Inky Adventures in Time and Space

A few more seconds and the Dalek search squad will reduce this area to a pile of rubble!

2011-07-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

The Exterminator pt4

While Dr Who is trying to overthrow the guards of the Dalek Earth Exterminator, John and Gillian find their hide-out is under attack...

PLEASE NOTE: This is the final installment of the last of the TV Comic strips that featured the Doctor battling the Daleks. I do have ALL the TV Comic, TV Action and Countdown strips from the 60s and 70s, but I will only continue to blog them in serial format if you request that I do so... otherwise, our journey with Doctor Who's comic strips from this era is now at an end... thanks for reading!

"We may not live longe enough to know whether or not the Doctor has managed to save the earth from destruction!"

2011-07-31T08:19:00.001-07:00

The Exterminator pt3

The Daleks have built a giant Exterminator to destroy Earth. It's crew are being carried to the weapon by train, when Dr. Who de-rails it...

"Every Dalek in the station will be up here within minutes!

2011-05-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

The Exterminator pt.2

Dr Who, John and Gillian, while hiding in a Dalek railway station learn that their arch enemies are planning to destroy Earth with a giant Exterminator...

It will be used to exterminate Earth in one blast!

2011-05-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

The Exterminator Pt.1

The Tardis materialises behind a large rock and the three space travellers emerge. In the distance they see a huge space age train hurtling towards them. They take cover and watch it pass by...

"You are pretending to be the Supreme - you must be exterminated!"

2011-04-10T08:02:00.000-07:00

The Doctor Strikes Back Pt.4

In his home-made Dalek, Dr. Who has caused havoc on a Dalek outpost. The Supreme radios for the chaos to stop. Dr Who changes the message unaware that another Dalek is behind him...

NEXT EPISODE: The Exterminator

"Stop all exterminating at once! I will take charge when I arrive!"

2011-04-03T04:02:00.000-07:00

The Doctor Strikes Back Pt.3

Inside his home-made dalek, Dr Who is mingling with Dalek work parties who are extracting materials which they intend to use to produce more of their number. A party of Daleks has spotted the Doctor... don't miss the thrilling conclusion next time!

"The game's up! I'll never out-run a whole garrison of Daleks!"

2011-03-20T14:46:00.000-07:00

The Doctor Strikes Back Pt.2

Tha Tardis has landed in a small cave on a planet occupied by the Daleks. The Doctor has built a 'Dalek' which he can drive from the inside and has set off to mingle with their garrison...

"This is my great chance to get revenge on the daleks!"

2011-03-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

The Doctor Strikes Back Pt.1

Intending to inflict a devastating blow against the Daleks, Dr Who sends the Tardis whirling through time. Meanwhile, he has been hard at work in his laboratory for hours... John and Gillian are beginning to worry about him, when suddenly the lab door bursts open...

"This is the last occasion I shall run from the Daleks!"

2011-03-06T04:36:00.000-08:00

The Trodos Ambush Pt.4

Dr. Who has left John and Gillian in the safe hands of friendly Trods, while he checks on what the Dalek battle squads are up to. He immobilizes a solitary Dalek, but then comes face to face with firing squad. This is the final installment of this strip from 1967. Next episode: "The Doctor Strikes Back part 1"

You are a fool and fools must be exterminated!

2011-02-20T04:22:00.000-08:00

The Trodos Ambush pt.3

Dr. Who, Gillian, John and four Trods are concealed in a large underground city beneath the surface of Trodos. The Daleks have formed squads and are involved in a systematic search for their enemies...

"We recognise you Dr Who! You are our friend. The Daleks must be stopped!"

2011-02-13T07:46:00.000-08:00

The Trodos Ambush Pt. 2

Dr. Who and his grandchildren have arrived on Trodos to find that the Trods with whom they had hoped to sign a peace treaty, have been crushed by the Daleks. Our three heroes now face extermination...

"When Dr. Who arrives, there must be no Trods left to sign his peace treaty!"

2011-02-06T08:47:00.000-08:00

The Trodos Ambush - Part 1

Dr. Who is on his way to Trodos to sign a peace treaty with the Trods.Word reaches the Daleks that this is about to happen and they descend on the Trods in full force...

