Just to give you and any interested readers the heads-up, Woodsy!
I was browsing through the magazine shelves at WHSmith, looking for something to quietly pass the time on our summer break.
I was pleasantly surprised to stumbles across Doctor Who Magazine.
Not something I'd usually be drawn to these days, but this was a Special Edition focusing on Target Books.
Remember them? They were prolific publishers of numerous Doctor Who paperbacks (and hardbacks) during the seventies and early eighties.
Looking at the price I hesitated, but after a quick flick through the pages I could see that the contents justified the £6.99.
It's packed cover to cover with evocative illustrations, well researched information and imagery.
The magazine explores a myriad of familiar and forgotten themes for seventies kids who time travelled with the BBC, and hunted bookshelves for additional adventures in time and space.
I think it's an essential asset for the Doctor Who fan, and an entertaining and informative insight for anyone else, like myself, who enjoyed those old Target paperbacks.
A nice piece to file away for the future.
Tony K
I bought the first few Target Dr. Who novels and wasn't impressed by the writing, just the cover art.
ReplyDeleteAlso I had read the Marvel Dr.Who comic from the beginning and on through it becoming a magazine right up until 2009. By then the cost of a subscription to the US was ridiculously expensive for a magazine that was written by ill informed kids so I gave it up. Worse FANZINE ever.
As I was at art school with Chris Achilleos and have followed his career since I will be looking for this issue. Thanks Tony for bringing it to my attention.
Hi Terranova, I'm really pleased the magazine is of interest to you. Valid comment you've raised regarding the style of writing. I agree. It does refer to this in the magazine, but I wont spoil it for you. The cover art was something else though... superb! Art School with Chris Achilleos... now that's an article in itself! Hope you find a copy of this magazine, I've a feeling you'll enjoy it :)
ReplyDeleteI was pursing a graphic designer training and Chris was taking Technical Illustration. He was the person who brought in his copies of Eagle which he had purchased when he moved from Cyprus to London. His favourite strip was Heros by Frank Bellamy and his sketch books were a constant stream of Greek and Roman soldiers in action.
ReplyDeleteThe personal hope Chris had was to sell the idea of his being the artist hired to illustrate The IIiad. After leaving college the Dr Who covers were a project that gained him attention leading to the many pin-ups of Amazon Women he has reprinted as posters and books even a calendar that I helped market in the US.
On seeing his copies of Eagle which were from late 50's early 60's I realised that it was the Hampson drawn Dan Dare that lead me to pursuing an art career. Sadly the last thing I have is any talent for illustration that detailed.
I think those are wonderful personal recollections you have! Your words set the scene. I can only imagine art school must have been an incredibly exciting time for you. Chris Achilleos, along with Frank Frazette and Boris Vallejo, were some of my own favourite artists/illustrators around the late seventies. Your unique insight certainly helps to explain the affection you have for Eagle and the universe of Dan Dare. I really appreciate that you've been kind enough to share these distinctive memories here. A totally unexpected, but very welcome addition to this post... thank you, Terranova :)
ReplyDeleteI used to buy up copies of Target Dr Who books from Charity Shops and stick them in my book box at toy fairs. I sold a few. Sadly I never read them. It looks like a great homage that mag book Tone. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteA pleasure to share this, Woodsy! More so when it's been enhanced with first-hand memories of art school with Chris Achilleos, which Terranova kindly shared... and which I enjoyed reading. I wasn't expecting such amazing input! I had a few Doctor Who paperbacks as well, but donated them to charity about 22 years ago, along with other old paperback I'd read and kept from childhood. Guess we can't keep everything :)
ReplyDeleteI recall selling this book on my stall, the Doctor Who book of Jokes. It may have been Target too https://d1466nnw0ex81e.cloudfront.net/n_iv/600/4857040.jpg and looking at my old toys flyer I had another one called Dr Who Collected something or other https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OsMWIR6GGxc/UjWTI9jjK7I/AAAAAAAAb2Q/vHKq5ZK7upE/s1600/proper+one+1.jpg
DeleteThanks for the links, Woodsy. There's something so compelling about a montage of vintage toys, books and old games - perfsct material for a flyer :)
DeleteCollage... not montage... you know what I mean. Sorry, brain's slow today, I need a coffee :)
ReplyDeleteno probs Tone. One of the Target novels has been bugging me all week. The cover had Peter Davison pictured and the title was something like Calandula or Cassandra or similar! Driving me nuts!
DeleteCould be 'Castrovalva'. Not an everyday word, Woodsy :)
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castrovalva_(Doctor_Who)#In_print
Thats it! Castrovalva! Thanks Tone.
Delete