Alden Bates' Weblog

Online today - TSV 57!

After the news of the recovery of missing episode The Lion in TSV 56, the next issue contained the full story of its recovery, as well as the more off-beat experiences of Neil Lambess in his new regular column The Life and Times of Neil Lambess.

The other major item was the printing of Pilots of the Deep. Parts 1 and 2 had been printed in TSV 12 and 14 back in 1989 before the original artist, Mark Roach, had lost interest. Ten years later, David Ronayne and Peter Adamson collaborated on a conclusion and it was printed (along with the first two parts) in TSV 57. There was even a behind the strip article about the creation of Pilots of the Deep. I wonder if Mark Roach has seen it. :)

Also in this issue, Pex anticipates The Juggernauts, and he and the Karkus team up to fight a giant headless chicken. Yes!

Next time, Beyond the Sofa!

Previously: Resurrection of the Daleks
See also: the write-up by Jamas

So, back when Target was novelising Doctor Who stories, they ran into a bit of a snag with several of them. In the cases of Resurrection of the Daleks and Revelation of the Daleks, they were unable to come to an arrangement which writer Eric Saward and the estate of Terry Nation were all happy with. Nature abhors a vacuum (and so do fans), thus in January 2000 the NZDWFC published an unofficial novelisation of Resurrection of the Daleks along with reprints of the four previous unofficial novelisations. Time marches on, and now Resurrection of the Daleks is available to read online in both spiffy HTML and PDF formats.

As usual, there are a number of cool extras such as author's notes and an article on the history of the novelisation. As mentioned previously, I've still been getting emails asking if we're going to put the rest of the novelisations up, and I expect to continue to get them until the last one goes up. Perhaps I should put up a "coming soon" notice on the City of Death page (but then I'll probably just get "How soon?" emails).

See also: the write-up by Paul
Previously: TSV 56

And so we start on the last year of the 90s with issue 56 - the major item this issue was the Bottom Ten, another Doctor Who Magazine inspired article. Writers examined the ten stories which came lowest in the DWM mega-poll. I'm going to take a look at the stories myself further down this post. TSV 56 also contains not only the first installment of a new Erato comic Pex, but one of my favourite episodes of The Karkus (and the first Christmas episode, despite the issue coming out in January).

The big news this issue was the news about a missing episode, The Lion, turning up in Bruce Grenville's film collection. Paul Scoones wrote about this in the editorial, and Neil Lambess wrote up his first impressions in Indiana Who and the Lost Crusade. The full story is already online in TSV 57.

My favourite piece of artwork is Alistair Hughes' picture of the Destroyer from Battlefield. He also did the State of Decay picture on the back cover, for which we have a colour version as a bonus! Tom Baker looks a little familiar there... :) Also there is Peter Adamson's Mel and Pex artwork for the Bottom Ten entry on Paradise Towers.

See also: write-ups by Paul and Jamas.
Previously: TSV 55

Continue reading "TSV 56"

TSV 55 went online a few days ago, completing the set of 1998 issues. Two items were already up, though I've fancied up Notes from a Who Island a bit; More on the other item later! The current NZDWFC site scheme is beginning to bug me - the font is too small, the margins too narrow, and things could do with tidying up in general. However that's a job which is going to take Some Time, so I'm not sure when it'll be done. I have a vague idea for a new site scheme, which I'll be testing out on this blog, so stay tuned. Anyway, back to the issue!

Jon's Contextual Continuity article on the New Adventures (I'd love to see one for the new series!) is sure to be a useful resource. I was surprised to see myself thanked at the top, though I can't remember what, if anything, I contributed to the article! His Doctor's Dilemma column tackles a question about Seven Keys to Doomsday, but only explains how the UK version fits into continuity - what about the NZ performance? There's also a question about the TV movie console room; After last year's Children in Need sketch, it's apparent that the Doctor simply changed the desktop theme to "Steampunk".

Tenure without Trial was the other article which was already up. This was Peter's idea, inspired by an article Doctor Who Magazine had done detailing a fictional reality where Doctor Who wasn't cancelled after season 26. In our fictional history, the 1986 hiatus never took place, and Colin Baker continued as the Doctor for another three years, with the seasons being filled out with stories which were under consideration for production at the time, Slipback, a couple of the Trial of a Time Lord stories, and even Time and the Rani retitled and re-envisaged as a three-parter with Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant. I suspect our optimism may have been a little over the top at times, but it's difficult to say what Doctor Who might have become had things been different. Tenure is illustrated by Peter, of course, including a piece featuring the sixth Doctor and Mel which I'm bound as a Mel fan to mention.