More Dalek adventures to follow... finally!

2011-02-05T04:12:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone... I apologise for the (2nd) long term rest in posting these strips, but there is a good reason! I had actually RUN OUT of Doctor vs Dalek strips! I was still in need of 3 TV comic strips from the Troughton era that feature the Daleks. Well, 3 months later, after some frenzied ebay watching and then bidding, followed by the borrowing of a decent scanner, I can finally bring you those final strips. After these strips are exhausted, I will run non Dalek strips and the name of the blog will change ever so slightly to reflect this. I pretty much have all of the TV comic and Countdown strips, so if you have any that you particularly remember fondly (That one with the Quarks/Scarecrows/flying bicycle/delete as applicable) then feel free to comment and I will post it.

Just in case you're new here - I won't be posting any TV21 Dalek strips or any from DW Weekly/Monthly. Where possible, I use scans of ORIGINAL comics, NOT the DW Classic Comic reprints (Some of these are of questionable quality, especially the colouring) There are a number of Doctor Who strips from TV Comic Holiday Specials, Doctor Who Holiday Specials and TV Comic Annuals. I WILL be posting these. In the mean time, before I post the first episode of a new adventure from the Troughton era, I thought I'd share this:

It's a paper craft version of the TARDIS as seen in Dave Gibbon's Doctor Who weekly strips. I love his simplistic stylised interpretation of the Police Box exterior and I've thought for a long time it would make a lovely paper model and it only took me a couple of hours to draw it out. In earlier strips, the Tardis was

flat roofed and so you have the option to fit a flar roof or a sloping one. simply print out these two pages on a4 paper or thin card and get cutting. If you do actually make the model, I'd love to see it, as I actually haven't made it myself yet! Have fun...

If I fail, Ercos will become a Dalek missile, Destination Earth!

2010-11-14T10:49:00.000-08:00

Entombed by the Daleks, the Doctor, Sarah-Jane and Ticon have followed the course of an underground river which they hope will get them to the surface.

With no way back, they leap into a vast whirlpool which the Doctor considers might be a natural syphon.

As their lungs begin to fail, so does their sense of reality, for they suddenly seem to be shooting upwards... this is the concluding instalment of 'The Dalek Revenge'!

I can't hold on for much longer, so the others must be almost done for!

2010-11-07T04:48:00.000-08:00

When the Daleks take automatic control of their amazing drilling machine that the Doctor and his friends have hijacked, a desperate escape bid is made.

But, last to fling himself clear of the tunneling vehicle, the Doctor is knocked unconscious.

On the surface, the Dalek commander gives a fateful order...

Seal the tunnel! It shall become their tomb!

2010-10-31T08:33:00.000-07:00

Together with Ticon and Sarah-Jane, the Doctor is travelling at fantastic subterrainean speed aboard the hijacked Dalek drilling vehicle.

As the incredible machine noses deeper and deeper beneath the surface of Ercos, the Doctor voices a terrible theory...

If I'm not mistaken, it's all a matter of monstrous revenge!

2010-10-24T06:32:00.000-07:00

Sent to the planet Ercos by the Time Lords, the Doctor and Sarah-Jane find a world under Dalek control.

The time travellers' escaped Klim friend, Ticon, tells them about the Dalek mine and a strange drilling machine that can carry a crew below ground.

On their way to the Dalek camp, they meet up with Luco, who also tells of escape.

But unbeknown to the Doctor and his friends, the treacherous Luco is leading them into a Dalek trap...

They walk into our trap! The Klim slave has served his purpose well...

2010-10-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

After helping Ticon the Klim to escape, the Doctor and Sarah Jane are told about the Dalek mine and the strange drilling machine that can travel underground. While the Doctor puzzles out their next move, he is unaware that the Daleks have made an ominous discovery...

The TARDIS! So the arch enemy of the Daleks is near!

2010-10-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

Drawn to the planet Ercos by the power of the Time Lords, the Doctor and Sarah Jane discover the awesome presence of the Daleks. When the Daleks chase an escaping Klim and leave him imprisoned in a pit, the Doctor and Sarah Jane attempt to drag him out knowing that the Daleks will soon return with a collection vehicle. Even so, they struggle on...

