Target Books/1973

Target Books was the main publishing imprint of Doctor Who titles from 1973 until 1994 when it was fully integrated into Virgin Publishing.

Novelisation Covers

• 1Daleks.jpg

  Doctor Who and the Daleks

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  Doctor Who and the Zarbi

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  Doctor Who and the Crusaders

Reprints and Other Title Covers

Although this is Targets first printing, all three titles had previously published.

Publishing History

May

• Doctor Who and the Daleks Writer: David Whitaker Cover Artist: Chris Archilleos
• Doctor Who and the Zarbi Writer: Bill Strutton Cover Artist: Chris Archilleos
• Doctor Who and the Crusaders Writer: David Whitaker Cover Artist: Chris Archilleos

Publishing Notes

• In 1969 the Tandem imprint set up in 1964 by Anthony Gibbs, Ralph Stokes and Brian Miles to simultaneously release titles in hardback and paperback was bought by Universal Publishing. A UK subsidiary named Universal-Tandem was formed.
• By 1972 Universal-Tandem was looking to set up a children's imprint aimed at 14-15 year olds. That imprint became Target books.
• Richard Henwood suggested to Brian Miles that he might like to pick up the option on three Frederick Muller titles which had previously been published for libraries in 1964, Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure With the Daleks (re-titled Doctor Who and the Daleks) and Doctor Who and the Zarbi, and a third, Doctor Who and the Crusaders, that had been recently printed in paperback by Armada.
• In November 1972 Barry Letts (producer of Doctor Who at the time) was keen to raise the profile of the show and agreement was reached with the BBC for Target to have first option on all Doctor Who scripts and access to photographs from the series for illustration purposes.
• The suggestion to re-illustrate the cover of the first three titles with the face of the Third (current) Doctor was rejected by the BBC.
• Terrance Dicks (then Script Editor for the series), was keen to move into more freelance writing having already approached Frederick Muller and was later to assume the role of unofficial editor of the novelisation range of titles.
• In the May of 1973 the first three Target books hit the shelves featuring the cover artwork of Chris Archilleos and featuring a black Doctor Who logo, a format that would be followed for the next few years.