Target Books Recalled for the Modern Doctor Who Era in spiffing fan project

By John Freeman on October 8, 2015

How the Doctor Who Target Book for the latest episode, “Under the Lake” might have looked if the range was still in publication. Art: Andrew-Mark Thompson

Derby-based designer Andrew-Mark Thompson – one of the organisers of Whooverville, which takes place in Derby every year around September-ish – has created these wonderful homages to the Doctor Who Target books, continuing the range that was once the only way fans could rediscovers the Doctor’s past adventures into the modern era.

Andrew’s project covers ever modern adventure through to the latest and are simply a wonderful treat and distraction for any Who fan, whether they grew up reading the Target books or not. He’s also posted items featuring some of the cover art sans logos and idents here and here.

Featured below are a couple of his personal favourites from the faux range, which has proven so popular with fans he’s also created a number of covers featuring stories from “Vintage Who“, too. Glorious.

Doctor Who and the End of the World. Design: Andrew-Mark Thompson

Doctor Who “Target Book”: Voyage of the Damned. Art: Andrew-Mark Thompson

At various points in his career Andrew – who has his own personal favourites in his “range” – has been employed as a shop assistant, actor, SFX designer, writer, museum guide, radio presenter, puppeteer and, he claims on his blog, goat wrangler!

These covers of the modern show are wonderfully inventive – and Andrew has come up with many more great Who-inspired designs, including a poster for the little-known Doctor Who and the Planet of the Daleks musical starring Jon Pertwee, and items such as “Great unreleased Doctor Who merchandise of the 20th Century”, a series of spoofs that includes the rarely seen Man from U.N.I.T. covers featuring the late, great Nicholas Courtney in action as Lethbridge-Stewart.

• Check out Andrew’s blog here; and you can also follow him on Twitter at @Andydrewz – but only if you really believe you can…

• The Whoovers are a friendly group of people from across Derbyshire drawn together by one thing – an admiration of the television series Doctor Who and its various spin-offs. They meet on the first Friday of each month and after the very friendly and informal meeting we usually retire to The Old Spa Inn just up the road on Abbey Street to continue the discussions; and hold an annual conventions, Whooverville, in September-ish. More info: http://whoovers.org.uk

Doctor Who Production Designer Michael Pickwood is a special guest at their next meeting on Friday 6th November at the Voicebox Arts Centre in Derby city centre from 7:45pm. Michael is the man ultimately responsible for all art and design matters on the series

• For a full guide to the genuine Target Doctor Who books visit: http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Target_Books

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. 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.