Some fun to celebrate the new series...

2010-05-03T13:59:00.001-07:00

I treasured collecting the original Dr Who promotional cards in both 1975 and 1977 that came free in Weetabix packets to promote Seasons 12 and 14. I was wondering what they might be like if they were reissued in a revamped style for 2010, to promote Matt Smith's debut series. If you want to compare them to the originals, google Dr Who weetabix. Artwork for both series was beautifully drawn by Gordon Archer. My tribute does not do his art work justice, but I hope it evokes a little of the original flavour.

'They will be shown that the Daleks must be obeyed!'

2010-03-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

The Doctor and Sarah travel to the planet Ercos at the request of the Time Lords, where they discover the centaur-like 'Klim' are being terrorized by a recently arrived Dalek fleet. They stop to help a Klim that has been caught in a Dalek trap, unaware that the Daleks themselves will soon arrive to collect their prize...

Out in space, among a myriad stars that edge the Milky Way...

2009-09-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

The Dalek Revenge - Episode One

The Daleks arrive on the planet Ercos and immediately begin subjugating the dominant life form, the Klims, a race of peace loving Centaur like beings. As the majority of the populace are massacred, a small amount of resistance fighters flee into the forest to regroup. Meanwhile, lightyears away on Earth, the Doctor and Sarah-Jane are off for a spot of lunch, but Bessie has other ideas...

"Even if I get back to the TARDIS, am I going to get away before the missile comes down?"

2009-08-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

The Threat From Beneath - Episode 3

Just as the Doctor thinks he has the situation in hand, a Royal Navy Submarine turns up throwing a spanner in the works. But the Sub's crew are soon overcome by hypnotic Dalek sonar, which zombifies them all into Dalek slaves. The Doctor quickly works out that they intend to use the crew of the Sub make deadly use of the vessels nuclear arsenal. However, if he can create a big enough distraction, the Doctor might just be able to turn their newly acquired weaponry against them, but will he be able to escape in time?

"I'm going to try to prevent you humans from destroying yourselves!"

2009-07-27T14:07:00.000-07:00

The Threat from Beneath - Episode 2

International tensions escalate and suspicion in Whitehall leads the Western World ever closer to war with the Soviet Union. The Doctor fails to convince the authorities that it is aliens responsible for the satellites that were destroyed, not Russian missiles. Desperate to prevent mankind from wiping itself out, the Doctor begins his own investigations, starting with a visit to Jodrell Bank. Sure enough, something from space came down in the Pacific Ocean last night. With help from the Time Lords, the Doctor points the TARDIS at precisely the correct location on the ocean bed, where he makes a shocking discovery...

"No-one questions my authority! I am the law!"

2009-06-28T08:10:00.000-07:00

The Threat From Beneath - Episode 1

The final story of the Countdown/TV Action trilogy as drawn by Gerry Haylock. The Daleks return to Earth in a saucer that hides itself on the sea bed, but not before it destroys a number of surveillence satellites. This threatens to trigger an international crisis, as East and West suspect each other are responsible for the attack. The Doctor is called to Whitehall by General Sanders in the hope that he can figure out what really happened out in Earth's orbit...

"You have lost the final battle! Now I must exterminate you!"

2009-06-06T04:55:00.000-07:00

Planet of the Daleks - Episode 8

It's Daleks vs Dinosuars in a fight to the death on the surface of Skaro. It all goes swimmingly well for the Doctor and Finney until they race back into the Tardis to find the Supreme Dalek has survived the carnage and has gained control of the Doctor's ship. It looks like all is lost as the Tardis returns to the Dalek city with the Doctor and Finney as prisoners, but there may be one last chance to turn defeat into victory and end the Dalek menace! This is the concluding episode of 'Planet of the Daleks' so a new strip will commence next blog!

"They're all following like sheep!"

