Panini Magazines, out now

A reprint of the entire run of the TV Century 21 back page Daleks comic strip which ran from 1965 to 1967.

It’s a great time to be a Dalek fan, what with Eaglemoss’ collection of Time Lord Victorious figurines, the new Daleks! YouTube series and the upcoming Dalek Combat Training Manual. And while 2020’s output is not quite hitting the heights of the Dalekmania of the 1960s, here’s a collection to take you back to that swinging decade.

There’s every possibility that you previously picked up (and still own) the staple-busting DWM’s 1994 special The Dalek Chronicles, which collected these 104 instalments of The Daleks, but even if this is the case, there’s good reason to double dip. This is no straight reprint of a reprint, as each page has been digitally restored, using the original artwork where available, and it looks gorgeous. Being perfect bound also makes it a whole lot easier to read.

Mainly written by Doctor Who story editor David Whittaker, the stories give us the opportunity to see the Daleks as more than just the Doctor’s enemy, and in the beautiful artwork we get to experience whole new aspects of their world and conflicts, guided by the golden Dalek Emperor. The 16 serialised tales were illustrated by Richard Jennings, Eric Eden and Ron Turner, the latter being interviewed here on the challenges of creating a full colour page each week. Also of interest is a page from graphic designer Peri Godbold on the work involved in turning original, yellowing, 50-year-old art boards or printed pages into pristine new artwork.

Verdict: Insli! It’s time to fire up your hoverbout and indulge in the ultimate Dalek nostalgia. Now looking better than ever, this is TV Century 21 content given the ultimate 21st Century makeover. 10/10