DALEK! Part 2

Think of the swinging sixties and more often than not most people will think of The Beatles storming the hit parade and the advent of Beatlemania!

But as Dalekmania also swept through Britain, even those rock and rollin’ sons of Skaro got in on the act with the abysmal novelty record ’I'm Gonna Spend My Christmas With A Dalek’ by The Go - Go’s. Released during December 1964, I’ve no idea if it made the charts - and frankly I don’t much care.

Getting back to more traditional Dalek merchandise, a series of Dalek annuals were published starting with The Dalek Book in 1964, followed by Dalek World and the Dalek Outer Space book. The annuals contained a lot of artwork done by Richard Jennings who also drew the early Dalek strip in TV21. His unique style helped to maintain a sense of continuity.

A paperback Dalek Pocketbook was also released using a still from Dr Who And The Daleks on the cover. This was an essential guide to avoid being exterminated!

A set of sweet cigarette picture cards were produced by Cadet in 1964. Although the artist isn’t credited, it does look like more of Jenning’s work.

In July 1966 the second Dalek film was released, Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D.

I always preferred this film over the first. Maybe because of it’s Earth setting and the Dalek Flying Saucer which I thought looked great!

Breakfast cereal maker, Quaker used packs of Sugar Puffs to promote the film and ran a competition in which real Daleks from the film could be won, along with runner up prizes of Marx Daleks.

In 1967 the ice cream manufacturer, Walls gave away a free Dr Who picture card with their Sky Ray lolly ice. The 36 card set featured artwork which again was reminiscent of Jennings. Although the front cover illustration on the cards’ album is signed Patrick Williams so I imagine he was also the cards‘ artist.

The album which remarkably, I still have, and do remember picking up from the local newsagent is called Dr Who’s Space Adventure Book. In it the Doctor meets the Sky Ray Space Raiders, who together battle the ubiquitous Daleks.

Considering it’s a cheap little item there’s a lot of fun stuff within it’s pages.

This is the cutaway view of the Space Raiders ship using the opposite page divided into three. A simple, but effective idea.

Before I leave the sixties and the inevitable  wane in Dalekmania, here's a couple of  ads for Dalek related items that could be found at your local Woolies.
 

 

 

More Daleks coming soon to a blog near you!