It is with deepest regret that DWO announces the passing of Classic Series Doctor Who Writer & Script Editor, Terrance Dicks.

This is genuinely one of the hardest news stories we have ever had to post on DWO, due to how much Terrance meant to us as fans, but also for his contributions to the site over the years.

Terrance's agents confirmed the news today, stating;

"The Agency is sad to announce that Terrance Dicks died last Thursday 29th August after a short illness, aged 84."

His first work on Doctor Who was in 1968 as Script Editor on the 2nd Doctor adventure, The Invasion. His first writing credit was on The War Games (1969), in collaboration with Malcolm Hulke. He then went on to continue serving as Script Editor throughout Jon Pertwee's tenure as the 3rd Doctor.

Other stories he contributed to the show include; Robot, The Brain Of Morbius (as Robin Bland), Horror Of Fang Rock, State Of Decay, and the 20th Anniversary adventure, The Five Doctors.

One of his greatest contributions to Doctor Who was in 1973 for Target Books as he adapted over 60+ televised episodes for novelisations. Many fans grew up reading these books, with some still in publication today for BBC Books. He also wrote a number of novels for the Virgin Doctor Who adventures as well as the BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures and BBC Past Doctor Adventures.

In addition to Doctor Who, Terrance's TV credits also include; The Avengers, Moonbase 3, Space: 1999 and Goodbye Mr. Chips (to name just a few).

For DWO, Terrance was kind enough to lend his time for interviews on the DWO WhoCast podcast - Episode #269 was a particular treat. He also gave his time to take part in the Ask & Answer section of the old DWO Forums.

DWO would like to extend our sympathies to Terrance's family and friends. We remain ever thankful to Terrance for all his contributions to Doctor Who; his stories stand the test of time, and will remain an important part of many a fan's childhood.

+ Do you have any memories you'd like to share? Please leave a comment, below! 

[Source: DWO]

BBC Books / Penguin have confirmed the synopsis' and covers for the new series Doctor Who Target novelisations, due out in April.

In addition to the four, new series adventures, a fifth title, (The 4th Doctor adventure) 'City Of Death', will be released at the same time. City Of Death was one of only five stories from the original series (1963-1989), not to have been novelised for the Target book range.

Synopsis for each title are below, and the covers are in the right-hand column, with the exception of 'Twice Upon A Time' and 'City Of Death' which we will be adding very shortly. The covers for the range have been designed by Anthony Dry, in the style of Chris Achilleos, who provided the covers for the original Target range.

Audiobook releases of the titles will be released in June.

Rose
By Russell T. Davies

“Nice to meet you, Rose. Run for your life!”

In a lair somewhere beneath central London, a malevolent alien intelligence is plotting the end of humanity. Shop window dummies that can move – and kill – are taking up key positions, ready to strike.

Rose Tyler, an ordinary Londoner, is working her shift in a department store, unaware that this is the most important day of her life. She’s about to meet the only man who understands the true nature of the threat facing Earth, a stranger who will open her eyes to all the wonder and terror of the universe – a traveller in time and space known as the Doctor.

+  Rose is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE this title on Amazon.co.uk!

The Christmas Invasion
By Jenny T. Colgan

Earth is under attack by power-hungry aliens. This is no time for the Doctor to be out of action.

When a British space probe is intercepted by a sinister alien vessel on the eve of Christmas, it marks the beginning of an audacious invasion of the Earth by the Sycorax – horrifying marauders from beyond the stars. Within hours, a third of humanity stands on the brink of death with not a single shot fired.

Our planet needs a champion – but the Doctor is not fit for service. He’s just regenerated, delirious in a new body and a dressing gown. Forced into his battered shoes is his friend, Rose Tyler, a girl from a London council estate. Will she save the world from this nightmare before Christmas – or see it destroyed?

+  The Christmas Invasion is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE this title on Amazon.co.uk!

The Day Of The Doctor
By Steven Moffat

When the entire universe is at stake, three different Doctors will unite to save it.