2009-05-17T03:51:00.000-07:00

Planet of the Daleks - Episode 7

Finney and the Doctor are being hunted down by the Daleks deep in the jungles of Skaro. As they flee an approaching Dalek patrol, the pair run into a giant dinosaur-like reptile, which promptly skewers a Dalek on one of it's horns, giving Finney an idea. The Dalek patrol promptly barbecue the beast with their exterminators, buying our heroes a little extra time to make their escape. Soon they find the rest of the reptile herd, giving Finney a chance to try out his idea...

"Can the Daleks operate your ship?"

2009-05-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

Planet of the Daleks - Episode 6

As the TARDIS plunges into the Sun, a desperate struggle for the control of the Doctor's precious vessel begins. However, at the moment of destruction, the TARDIS' navigation computer obviously has a Windows moment and reboots, catapulting her and her occupants back to their point of origin - in this case Skaro. The force of the crash landing throws the Daleks on to their sides, giving the Doctor and Finney chance to escape into the jungle before they can right themselves (presumably using their hovering ability, as it's not shown!) and quickly begin to implement a plan of sabotage - but before they can execute it, the local wildlife pays them an unexpected visit!

'I am a Dalek. You will obey my orders.'

2009-04-22T15:18:00.000-07:00

Planet of the Daleks - Episode 5

It looks like Finney is too late - the mind altering operation is complete and the Doctor is now one of the Daleks! They plan to invade the Earth via the Tardis. The Doctor advises Finney to be brought along - he will be useful in advising how the human population may behave. Finney believes he has no hope unless he can attack the Doctor and therefore sabotage the Dalek's commandeering of the time machine. In a brief moment alone with the Doctor, Finney seizes his opportunity and attacks him, at which point the Doctor reveals the mind control operation has failed and that the Tardis is not on it's way to Earth, but is actually hurtling on a collision course to the sun - a rendezvous that will finish the Daleks plans to conquor the Earth forever...

"I am the Dalek Leader... you will obey!"

2009-04-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

The Planet of the Daleks - Episode 4

The Doctor and Finney are captured, but the Doctor bargains for Finney's life. The Daleks agree that Finney may go free after the Doctor has been converted into a Dalek. The Daleks reckon on the Doctor's experience being of paramount importance when it comes to correcting the Daleks' failures over the years, so the plan is to convert the Doctor not just into one of them, but their leader!

Meanwhile, Finney employs some of his criminal guile to escape the Dalek cell and reunite himself with his only chance of getting home - the Doctor! But it looks like he manages to find him just a few seconds too late...

"Dr Who will be brought to the planet of the Daleks!"

2009-04-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

Planet of the Daleks - Episode 3

The Daleks' trap is sprung and the Tardis is pulled through time and space to their home planet of Skaro. The Doctor and his accidental travelling companion Finney soon become cut off from the Tardis and a deadly game of cat and mouse begins within the Dalek city. The Doctor seems to think the only way to survive and buy themselves some extra time is to escape from the city itself into the dangerous wastelands outside. However, it looks like that plan is scuppered before it can even get started, as Finney gets his foot trapped in a closing dalek door...

"Something's taken over the TARDIS! I'm not in control!"

2009-03-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

Planet of the Daleks - Episode 2

Things begin to 'hot up' for the Doctor this week, in more ways than one! The bogus scientist who revealed himself as a thief last week attempts a break-in on the TARDIS. But the Doctor is waiting for him... When he arrives in the cellar of the Doctor's house (yes, you heard that right!) and begins to pick the TARDIS lock, the Doctor jumps out from behind a clothing screen and confronts him, telling him he had rumbled the fact that he was an imposter, with desires on the Time Lord's prize possession. A fight ensues and in the struggle, the assailant releases what he thinks will be a harmless smoke bomb, in order to make good his escape. But the plan back fires and before you can say 'Your cellar's on fire' the basement was is ablaze, leaving no way out. Thinking on his feet, the Doctor manages to pull himself and the burgler into the old police box, which promtly dematerialises... but the Daleks are waiting with their 'time vector' device and the moment the ship takes flight, the trap is sprung - snaring the Doctor and his unikely companion...

"If Dr Who uses his Tardis once more he will be at the mercy of the Daleks!"

