Doctor Who – 1987

Back in 1987, Doctor Who was in a state of decline on television. After 23 years, it was starting to look like maybe BBC Controller Michael Grade had indeed been right in taking it off the air. Viewing figures took a dive after the departure of Peter Davison and that behavior continued into the following two years with the 24th looking quite dire. Despite the doom-laden look of things, there’s a lot to crow about in McCoy’s first year as the Doctor.

The 24th year saw easily the most sophisticated opening sequence in the program’s history, a revamped signature tune and logo along with the first computer generated imagery used in Doctor Who. Incoming actor Sylvester McCoy took over a pair of stories not written for him and Andrew Cartmell attempted to sooth the bruised ego of John Nathan-Turner, a producer forced to stay long after he had wished to. After answering the demands of the BBC to lessen the violence, Doctor Who was softened even more becoming a pastel-colored children’s program.

Moving away from the established house style, Doctor Who in 1987 embarked on an experimental era that combined light comedy with biting satire and classic adventure. That being the case, McCoy was the ideal leading man for this revised incarnation of the program with his infectious energy and flair physical comedy. Paired with Bonnie Langford, the two led Doctor Who into an age that, right or wrong, was entirely new.

The following two years saw a vast improvement over the varied quality seen in series 24, but in 1987 fans were not happy as this vintage TV clip shows.

Did You See? Doctor Who 24th Anniversary Retrospective

It’s interesting to view Classic Doctor Who in the context in which it was transmitted.

Compare the 1987 video to this earlier retrospective clip from 1982. Granted, the program was still in high regard and was about to enter its 20th anniversary, but still there seems to be an air of respect and adoration of a national treasure.

The average viewing figures are pretty vague, so in an attempt to add a point of reference here’s a list of the stories that received the highest and lowest viewing figures in millions broken out by Doctor:

Highest William Hartnell:
The Rescue and The Web Planet- 12.5

Dalek Invasion of Earth- 11.9

Lowest:
The Savages- 4.91
The Smugglers- 4.48

Patrick Troughton’s highest rated:
The Moonbase- 8.33
Macra Terror- 8.20

Lowest:
War Games- 4.94

Jon Pertwee’s highest rated:
The Three Doctors- 10.3
Day of the Daleks, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Death to the Daleks and Curse of Peladon all come in about 9.6/9.4

Lowest:
Inferno: 5.6

Highest rated Tom Baker:
City of Death: 14.5
Destiny of the Dakeks- 13.5
Robots of Death, Deadly Assassin, Android Invasion, Face of Evil and Ark in Space all have 12/11

Lowest:
Meglos- 4.65

Peter Davision’s highest:

Black Orchid (yes, Black Orchid) – 10
The Visitation, Castrovalva, and Earthshock all come in the high 9′s

Lowest:

King’s Demon’s- 6.50

Colin Baker’s highest
Attack of the Cybermen- 8.9

Lowest
Trial of a Time Lord part 4- 3.7

(in comparison the A-Team got 11.8 average viewers around the same time)

Sylvester McCoy’s highest:
1996 movie- 9.08 (the guide includes this as valid for some reason)
Silver Nemesis – 5.50

Lowest
Battlefield- 3.65

New releases 3/10/10

For the complete list of this week’s comics, click here.

Not sure where your local comic shop is? Try comicshoplocator.com!

(note: all information including ad copy is from the publisher)

If you can’t make it to the shop, just click on any of the images below to be taken to an online retailer. I don’t get any referrals for these sales, I’m just doing my bit to spread the word on some neat products.

Iron Man 2: War Machine Bobble Head

Iron Man 2: War Machine Bobble Head
Iron Man does not fight alone this summer when Iron Man 2 soars into movie theaters. At his side will be James Rhodes in his sleek, silver and grey War Machine armor.

Iron Man fans can add this ally to their bobble collections with the Iron Man 2: War Machine Bobble Head from Funko that stands 6″ tall.
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Alpha Control Reference Manual 4th Ed

Alpha Control Reference Manual 4th Ed
Originally published in 1988, this was not only the first book about Lost in Space but remains the best technical manual about the Lost in Space universe!

Limited to 1,000 copies printed, it covers all aspects of the Alpha Control mission. Crew biographies and photos are presented along with a history of Alpha Control and a description of the working of the Jupiter 2, plus complete blueprints of the Jupiter 2 (interiors and exteriors), the Chariot, Space Pod, weapons and other ships and equipment.