The Tenth Doctor is hunting shape-shifting Zygons in Elizabethan England. The Eleventh is investigating a rift in space-time in the present day. And one other – the man they used to be but never speak of – is fighting the Daleks in the darkest days of the Time War. Driven by demons and despair, this battle-scarred Doctor is set to take a devastating decision that will threaten the survival of the entire universe… a decision that not even a Time Lord can take alone.

On this day, the Doctor’s different incarnations will come together to save the Earth… to save the universe… and to save his soul.

+  The Day Of The Doctor is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE this title on Amazon.co.uk!

Twice Upon A Time
By Paul Cornell

Still reeling from his encounter with the Cybermen, the First Doctor stumbles through the bitter Antarctic wind, resisting the approaching regeneration with all his strength. But as he fights his way through the snowdrifts, he comes across the familiar shape of a blue police box, and a mysterious figure who introduces himself as the Doctor…

Thrown together at their most vulnerable moments, the two Doctors must discover why the snowflakes are suspended in the sky, why a First World War Captain has been lifted from his time stream moments before his death, and who is the mysterious Glass Woman who knows their true name. The Doctor is reunited with Bill, but is she all she seems? And can he hold out against the coming regeneration?

+  Twice Upon A Time is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE this title on Amazon.co.uk!

City Of Death
By James Goss

The key to Earth's destruction lies buried in its past.

Visiting Paris in 1979, the Doctor and Romana’s hopes for a holiday are soon shattered by armed thugs, a suave and dangerous Count, a plot to steal the Mona Lisa and a world-threatening experiment with time.

Teaming up with a British detective, the Time Lords discover that a ruthless alien plot hatched in Earth’s pre-history has reached its final stage. If Scaroth, last of the Jagaroth, cannot be stopped then the human race is history, along with all life on Earth…

+  City Of Death is released on 5th April 2018, priced £6.99.
+  PURCHASE this title on Amazon.co.uk!

[Sources: BBC Books; Amazon.co.uk]

Who Dares Publishing is the legendary Doctor Who Artist Andrew Skilleter and Matthew Doe; one of the UK's latest and leading Doctor Who memorabilia experts, an entrepreneur solely in the field of Doctor Who. It was Matthew who had the inspired idea of bringing together their skill sets and relaunching Andrew’s legendary 1980s publishing company, Who Dares, beginning with the first ever Target Art Calendar featuring a selection of Andrew’s cover paintings. During 2017, Who Dares intends to launch a number of high quality art based projects of distinction.

Who Dares Publishing (often referred to as simply Who Dares) was set up by Andrew Skilleter to produce a range of high quality print based merchandise, setting new standards for printed Doctor Who merchandise based on his new artwork, that included poster prints, artcards, bookmarks and the official Doctor Who calendars for 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989.

The name Who Dares was inspired by bringing together his connection with Doctor Who and his affection and knowledge about the classic British space comic strip hero, Dan Dare.

Andrew Skilleter was providing cover art for the W H Allen Target imprint at the time and realising they had no plans to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of Doctor Who series with any art based projects, he approached Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner. JNT was aware of his work, having approved all the covers for Target Books. This led to meetings with BBC Merchandising who initially licensed a series of A3 size new series poster prints.

The first prints featured Omega from Arc of Infinity and the Cybermen from Earthshock. Prepared in time for the twentieth anniversary event at Longleat House, two thousand were sold. Further prints followed including The Master, Sontarans, K9, Davros and the Daleks, Sea Devils, The Sixth Doctor and The Fourth Doctor. These sold in their thousands in the States.

The license to produce Doctor Who calendars in the USA had lapsed and Who Dares picked it up. The complexity of multiple copyright ownership of characters limited the choice of subjects to be painted and featured in the calendars. The first in 1986 was a showcase for Andrew Skilleter's work and sold 20,000 copies in the USA alone. While not illustrated by Andrew Skilleter, Who Dares initiated the publication of two other books of interest to him — The Man Who Drew Tomorrow, a look at the work of Dan Dare creator and artist Frank Hampson, and Timeview, the complete collection of the Radio Times Doctor Who illustrations by Frank Bellamy.

