The Basics - Issue 181, 25 December 1991. The front cover has artwork of the Dalek/Cybermen war by Lee Sullivan, as depicted in this issue's text story. There is a free poster of the Seven Doctors by Alister Pearson, as per the cover of issue 174.

Indicia - In the basement of Coal Hill School, the Dalek considered the meaning of life, then shot it through the head at point blank range.

Tombwatch - See News And Views directly below.

News And Views - Several stories are under consideration for repeats on BBC2, including The Green Death. The linking material for the audio tapes of Tomb of the Cybermen, The Macra Terror and Evil of the Daleks have been recorded by Jon Pertwee, Colin and Tom Baker respectively, and should be on sale in the latter half of 1992.

New Fiction - Daleks battle Cybermen in a new two part text story, Heliotrope Bouquet. The First and Seventh Doctors meet in the Brief Encounter Echoes of Future Past. With part 2 of Evening's Empire delayed, the back up comic strip The Fires Down Below from issue 64 is reprinted.

Reviews - Off The Shelf reviews The Terrestrial Index ("my favourite factual handbook so far published by Virgin") and Timewyrm: Revelation ("one of the most satisfactory, intelligent and exciting pieces of DW fiction ever").

Boxpops - Top of the pop charts in December 91 were Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me by George Michael & Elton John and Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are The Days by Queen.

Skaro Says - This, along with the next few issues, was part of the "catch-up batch" that Andrew Curnow ordered the following year, but he remembers not being very impressed by the cover, nor by the similar one the following month. He now finds it ironic that they spent all that time preparing the audio release of Tomb of the Cybermen!

Critique - I rather like the cover, with artwork depicting most fans' dream (or nightmare!) encounter, and having it split up a bit with the two photos. I never did get round to reading Heliotrope Bouquet though, despite its attraction of Daleks vs Cybermen, and I still haven't bothered even now so can't comment on its quality or otherwise! The Brief Encounter has some very nice artwork, and cleverly has the First Doctor in black and white and the Seventh in colour. I liked the quick behind the scenes look at the comic strip, and wasn't too bothered by the postponement of Evening's Empire, as I don't recall reading the first part, and was never too keen on Andrew Cartmel's fiction - be it comic strips or New Adventures. This issue does have a little feel of a filler to it, with a one page feature where a real life member of the armed forces examines how efficient UNIT are and a two page feature on The Pertwee Years, but this may be explained away by the sudden loss of the comic strip. This issue also includes a short review of the first convention I ever attended - Exo-Space 2, which was a very enjoyable weekend.