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Sal Buscema: Comics' Fast & Furious Artist

Sal Buscema: Comics’ Fast & Furious Artist
In 1968, Sal Buscema joined the ranks of Marvel Comics and quickly became one of their most recognizable and dependable artists. Following in the footsteps of his big brother John Buscema, Sal quickly came into his own, and penciled some of Marvel’s most memorable storylines, such as the original Avengers/Defenders war, as well as “The Secret Empire Saga” and the Nomad arc in the pages of Captain America. He also had a ten-year run on The Incredible Hulk and drew 100 consecutive issues of Spectacular Spider-Man, making him one of the few definitive artists of the Bronze Age. Sal Buscema: Comics’ Fast & Furious Artist, by Alter Ego’s Jim Amash with Modern Masters’ Eric Nolen-Weathington, explores the life and career of this true legend of the comics industry, through an exhaustive interview with the artist, complete with extensive examples of his art, including a deluxe color section, and a gallery of work from Sal’s personal files.

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Doctor Who Special #24

Doctor Who Special #24
For almost 30 years, Doctor Who Magazine has documented the making of this unique television series, interviewing every major player from both behind and in front of the cameras. This Special Edition gathers together the very best of these interviews, as the cast and crew themselves recall their part in the history of Doctor Who, in a frank, forthright and insightful memoir – in turns, funny, poignant and surprising. Lavishly illustrated with rare photos, many previously unpublished, this handsome volume tells the definitive story of the Ninth and Tenth Doctors, featuring contributions from David Tennant, Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, Catherine Tate, Freema Agyeman, Kylie Minogue, Russell T Davies, Steven Moffat and many more.

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Tales Of Zorro Ltd S/N HC W/slipcase

Tales Of Zorro Ltd S/N HC W/slipcase
(E) Richard Dean Starr Tales of Zorro, with eighteen new tales of the fox, is the first collection of original Zorro short fiction ever published! Creators such as Max Allan Collins, Peter David, Robin Wayne Bailey, Mike Bullock, Robert Greenberger, and a dozen more tell all-new tales of the legendary force for justice in the Mexican frontier. With stunning cover artwork by Sergio Martinez and original interior illustrations by Ruben Procopio, Tales of Zorro is available in a special numbered hardcover limited edition signed by the contributors.

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Grimjack Omnibus Vol. 01

Grimjack Omnibus Vol. 01
The entire original John Ostrander/Timothy Truman GrimJack run, from its very beginnings in Starslayer to the first 21 issues of First Comics’ solo title. BlacJacMac! Bob The Watchlizard! Goddess! Gordon Munden! They’re all here in all their amazing glory! The creation that made comics superstars of Ostrander and Truman, now all gathered in one stellar Omnibus edition!

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Ghost Riders: Heavens On Fire

Ghost Riders: Heavens On Fire
The acclaimed GHOST RIDER run of writer Jason Aaron reaches its fever-pitched conclusion with a final tale of insanity, jam-packed with new villains, old allies and the same old grindhouse action that Flamehead fans have come to know and love. The renegade angel Zadkiel is out to thwart Biblical prophecy by assassinating a young boy bred by Satanists to rule the world, so if Ghost Riders Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch are going to save the world, they’ll first have to save the Anti-Christ. Guest-starring Hellstorm, the Son of Satan.

This title collects

GHOST RIDER: HEAVEN’S ON FIRE #1-6

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The Twelve: Spearhead

The Twelve: Spearhead
By Chris Weston (The Filth, Enemy Ace: War in Heaven, Ministry in Space)

Europe, 1945: Captain America leads a mission to destroy the Nazis’ missile program…and The Phantom Reporter wants in!

An untold tale from Marvel’s Golden Age featuring the forgotten heroes who would go on to become ‘The Twelve’!

(click here for my article on the Twelve)

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Vengeance Of Moon Knight Must Have 1-3

Vengeance Of Moon Knight Must Have 1-3
If you haven’t been following Moon Knight and have even the smallest inkling that you want to check it out, this is the time, true believer.

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Classic Marvel Figure Coll Mag #113 Hellcat

Classic Marvel Figure Coll Mag #112 Black Knight

These fully-authorized, hand-painted lead figures are sculpted by master craftsmen and based on original pieces of Marvel artwork. Each 3 1/2′ figure is individually numbered, comes stamped with the Marvel official logo, and comes packaged in its own box.

The accompanying magazine provides a detailed history and background on the featured character, including exclusive images and interviews. The fabulous characters featured this month are Black Knight (#112) and Hellcat (#113)!

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Complete Milt Gross Comic Book Stories Vol. 01 HC

Complete Milt Gross Comic Book Stories Vol. 01 HC
This beautifully designed book collects the complete comic book stories of comic genius Milt Gross, culled from rare, impossible to track down comic books of the ’40s, which have been lovingly restored. Milt Gross was a cartooning genius who was championed by Art Spiegelman in Raw and Dan Nadel in Art Out of Time. Gross wrote and drew what many consider to be the first graphic novel, He Done Her Wrong, and was a popular comic stripper (with hilarious cartoon-style Yiddish-isms), animator, and screenplay writer (co-writer of films with Charlie Chaplin).

