Malevilus Publishing, out now

DWM editors interrogated, the Dalek strips, more on Absalom Daak, and an all-new interview with Alan Moore. Why haven’t you ordered your copy yet?

The simplest version of this review is: if you’re a Doctor Who fan, you need this in your collection. Lovingly put together by Colin Brockhurst and Gareth Kavanagh, with contributions from dozens of writers, artists, editors and other fans from the past six decades of Doctor Who, it’s an absolute treat to read. As with its two predecessors, even if you’ve been a fan of the show for decades, you’ll still find stuff here you’ve not heard before… such as Alan Moore’s proposed Doctor Who story (which was obviously thought up before the casting of Peter Capaldi for reasons that will be clear when you read it), to the ins and outs of David Whitaker and Terry Nation’s relationship.

The interviews with many of the editors of Doctor Who Magazine make fascinating reading – inevitably some of the more controversial areas are tackled – while I was surprised to find there was so much more to say about Absalom Daak after the second issue. The Dalek Killer clearly isn’t everyone’s favourite character (one former editor doesn’t mince his words), but the story behind his genesis and multiple rebirths – from the pages of DWM to the New Adventures to Titan’s 11th Doctor line – is intriguing.

The Daleks themselves get plenty of coverage – as well as a brand new comic strip, Lee Sullivan completing the story begun by Ron Turner nearly 20 years ago, John Freeman reveals his plans for a separate continuation. There are other strips in the mag – Daniel O’Mahony and Steve Andrew’s The Woman who killed the Doctor being my favourite – and loads of gorgeous new art. It does feel a little ironic that one of those interviewed comes across as disparaging about comics (“I graduated to books without pictures”, they say) in a magazine that otherwise glorifies the comic and magazine side of Doctor Who!

And to top it all, there’s a terrific new audio featuring David Graham…

Verdict: 208 pages of Doctor Who joy. Buy it now. (www.vworpvworp.co.uk)  10/10

Paul Simpson