2009-03-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

The Planet of the Daleks - Episode One

Welcome to the prophetically titled opening installment of the 1972 sequel to Sub Zero, which is the 2nd adventure in the Countdown/TV Action Dalek trilogy. In this episode, the Daleks, furious at their recent defeat in Sydney by the Doctor, plan to track and capture the Tardis using a device they refer to as the "Time Vector" the next time the Doctor takes flight. Meanwhile, on Earth, a member of a group of scientists visiting the Doctor in his cottage turns out to be an imposter who also has intentions on the Doctor's old Police Box...

"Come on you evil creatures... if I am to die, so will you"

2009-03-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

Sub Zero - Episode 8

The concluding instalment of this 1972 story. The city of Sydney lies in ruins it's surviving population facing slavery or conversion into a new breed of Dalek, but can the Doctor and Lt Davis prevent the rest of the world suffering the same fate? Facing extermination, the Doctor dives into the harbour, trying to buy Davis some extra time to get the van carrying their "special equipment" into position. As the Daleks give chase, the Doctor leads them right into his trap, but will he be located and exterminated before he can trick them into his snare?

A new adventure begins next week!

"You are trapped, Doctor Who! This time there is no escape!"

2009-03-01T04:12:00.000-08:00

Sub Zero - Episode 7.

In the penultimate installment of this 1972 adventure the Daleks true plans are revealed. The Doctor and Lt. Davis manage to sneak their way in to the heart of the Dalek camp, where the they confront the supreme Dalek, who recognises the Doctor immediately. Our two heroes manage to escape, by splitting up and causing maximum confusion, but eventually, the Doctor is cornered by the dock, with no escape... beautifully drawn by stalwart brit strip artist Gerry Haylock, this story concludes next time.

"We shall take this planet from the puny Earthlings!"

2009-02-23T15:20:00.000-08:00

Sub Zero - Episode 6.

The Doctor's radio message comes too late, and the Daleks decimate the city of Sydney with a polaris missile... they don't waste any time subjugating the survivors in typical Dalek fashion, which to the uninitiated involves rounding up refugees, taking them as slaves to do their evil bidding and exterminating any that attempt to escape. It is soon revealed that survivors are being put to work in a makeshift Dalek factory, using genetic material from humans to create a new race of Daleks (Parting of the Ways, anyone?)

Meanwhile, the Doctor wastes no time in appealing to the Australian authorities, currently gathered in Melbourne, that using conventional weapons against the Daleks will fail and that the best option is to let him and Lt. Davis penetrate the Dalek's camp in order to discover exactly what they're up to. The Australian government reluctantly agree and our two heroes sneak into the ruined city under the cover of darkness in a battered pick up truck, however they are soon surrounded by a gang of Dalek slaves and ordered to get out of the vehicle. At that moment, one of the slaves moves towards Lt. Davis with a sinister looking device...

"Prepare for nuclear missle attack!"

2009-02-16T14:23:00.001-08:00

Sub Zero - Episode 5

The Doctor and Lt. Davis take to the air in the WWI bi-plane, but soon they are running out of fuel... it looks like they're going to have to ditch in the freezing ocean, when they spot a weather survey ship. Through luck as much as anything, they manage to crash-land on the deck, un-harmed. The Doctor demands to use the ship's radio as soon as possible, in order to warn Australia of the impending Dalek attack... but it looks like he is too late as the Dalek commander orders the launch of the deadly Polaris missiles...

"Preperations will now begin for the final domination of Earth!"

2009-02-08T03:46:00.000-08:00

Sub Zero Episode 4

The Daleks plan to conquer the world using a captured US Navy nuclear submarine with a full arsenal of Polaris missiles. The Doctor and Lieutenant Davis finally discover the Daleks' secret base, but it seems they are too late, as they the Daleks and their fleet of human slave ships head out across the ocean - the attack plan is already in operation, but what is the target? The Doctor, refusing to give up and realising time is now very short commandeers the fastest vehicle left abandoned in the base... a World War 1 British bi-plane... but will it fly? And if it does, will there be enough fuel to make it to the Dalek submarine, or will they crash in to the sea killing them both?

