Doctor Who in Paperback - 1980 to 1985 - A Publishing Boom!

[@VengaboysRbackINtown]

These books are in such great condition that I can (despite me being 4 or less years old at the time) imagine being transported back and seeing them fresh on a book rack in a newsagents or somewhere. Also that’s really cool that you got to be in an episode of Doctor Who. 😎

[@JulesBurt]

Thanks my friend. I have been constantly upgrading these over the years to get nice copies, these are now pretty decent! They are filled with so much nostalgia and I still love them🙂

[@garysharman3981]

How do get that reader pf?

[@JulesBurt]

Need to Google it👍

[@AnthonyP73]

Gosh, these videos give me the warmest feeling of happy, childhood days spent absorbed in these wonderful books. Absolute treasures! Did you ever finish this series Jules? is there a part 4?

[@JulesBurt]

I definitely want to, still missing a couple but almost there!👍

[@NYKensington]

This was a lot of fun. Thanks! I used to own the vast majority of the Target books (pretty much everything published before 1986 (and a couple of the Pinnacle editions). They were all thrown away when my parents sold the house, and I would give so much to have them back. Most of the Terrence Dicks books (with notable exceptions like "Inferno") were little more than episode transcripts, but I loved them the most because the structure (generally 12 chapters, 3 per episode (or 2 per episode if it was a 6-part story) made it very easy for me to read the books one "episode" at a time, which is how I always wanted to watch the show (but couldn't because my local PBS station only showed the omnibus movie editions!)

[@JulesBurt]

Thanks for that. You could still get job lots off eBay to get a nostalgia fix, these aren't too expensive 🙂 Agree with the format point as well, formulaic, especially Terrance Dicks, but that was also part of their charm.

[@mjanovec]

A great trip through the era when I was buying the Target novels. Our local bookshop had a large display just for Target books so I was always running to that section first. I did get a first edition Two Doctors… and yes, I live in the USA. My understanding is that the photo covers were at the insistence of Peter Davison’s agent (or perhaps Davison himself), who felt that none of the illustrators could capture his likeness very well. This makes sense when you see that all of the books with photo covers contain Davison’s image, while all of the Davison era books without his image use illustrations instead of photos. Plus, all of the non-Davison stories published during the era of the photo covers used illustration instead of photos. The only drawn illustration of Davison is that tiny profile on the Five Doctors cover. By the time that the Season 21 stories were novelized, it seems they preferred not to use Davison’s image any further. Part of me suspects it might have cost Target more to license a photo than it did to commission original artwork (as backwards as it might seem).

[@JulesBurt]

It's a tough one as the actual reason for the photo covers isn't totally clear. Yes, they were cheaper to produce but Target were contractually obliged to show the current Doctor on those books whereas the older stories weren't allowed to feature an older incarnation. Quite mad really

[@jarnopp]

Enjoyed this, Jules! Nice idea to go through them in publication order.

[@JulesBurt]

Thanks Jason, it's been fun as I rebuild my collection. They get a bit tougher as we near the end of the run though. Might be a couple of months till part 4. Love your videos btw!🙂

[@Democraps_are_narrow-minded]

I can spend 8 months listening your videos and i cant finish.

[@JulesBurt]

Lol, will it really take that long?🙂

[@michaelwhiles5282]

I’ve got quite a few - mostly purchased In Barmouth or Portmadoc when on holiday 😎 Today I’m a big fan of Big Finish as I love audio stories so have a large collection 👍

[@JulesBurt]

They quite addictive to collect 👍 Big Finish do a great job.

[@stevenwilson1816]

The Krotons was shown as part of the five faces series in 82/83. Can’t mind seeing the Dominators at that time. Ps brilliant video, great memories of my own collecting years which ended around Destiny. Still have loads DW books since then but no more Targets.

[@JulesBurt]

Thanks Steve, a whole new series on Target Books coming up🙂

[@AllThePiecesMatter_]

This really takes me back. We had pretty much all of these when i was growing up, i was a voracious reader of dr who books from a young age and remember all these covers vividly! Yes, the 5th doctor covers are dreadful!

[@JulesBurt]

Thanks my friend, I'm with you!

[@jayadamone]

Brilliant this! Thanks for posting Jules 😊

[@JulesBurt]

My pleasure Jay, glad you found it useful🙂

[@jayadamone]

Jules Burt superb and have to say the assassination of the photo montages had me in stitches lol, bar Mawdryn, which was my personal favourite! Also the Dominators were not part of the Five Faces but the Krotons back in 1981 😊, all of this brilliant content, will look forward to the others! 👍👌

[@JulesBurt]

Thanks Jay, I intend covering them all eventually 🙂

[@jayadamone]

Jules Burt are you planning to do any non-fiction such as Haining etc.?

[@JulesBurt]

Everything eventually! All the annuals, New Adventures, the lot, in time.🙂

[@mongman123]

A great video Jules. Will you do a video to finish the range?

