Target Books/1983

From Tardis Wiki, the free Doctor Who reference

Target Books was the main publishing imprint of Doctor Who titles from 1973 until the early 1990’s.

  • The Target Years:

1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994+

Novelisation Covers

Reprints and Other Title Covers

Publishing History

REISSUE: Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen (Issued with a new cover by Andrew Skilleter)
REISSUE: Doctor Who and the Web of Fear (Issued with a new cover by Andrew Skilleter)

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

Publishing Notes

Target Library Numbering

Doctor Who and the Visitation was the first title to be given a (working) reference number as part of the Doctor Who library, (Number 74). The idea behind the numbering was to try and capitalise on collectors and regular readers of the range to complete their 'set' or read all the books.
However, for a range that didn't flow in a chronicological order, it was met with various reactions, and was generally criticised by fans, who after collecting some seventy odd titles, were faced with a 'new look' for their collection (a factor that the BBC DVD mechandising team seem to be acutely aware of).
The implementaion of the numbering system was not always to plan.
Examples of inconsistencies include;

Number 77 Four to Doomsday numbered on the inside only
Number 78 Earthshock numbered on the inside only
Number 79 Terminus numbered inside and on the cover
Number 80 Arc of Infinity not numbered
Number 81 The Five Doctors numbered.
Number 106 Vengeance on Varos arriving between Numbers 128 and 129 (some two years later)
Number 153 was given to Doctor Who - The Pescatons which was based on a record release and so technically not a televised novelisation.

Books 1 to 74 in the range were retrospectively numbered, in alphabetical order. These numbers appeared on the covers with the reprint schedule from 1983. The exceptions being Time-Flight, Meglos and Castrovalva.

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