"Somewhere in this polar waste, something pretty deadly to Earth is Hiding!"

2009-02-01T12:13:00.000-08:00

Sub Zero - Episode 3

Time is running out for the Doctor and Lt. Davis, as the Daleks put the first stage of their plan to conquor the Earth into operation - first they Exterminate all life at the weather station, before torching the base itself, in order to prevent anyone using the station's radio equipment to send out a warning. As their plane returns to the base, the Doctor realise things have gone badly wrong, when they get no radio guidence from the base as they try to land in the encroaching blizzard... then they spot the base itself is ablaze.

Unable to find a safe place to land due to bad visibility, Davis is forced to crash the plane into a snowdrift when the fuel runs out. The two stagger from the wreckage, fortunately alive, but with nowhere to go for shelter. The Doctor decides the only option is to follow the tracks left by the base's attackers - they set off as the blizzard begins to worsen... will they make it alive?

"The way is open! Enter and EXTERMINATE!"

2009-01-26T12:48:00.000-08:00

Sub Zero - Episode 2

The Doctor begins to unravel the mystery of the 'doors in the ice', realising that is by no means the first time they have swallowed a ship in this area... Deciding they don't have a moment to lose if they are going to rescue the rest of the missing submariners, the Doctor and Lt. Davis procure a plane belonging to the base and head for the area where the sub disappeared.

Meanwhile, while they're away, 'ghostly' apparitions of what should be long dead sailors move against the unsuspecting research scientists, fooling them into opening the main doors of the base to allow their evil masters access so that their conquest of the Earth can finally begin...

"Jumping Jehosophat! Who in the name of...?"

2009-01-18T12:54:00.000-08:00

Sub Zero - Episode 1

Back this week with a brand new adventure... this time, the 3rd Doctor is up against his favourite foe in glorious technicolour! This is the first of a Dalek trilogy of stories from the Countdown/TV Action years that are loosely linked together. A US Navy nuclear submarine goes missing while patroling the Antarctic and the only escaping survivor manages to stagger to the nearest outpost of civilisation - a weather research station, which by chance is being visited by the Doctor. When the frost bitten sub mariner collapses into the Doctor's arms muttering about the USS Jefferson disappearing into 'doors in the ice', the Doctor's suspicion is aroused - greater forces than those of Earth are at work here, but who?

The Doctor has failed! This ship will be his tomb!

2009-01-11T11:34:00.000-08:00

Return of the Daleks - Episode 8

That's right readers, it's the end of the line for the Dalek sphere, thanks to some trigger happy mutants blasting at the Doctor and Sarah-Jane's reflection on the surface of the cooling system. All hell breaks loose as the ship begins to plummet into the surface of the sun and it soon becomes a desperate race to get off the ship before it melts down...

The supreme Dalek decides to abandon ship (after an aborted attempt to pull away from the sun's gravity) via their newly constructed Tardis fleet. However, surprize surprize, the Cirenium ore was a ruse on the Doctor's part and one by one the tardises explode on take off. The Doctor and Sarah-Jane race back to the real Tardis in a desperate attempt to get off the dying ship, but without time to fit the Biseetyl rods, it looks like our heroes are doomed...

Don't miss this gripping conclusion!

"Perhaps you'd like to do a little modelling?"

2009-01-04T11:38:00.000-08:00

Return of the Daleks - Episode 7.

If a strange man with a bag of sweeties asks you if you are interested in doing some modelling, you'd tell an adult, right? Not Sarah-Jane Smith. she's happy to go along with anything the Doctor requests, which is just as well, as he claims to be hatching a plan to put an end to the Daleks' plans of galactic domination... so the tension mounts as the mutant meanies close in with cries of "Exterminate!" Shazar returns to the Dalek ship with the required Cirenium but minus his Dalek escorts (they were zapped by the Time Lords last week, remember?) the Daleks don't bat a dome lid at this suspicous turn of events, but then, they're busy trying to locate the Doctor. Of course, Shazar knows exactly where he is, (he's read the script) and so leads the hapless metal morons straight to our heroes... as the Daleks close in, it looks like the end... and it is -next week! Don't miss the heart stopping conclusion!

