Fire and Water: Doctor Who Comics Part 1

We're a happy family over at the Fire and Water Podcast Network, but sometimes, mom and dad need a break from each other. And by mom and dad, I mean Rob and Shagg. Happy to help, I joined Shagg on Fire & Water (I'm Water anyway) to talk about one of our shared geek loves - Doctor Who! Specifically, we go back to Marvel Premiere #57, featuring the (4th) Doctor's first published appearance in an American comic book. The oft-reprinted "The Iron Legion" by Pat Mills and Dave Gibbons (reprinted here, in fact, from Doctor Who Weekly), with a new cover by Walt Simonson and art pieces by Dave Cockrum, is the main topic of discussion, but we also give you a quick history of Doctor Who's comics history, and whatever else our Whovianism sidetracks us on.

Check it out at the Fire and Water Podcast Network page - That's Fire and Water episode #175!

Shagg and I will return later for the second part of "The Iron Legion". Stay tuned!

Comments

Brendoon said…
Oooooooh, dare I listen to this one? I've got specific memories which may spoil under the autopsy lights.

I bought The Iron legion (part 2) when it came out and had it for years, until I didn't. Really missed it, it had some influence on me as a budding artist (especially corroding robots. YEAH!). If I recall one of my friends begged for it and made a pretty decent swap.

Later when I found a "paperback" reprint of the whole story it was on some sort of better quality paper which made the inks look HORRRRRR---RIBBBLE, garish. The colours had been chosen to work on newsprint: It soaks the inks up, mutes and blends them into the intended colours.
I'm glad I'll never have to learn the science of it in this modern age!

Brendoon said…
Corroding robots? NAH! I shoulda said "Rotting Robots," tis' a little more literary.
Brendoon said…
Ah! If I'd known the American Marvel one in '81 was itself a reprint I would have hunted out the black & white originals long ago...Having grown up subscribing to 2000AD.
There's a significant difference of detail in artwork DESIGNED for black and white.
I loved that stuff! It was a strong edge British artists had over their American Contemporaries. No wonder most of them moved on to the better paying houses of DC and Marvel.
Later, they developed to fully painted artwork which was ahead of the American mainstream, at the expense of the delicious B&W stuff I lived and breathed.
In the podcast there was mention of a NEW recolouring of the artwork. Google reveals it's much more sympathetic to the linework BUT I've gotta say...
Airbrush-style Photoshop colouring sucks big time. It always looks cheap.