After we posted Andrew Pepoy and Jason Millet‘s marvellous (sorry, couldn’t resist that!) Doctor Who Comics Day Doctor Who: Fourth Doctor #4 variant yesterday, numerous comics fans noted it’s a homage to a classic Fantastic Four cover (#49) credited to Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott on the Marvel Comics web site.
But there was another influence, too, others suggested – over on the Doctor Who Comics: A Voyage Facebook group, fan Brian Snape pointed to Target’s The Three Doctors cover…
Of course, the artist who drew that book cover, first published back in 1975 – Chris Achilleos – has acknowledged his cover referenced Kirby’s FF cover, too, so Pepoy and Millet have actually brought things “Full Circle”… (Sorry, couldn’t resist that one, either).
Andrew Pepoy himself happily acknowledges the same Fantastic Four cover influenced this new Fourth Doctor variant, too.
“I’d probably seen the Who paperback cover,” he told me via Twitter, “but had to be reminded after someone saw mine”.
Whatever the inspirations. It’s a smashing cover.. And surely one demanding a t-shirt incarnation in due course, too!
• Artist Chris Achilleos offers his The Three Doctors art as a signed print over on his official web site
• Listen to a the Diddly Dum podcast interview with Chris Achilleos here
With thanks to Sean Bassett and Brian Snape
John Freeman
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Explorer (previously known as Star Trek Magazine) and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War and “Dan Dare”. He’s the writer of "Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies" for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, Doctor Who, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events
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