The highlight of TSV 55 for me was Peter Adamson's comic strip Chrysalis, set on Vortis and featuring the eighth Doctor, which looks just as good online as it did in the printed issue. Fantastic artwork!

Next time on "What's Online": The worst Doctor Who stories ever!

See also: write-ups by Paul and Jamas.
Previously: TSV 54

TSV 54 is online! 54 was done as a double issue with TSV 53, hence the lack of regular features such as the editorial.

The major article this time is Andrew Pixley's article By Any Other Name, exploring 60s BBC documentation to discover exactly what the names for the first twenty or so Doctor Who stories are. Back then, like now, each episode was individually named, and it wasn't until later in William Hartnell's era that stories were given an overall name onscreen. Thus the first Doctor Who story is known variously as "An Unearthly Child", "The Tribe of Gum", or "100,000 BC" with the title used in any particular reference book depending largely on when it was written and who it was written by.

Unfortunately it looks like they couldn't really decide on a title at the time, at least for most of the stories, so I tend to stick with the traditional titles as applied to the official BBC video and DVD releases. I'm therefore sticking to "An Unearthly Child" for Serial A. :)

There's also another comic strip, titled Whispers and featuring the fifth Doctor and Turlough. And an opinion piece by David Lawrence titled Why Paul McGann is the Best Doctor, though I'd be willing to bet that he's revised his opinion since the new series began...

I had two articles in TSV 54: Confessions of a Melaphile, and a collaboration with Peter Adamson and Jon Preddle: An Addition to the Discontinuity Guide: Slipback, both of which have been online for some time as part of the Mel Bush page and DiscContinuity Guide, respectively.

See also: write-ups by Paul and Jamas.
Previously: TSV 53

Last Saturday, TSV issue 53 (published March 1998) went online. One of the two items I had published in this issue isn't up on the site - this was a brief note about NZDWFC web site:

"At time of writing, there are subscription information and contact details already up, and at time of printing, there should be a club history up as well. Also planned are a news page (mainly to detail upcoming conventions and chapter events - this will need the help of event organisers.) and a small archive of some of the articles and artwork which have appeared in TSV. Comments are welcome and appreciated."

"Small archive". Heh heh heh... That was the first time the website's URL appeared in the fanzine.

The other item was a comic strip which I co-wrote with Peter Adamson, and which he drew, called Dominion. It's one of only two comic strips I know of which feature companion Melanie Bush in a major role (the other being the DWM comic Plastic Millennium, which appeared in one of their specials).

Sadly, I don't still have the emails which flew back and forth between me and Peter during the writing of Dominion, but from memory he approached me with the idea of co-writing the comic strip. We wrote alternate panels and edited each other's work, with Peter also writing the first page pre-credit teaser and adding in a bunch of neat little touches, like the Nedla on the billboard the Doctor hides behind on page 10 (though admittedly I wasn't keen on this at the time!). I suspect I was responsible for several of the Dominators being named after game characters - Kano being from Mortal Kombat, and Rahn being an enemy wizard from Magic Carpet 2. Peter's designs are awesome, of course. Especially Anzor's costume and the flying Quarks.

And it has Mel dressed as a Dominatrix!

Also appearing in TSV 53 was A Question of Answers - a piece written by DWM Archivist Andrew Pixley which took a look at various esoteric questions relating to the history of Doctor Who. One of the questions he mentions that has never been answered is "Who was originally cast as Sarah Jane Smith?", and Andrew suggests some likely names, though naturally this is only speculation.

So, go read TSV 53. :)

See also: write-ups by Paul and Jamas.
Previously: TSV 52

TSV 52 was published ten years ago to the month, and now it's online! I had one item in it, this picture of an Ice Warrior, which is the last piece of artwork I did for TSV until about TSV 63 (and then it was just some cartoons).

There's quite a lot about The Five Doctors in this issue, including an article on the Special Edition, a review of same, and even a cartoon. I would have liked to have done screenshot comparisons of the original TV version and the Special Edition, but the BBC only released the latter on DVD (I have an ancient VHS recording of the TV version somewhere, but no way to capture video off it), so I could only add screenshots of the new effects.

There's also the first of a semi-regular column from Jon Preddle called Rantings from the Padded Cell, in which he deftly fits the two Peter Cushing Doctor Who movies into the TV Show continuity; an interview with then-DWM-Editor Gary Gillatt, in response to last issue's interview with Gary Russell; another installment of the Karkus; a piece of fiction from Jamas; and another comic strip.