"I'll just keep my eyes closed and hope it's quick Doctor!"

2008-12-29T09:41:00.000-08:00

Return of the Daleks Episode 6.

Our adventure begins to spiral towards it's dizzying conclusion this week, as the Doctor and Sarah-Jane put plans into action and make their escape from the Daleks. After some archetypal running up and down corridors our heroes are cornered with Daleks on both sides! They close in, ready to release the fatal death rays (four cries of "Exterminate!" and not one Dalek manages to actually open fire!) The Doctor deploys the classic, 'jump over the side and let the Daleks exterminate each other' maneuver, but not before Miss Smtih utters the immortal line '"I'll just keep my eyes closed and hope it's quick Doctor!" Well, I know Tom Baker had something of a reputation with the ladies, but as far as I'm concerned, Sarah's dying request crossed a line, especially for a children's comic strip. However, before she can literally get her knickers in a twist, the pair find themselves loose in the bowels of the Dalek ship.

Meanwhile, the Time Lords, sensing that Shazar might just be telling pork pies, send him back to the Daleks, carrying what he believes is the correct mineral to effect the Tardis' repairs...

More fun next week as (so we are told) the Doctor "masterminds the Dalek's destruction!"

"Stop mooning over there, Sarah-Jane!"

2008-12-21T07:28:00.000-08:00

Return of the Daleks Episode 5. Yep, I want my money back also (not that the original cover price would equate to a great deal these days) as you can't have a line of dialogue like that and simply not deliver graphically. So, as things become desperate for the Doctor, he bargains with the chief Dalek to let him have Sarah-Jane help him repair the TARDIS' 'time cuircuits'. While the Doctor scribbles instructions on the back of a fag packet to her (presumably hoping daleks can't read) Miss Smith apparently reacts to the current situation by getting her ar$e out, (which we sadly don't get to see) presumably at the sentry dalek guarding them as they work on the TARDIS. Meanwhile, Shazar is sent on a mission to find some Cirenium as part of the repair efforts and (surprize surprize) is captured by the Time Lords. Of course, in typical treacherous weasily baddie style, he tells the Time Lords that it's all the Doctor's fault and nothing to do with him... will they believe him?

"Exploding Comets! They're manufacturing the TARDIS!"

2008-12-14T09:09:00.000-08:00

This week's thrilling installment - the good Doctor is woken from his slumber and given a guided tour of the Dalek 'spaceball' by Shazar. That's when he inadvertently spies what the fiendish mutants are up to - manufacturing copies of the TARDIS so that they can invade all of time and space! "Exploding comets!" exclaims our hero, as, like some bizarre version of the Generation Game's final round, dozens of police boxes file past on a conveyor belt. Sadly, there is no fondue set or cuddly toy, just Tardises. (Or is that Tardi?) Whatever the plural is, it doesn't matter, the Time Lords are too busy flapping about the fact they can't locate the Doctor's ship still and so decide that it's obviously because he's 'up to no good'. Until next week's thrilling 'seasonal' installment, readers... farewell!

"Put out an Intergalactic Time Search!"

2008-12-07T03:42:00.000-08:00

Return of the Daleks - Episode 3. From TV Comic circa April 1975, this week's installment sees the Doctor sabotage the 'power circuit of the time factor' in his Tardis, in order to stop the Daleks getting their plungers on it. However this alerts Gallifrey that there's some jiggery pokery going on in Time and Space and so a Time Lord with a striking resemblance to Bernard Horsfall orders they "an Intergalactic Time Search" for the Doctor, who can longer be found in their 'time thread'. Meanwhile, the Doctor himself decides to sleep through the entire episode. Keen to wake him up, the Daleks and their stooge Shazar decide the best way to do that is to torture poor Sarah Jane... strangely, she's happy to go along with the plan and so the electrodes are attached and they crank up the voltage! More fun and frolics next week!

"Every planet in that mighty swirl will be a Dalek world!"

