There’s a new book on Doctor Who and The Avengers scriptwriter Malcolm Hulke in the works from social historian Michael Herbert, which he is self-publishing later this year.
Universally known as “Mac” to comrades, colleagues and friends, Malcolm Hulke was a successful writer for radio, television and the cinema from the 1950s to the late 1970s. His work included episodes for Armchair Theatre and The Avengers, and 54 episodes for Doctor Who, broadcast between 1967 and 1974, for which he is best remembered.
Along with Terrance Dicks, he co-created the concept of the Time Lords and offered viewers their first glimpse of Gallifrey in The War Games, and created the reptilian Silurians, their cousins the Sea Devils, and the Draconians., He wrote the novelisations of every story he had written solo, and several he had worked on with other writers for Target Books.
He also wrote a Doctor Who radio pilot, Journey into Time, starring Peter Cushing, which was recorded, but never broadcast; a fondly-remembered guide for television viewers on The Making of Doctor Who (with Terrance Dicks), and edited a Writers Guide in 1969 and 1970 on writing for television, produced for the The Television and Screen Writers’ Guild.
He was also a socialist, belonging for a time to the Communist Party of Great Britain, and his political views fed into his work. The Morning Star notes MI5, who monitored him by steaming open his mail, bugging his phone and the phones of places he worked, or organisations he belonged to, once described him as “a dangerous man, and without scruples, so far as his Communistic outlook is concerned.”
Michael Herbert has previously documented Hulke’s work, in Doctor Who and the Communist, published by Five Leaves Press in 2015, and in an extensive and informative post on his Fantasies of Possibility blog, but Things Are Not Always What They Seem is a more extensive examination of both the writing and politics of the influential creator.
Michael Herbert, who has been watching Doctor Who since 1963, is a socialist historian who lives in Tameside, Greater Manchester whose work includes books on the history of radical women in 19th and 20th century. He teaches history to adults at Aquinas College, Stockport and Chetham’s Library, Manchester.
His published work includes Never Counted Out: the story of Len Johnson, Manchester’s Black Boxing Hero and Communist; The Wearing of the Green: a political history of the Irish in Manchester and Up Then Brave Women: Manchester’s Radical Women 1819–1918.
He is also a Trustee of the Working Class Movement Library in Salford and a committee member of the Mary Quaile Club.
• Michael Herbert is online at redflagwalks.wordpress.com and also has an online SF blog, Fantasies of Possibility | Follow MJ Herbert on BlueSky
• The Sirens of Audio: The Life and Work of a Doctor Who Legend – Malcolm Hulke
Michael Herbert talks about “Mac’s” career, including his early television and colaborations, and the importance of his work in Doctor Who on television and in books. The team also take a closer look at Doctor Who and the Cave Monsters audiobook read by Caroline John
Further Hulke-related Reading…
• Telos Publishing have previously published two “Talkback” collections that include interviews with Malcolm Hulke, the three-volume series edited by Stephen James Walker available in a bundle direct from the publisher.
This item was updated on Friday 10th January to correct publishing plans fo the book. Our apologies for any confusion
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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. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 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: Books, Doctor Who, downthetubes News, Other Worlds, Science Fiction, Television
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