Just as a random thought, isn't it odd how the delegates in the Daleks' Master Plan appear to be a pretty important bunch, but none of their kind have ever appeared in Doctor Who again? Likewise, Alpha Centauri (left), despite inhabiting a planet in the nearest solar system to Earth's, has only ever appeared in two stories...

See also: write-ups by Paul and Jamas.
Previously: TSV 51

TSV 51 is now online! What can I say about it? It's green, which matches the NZDWFC site colours nicely. It contains Zero Minus Thirty-Three Days, a prequel to the BBC book The Devil Goblins from Neptune, written by the authors. There's a long interview with Gary Russell, ex-editor of Doctor Who Magazine and author, in which the dirt is spilled. There's more fiction, including a crossover; another adventure with the Karkus; Alien Nation, covering monsters Terry Nation; and a detailed biography of the Dalek creator.

This is the point when Virgin lost their license, so there's reviews for the last few New and Missing Adventures, and the first two BBC books - The Eight Doctors and the aforementioned The Devil Goblins of Neptune.

Also in this issue is In Bloom, one of my favourite TSV comic strips, which features the seventh Doctor and Benny during the Dalek occupation of Earth (although no Daleks appear, in keeping with New Adventures tradition). One page illustrates a scene from one of the books, but I don't remember which one... [No Future, thanks Morgue!]

There's nothing from me in this issue, not even a letter. Oh well, read it anyway. :)

See also: write-ups by Paul and Jamas.
Previously: TSV 50

Edit: Morgue has written about the making of 'In Bloom'.

We've come a long way since TSV 1 went online in September 2002. Now, five years later to the month, TSV 50 is online!

TSV 50 is dominated by Tom Baker, starting with this sterling cover artwork, as he'd recently come to New Zealand to make some commercials for NZ Superannuation, and also made a public appearance. Unfortunately I didn't make it to his Mission bay appearance, but TSV contained transcripts of his ramblings and of a TVNZ interview.

On the non-Tom front, there's also The Wilderness Years, detailing the absense of new Doctor Who between Survival (in 1989) and the TV movie (in 1996), and The Darkest Path, an article by David Ronayne responding to last issue's Time's Chump.

This issue saw the last appearances of Tardis Tales and Oswald the Cat. Tardis Tales, as previously noted is making a welcome return to the fanzine. Making his first appearance this issue is the Karkus, a character from the 1968 story The Mind Robber, co-opted here as the hero of the first Erato strip.

I also feel that I should mention the artwork, since any issue that has a picture of Mel dressed as a dominatrix *cough* I mean, dressed as a Dominator, gets a thumbs up in my book. Precisely why she's dressed like one of the villains from The Dominators will become clear in a few issues time...

See also: write-ups by Paul and Jamas.
Previously: TSV 49

TSV 49 going online means we have nearly 50 issues on the site! (well, duh) It's also the longest issue to date - the print copy was a massive 108 pages.

Man, where do I start? Well, there's a cool article about the sixth Doctor's treatment at the hands of Virgin Publishing, titled Time's Chump. There's also a comic strip featuring the fourth Doctor, Sarah and UNIT, titled Home by the Sea which, as you might guess, references the Genesis song of the same name quite heavily; and interviewed this issue is Chris Loates, who worked on the classic series.

Then again, I could be egocentric and mention I had two reviews published: Day of the Daleks (which contrary to what I said there isn't really one of the best Dalek stories, because they're somewhat pasted in. It does make good use of time travel though!) and Death to the Daleks (which I still have a soft spot for).

TSV 49 is (personally) notable for another fact which isn't apparent from the online version because it doesn't contain the letters column from the print issue. My letter in this issue starts out as follows:

Hello everyone. It wasn't long ago that I joined in all the Mel hating with all the rest of the masses of Who fans worldwide. However having watched Trial of a Time Lord and Time and the Rani numerous times, I've come to realise that I really like Mel, and that she's actually my favourite companion.

So TSV 49 marks the point where I became a Mel Bush fan, which indirectly lead to me webmastering the NZDWFC site.

Next issue, Tom Baker visits New Zealand, the last installment of Tardis Tales, the first installment of the Karkus, and a bunch more!

See also: write-ups by Paul and Jamas
Previously: TSV 48

TSV 48 is now online. Between issue 47 and this issue (published in August 1996), three notable events occurred in the world of Doctor Who.