This thick, full-color, 368-page hardback tome, in addition to exhuming every one of Gross’ wild and crazy comic book stories, shares rare photos, sketches, and unpublished art, including the previously unknown cover to the Milt Gross Funnies #3!

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Creepy Trading Cards Set

Creepy Trading Cards Set
Boxed in a set of 50 cards (42 cover cards and 8 ad cards)

We have kicked open the crypt door with the archival hardcover collections of macabre and unusual stories from Creepy, where the only “shaggy dog tale” to be found involves a werewolf or two.

Long esteemed by comics and horror fans for their deft art and twist endings, perhaps the single most stunning element of any issue of Creepy was its cover. Starting out with a memorable first-issue cover by Jack Davis, the magazine quickly found itself with none other than Frank Frazetta as its main cover artist, which was a move everyone found exciting. But Frazetta wasn’t the only great cover painter — he was followed by a host of others, such as Richard Corben and Ken Kelly, to name just two.

Another fun component to any issue of Creepy was the mail-order ads for odd merchandise from a variety of sources. These goofy ads still give one a nostalgic chuckle.

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Irwin Allen Television Productions, 1964-1970

Irwin Allen Television Productions, 1964-1970
Before establishing himself as the “master of disaster” with the 1970s films The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno, Irwin Allen created four of television’s most exciting and enduring science-fiction series: Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, The Time Tunnel and Land of the Giants. These 1960s series were full of Allen’s favorite tricks, techniques and characteristic touches, and influenced other productions from the original Star Trek forward. Every science-fiction show owes something to Allen, yet none has equaled his series’ pace, excitement, or originality. This detailed examination and documentation of the premise and origin of the four shows offers an objective evaluation of every episode. A close-up look at these television landmarks demonstrates that when Irwin Allen’s television episodes were good, they were great–and when they were bad, they were still terrific fun.

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Doctor Who Classics TPB Vol. 05

Doctor Who Classics TPB Vol. 05
By: Steve Parkhouse, Mick Austin, Steve Dillon
IDW’s newly re-colored reprints of classic Doctor Who tales from years past continue. In this collection the adventures of the Fifth Doctor continues in ‘Lunar Lagoon’ and the four-part ‘4-Dimensional Vistas,’ printed in the U.S. for the first time, and more! Featuring all-new colors by Charlie Kirchoff.

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Wolverine/Mr X

Wolverine/Mr X One Shot
By: Frank Tieri, Paco Diaz Luque, Brandon Peterson
Mr. X is back for a rematch and revenge on the only man who’s ever beaten him: Wolverine!

Find out everything you never knew about one of the most dangerous psychopaths in the Marvel Universe.

The first time these two met, Wolverine barely escaped with his life, and this time…well, one thing’s for sure, you’ll never see the end coming but you’ll love how you got there!

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Doom Patrol #8

Doom Patrol #8
By: Keith Giffen, Matthew Clark, Justiniano
A pandimensional wrecking crew has come to Oolong Island looking for something specific, and the Doom Patrol had better find it while there’s still an island left!

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B.P.R.D.: King of Fear #3

B.P.R.D.: King of Fear #3
By: Mike Mignola, John Arcudi, Guy Davis, Dave Stewart, Mike Mignola
While scouring the Tibetan caverns to obliterate the monstrous frog colony, Liz and Abe face the King of Fear-who’s found a powerful new ally in his quest to destroy the surface world!

The B.P.R.D. take on frogs, subterraneans, and giant squid-bots!

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Flash Gordon Secret History Of Mongo SC

Flash Gordon Secret History Of Mongo SC
By: Paul Green, Joe Casey, Denny O’Neil, Tom DeFalco, J.M. DeMatteis, Shawn McManus, Joe Staton
After the events of The Mercy Wars, Flash explores this strange new world and comes across an ancient device that allows him to see into Mongo’s recent past–revealing untold tales of Ming the Merciless, Prince Barin, Princess Aura, Prince Vultan and more!

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Modern Masters Volume 24: Guy Davis

Modern Masters Volume 24: Guy Davis
Guy Davis is a master of the macabre, the mysterious, the just plain creepy. But underlying the eerie quality of his artwork is a remarkable sense of storytelling. Emotion drips off his brush, filling his work with life and energy. From his breakthrough hit, Baker Street, to the pulp noir Sandman Mystery Theater, to his current work on the Hellboy spin-off series, B.P.R.D., Davis has shown time and again that he is one of the best in the business. Join us as we lift the veil on the career of another Modern Master – Guy Davis! This book features a career-spanning interview with the artist, a discussion of his creative process, and reams of rare and unseen art, including a large gallery of commissioned pieces, and eight pages of full-color work.