The last and best known book title published by Who Dares was the hardback Doctor Who: Cybermen, a collaboration with David Banks and Adrian Rigelsford, with a foreword by Gerry Davis. It was later published by Virgin Publishing as a paperback.

As mentioned, the first product to be released by Who Dares is 'The Andrew Skilleter Target Art Calendar 2017', for which we have the product synopsis and purchasing link, below:

The Andrew Skilleter Target Art Calendar is a large format A3 size with generous image area, wiro-bound in white and printed on heavy weight 250gsm satin paper with heavy weight front and back covers. Each is despatched in a substantial full board envelope with stiffener to ensure safe delivery.

Featuring: Warriors of the Deep, The Invasion, The Twin Dilemma (unpublished version), The Mind of Evil, Frontios, Nightmare of Eden, The Gunfighters, The Two Doctors, Logopolis, The Daemons, An Unearthly Child and The Abominable Snowmen.

+  BUY 'The Andrew Skilleter Target Art Calendar' from Who Dares for £19.95.
+  BUY a wide range of prints from Andrew Skilleter via his Etsy store!

[Source: Who Dares Publishing]

Doctor Who Magazine have sent DWO the cover and details for Issue 499 of DWM.

Take a look back at the history of Doctor Who Book Cover Art - in DWM 499!

As the art of the Target books is celebrated in a new exhibition, DWM tracks down the men who painted Doctor Who…

DWM speaks to Chris Achilleos, the first regular artist on the range, establishing a new visual style for Doctor Who…

“I didn’t need direction – I knew how to do a cover,” he explains today. “I was always very aware that a book cover needs to be attractive – almost interactive, in a way – so that you’re drawn to pick it up in a shop. I still think they work as good punchy covers.”

Target book fan and modern-day Doctor Who writer Mark Gatiss has much affection for the artwork: “The Three Doctors was my first and perhaps still my favourite,” he says warmly. “The incredibly evocative orange and green luridness of Omega’s deadly fingers, the Doctors themselves in grave monochrome. I still get a Proustian rush from seeing these images.”

ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

PRODUCTION NOTES
Doctor Who’s executive producer Brain Minchin tells DWM about the operation to reveal the identity of the Doctor's new companion…

WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER?
DWM investigates what it is to be immortal in the Doctor Who universe.

NIGHT TO REMEMBER
Ahead of a very special Fact of Fiction next issue on The Day of the Doctor, DWM looks back at the most unexpected Doctor Who story of all time…

BACK IN THE SISTERHOOD
We ask Clare Higgins, High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Karn, if Ohila could be the Doctor’s mother?

THE WITCH IS FAMILIAR…
… in the third part of our brand-new comic strip adventure, Witch Hunt, written by Jacqueline Rayner and illustrated by Martin Geraghty.

DRESS FOR THE OCCASION
Jacqueline Rayner talks about the challenges of dressing her boys up as the Doctor, in her column, Relative Dimensions.

DOCTOR, I MARRIED HIM!
An increasing number of couple are incorporating Doctor Who into the most important day of their lives. But why? DWM investigates...

FISHY BUSINESS
There’s something fishy going on under Venice, as the Time Team watch The Vampires of Venice...

GATEWAY TO THE UNIVERSE
The Fourth Doctor, Romana, Adric and K9 try to find a way out of E-Space in this month’s Fact of Fiction on 1981's Warriors' Gate...

COMING SOON
DWM previews all the latest Doctor Who CD and book releases.

DREAM WORLD
Russell T Davies return to BBC Wales with his production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream...

PLUS!
All the latest official news, reviews, competitions and The DWM Crossword.

+  Doctor Who Magazine Issue #499 is out on Today, priced £4.99.
+  Check Out The DWO Guide to Doctor Who Magazine!

[Source: Doctor Who Magazine]