DOCTOR, I'M A LITTLE WEEKLY - DOCTOR WHO COMIC 50TH ANNIVERSARY...

Dr. WHO copyright BBC TV.  DALEKS copyright
BBC TV & the Estate of TERRY NATION

DOCTOR WHO has appeared in comic-strip format from practically his earliest days. First in Polystyle Publication's TV COMIC, then in COUNTDOWN, followed by TV ACTION (when the former changed its name), and then back to TV COMIC. However, in 1979, under the helm of editor DEZ SKINN, the time-travelling titan was awarded his very own British MARVEL magazine in the shape of (unsurprisingly) Doctor Who Weekly.

The first issue was cover-dated October 17th (meaning it would've come out the week before) and lasted in its weekly format until issue #44, when it then became a monthly. Essentially a children's adventure comic originally, with the change to monthly publication it gradually became more of a geeky, anorak-type title aimed primarily at diehard fanatics.  (Does anyone really need to know that the un-credited 'extra', third from the left in the background of a scene in UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS was also on view for all of two seconds in a 1976 episode of Doctor Who?  Some people can't survive without such information, apparently.)

As well as original strips, the comic also featured reprints of various U.S. Marvel stories (from their mystery, suspense and Marvel Classics titles) with a TALES From The TARDIS logo and illustration of TOM BAKER pasted onto the splash page of each tale. So, here's a select few pages from that premiere issue from all those years ago. Apparently, the magazine is now listed in the GUINNESS BOOK Of RECORDS for being the longest-running TV tie-in publication in the history of everything.  What can I say?  Timeless.  

One more thing: Back then I had no way of knowing that, nearly 25 years later, I would be a freelance contributor to several issues of the mag - at least one of which reprinted a back-page DALEKS strip from TV CENTURY 21.  It gave me a strange sense of connection with my childhood days to see a page I'd read as a kid presented alongside contemporary work that bore my name.  A very TWILIGHT ZONE-ish moment indeed. 

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Posted in: Cartoons