COUNTDOWN - launch issue - Feb 1971

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you’re probably of an age where Jon Pertwee was YOUR Doctor.
At the time of his era there wasn’t that much around in print to get your fix of Time Lord adventure.




What there was available were the Target novelisations, being released on a semi-regular basis; the annuals; and Countdown (later TV Action) comic, which gave you a weekly escape into the world of Doctor Who.

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the very first issue, dated week ending 20th February, 1971 (see below).

I’ve recently come across an entire collection of Countdown (issues 1 to 56) and its replacement when it regenerated into TV Action.

I thought I would share a monthly digest of the comic’s issues, exactly 40 years on from publication.

As we will see, many strips came and went through the history of Countdown and TV Action, but Doctor Who was the only one to appear in all issues, bar one or two.

The launch issue contains strips based on three Gerry Anderson series; one Hanna Barbera cartoon; and a specially commissioned strip which gives the comic its title, Countdown.
From the second issue, two further Gerry Anderson programmes add to the strips.

Click the issue title to view
the complete comic in PDF format.

Issue 1

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who - Gemini Plan pt 1
art by Harry Lindfield

also Dastardly And Muttley, UFO, Thunderbirds, Countdown, Captain Scarlet

Issue 2

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who - Gemini Plan pt 2
art by Harry Lindfield

also Captain Scarlet, Joe 90, Dastardly And Muttley, Thunderbirds, UFO, The Secret Service, Countdown

Doctor Who Experience -Third Doctor incarnation

This weekend (Sunday 20th February) sees the official opening of the Doctor Who Experience exhibition at London’s Olympia.

Amongst the displays is a definitive collection of costumes worn by The Doctor through his regeneration (see left and right). Some out of necessity are replicas, but many are original and screen-used.

On Thursday I went to the first of the paid previews, following on from a couple of weeks of tester days to iron out teething troubles. While I was there I took a good set of photographs of all the costumes on show.

I have already written a Full Review of the exhibition itself, but here is a more targeted write-up focusing on the items of interest to a Third Doctor fan and giving them a more detailed look.

As I don’t run a blog for the First and Second Doctors, I’m including them here - after all, they appearing in The Three Doctors all together!

Nestle Milk Chocolate Bars - picture 2

Today it’s picture two of Doctor Who Fights Masterplan “Q” - the 15-part adventure on the backs of the Nestlé Doctor Who Milk Chocolate bars.

In this part, The Doctor and Jo explore the surface of Quorus and discover dinosaur-like creatures.
But who is the modern-dressed stranger they spy?

Here is the artwork to the lid of the sweet shop display box.