The Basics - Issue 175, 10 July 1991. The front cover uses the artwork from the front cover of Timewyrm : Genesys by Andrew Skilleter, which is previewed inside.

Indicia - Way of the Warrior Guide Book courtesy of Sevateem Enterprises.

News And Views - Sbepperton Studios are reported to be preparing for production of a 25 minute science fiction series in 1992, to be co-produced by the BBC and an independent company. The Museum of the Moving Image in London will host a new DW exhibition, beginning on July 5th and running for several months. After complaints of the pricing on six parters, BBC Video are now considering more four parters and emphasising the more recent Doctors. If the first two Years Tapes are successful, the Pertwee release will follow in June 1992, along with The Tom Baker Years. A letter writer wants to see a "Seven Faces of Doctor Who" repeat season over the summer...

Review - Off The Shelf reviews the latest fanzines and the Target novelisation of Battlefield - "worth waiting for; a fine book".

Notables - The Episode Guide which began in Issue 50 concludes by covering Season 26. The editor mentions that they will of course be running Season 27 as it happens...

New Fiction - A new four part comic strip featuring the Cybermen, The Good Soldier, begins. A lengthy excerpt from the beginning of the first New Adventure, Timewyrm : Genesys, is published.

Boxpops - Chimera, written by Stephen Gallagher, debuts on ITV on 7 July. Top of the pop charts in July 91 were the continuing Jason Donovan and (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams.

Skaro Says - This was one of the first issues that Paul Monk bought, his interest in the show having been rekindled mainly by the Virgin New Adventures. Andrew Curnow remembers being disappointed by the Genesys artwork on the front cover of the magazine, but blown away by it on the book itself, and enjoyed reading the preview article for it inside. Rob McCow recalls that this issue came out at a very exciting time, with the NAs set to capitalize on the promise of the more in-depth latter Target novelisations. He fondly recalls The Good Soldier strip, which was stylishly drawn with some great twists and cliffhangers. Sidesk remarks that this issue was good value, noting particularly the good artwork and clliffhanger on the comic strip. Si Hart loves the Genesys overload in this issue, with the cover, the Gallifrey Guardian full page spread and every plug possible!

Critique - As mentioned above, the main focus of this issue is to herald the launch of the New Adventures. By this time, I was becoming ever more doubtful that the show would return on TV, so it was only right for the magazine to support the new books, and I supported them too, seeing them as a natural progression from the Target books, which I'd been reading and collecting for as long as I could remember. Somewhat ironically, the last Target novelisation of a TV story (Battlefield) is reviewed in this issue's Off The Shelf too. As one door shuts, another one opens. Talking of things coming to an end, the Episode Guide which began way back in issue 50 ended here too, and somewhat amusingly an editorial comment in the letters page boldly proclaims that it will return to cover Season 27 as it happens! I didn't remember much about The Good Soldier prior to researching this issue (and the next few), but having taken the opportunity to re-read it, it's actually quite a good strip, and one starting to reflect the New Adventures style. Overall then, it's definitely an issue with a feel of looking forward to it...