[@JulesBurt]

Absolutely, that's the intention, to cover ever Dr Who paperback🙂

[@dwvideosandreviewsalsothen9174]

Did you ever upload the next installment? Love these videos 😊

[@JulesBurt]

Thanks, not yet, I'm missing just a handful of books to finish the run. My friend has them all so I shall ask to borrow them, definitely won't be long though🙂

[@leonardmare8368]

Another fascinating video Jules! I love Doctor Who (the TV series), but have not read any of the books. I came to the party only a few years ago when my son-in-law introduced me to the series. I started watching from the ninth doctor (Christopher Ecclestone) and was immediately hooked. I binge-watched doctors 9-11, which brought me up-to-date at the time and then continued with doctors 12 and 13. My favourite doctor is David Tennant. Who is yours?

[@JulesBurt]

Hi Leonard, thanks. I can really recommend these books , they stand up very well, even today. Of the modern series, I prefer David Tennant followed by Christopher Eccleston. Of the classic series, Jon Pertwee followed by Tom Baker.

[@andrewmckinnon3211]

These are great. Next one coming soon?

[@JulesBurt]

I'm still missing a few but I can borrow from a mate of mine who has a full set, so hopefully, yes! 🙂

[@vintagetoycollector9352]

I remember these very well!

[@JulesBurt]

Excellent, do you still have any?

[@vintagetoycollector9352]

@@JulesBurt only a couple of old annuals and a couple of monster books I think.

[@JulesBurt]

@@vintagetoycollector9352 The monster books are great!

[@andrewsmith5605]

That reference book looks pretty cool. Do you know if there are any made for the original novels (new adventures, missing adventures, eighth doctor adventures , past doctor adventures) made during the wilderness years?

[@JulesBurt]

A new book on them, written by David Howe, is due at Christmas 🙂

[@philiponicho]

I believe that the reason they used photos on some of the 80s covers was down to Peter Davison not liking his likeness on the original artwork that was produced for his first book. So Target decided not to use artwork on all the original issues of his stories

[@JulesBurt]

Thanks Phillip, what a shame, they do look dreadful compared to the artwork covers.

[@philiponicho]

@@JulesBurt Yes I agree I love the artwork on these books, some would make great posters

[@JulesBurt]

I think some were released as poster prints, not big posters, more like a little bigger than A4 size. By artist Andrew Skilliter.

[@NYKensington]

@@JulesBurt There were also some lovely jigsaw puzzles made from Andrew's artwork. I had a 550-piece featuring the Sontarans that I used to cherish (and wish I could find again).

[@JulesBurt]

@@NYKensington Ah, I know the image your refering to, I had that one as a print, don't think I ever saw it as a jigsaw though. Nice!🙂

[@connorwhitemedia4498]

Will you be doing another video to cover the books from 1986 and onwards?

[@JulesBurt]

It is planned however I am thinking of refilming the series from the start and covering the books in a bit more detail.

[@connorwhitemedia4498]

​@@JulesBurtthat's a cool idea!

[@JulesBurt]

@connorwhitemedia4498 been researching it for a while, the detail will be unreal 🙂

[@CoalDiamondandhisawesomeness]

I want to say that they showed The Krotons in the five faces of doctor who, not The Dominators. But I could be misremembering.

[@JulesBurt]

I think you're right🙂

[@TediousMilkshake]

When is part 4 coming?

[@JulesBurt]

I am probably going to reshoot the original parts, going year by year and in much more detail. It's planned, hopefully soon👍

[@TediousMilkshake]

@@JulesBurt i rlly wanna see some sylvester mccoy books!!!

[@JulesBurt]

For sure, it'll come soon my friend 👍

[@Jim17735]

Lovely to see all these in chronological order, totally agree about those Davidson photo covers, they are absolutely awful !

[@JulesBurt]

For sure, it's the way I like to see them on the shelf!👍🙂

[@paulchapman4241]

Time flight was so bad, lol. The master being in disguise just made no sense. Four to doomsday as well.

[@JulesBurt]

Yep, a couple of turkeys!

[@TediousMilkshake]

You skipped The Ribos Operation. And I got a first edition of An Unearthly Child for three pounds!!! Spine's a bit faded, but I don't mind 😊

[@JulesBurt]

Ribos is at the end of the video before this one. 👍

[@TediousMilkshake]

@@JulesBurt oh ok 👍

[@JulesBurt]

👍

[@benmiller3252]

Oh so you were the one who got knocked out by a Cyberman?

[@JulesBurt]

I was one of them!👍

[@davidrichards9654]

Chris Jury nearly got the part of Dr Who but it went to Sylvester McCoy instead.

[@JulesBurt]

Right, glad Sly got it now🙂

[@davidrichards9654]

He's immortalized enough in Lovejoy really.

[@JulesBurt]

True!🙂

[@garybryant1501]

The idea of photo covers is fine but their choices were the worst photo album ever

[@JulesBurt]

Couldn't agree more!🙂