1.) the TV Movie, also known variously as "Doctor Who: The Movie" and "The Enemy Within", the first new television Doctor Who in some 7 years. As you might expect, there's reviews of the TV Movie itself, the novelisations, and the script book, as well as an article on the cuts made to the BBC video and even a speculative piece written by Neil Lambess on who the Doctor's mother is. Yes.

2.) Jon Pertwee sadly passed away, so there's a biography, tributes, and an item on the Telecom commercials which Jon did back in 1986. These would make a good DVD extra, if the BBC can get their hands on copies...

3.) The Virgin New Adventures put out their fiftieth novel, Happy Endings, so there's an interview with author Paul Cornell and a review, as well as an interview with Lance Parkin, who was to write the last Doctor Who New Adventure before Virgin lost the licence, and who's book A History of the Universe was also reviewed.

There's nothing from me in this issue, but several pieces in the next, which is also the longest issue of TSV so far...

See also: write-ups by Paul and Jamas
Previously: TSV 47

Today TSV 47 went online, and there's a substantial bias towards the books this issue, with an article on the making of Just War, an interview with David Bishop on his novel Who Killed Kennedy, and an article on items cut from the DisContinuity Guide, as well as the already-online Not So New Adventures article on Transit. There are articles touching on other topics, such as Paul Scoones' piece on the aborted Doctor Who: The Motion Picture.

There's also another installment of Tardis Tales and one of my favourite of the TSV comic strips, a post-War Games second Doctor adventure named Hyperborea, written by David Ronayne and drawn by Peter Adamson. Speaking of which, David's letter says he was situated in Ulaan Baatar, Outer Mongolia - what was up with that?! There's also a letter from one Alden Bates writing about the rumour that the Doctor would reveal in the Paul McGann TV Movie that he was half-human. As it turns out, sometimes rumours can be true... These days, that letter would have needed a spoiler warning on it. :)

Next issue: lots and lots about the TV Movie!
See also: write-ups by Paul and Jamas!
Previously: TSV 46

And a month to the day since TSV 45 went online the next issue (appropriately titled TSV 46) has gone up on the web site.

Issue 46 was the first to feature a flash new version of the TSV logo, not to mention a return to the colour covers. Inside, there's the second half of the Andrew Cartmel interview (which reminds me to go add a link from the first half), another comic strip titled Monkey House, another Tardis Tales featuring the usual mayhem, and boatloads of reviews.

Of course, what I really like about this issue is there's not only pictures of Tetraps, but also a rare piece of artwork of my favourite companion, Mel Bush. Due to the fact they were reprinted from an earlier issue, the review of Time and the Rani aren't actually reproduced here, but they're already in the index as part of TSV 6.

This issue also contains the news that Paul McGann had been cast as the Doctor for a TV movie being filmed in Vancouver. Somehow it's strange to remember that this issue came out more than ten years ago now... I feel old. :)

Previously: Revelation of the Daleks

Revelation of the Daleks is one of five Doctor Who never published as a novelisation by Target, but which were done as fan novelisations by the NZDWFC. Now, joining Shada and the Pirate Planet, Revelation of the Daleks is available on the NZDWFC site as an eBook here. This should hopefully satisfy some of the many people who've been emailing to ask if the rest of the novelisations were going to be made available online. :)

Next up, TSV 46!

Incidentally, though my internet connection has been behaving itself for a while now, about a week ago it all turned to custard again, and my "always on" broadband has been dropping the connection every ten minutes. This makes for a choppy online experience. Xtra, you still suck.

Aaaaaand I see someone's set up an Xtra Sucks website. They should probably take this as a sign they're doing something wrong.

Previously: TSV 45

TSV 45 went up on the web site today. There's only one feature article this time - Kate Orman's piece on writing Set Piece - and many of the other pieces now online are reviews. Primarily reviews of the six stories in the Key to Time season (which is now out on DVD in the US but not anywhere else in the world, strangely).

There is also Sums over Histories, a comic strip with the fourth Doctor, Romana and K9, which has some spot-on characterisation. I had some problems working out how to include the double-page spread in a form which was legible, and settled for putting it in a scrolling box, and also allowing the user to click on the graphic to open it separately for easier scrolling. Hopefully this doesn't make it too difficult to read. :)

There's also some cool cartoons and lots and lots of Key to Time related artwork (which will come in handy when I start adding artwork and blurbs to the story index nodes.

I didn't have any items in this issue (in 1995 I was working my first year at Pocket Solutions, so that may be why I wasn't submitting more material) but go read it anyway. :)

Previously: TSV 44