Doctor Who annual: Difference between revisions

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==TV Comic Annuals ([[TVC]])==
==TV Comic and TV Action Annuals ([[TVC]]/[[TVA]])==
Worthy of note because previous to Doctor Who Magazine running a regular comic strip story, ''[[TV Comic]]'' (and various related titles) ran a regular strip. It was customary for popular comics at the time to produce, as well as a regular bumper-issue Holiday special(released in the summer months), an annual hardback (in time for Christmas). As ''Doctor Who'' was a major long-running feature of the comic it followed that it should be represented in the Annual.   
Worthy of note because previous to Doctor Who Magazine running a regular comic strip story, ''[[TV Comic]]'' ran a regular strip, interrupted only by the years ''[[TV Action]]'' held the rights. It was customary for popular comics at the time to produce, as well as a regular bumper-issue Holiday special (released in the summer months), an annual hardback (in time for Christmas). As ''Doctor Who'' was a major long-running feature of both magazines it followed that it should be represented in the Annual.   


===Cover Images===
===Cover Images===
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Image:TV_Comic_1966.jpg|[[TV Comic Annual 1966]]
Image:TV_Comic_1966.jpg|TV Comic Annual 1966  
Image:TV_Comic_1967.jpg|[[TV Comic Annual 1967]]
Image:TV_Comic_1967.jpg|TV Comic Annual 1967  
Image:TV_Comic_1968.jpg|[[TV Comic Annual 1968]]
Image:TV_Comic_1968.jpg|TV Comic Annual 1968  
Image:TV_Comic_1969.jpg|[[TV Comic Annual 1969]]
Image:TV_Comic_1969.jpg|TV Comic Annual 1969  
Image:TV_Comic_1970.jpg|[[TV Comic Annual 1970]]
Image:TV_Comic_1970.jpg|TV Comic Annual 1970
Image:TV_Comic_Annual_1971.jpg|[[TV Comic Annual 1971]]
Image:TV_Comic_Annual_1971.jpg|TV Comic Annual 1971  
Image:Countdown_TV_Comic_1972.jpg|[[Countdown Annual 1972]]
Image:TV_Action_1972.jpg|TV Action Annual 1972
Image:TVComic 1973 NO WHO.jpg|[[Countdown Annual 1973]]NO DOCTOR WHO
Image:TV_Action_1973.jpg|TV Action Annual 1973
Image:TV_Comic_1974.jpg|[[TV Comic Annual 1974]]
Image:TV_Action_1974.jpg|TV Action Annual 1974  
Image:TV_Comic_1975.jpg|[[TV Comic Annual 1975]]
Image:TV_Comic_1975.jpg|TV Comic Annual 1975  
Image:TV_Comic_1976.jpg|[[TV Comic Annual 1976]]<br>[[The Tansbury Experiment]]
Image:TV_Comic_1976.jpg|TV Comic Annual 1976  
Image:TV Comic 1977.jpg|[[TV Comic Annual 1977]]<br>[[Woden's Warriors]]
Image:TV Comic 1977.jpg|TV Comic Annual 1977  
Image:Mighty_TV_Comic_Annual_1978.jpg|[[Mighty TV Comic Annual 1978]]
Image:Mighty_TV_Comic_Annual_1978.jpg|TV Comic Annual 1978  
Image:TV_Comic_1979.jpg|[[TV Comic Annual 1979]]
Image:TV_Comic_1979.jpg|TV Comic Annual 1979  
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Revision as of 02:04, 20 September 2009

A number of Doctor Who Annuals, Yearbooks, and Storybooks have been published from 1965 onwards. The print fiction, comics and features based on Doctor Who in the form of a slim hardback volume. A K-9 Annual, several Dalek Annuals, and a Torchwood Yearbook have also appeared.

History

Under World Distributors

The Annuals were hardbound book priced at pocket money prices and released around Autumn, in time for the Christmas market. Usually a mix of prose and comic strip stories intended for children, they also contained puzzles, quizzes, games and a varying amount of filler material usually having little connection with Doctor Who.

From the late 1960's through to the late 1980s (with the exception of 1972), World Distributors, Ltd published Doctor Who Annual. The often notoriously bizarre stories and comics sometimes went in very strange directions and companions portrayed in the illustrations (and prose descriptions) of regular characters sometimes bore little resemblance to the actors.

The Doctor Who annuals were published each September between 1966 and 1979, after which it moved to an August publication schedule for the remainder of the series.

When John Nathan-Turner became Producer of Doctor Who, he exerted a greater influence over all merchandising and tie-in product releases (including the Annuals),which under his watchful eye saw an increase in standards as well as featuring more television series related features. (It is perhaps worth noting that with an autumn of the year release time, the date on all annuals is for the following year. For example, the K-9 Annual, dated 1983, has a print date of 1982. Some annuals/yearbooks failed to include a year date on the cover so where applicable that reference is bracketed and assumed. World Distributors Ltd stopped producing the regular annuals in 1986, a bumper volume followed featuring the best of previous editions and was the last title to be released.

Under Marvel

There was a lapse in publication for a few years of the annuals before Marvel Comics secured the license to produce a Doctor Who Yearbook, which followed the same mix of prose, comic strip stories and features, this time all Who-related and directed at a more sophisticated audience. The Yearbooks ran from 1992-1996.

Revival of the Annuals

In recent years, since Doctor Who was revived with a new Series 1, the Annual format has been redesigned with fiction being given its own title The Doctor Who Storybook and the Annual assuming a hardback activity book for younger viewers.

Cover Images

Annuals (1965-1985)

Doctor Who Yearbooks (1992-1996)

Doctor Who Annuals (2005-present)

Doctor Who Storybooks (2007-present)

TV Comic and TV Action Annuals (TVC/TVA)

Worthy of note because previous to Doctor Who Magazine running a regular comic strip story, TV Comic ran a regular strip, interrupted only by the years TV Action held the rights. It was customary for popular comics at the time to produce, as well as a regular bumper-issue Holiday special (released in the summer months), an annual hardback (in time for Christmas). As Doctor Who was a major long-running feature of both magazines it followed that it should be represented in the Annual.

Cover Images

Related publications

Cover Images

See also

External links