By the Doctor’s Beard!
By JIM BEARD
Full disclosure: I’m not really a Doctor Who fan, but I’m learning.
See, I’ve known about the show and the character since the 1970s, thanks to things like Starlog Magazine and the 10 American reprintings of Who novels from Pinnacle Books. I also made daytrips to Windsor, Canada, with my dad to buy UK printings of the novels.
But I hadn’t seen the actual show. So far as I knew, it wasn’t being shown anywhere I could see it. So, I just read the books… and the comics.
Marvel Comics produced a few Doctor Who appearances at the tail end of their Marvel Premiere series in 1980-81 and I bought them off the rack then. What I didn’t know at the time was that they—and a later actual 23-issue Doctor Who title—were reprints from Marvel UK books Doctor Who Weekly and Doctor Who Monthly. It was kind of cool after only being able to read prose novels; it was the closest I’d get to seeing the Doctor in action for quite a while.
And even cooler? As near as I can determine, all the Marvel U.S. Doctor Who comics had original covers (I think).
I went through those covers and pulled out 13 personal favorites to illustrate my admiration for the show. I hope all you Whovians out there enjoy them.
Oh, and me actually being able to watch Doctor Who? I just started viewing it from the very beginning, the William Hartnell era, serial by serial in order. And you can follow along with me (and our pal John S. Drew), ’cause I’m podcasting it as I go along on The Doctor’s Beard Podcast, as they say, “everywhere fine podcasts can be found!”
—
Marvel Premiere #57 (Dec. 1980). Dig that yellow explosion! My eyes! My eyes!
Walter Simonson
—
Marvel Premiere #58 (Feb. 1981). Who knew Tom Baker had such hairy legs?
Frank Miller and Terry Austin
—
Marvel Premiere #60 (June 1981). I love the layout and coloring on this one.
Earl Norem
—
Doctor Who #1 (Oct. 1984). Oh, no! Forget the Doctor! K-9’s in danger!
Dave Gibbons
—
Doctor Who #3 (Dec. 1984). This is just glorious.
Gibbons
—
Doctor Who #7 (Apr. 1985). Sontarans on the scene!
Gibbons
—
Doctor Who #8 (May 1985). I know there were TV stories of the Doctor meeting his previous incarnations, but did Tom Baker ever meet Tom Baker?
Gibbons
—
Doctor Who #10 (July 1985). That’s an early Cyberman, right? (Kidding.)
Gibbons
—
Doctor Who #16 (Jan. 1986). Satan… by way of Godzilla, apparently.
Gibbons
—
Doctor Who #17 (Feb. 1986). Interesting that the series switched over to the Fifth Doctor, Peter Davison. This is such a great cover.
Gibbons
—
Doctor Who #19 (Apr. 1986). Sontarans on the scene…again!
Gibbons
—
Doctor Who #22 (July 1986). Time Torpedoes are always most distressing.
Steve Parkhouse
—
Doctor Who #23 (Aug. 1986). And then it was all over, and this cover certainly hammers that home.
Parkhouse
—
13th Dimension columnist JIM BEARD is a writer, editor and podcaster. Check out his new series with John S. Drew — The Doctor’s Beard Podcast.
—
MORE
— 13 DOCTOR WHO COVERS: A DAVE GIBBONS Birthday Celebration. Click here.
— 13 Marvelous MARVEL PLANET OF THE APES Covers. Click here.
February 13, 2023
Okay, I had Marvel Premiere #58 so I was aware of Doctor Who comics (it was my first exposure to the character). But despite 1985-86 being my peak Marvel collecting years, I had NO idea there had been an ongoing Doctor Who (23 issues, no less). None of those covers ring a bell at all. Was I that blind to licensed books? I had at least a vague awareness of stuff like Droids and Inhumanoids so that doesn’t seem likely. Just goes to show this site always has new revelations to offer. Great covers, by the way!
February 13, 2023
My work here is done *mouse drop*
February 14, 2023
Hi, Jim. I’ll have to check out your Doctor Who podcast. Beep the Meep, the blue furball on the cover of Doctor Who #1 will be featured in the series of 60th Anniversary Specials with David Tennant to be aired in November 2023.