2008-11-30T09:42:00.000-08:00

The second installment of the 1975 'Return of the Daleks' TV Comic strip. Contains the immortal line "Every planet in that mighty swirl will be a Dalek world!" which was robbed by Big Finish for their Dalek Empire audio plays, if I recall. There's also a panel which shows the Police Box doors opening directly into the console room, just like the current TV series. The design of the Dalek space station is just fabulous and the pepperpot in charge is a homage to the Planet of the Daleks supreme, but he has a dark dome, indicating he migt be a black Dalek? Anyhow, until next week, enjoy!

Happy Birthday Doctor Who!

2008-11-23T07:15:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to say Dr Who is 45 today and to celebrate, Inky Adventures is giving away this free cut-out-and-fold paper Tardis model - drawn in the style of how the Tardis appears in the pages of TV Comic! Enjoy!

In the beginning...

2008-11-22T08:14:00.000-08:00

The purpose of this journal is to take fans of Doctor Who young and old on a journey through his forgotten history - his comic strip adventures throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

It's hard to believe it now, but back then our favourite Time Lord was not the merchandise cash cow that he is now.

There were no Doctor Who action figures, books were limited to a smattering of titles and there was "The Doctor Who Annual" to look forward to at Christmas and that was pretty much it. Britian's biggest TV folk hero for almost two decades didn't even have his own magazine.

But, if you knew where to look during those commercially naiive times, you could enjoy exciting adventures in Time and Space every week, hidden in the pages of children's comics such as 'TV Comic', 'TV Century 21' and 'Countdown featuring TV Action'.

Drawn by some of Britains' finest comic artists, these strips told stories much bigger and bolder than any episode of the television series could at the time. Some were juvenile, some were just plain silly, but many were intelligent, thrilling and engaging continuations of the Doctor Who story... oh, and his nemesis the Daleks.

The Daleks, between 1964 and 1966 were a law unto themselves. Britain was in the grip of Dalek mania, so while the Doctor's adventures could be followed in "TV Comic" from issue number 674 onwards, the "Dalek Chronicles" - a strip telling the history of the Daleks from their creation all the way up to planning their televised invasion of Earth - graced the back page of "TV Century 21" for 104 consecutive installments. Quite an achievement, when you consider the magazine was primarily a vehicle for Gerry Anderson's ever increasing stable of puppet based sci-fi fantasy shows.

Only when the Dalek Chronicles came to an end did the good Doctor get to battle his number one foe in comic strip form. In January 1967, TV Comic issue 788 saw the metal mutants take on the 2nd Doctor and his companions John and Gillian. It would be the first of many encounters between the Doctor and arch enemies between the pages of TV Comic (and later "Countdown" comic for a couple of years in the early 70s)

In 1979, at the height of Tom Baker's tenure, Marvel launched Doctor Who Weekly and the Doctor's adventures in TV Comic finally came to an end. The tail end of the 70s, spurred on by the commercial success of Star Wars saw Doctor Who merchandising finally come into it's own. The Target range of books began expanding rapidly, closely followed by the Denys Fisher range of Dolls. Up until then, only the Daleks had been seen as a viable force to be used in marketing.

For me, as someone who spent their childhood waiting all week for two precious pages of TV Comic, these stories are a forgotten golden age of Doctor Who. From 1979 onwards the Doctor's 2 dimensional adventures went world wide and all those stories are easily available today, often republished over and over again both in the UK and the US. But the TV Comic and Countdown strips have been seen by a much smaller audience - a few have been republished by Marvel, but on the whole there are around 15 years of adventures that have become lost in the mists of time... until now that is.

So, what I intend to do, approximately once a fortnight, is share an installment of those forgotten adventures with you all. I won't be posting them in any particular order, just whatever takes my fancy - but I will post all the episodes of each story I feature, in order. I will also mainly focus on the Doctor's skirmishes with the Daleks for now, as those were the stories that we all looked forward to the most, when we opened that weeks' TV Comic to help pass the rainy play times trapped in our classrooms across 1960s and 70s Britain...

So, sit back and let us begin, with an adventure from arguably the Doctor's most popular incarnation from the classic series, Tom Baker's Doctor number 4. Part One of TV Comic's Return of the Daleks from 1975...