Who Pics.

[SiHart]

In an idea stolen from the much missed WhoPix from the TV Cream crew, I'm going to start my own version.

Over the last 50 years there's been some amazing Doctor Who pictures- photos, art, montages the whole lot. Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing some of my favourites- a new one every day.

If there's one you'd like included, please message me, and I'll do some requests throughout the month.

So, to get us started, we're going back nearly 30 years to a tremendous piece of art from Andrew Skilleter. Painted for the 20th Anniversary Radio Times cover, our first piece is The Five Doctors.

[Dirk Gently]

Nice idea & a nice start. I had that as a poster on my bedroom wall about 20+ years ago.




Luckily it didn't put Angela off.

[Jonno]

Yes, indeed a great start! I still have that copy of RT - the oldest issue I own.

I'd like to request one of my earliest memories of Who art which was on the cover of a hardback compilation of material from Annuals circa 1976 - is it called The Amazing Worlds of Doctor Who? It's Achilleos at his best.

[Jason Thompson]

If the sublime Tomb of the Cybermen VHS cover doesn't make an appearance I shall demand an explanation...

[Rob McCow]

Tomb of the Cybermen VHS cover

Now, do you prefer the actual VHS cover or the almost-entirely-similar-but-different DWM poster version?

That Five Doctors pic is totally glorious anyway. Although looking at it, the composition is totally crazy...

[Simon R]

We have a poster of that RT cover on the lounge wall. You can get them on eBay from America!

[Andrew Curnow]

At the risk of being a bit... anoraky, isn't the Hurndall-version from the video cover. I think the Radio Times version had a more Hartnelly picture of the first Doctor...?

But a great idea for a thread, I really look forward to you choices Si!

[SiHart]

My choice today is probably not one anyone else would have chosen, but it's one that I adore.

Dave Gibbons is one of the finest artists to ever work on the DWW/ DWM comic strip. Responsible for some of the best comic strip art seen in the magazine and creator of the iconic Beep The Meep.

The panel below is the first page of a comic strip I really loved when I was 5. It's probably not one of the best ones ever, but the first page is amazingly atmospheric. A TARDIS materialisation on an autumn evening, and an incredible likeness of Tom grinning, it's the first page of The Collector.

[Andrew Curnow]

I love the bit of paper swirling around the box as it arrives - which didn't happen on TV until much later I think...? Is that the first 'Vworp Vworp' Si?

[SiHart]

Do you know, I think it might be the first Vworp Vworp, Andrew. Mr McCow may know this for certain.

I too love the swirling paper. It's just so atmospheric and done so wonderfully.

[Rob McCow]

This is the first time ever that ‘VWORP! VWORP!’ is used to describe the TARDIS materialisation noise, starting a comic institution. After the ‘Wheezing and groaning sound’ that Terrance Dicks used to describe the TARDIS materialisation, ‘VWORP! VWORP!’ is the second most popular way to put it into print. It’s still used in the comic strip today (check out issue #369).

There, I quoted myself!

[Andrew Curnow]

At the risk of being a bit... anoraky, isn't the Hurndall-version from the video cover. I think the Radio Times version had a more Hartnelly picture of the first Doctor...?

It's all the rage, because I quoted myself too! Having checked, I'm clearly totally wrong on this (not for the first time) but I'm wondering now... have I imagined a version of that drawing with a definitely Hartnell-y first Doctor, or did Skilletter later redraw it for some reason?

Or am I, as in fact I mused on another thread recently, going mad?

[SiHart]

Today's image needs no introduction really. One of the most famous Doctor Who photos ever. Recreated in 1993, 2005 and for An Adventure in Space and Time, one of the iconic images from the show...

[Rob McCow]

or did Skilletter later redraw it for some reason?

As it turns out, no-one can answer that.

Recreated in 1993, 2005 and for An Adventure in Space and Time

But never bettered. Look! There's 1960's Britain in the background! The Beatles are out there somewhere and the future is being made.

[SiHart]

Well actually, I can answer it now I come to think of it. Here is the original Radio Times cover:



It looks like Skilleter may have repainted some of the Doctors later on to sharpen up the likenesses. As it released as one of his profile prints in the 80s, maybe it was repainted, or touched up for that?

[Simon R]

Andrew Skilliter touched up Richard Hurndall.

[SiHart]

That's how rumours start!

[Andrew Curnow]

No it's alright, I'm not going mad. Well, only sort of. Who was it that said, they all get mixed up in my tired old mind...?

What's happened is I've somehow mashed together (a) having read that Andrew Skilleter later reworked the likeness of Hurndall from the Radio Times cover (but still definitely Hurndall NOT Hartnell); and (b) the presence inside that edition of the Radio Times of a black & white drawing of the Doctors which was a likeness of Hartnell. (It's actually the illustration that accompanies a 'Who's Who's Who' article written by some bloke called Ian Levine...)

Phew, well we got there in the end!

[MacNimon]

Great idea for a thread, Si! Some great choices so far, and I'm looking forward to seeing what else you're going to chose. Any chance of the VHS covers of DIOE making an appearance? I love those! Failing that, any early Achilleos Target covers would be nice...

[SiHart]

Today's photo means a lot to many fans, as it's the cover of the first ever magazine to cover the show's history. Yes, Jon Pertwee sees off some of his biggest enemies on the cover of the Radio Times 10th Anniversary Special. Somehow, while collecting stuff for this thread I came across a rather rare clean version of the photo, so here it is:

[Rob McCow]

Doctor Who says: "Good grief! Am I in a Steven Moffat story?!"

[Philipnet]

[Dirk Gently]

That pic has always made me laugh. Not only are there clearly toy Daleks in the background but the full size Dalek seems to be far too interested in Pertwee's groin.

[SiHart]

Today we have my all time favourite picture of Tom Baker as the Doctor. What a grin!

[Nyder]

Ah yes - this is the photo that Tom signed for me back in the day - and which my dog subsequently chewed. I still have it somewhere...