Fan Scene #2 Tardis issues 3 & 4 1976

Early 1976 saw issue 3 which was, unsurprisingly, a Jon Pertwee special and the first to be edited by Gordon Blows. The great thing about this issue is that rather than being somewhat removed from what was happening on screen `Tardis` now has news and therefore becomes a much more essential read. Back in 1970s the print and tv media only covered major Doctor Who related stories like a change of Doctor or new companion. For anything else fanzines became the go-to place for details.

So this issue reports Philip Hinchcliffe debunking rumours that the Tardis would change and details upcoming Target novelisations. There’s a bio and interview with Jon Pertwee including the third Doctor relating a tale of when he accidentally hit stuntman Alan Chuntz during `Inferno`. Interestingly he also gives his main reason for leaving the series as wanting to do other roles with no mention of his later revelations that he’d asked for more money. The issue also includes an interview with comic artist Frank Langford, some fiction and a book review. It really does feel like the start of something good.

 

 

Four issues in and we finally get to the current Doctor! Now confidently dubbed the `new Doctor Who fanzine` and with artist Stuart Glazebrook contributing as well it is beginning to look like the popular zine it was to become. The issue includes a Tom Baker bio, an interview with artist John Canning plus lots of reader’s letters. While overall the content is perhaps not as strong as issue 3, it keeps the momentum going and what's more was now being published monthly.