer boldness & excitement of Terror Of The Autons, which jumps off the screen at you. Plus Delgado and Pertwee are there, so bonus.

[SiHart]

I have gone for the colourful cover to Battlefield. I really like Alister's work in this period and decided to give him a bit of a boost for now.
However, this could be because I'm confident enough people will vote for the wonderfully atmospheric Dalek Invasion of Earth... Hmmm, playing a dangerous game there, ah well!

As for the others, well terminus is terminally dull, The Awakening is lovely without being very interesting and I just don't like that terror of the Autons cover really. I don't much like the other one either, but that's not a tsory for now.

So there we are then, Battlefield.

Si xx

[Larry]

easy winner hear Dalek invasion of Earth.

[Wayne]

It has to be DIOE!

[Dirk Gently]

Terror of the Autons is odd & Terminus is BORING.
I've always liked Battlefield & The Awakening but Dalek Invasion of Earth is far more exciting & gets my vote.

[Jonno]

I was tempted to do a tactical vote and go for Autons because I do fondly remember that cover from the 70s when I first read it and was thus disappointed to get the less exciting (if well drawn) reprint cover in the 80s when I bought it. But as seen in the previous round, seeming favourites aren't guaranteed to go through, so I've gone for DIOE which is a fab cover, if a cheeky borrow of most of its elements from the film.

Just a minor point - I disagree with Andrew's assertion that Terminus is the most exciting photo cove - I'd go with Earthshock and the slightly controversial gun pose.

[Stuart Wallis]

Dalek Invasion. Iconic.

Terror Of The Autons: And people complained about Love And War's cover having a B*ll*ck Monster!

[Lord President]

Dalek Inv is one of the true classic covers! It gets my vote!!!

Howverer, imagine how shite it would have looked if they'd used the TV series Roboman and Saucer!!!!

[Paul Clement]

Dalek Inv is one of the true classic covers! It gets my vote!!!

Howverer, imagine how shite it would have looked if they'd used the TV series Roboman and Saucer!!!!

The artist also improves on the movie version Robomen on the cover by making them look grittier and far more menacing than the film version actually does.

[SiHart]

It does help taking the Robomen out of the shiny PVC uniforms!

Si xx

[Pip Madeley]

Shame they didn't get Jill Curzon into one, rather than Bernard bleedin' Cribbins.

[Dave Tudor]

I've gone for the 'Dalek Invasion' cover, pretty much for the same reasons as everyone else. It's one of those covers which always made an impression on me when I was little, even though I was rather disappointed to find later on that it had little in common with the televised story!

[Paul Clement]

It's one of those covers which always made an impression on me when I was little, even though I was rather disappointed to find later on that it had little in common with the televised story!

Some of Terrance Dicks' prose came from the film version too. Obviously the film was better in some ways.

[Nathan]

It's a toss up between Dalek Invasion or Terror of the Autons. But seeing as the Daleks should walk this I'm voting for Terror (the back cover is better, mind).

[Ralph]

I love that Terror cover DIOE is a close second but worthy winner.