That Was the DWM That Was

The Basics - Issue 154, November 1989. The front cover has a photo of the Seventh Doctor and Daleks, plus an image of the free poster inside, the Fourth Doctor and Sontarans by Alister Pearson. The price rises 25p to £1.50, and the page count is increased permanently to 40 pages, having gained four colour pages since last issue. The letter in Into The Vortex is written by the Seventh Doctor in the style of the Fourth Doctor letters in the early issues of the Weekly.

News And Views - The future of the programme still remains uncertain following Season 26, with no final decision made by the BBC at the time of going to press, though outright cancellation seems unlikely. The Ultimate Adventure stage play will not now be touring in New Zealand this year due to logistical problems, though there is hope for 1990.

Previews And Reviews - Survival is previewed. Off The Shelf reviews The Greatest Show In The Galaxy ("a travesty of what it could have been 1.5/5") and the Titan Script Books of Tomb of the Cybermen and Talons of Weng-Chiang (3/5 for both).

Boxpops - Red Dwarf III debuts on BBC2 on 14th November. Televised broadcasts from the House of Commons begin on 21st November. Top of the pop charts in November 89 are the continuing That's What I Like, All Around The World by Lisa Stansfield and You Got It (The Right Stuff) by New Kids On The Block.

Critique - DWM always put a bit of effort into anniversary issues, and this one, marking ten years of publication, is no exception. The price rise was acceptable, given the extra colour pages and the latest in the series of Pearson's excellent posters. Just opening the front cover gives a warm nostalgic glow, with the publicity photo used for the cover of the very first issue used as a pin up on page 2 (and making you realise the significance of the current front cover), and the Seventh Doctor letter in the style of the first 20-odd issues - cleverly referring once again to issue 879. Once again the Strip feature, this time looking at the fourth Doctor Marvel strips and the back-up strips, was a personal favourite feature which helped to add to the nostalgic, celebratory feel of this issue. Interestingly, there's a scene in Nemesis of the Daleks where we see a gloating Abslom Daak from a Dalek's POV, asking what it's gonna do now - suck him to death? I wonder if Robert Shearman remembered that scene?!

Paying the Bills

I wonder if that note at the bottom had anything to do with the "The End of the World is Nigh" nutter patrolling the streets of Bournemouth that winter?